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Southern Class 455 Withdrawal

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Jturner98

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Good morning all, I’ve heard various reports today that the southern class 455s will be withdrawn in the May timetable change. Has anyone got any more information on this? Seems strange that that are going through a C4 program at the moment just to be withdrawn. Also does this pretty much confirm that the 379s are going to Great Northern to replace the 387s?

Current GTR 455 status
Updated 9/8/22

455801 - Scrapped
455802 - Scrapped
455803 - Scrapped
455804
455805 - Scrapped
455806 - Scrapped
455807 - Scrapped
455808 - Scrapped
455809 - Scrapped
455810 - Scrapped
455811 - Scrapped
455812
455813 - Scrapped
455814 - Scrapped
455815 - Scrapped
455816 - Scrapped
455817 - Scrapped
455818 - Scrapped
455819
455820 - Scrapped
455821 - Scrapped
455822 - Scrapped
455823 - Scrapped
455824 - Scrapped
455825 - Scrapped
455826 - Scrapped
455827 - Scrapped
455828 - Scrapped
455829 - Scrapped
455830 - Scrapped
455831 - Scrapped
455832 - Scrapped
455833 - Scrapped
455834 - Scrapped
455835 - Scrapped
455836
455837 - Scrapped
455838 - Scrapped
455839 - Scrapped
455840 - Scrapped
455841 - Scrapped
455842 - Scrapped
455843 - Scrapped
455844 - Scrapped
455845 - Scrapped
455846 - Scrapped

Total Southern units - 46
Total scrapped 42
Total stored - 4
 
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TT-ONR-NRN

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I haven’t heard anything but:
- Milton Keynes requires ten 377s and keeps being axed

- Portsmouth and Southampton to Brighton will be simply Chichester to Brighton from May

- All Brightons are currently 387

And among plenty of other cuts and considering the 455s are fairly loosely diagrammed to require just fifteen pairs a day for all day diagrams, I reckon it’s possible if the 377s are very much stretched and some 4 car services replace longer formations. It would mean the 313s’d need to cling on for longer though, surely?
 

JonathanH

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I’ve heard various reports today that the southern class 455s will be withdrawn in the May timetable change.
There have been various reports on this forum from time to time. No official announcement yet.

Also does this pretty much confirm that the 379s are going to Great Northern to replace the 387s?
They don't have to be connected. 455 withdrawal could be achieved simply by tightening up the existing Southern diagrams for 377s and selected service cuts becoming permanent. As others have pointed out, SWR has lost a greater proportion of its fleet without new stock coming in.
 

Jturner98

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There have been various reports on this forum from time to time.


They don't have to be connected. 455 withdrawal could be achieved simply by tightening up the existing Southern diagrams for 377s and selected service cuts becoming permanent. As others have pointed out, SWR has lost a greater proportion of its fleet without new stock coming in.
Looking through a few groups in Facebook it appears that some people have inside knowledge about it. Be a shame to see them go though.
 

03_179

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455 are not being used as of the May 2022 timetable. Came from a VERY high source on Wednesday
 

swt_passenger

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Good morning all, I’ve heard various reports today that the southern class 455s will be withdrawn in the May timetable change. Has anyone got any more information on this? Seems strange that that are going through a C4 program at the moment just to be withdrawn. Also does this pretty much confirm that the 379s are going to Great Northern to replace the 387s?
This had been posted on Wednesday in a more general thread here:
 

TT-ONR-NRN

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Indeed, when there’s a post saying “official communication - 455s to be retired by the May 22 Timetable change on the depot wall” that sounds rather official to me.
Goodness me. I’m a little sad, as while I’m no fan of the SW ones I find the SN ones to have a very nice interior. Still, a 377 can only be an upgrade.
 

Class455

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Yes, sadly the 455’s will no longer be with Southern come the May 2022 timetable change.
It will be sad to see them go, for me they were the units that helped me to develop my interest in trains and it’ll be very strange not seeing them around anymore. However, approaching 40 years old they’ve done extremely well compared to other rolling stock built in a similar era which shows how robust they have been. Whilst unlikely, if demand returns pretty quickly, there could be a u-turn but as others have said, 377’s can cover the diagrams currently covered by 455’s. This will come at a cost of other trains being short formed which isn’t ideal in the long run, so I’d suspect a longer term solution is in planning.
 

TT-ONR-NRN

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I assume this has nothing to do with 379s, and is based on the widespread cuts due to demand, retention of 313s for now, and tightening of 377 diagrams.
 

Class455

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Notably, the Southern 455s have been on Eversholt's 'stock available for lease and disposal' list since December:


Obviously that doesn't preclude an eleventh-hour lease extension, but it gives an indication that their time may be almost up.
I wouldn’t be surprised if there is an eleventh hour lease extension, things are still very fluid so could change at any time.
 

03_179

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313205 is not withdrawn - but that said the damage is bad enough to warrant withdrawal
 

physics34

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Notably, the Southern 455s have been on Eversholt's 'stock available for lease and disposal' list since December:


Obviously that doesn't preclude an eleventh-hour lease extension, but it gives an indication that their time may be almost up.
Dec 21
Was always the end of lease but could never find any up to date info on that until now. Kinda proves the grim reeper is just around the corner
 

Class 466

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The May 2022 timetable should be uploaded soon. Lots of changes in the metro area if what a fairly reliable source has told me are anything to go by.
 

brad465

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Good morning all, I’ve heard various reports today that the southern class 455s will be withdrawn in the May timetable change. Has anyone got any more information on this? Seems strange that that are going through a C4 program at the moment just to be withdrawn. Also does this pretty much confirm that the 379s are going to Great Northern to replace the 387s?
Could Southern want Southeastern's 377s back as an alternative, if they're still on a sub-lease from Southern/TL? I imagine the rolling stock situation at SE makes this far from ideal for the latter, but 387s are all over the place in terms of franchise usage, given problems at GWR.
 

physics34

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The May 2022 timetable should be uploaded soon. Lots of changes in the metro area if what a fairly reliable source has told me are anything to go by.
The service level should really be kept as it is since dec 18 change which was a decent TT. Maybe 10 cars are not needed on LB to cat/tatts or Epsoms (6 car would do...) certainly off peak Beckenhams and Cats via peckham need not be 8 car.
 

HamworthyGoods

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The service level should really be kept as it is since dec 18 change which was a decent TT. Maybe 10 cars are not needed on LB to cat/tatts or Epsoms (6 car would do...) certainly off peak Beckenhams and Cats via peckham need not be 8 car.

Why though if there aren’t they people using it?
 

JonathanH

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Okay. I wonder which 455's are going 1st. Southern or South Western Railway?
Clearly the Southern ones go first as the replacement fleet is already available. The SWR fleet can't be displaced without 701s in service.

The more interesting comparison is the Southern 455s end date against the broadly contemporary GA 317s.
 
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