SWR Class 458 to be retained

[OneTrackMinded]

Why wouldn't they run single four or five coach trains rather than cancel?

All I know is that if they were to not introduce these units then they'd loose 2 services

 

[swr444]

The rumour regarding the 458s entering service on the hounslow loop/waybridge services has been confirmed by an SWR staff member, here are the details
-Must be by July otherwise services will be cut
-Planned to start from June, 2x 8 cars fixed formation, so 4 units
-Union work is being done on the four units
-12 month max unless union agrees to more
-Training will likely start in May
-They are planned to run on said services but may change due to gauging issues it might change, will run where required to

These are to fill in for the stock shortage

it was mentioned that 20 will now be done, so maybe the weybridge / hounslow loop services will move to solely be 458/4s, bar one as Basingstoke have a few duties over the route and they do not sign the 458s

 

[OneTrackMinded]

it was mentioned that 20 will now be done, so maybe the weybridge / hounslow loop services will move to solely be 458/4s, bar one as Basingstoke have a few duties over the route and they do not sign the 458s

??? SWR don't want 458s. They have all the 701s to do the way bridge and hounslow loop services. These are simply temporary until the 701s arrive

 

[pigs bay]

Briefly, 458s were being refurbished and reformed to 4 cars to work on the Portsmouth line. Covid came and passenger numbers dropped so SWR didn't need them, however the refurb project has started so the 458s continue to be refurbished. As the 458s go for conversion SWR have less units for service, 701s are not coming into service as fast as expected so SWR are short of units. SWR asked Porterbrook to carry out some cab mods on 6 x 458/4 units to get them into service to help out, I hear this is now supposed to be 20 units even though 20 haven't been converted yet! Meanwhile the 455s soldier on but spare parts are in short supply and this could affect their availability, meaning less units in service.

The 458/4's were suppose to replace the class 442's after covid as that's why the 442's were withdrawn earlier than expected, then SWR said they were withrawing the 442's in favour of keeping the 458' and putting them back to 4-car units for the PML via Guildford. But in true First group fashion, that seems to have gone by the wayside as they keep saying that the 458's are now not needed, so are we going to be seeing them on the back of a truck going west to Newport soon?

 

[Mikey C]

Does the /4 refresh include sorting out the aquarium windows and a refurb or is it just yeeting off the fifth carriage and the 100mph uprate?

I was on a 10 car 458 service today. Was irritated by the aquarium windows, so moved down the train and sat in one of the ex 460 carriages, and as I don't often travel on SWR, for possibly my final time!

 

[Goldfish62]

Why wouldn't they run single four or five coach trains rather than cancel?

Because at times 50% of intending passengers would be left behind. Reducing the timetable may be preferable, although of course far from ideal.

 

[Siemens Staines]

The onward paths for 458527 from Eastleigh to Widnes are now on RTT

5Q95 1832 Eastleigh East Yard to Widnes Transport Tech

Realtime Trains | 5Q95 1832 Eastleigh East Yard to Widnes Transport Tech | 01/05/2024

Real-time train running information for 5Q95 1832 departure from Eastleigh East Yard to Widnes Transport Tech on 01/05/2024. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

5M95 0944 Widnes Transport Tech to Leicester L.I.P.

Realtime Trains | 5M95 0944 Widnes Transport Tech to Leicester L.I.P. | 02/05/2024

Real-time train running information for 5M95 0944 departure from Widnes Transport Tech to Leicester L.I.P. on 02/05/2024. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

It looks like 458534 may have been stood down on Monday night because 458502 is now partnered with 458535 and 458534 has not re-appeared from Wimbledon Park, but I could be putting two and two together and getting five.

2S75 2252 London Waterloo to Weybridge

Realtime Trains | 2S75 2252 London Waterloo to Weybridge | 29/04/2024

Real-time train running information for 2S75 2252 departure from London Waterloo to Weybridge on 29/04/2024. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

5Y69 0012 Weybridge to Wimbledon Park Depot Sdgs

Realtime Trains | 5Y69 0012 Weybridge to Wimbledon Park Depot Sdgs | 30/04/2024

Real-time train running information for 5Y69 0012 departure from Weybridge to Wimbledon Park Depot Sdgs on 30/04/2024. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

What is the list of operational Class 458/5 as of today then please?

 

[Siemens Staines]

I think the the current 458 fleet status is now (happy to be corrected).

458/5 In service (17)
458502,503,506,509-512,514,518,519,526
458529-532,535,536

458/5 out of miles (1)
458534 29.04.24

458/5 Long-term out of service (1)
458533 28.01.22

458/5 status unknown (1)
458508 29.02.24

458/5 en-route to Widnes (1)
458527 23.04.24

458/4 Work in progress at Widnes (1)
458x13

458/4 Completed and delivered to SWR (14)
458401,404,405,407,415-417,420-425,428

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

I think the the current 458 fleet status is now (happy to be corrected).

458/5 In service (17)
458502,503,506,509-512,514,518,519,526
458529-532,535,536

458/5 out of miles (1)
458534 29.04.24

458/5 Long-term out of service (1)
458533 28.01.22

458/5 status unknown (1)
458508 29.02.24

458/5 en-route to Widnes (1)
458527 23.04.24

458/4 Work in progress at Widnes (1)
458x13

458/4 Completed and delivered to SWR (14)
458401,404,405,407,415-417,420-425,428

Thanks for this.

458/5 Long-term out of service (1)
458533 28.01.22

Wow, very long-term out of service!

 

[jwhite9185]

This one passed through Woking a few moments ago. Going too fast to catch the number though. Had a pair of green box type carriages between the loco and the 458 and another one tagged on the back.

Realtime Trains | 5Q95 1832 Eastleigh East Yard to Widnes Transport Tech | 01/05/2024

Real-time train running information for 5Q95 1832 departure from Eastleigh East Yard to Widnes Transport Tech on 01/05/2024. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

 

[LUYMun]

As mentioned earlier, that was 458527, hauled by 69008 and has ex-508 translator coaches surrounding the 458. @jwhite9185

 

[Bikeman78]

Because at times 50% of intending passengers would be left behind. Reducing the timetable may be preferable, although of course far from ideal.

That doesn't make sense. Where will those passengers go if the train is cancelled? They will most likely catch the next train, as they would if they couldn't get on a short formed train.

 

[Goldfish62]

That doesn't make sense. Where will those passengers go if the train is cancelled? They will most likely catch the next train, as they would if they couldn't get on a short formed train.

I wasn't talking about cancelling the trains on the day. Temporarily removing them from the timetable instead. SWT did that when they decided to speed up the 458/5 conversion programme.

 

[Bikeman78]

I wasn't talking about cancelling the trains on the day. Temporarily removing them from the timetable instead. SWT did that when they decided to speed up the 458/5 conversion programme.

Each to their own. I'd rather risk standing on a short formed train than have hour gaps which seems the likely alternative.

 

[Goldfish62]

Each to their own. I'd rather risk standing on a short formed train than have hour gaps which seems the likely alterna

 

[Big Jumby 74]

SWT did that when they decided to speed up the 458/5 conversion programme.

??? Not in the plan they didn't, unless it was a Control thing?

 

[Goldfish62]

Each to their own. I'd rather risk standing on a short formed train than have hour gaps which seems the likely alternative.

Not necessarily. You could remove , for example, one of the through Camberley line services in the peaks and/or start a peak shoulder Hounslow loop service. Either could potentially release a couple of units without impacting on the overall standard service pattern. Obviously neither this nor daily short-forms are ideal.

??? Not in the plan they didn't, unless it was a Control thing?

Oh they most certainly they did. They removed an up AM Peak Reading service (around 0720 from Reading from memory) and advertised in advance that it was being removed temporarily. I know this because that was my preferred train to catch in the mornings!

 

[norbitonflyer]

Each to their own. I'd rather risk standing on a short formed train than have hour gaps which seems the likely alternative.

... and probably then have to stand anyway

 

[Goldfish62]

... and probably then have to stand anyway

Or be unable to board.

 

[Mikey C]

Because at times 50% of intending passengers would be left behind. Reducing the timetable may be preferable, although of course far from ideal.

It's the same capacity though whether you run a 4 car train every 30 minutes or an 8 car every hour. If all the people on the missing 4 car wait half a hour for the hourly 8 car, the that train will be just as overcrowded as the two half hourly 4 cars would have been.

 

[Goldfish62]

It's the same capacity though whether you run a 4 car train every 30 minutes or an 8 car every hour. If all the people on the missing 4 car wait half a hour for the hourly 8 car, the that train will be just as overcrowded as the two half hourly 4 cars would have been.

Indeed.

 

[ValleyLines142]

Noticed a few carriages of a 458 at Cockshute near Stoke-on-Trent yesterday!

 

[Siemens Staines]

It looks like 458534 may have been stood down on Monday night because 458502 is now partnered with 458535 and 458534 has not re-appeared from Wimbledon Park, but I could be putting two and two together and getting five.

So I did jump to the wrong conclusion and 458534 has come back out this evening;

Realtime Trains | 2V45 1607 London Waterloo to London Waterloo | 02/05/2024

Real-time train running information for 2V45 1607 departure from London Waterloo to London Waterloo on 02/05/2024. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

 

[43096]

So I did jump to the wrong conclusion and 458534 has come back out this evening;

Realtime Trains | 2V45 1607 London Waterloo to London Waterloo | 02/05/2024

Real-time train running information for 2V45 1607 departure from London Waterloo to London Waterloo on 02/05/2024. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

And now it’s my train home on 2C55 1750 to Reading.

 

[Bikeman78]

Not necessarily. You could remove , for example, one of the through Camberley line services in the peaks and/or start a peak shoulder Hounslow loop service. Either could potentially release a couple of units without impacting on the overall standard service pattern. Obviously neither this nor daily short-forms are ideal

Okay, fair enough but in my experience, there are trains that could run four vice eight without problem, e.g the 1702 Waterloo to Guildford via Woking. On the Thursday I travelled on it, everyone could easily have got on a four car. The additional Ascot trains would also probably cope with half a train as would the peak time Hounslow circulars.

Personally, I'd rather have the choice. I stood on a rammed fire car IET with my kids from Newport to Reading. I could have chosen to wait an hour for the next train but I didn't.

 

[swt_passenger]

Noticed a few carriages of a 458 at Cockshute near Stoke-on-Trent yesterday!

Ex 460 vehicles removed from 5 cars to be scrapped, there’s been a few posts about Stoke sightings in this thread.

 

[ValleyLines142]

Ex 460 vehicles removed from 5 cars to be scrapped, there’s been a few posts about Stoke sightings in this thread.

Thanks, haven't really got the time nor the patience to scroll through 94 pages

 

[61653 HTAFC]

What's the current pattern on the Reading line? Back when I was using the services regularly to get to Staines (and to Reading for points west) it was (iirc) 2tph to Reading via Richmond, with 1tph peak extras via Hounslow. Services were 458/0 or slammers (this was early 2000s), usually 8-car. Windsors were pretty solid 455s, so I'd try to avoid those. There were also very few Weybridge services that ran beyond Staines in those days, they usually turned back in Staines sidings.

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

What's the current pattern on the Reading line? Back when I was using the services regularly to get to Staines (and to Reading for points west) it was (iirc) 2tph to Reading via Richmond, with 1tph peak extras via Hounslow. Services were 458/0 or slammers (this was early 2000s), usually 8-car. Windsors were pretty solid 455s, so I'd try to avoid those. There were also very few Weybridge services that ran beyond Staines in those days, they usually turned back in Staines sidings.

2tph to Reading, I think primarily 455 now with 2/3 pairs 450 and 2/3 pairs 458/5, I think. Windsor is pretty solidly 450 except a morning diagram is 701 and you get the odd 458, same for Weybridge minus the 701.