SWR Repaints and Refurbishments

[Goldfish62]

I have never come across a 458/5 toilet that has soap available. I have no idea why, there seems to be no issue providing soap in other toilets, but never in a 458/5.

It's always been an issue with the 458s and the toilet equipment cabinet door is often left unlocked. It of course the stock withtoilets maintained by Wimbledon, so maybe that's the heart of the issue.

 

[Mordac]

I have never come across a 458/5 toilet that has soap available. I have no idea why, there seems to be no issue providing soap in other toilets, but never in a 458/5.

Maybe they just figure it'll almost certainly be out of order, so don't bother.

 

[ValleyLines142]

Which is the next unit to be done?

 

[superalbs]

158888 moved up to Lougborough Brush today, on this working: http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/K79550/2017/10/04/advanced

I believe that 158887 is presently there, and would likely work this tomorrow, but that's if it runs: http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/K79633/2017/10/05/advanced

Whenever it returns, I imagine it will be in blue/silver.

 

[yorksrob]

Caught a refurbed 159 recently.

The new cushions were definitely harder than the old ones, but not as hard as I'd feared.

Can't help thinking the money would have been better spent putting in some USB chargers.

 

[Starmill]

Caught a refurbed 159 recently.

The new cushions were definitely harder than the old ones, but not as hard as I'd feared.

Can't help thinking the money would have been better spent putting in some USB chargers.

Sockets are available - in First Class

 

[Starmill]

First can do better than this! It just causes confusion to passengers as South West Trains does not exist

I am yet to hear of a case of this causing confusion

I certainly think we would hear of it though if there were an increase in cancellations or short formations due to logo-sticking.

 

[superalbs]

Sockets are available - in First Class

Only at some tables... :P

 

[yorksrob]

Sockets are available - in First Class

I'm far too much of a skinflint !

 

[Goldfish62]

Caught a refurbed 159 recently.

The new cushions were definitely harder than the old ones, but not as hard as I'd feared.

Can't help thinking the money would have been better spent putting in some USB chargers.

 

[Kite159]

Caught a refurbed 159 recently.

The new cushions were definitely harder than the old ones, but not as hard as I'd feared.

Can't help thinking the money would have been better spent putting in some USB chargers.

The good news is that the seats are slowly softening up with use.

It will be interesting if 887 returns wearing the new colours, no doubt it will soon be found out when someone spots it on the long way round trip back from Loughborough (Isn't there any spare paths from Bristol direct to Salisbury (via Bath) without the unit going via Exeter?)

 

[vikingdriver]

The good news is that the seats are slowly softening up with use.

It will be interesting if 887 returns wearing the new colours, no doubt it will soon be found out when someone spots it on the long way round trip back from Loughborough (Isn't there any spare paths from Bristol direct to Salisbury (via Bath) without the unit going via Exeter?)

It will be.

 

[59CosG95]

158888 moved up to Lougborough Brush today, on this working: http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/K79550/2017/10/04/advanced

I believe that 158887 is presently there, and would likely work this tomorrow, but that's if it runs: http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/K79633/2017/10/05/advanced

Whenever it returns, I imagine it will be in blue/silver.

This is in fact the activated diagram, currently looped at Cofton (at time of posting, 1520 hrs). http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/K79632/2017/10/05/advanced

 

[159]

How do you tell it is 158887 or any other set of 158xxx? Can you track specific MUs wherever they are scheduled to go on some website?

 

[Domh245]

How do you tell it is 158887 or any other set of 158xxx? Can you track specific MUs wherever they are scheduled to go on some website?

You can't track what unit is operating what service unless you have access to internal systems. However, you can always search websites like flickr for that unit number, particularly on non-typical moves like this, which will turn up things like this:

158887 by Thomas Stobbs, on Flickr

 

[159]

Any idea when/if 455s will be repainted? Will all of the 444s, 450s and 159s be redone?

 

[Domh245]

Any idea when/if 455s will be repainted? Will all of the 444s, 450s and 159s be redone?

It is highly unlikely that the 455s, 456s, 458s, or 707s will be repainted, as they are not due to remain with the franchise to the end, so there is no point doing them up - they'll eventually all get South Western Railway branding in the form of stickers, but that'll be it. The 444s, 450s, and 159s should all be repainted in the fullness of time, but I'd expect that they'll wait until they've started bringing the 442s into service - starting the various internal cascades, so that they have a bit more slack in terms of unit allocations to allow for repainting.

 

[Harbouring]

You can't track what unit is operating what service unless you have access to internal systems. However, you can always search websites like flickr for that unit number, particularly on non-typical moves like this, which will turn up things like this:

158887 by Thomas Stobbs, on Flickr

The livery looks smarter on the 158 than on the 444 IMO. A lot less grey I guess and fewer oversized logos

 

[class387]

Have they done anything to the interior of 158887? Otherwise it might have to go back soon for the refurb.

Also, the blue on the front looks awful and makes the whole train look disproportionate to me. Far prefer the 444.

 

[TEW]

It is highly unlikely that the 455s, 456s, 458s, or 707s will be repainted, as they are not due to remain with the franchise to the end, so there is no point doing them up - they'll eventually all get South Western Railway branding in the form of stickers, but that'll be it. The 444s, 450s, and 159s should all be repainted in the fullness of time, but I'd expect that they'll wait until they've started bringing the 442s into service - starting the various internal cascades, so that they have a bit more slack in terms of unit allocations to allow for repainting.

159/0s will follow the 158s through Loughborough for PRM mods and scheduled repaint. The 158s are nearly done now so the first 159/0 should be off soon I guess. First 444s go for overhaul in December apparently.

 

[Great_Western]

You can't track what unit is operating what service unless you have access to internal systems. However, you can always search websites like flickr for that unit number, particularly on non-typical moves like this, which will turn up things like this:

158887 by Thomas Stobbs, on Flickr

I was not a big fan of the new livery on the 444, but that really seems to suit the 158. I think the lack of intermediate coaches in plain grey helps a lot! Does anyone know if the interior has been done?

 

[Chris125]

I was not a big fan of the new livery on the 444, but that really seems to suit the 158. I think the lack of intermediate coaches in plain grey helps a lot! Does anyone know if the interior has been done?

IMO it really messes up the proportions - the lack of yellow on the front gives it a weird 'big chin' look, and the sides make its look shorter. I'd say that looks far worse than the 444, which is some achievement.

 

[capital12]

It's got the same amount of yellow as the SWT version which looked fine, but I guess the whole SWT livery was better designed as it then had a bit of red and the lower valance was black which looked quite smart.

But where has the blue come from?! I don't remember seeing any blue on the front of the 444 but I didn't pay that much attention I guess.

However I think the white roof looks awful and will probably look more awful once stained by the exhaust!

 

[Domh245]

It's got the same amount of yellow as the SWT version which looked fine, but I guess the whole SWT livery was better designed as it then had a bit of red and the lower valance was black which looked quite smart.

But where has the blue come from?! I don't remember seeing any blue on the front of the 444 but I didn't pay that much attention I guess.

However I think the white roof looks awful and will probably look more awful once stained by the exhaust!

If you look at 444040, it has got a small blue section at the bottom of the yellow panels, so presumably the idea here is to have yellow running almost to floor level/just above the first significant non-flat part of the front valance. You can also see that the roof is already starting to get stained!

Further photos are also starting to appear online now, which show that the interior is still unchanged.

 

[Kite159]

That looks quite good

 

[Class465fan]

Does anyone know when the 450s/444s are to undergo the new SWR refurbishment?

 

[Goldfish62]

Does anyone know when the 450s/444s are to undergo the new SWR refurbishment?

Presumably soon, given that they've stated the unrealistic sounding completion date as December 2018!

 

[Goldfish62]

If you look at 444040, it has got a small blue section at the bottom of the yellow panels, so presumably the idea here is to have yellow running almost to floor level/just above the first significant non-flat part of the front valance. You can also see that the roof is already starting to get stained!

Further photos are also starting to appear online now, which show that the interior is still unchanged.

Isn't it just how the light has caught the front? There's a hint of blue in the dark grey that SWR uses.

 

[SpacePhoenix]

Are 158887 and 444040 the only units to date in the full new livery?

 

[superalbs]

Yes, but 158888 went up to Loughborough Brush on Wednesday.