SWR Metro fleet permanent withdrawals

[Bikeman78]

Never really got to the bottom of why they did it, apart from a seemingly spurious claim that it improved passenger security.

That was the official line at the time. All four cars as well. How times have changed.

 

[Goldfish62]

That was the official line at the time. All four cars as well. How times have changed.

Yes, needed to be four cars due to various short platforms. The first working in the evening, 2020 from Waterloo was always absolutely wedged!

 

[Bikeman78]

Yes, needed to be four cars due to various short platforms. The first working in the evening, 2020 from Waterloo was always absolutely wedged!

Oh yes, the likes of Earley were only four cars. What fun. I seem to recall a backlash about the lack of toilets. Evidently the experiment wasn't a great success because the VEPs were back after a few years.

 

[Goldfish62]

Oh yes, the likes of Earley were only four cars. What fun. I seem to recall a backlash about the lack of toilets. Evidently the experiment wasn't a great success because the VEPs were back after a few years.

And 25 years later SWR are reintroducing 455s on the line, including weekday all day services. But at least most are 8 cars this time round.

 

[Class93]

Soon hopefully they are an absolute delight on SE.

Historians will look back and say why didn't the railway industry didn't just buy a couple of hundred of these to cover all inner suburban duties rather than the fiasco that has now be felled SW.

Massively expensive on the contract with SWR, bought totally off the hoof, no toilets, not to specification for standing when it was reassessed, a micro fleet that wouldn’t work with GWR suburban, nor Southern (possibly a few routes but not enough to take over the 377 run routes - at the time when 455s were the mainstay of suburban ops).

Personal opinion but I think they’re pretty poor trains, badly designed to fit what was perceived to be needed at the time. Some excellent features such as the cab for drivers and the PIS, but not the right train. If they last at SE with a new metro fleet I’d be suprised.

 

[Nicholas Lewis]

Massively expensive on the contract with SWR, bought totally off the hoof, no toilets, not to specification for standing when it was reassessed, a micro fleet that wouldn’t work with GWR suburban, nor Southern (possibly a few routes but not enough to take over the 377 run routes - at the time when 455s were the mainstay of suburban ops).

Personal opinion but I think they’re pretty poor trains, badly designed to fit what was perceived to be needed at the time. Some excellent features such as the cab for drivers and the PIS, but not the right train. If they last at SE with a new metro fleet I’d be suprised.

Like the 700s there people movers and ideal for the constraints the industry now has to contend with on less vehicles miles being allowed by DafT.

 

[Class93]

Like the 700s there people movers and ideal for the constraints the industry now has to contend with on less vehicles miles being allowed by DafT.

I agree the 700s are lovely but they aren’t much like the 707s.

 

[GW43125]

Noticing the usual pair of 707s aren't out today-off to southeastern or just disgraced after failing yesterday?

 

[WarrenTManager]

One is stopped investigating and rectifying the fault from yesterday. 8.455 out instead.

 

[SEtrains]

When are the 707s transferring to SE?
I assume that further 701 delays have postponed this.

 

[Snow1964]

When are the 707s transferring to SE?
I assume that further 701 delays have postponed this.

I think it was stated around 26th April, but that was few weeks ago, so might be out of date. At the time was based on SE having all 30 ahead of timetable change. Possibly all changed, but retaining 2 units cannot be cost effective as many staff will lapse on type soon.

I am guessing SWR could put some effort into putting the 4car 458s into service on the 5car 458 routes if it considered it urgent

 

[gabrielhj07]

I am guessing SWR could put some effort into putting the 4car 458s into service on the 5car 458 routes if it considered it urgent

I think SWR considering anything urgent is a fairly long shot