SWR Repaints and Refurbishments

[Deepgreen]

We don't know we're born today, with RTT telling us which unit is on which working, and which end of the train! In my day (sucks on pipe) we had to wait all day...

My video clip too: https://flic.kr/p/2pD2txy

 

[Big Jumby 74]

In my day (sucks on pipe) we had to wait all day...

And me too. And, this may surprise some of the younger generation, that was the fun of 'spotting' back in the day. Escape school asap and make haste to the local station to await (particularly in my case) certain freights that were due past 'sometime about xxxx' (we never had a clue as to the actual WTT times) other than they would usually turn up at about this or that time. As for loco's working same, completely unknown until they came in to view. That was the fun of it. Still have my very first Ian Allan Loco shed book (1974, with the Prototype HST on cover), and the very few loco's noted as seen, mostly (as hinted at earlier, location wise) being Cromptons and EDL's, but others also. Happy days!

 

[Islineclear3_1]

Ah yes the exciting days of not knowing what might turn up and being able to bunk one's way around depots. No internet back then....

Also wondering why I didn't see many members of a particular class until I was old enough to understand depot allocations with their designated pool/class

 

[Western Sunset]

My first Combined Volume (bought at WH Smiths on Derby Midland station) still had a steam engine on its cover...

 

[Samzino]

https://twitter.com/willburexe/status/1767648403104682252

According to the Tweet above which the below picture was taken from, it shows the Retro Livery 455 has already been tagged with some Pink. Pretty shameful tbh.

The caption reads for the above:

ffs @SW_Help 455868 has a new unexpected addition to its BR Blue...

 

[Deepgreen]

My first Combined Volume (bought at WH Smiths on Derby Midland station) still had a steam engine on its cover...

My father (a life-long railwayman) knew Ian Allan, and used to visit his stall at Waterloo.

 

[DelW]

https://twitter.com/willburexe/status/1767648403104682252

According to the Tweet above which the below picture was taken from, it shows the Retro Livery 455 has already been tagged with some Pink. Pretty shameful tbh.

With remarkable irony, the advert at the bottom of the page as I read this is for "UK Paint Spraying" offering Industrial Paint Spraying Services

 

[Samzino]

With remarkable irony, the advert at the bottom of the page as I read this is for "UK Paint Spraying" offering Industrial Paint Spraying Services

 

[ED73]

Not sure if it's been reported yet, but 444040 is out and about in normal garb. Seen on 1B90 this morning. I didn't see whether it had retained the D-Day name.

 

[ValleyLines142]

Not sure if its been mentioned elsewhere already but I've noticed on the 444s at least that Celia Drummond announcements are no longer played, and have been replaced with the same woman who I believe does the West Midlands Metro?

 

[fgwrich]

Not sure if its been mentioned elsewhere already but I've noticed on the 444s at least that Celia Drummond announcements are no longer played, and have been replaced with the same woman who I believe does the West Midlands Metro?

It certainly has, the new announcements by Elinor Hamilton have been gradually rolling in for the last year now. I was surprised to even hear them on the 455 fleet last weekend.

As discussed in this thread:

SWR New announcements

It appears SWR are updating their announcements. They are now voiced by Elinor Hamilton who is best known for the Underground. Not my cup of tea as I felt like the old announcements were unique to any other train operating companies.

www.railforums.co.uk

 

[DCtrains]

afaik, the state of announcements curently is:

Celia: 458 and certain 450/444
Elinor: 455, 158/9, 484 and most 450/444
TTS: 707

In terms of livery:

SWR Blue/Grey: 444 (Excl 019), 450, 159/0, 458/4, 701 and 158 (887, 889 and 890)
SWT Blue: 458/5 and 73235
SWT Red: 455 (Excl 868) and 707
SWT White: 159/1 and 158 (880-886)

The only reason i think Elinor hasnt made an appearance on 458s yet is because the PIS system is completely different to the rest of the fleet

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

afaik, the state of announcements curently is:

Celia: 458 and certain 450/444
Elinor: 455, 158/9, 484 and most 450/444
TTS: 707

In terms of livery:

SWR Blue/Grey: 444 (Excl 019), 450, 159/0, 458/4, 701 and 158 (887, 889 and 890)
SWT Blue: 458/5 and 73235
SWT Red: 455 (Excl 868) and 707
SWT White: 159/1 and 158 (880-886)

The only reason i think Elinor hasnt made an appearance on 458s yet is because the PIS system is completely different to the rest of the fleet

So that’s Celia completely gone from all 455s then. How many Desiros are left, do we know?

 

[Islineclear3_1]

Not strictly a relivery but coach 77713 of 5868 has been tagged badly with graffiti

 

[nctd2306]

Not strictly a relivery but coach 77713 of 5868 has been tagged badly with graffiti

What a shame, I wonder if whoever did it specifically chose the special livery unit, I remember something similar happening a while back with GWR's 802020, the NHS livery unit...

 

[swr444]

There are multiple tagged 455s out today

 

[ED73]

What a shame, I wonder if whoever did it specifically chose the special livery unit, I remember something similar happening a while back with GWR's 802020, the NHS livery unit.

507001 got tagged a few weeks back. They probably do notice that it's a new colour.

 

[Islineclear3_1]

Not strictly a relivery but coach 77713 of 5868 has been tagged badly with graffiti

What a shame, I wonder if whoever did it specifically chose the special livery unit, I remember something similar happening a while back with GWR's 802020, the NHS livery unit...

They did....

The coach was clean when 5868 started its journey (late) from Shepperton yesterday afternoon and it got sprayed at some point because I noticed it upon arrival at Waterloo. There was also an incident with the train (at Shepperton), resulting in late departure so I wonder if it got tagged there (?) non-platform side

 

[boiledbeans2]

Forget the Class 455s in BR blue. That is so 80s.

As the Class 455s seemingly still have many years ahead *cough* 701 *cough*, they should be brought to the 2020s with the SWR livery.

 

[fgwrich]

There are multiple tagged 455s out today

Unfortunately so

 

[boiledbeans2]

Unfortunately so

One of your photos has "RIP the 455z" on the doors. Those guys should read the forum more often, and would realise there's still a long way to go for that to happen!

 

[Islineclear3_1]

I know this should go into Speculative discussion but to save starting a new thread; I think the original South West Trains livery suited the 455's quite well.

 

[Goldfish62]

One of your photos has "RIP the 455z" on the doors. Those guys should read the forum more often, and would realise there's still a long way to go for that to happen!

Makes you wonder what sort of a state these people are going to be when they do actually start going!

 

[fgwrich]

afaik, the state of announcements curently is:

Celia: 458 and certain 450/444
Elinor: 455, 158/9, 484 and most 450/444
TTS: 707

Oddly, it seems the last place to find Celia is actually in the 701s. For SWR's newest fleet, they seem to now have the old recordings.

 

[swr444]

Oddly, it seems the last place to find Celia is actually in the 701s. For SWR's newest fleet, they seem to now have the old recordings.

Probably scared that if they change it, the train will have another major fault

 

[387star]

I assume work to repaint the diesels is next?

 

[Lockwood]

Probably scared that if they change it, the train will have another major fault

We've changed the voice in the announcement.

Time to write a new training package that includes that change, see you in another six months

 

[nctd2306]

RTT displaying that 450111 is back in service after full repaint and vinyl removal, on Windsor services today.

 

[Chiltern006]

Saw it yesterday in service at Staines around 12:00. Very shiny indeed

 

[TEW]

450060 has new seat covers fitted. Haven't heard anything about it but perhaps the flat cloth has finally been abandoned after constantly looking dirty.