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Your memories of Class 442s

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GarethW

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For a while circa 1988-89 if you had a Network Card you could upgrade to 1st class for just a quid more any day of the week!

I worked for myself in those days (and a lot of my work was weekends) so I treated myself to many trips up from Hinton or New Milton to town in those very nice compartments on the 442s during the “working” week.
 
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pj13

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From early 90's will left SWT.
Smooth ride, felt more like gliding along the rails.
Being young child huge gap from platform getting on board
 

nw1

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Too many 442 journeys to recall many specific events, but I think my first journey in a 442 was Southampton Central to Parkstone, October 1989. At the time I was living near Swaythling, which had through trains to London at the time, so it was more usual to catch a VEP or CIG on the stopping service for most journeys.

Most memorable journey, perhaps, was Bath to Southampton via Dorchester (!) one November Friday evening in, I think, 1994. The normal route via Salisbury had severe delays (can't remember the reason) and the staff on the normal 158 were advising people to de-train at Westbury and catch the following Weymouth service.

I distinctly remember getting to Dorchester West, sprinting to Dorchester South (and not really knowing the way, besides vague instructions from the guard), finding a 442 on the up platform, leaping on it just moments before the doors closed and resuming my journey. Still got there before any direct trains from Bath had made it through...

Being November it was completely dark, which means to this day I still haven't done Westbury-Dorchester or Dorchester-Wool in daylight.

That particular section was great. Timed (and advertised) as a 57 minute run iirc.

The days of the 'crack express'.. unfortunately these sorts of runs were just before my time using the fast services to London. I do remember for a lengthy period (IIRC most of the lifetime of the 442s) they ran non-stop Winchester to Waterloo every hour though; arguably with some timetable tweaks they could bring that back again.
 
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Hawkwood Junc

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A trip down to Dorchester in October 1995 I think, I was about 9. Felt like an intercity train compared to the VEPs and CEPs I was used to on longer distance SE services. I remember distinctly that Newcastle were playing Southampton at The Dell that day and our train was full of merry Barcodes on their way to the game. Most were congregated in the buffet seating bit. I remember the bit through Poole harbour clearly as well as a long stop at Clapham for some reason.
 

Helvellyn

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The days of the 'crack express'.. unfortunately these sorts of runs were just before my time using the fast services to London. I do remember for a lengthy period (IIRC most of the lifetime of the 442s) they ran non-stop Winchester to Waterloo every hour though; arguably with some timetable tweaks they could bring that back again.
After the 2004 timetable recast this was only in the peaks (Up to Waterloo in the morning/Down from Waterloo in the evening). The services that were non-stop Waterloo-Winchester usually also attached/split at Southampton Central, with a Fast portion from/to Bourmeouth/Weymouth and a Stopper portion from/to Poole.

Off-peak one service was Winchester-Woking-Waterloo and the other was Winchester-Basingstoke-Clapham Junction-Waterloo. The last Down 442 service of the day (pre-2007) used to be the 00:05 to Bournemouth, nicknamed by some staff the Theatre Express, as opposed to the usually Class 450 worked 01:05 to Southampton Central, nicknamed by some staff as the Vomit Comet!
 

Journeyman

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The big regret I have with them is never travelling in first class back in the days of the compartments. Did it once in the open first section on the Gatwick Express, though.
 

nw1

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After the 2004 timetable recast this was only in the peaks (Up to Waterloo in the morning/Down from Waterloo in the evening). The services that were non-stop Waterloo-Winchester usually also attached/split at Southampton Central, with a Fast portion from/to Bourmeouth/Weymouth and a Stopper portion from/to Poole.

Off-peak one service was Winchester-Woking-Waterloo and the other was Winchester-Basingstoke-Clapham Junction-Waterloo. The last Down 442 service of the day (pre-2007) used to be the 00:05 to Bournemouth, nicknamed by some staff the Theatre Express, as opposed to the usually Class 450 worked 01:05 to Southampton Central, nicknamed by some staff as the Vomit Comet!

Ah yes, the famous 01:05, used that about three times, at least once it was CIGs so I must have used it before 2005. Never 442s, though, and never 444s either. Presumably they didn't want to mess up the top-grade units. And yes, it was inevitably after an extended stay at a pub, though I wasn't quite in the state suggested by that name ;)

At least once the 01:05 was a bus part of the way. One time, indeed, it was a London bus - I think as far as Woking. And one time I arrived back in Southampton off that train and it was already getting light. Sure also that I first noticed the 01:05 in the 1982/3 timetable, so presumably it's long-standing - even though they didn't have extended pub hours in those days.
 

adc82140

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Didn't often travel on them, as my commute was Wimbledon to Fleet, but I remember the sound of the traction motors screaming away as they passed at full tilt through Surbiton.
 

Capybara

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Ah yes, the famous 01:05, used that about three times, at least once it was CIGs so I must have used it before 2005. Never 442s, though, and never 444s either. Presumably they didn't want to mess up the top-grade units. And yes, it was inevitably after an extended stay at a pub, though I wasn't quite in the state suggested by that name ;)

At least once the 01:05 was a bus part of the way. One time, indeed, it was a London bus - I think as far as Woking. And one time I arrived back in Southampton off that train and it was already getting light. Sure also that I first noticed the 01:05 in the 1982/3 timetable, so presumably it's long-standing - even though they didn't have extended pub hours in those days.
I first learned of the 01:05 back in about 1992. I'd been to an evening football match in Bournemouth and it finished too late for the last fast train. So I had to pick up the last train to London which stopped at practically every station. I couldn't believe it when it arrived in London at about 00:50 and there were passengers, many of them the worse for wear, waiting to get on. This was to form the infamous 01:05.
 

nw1

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I first learned of the 01:05 back in about 1992. I'd been to an evening football match in Bournemouth and it finished too late for the last fast train. So I had to pick up the last train to London which stopped at practically every station. I couldn't believe it when it arrived in London at about 00:50 and there were passengers, many of them the worse for wear, waiting to get on. This was to form the infamous 01:05.

Presumably the up train was the 23:00-ish out of Southampton, that still runs I think and stops at most stations, at least up to Surbiton - remember catching it relatively recently (summer 2017/8) back from a pub in the New Forest and seeing the screen display on the 444 mentioning stations like West Byfleet, Weybridge and Walton. However as the 01:05 appears to be a 450, it looks like this diagram has changed over the years.
 

Sad Sprinter

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The Wessex Electrics have always been one of my favourite trains, I think it's because their image instantly brings back memories of childhood day trips. Plus, they're big, sturdy trains, and their scream of a horn always sounded so exciting before one blazed through Wimbledon.

My first ride on a Wessex was in 1999, I was 4 years old and my Dad took me to Poole to visit a friend of his. I don't remember much about the journey accept it taking forever and having a meltdown when we got to Bournemouth and my Dad telling me we still had a few more stops to go. On the way back, I remember seeing the train pull into the station, and asking my dad if I could have some Mini Cheddars from the trolley, but he said no on the account I had just had a packet of Malteasers!

When I was six I had a day trip to Bournemouth with my mum and Aunt on a Wessex. This seems to be where my memories of the Wessex properly begin because, whilst I went to work with my dad every now and then on SWT 4VEPs and 4CEPs, the Wessex definitely had a more "going a long way" kind of feel. I remember the sounds of the doors between the saloons and vestibules, the smell of the carpet as you got on the train and the orange SWT seats - all very exciting at the time. Around the same time, my Dad took me to the Farnborough Airshow, and I remember he took me to the buffet car to buy a hot chocolate, but told me to hurry up and drink it because we'd be at Waterloo soon, even though we were passing Wimbledon as I recall, which for some reason I found astonishing.

Then, sometime in 2005, I was going to work with my Dad and remembered we had to change trains at Woking. For some reason, we had a choice of getting a 450 or a Wessex to our destination, and he asked me which one I wanted to get. I said the Desiro on account they were new, but little did I know I'd be getting them to school everyday the year after and I'd miss my last journey on a Wessex until 2010!

When they came over to GE, I had many journeys on them up and down the Brighton line. Usually shuttling between East Croydon and Clapham Junction. One of the most vivid memory I have was coming back from Brighton in 2016 from visiting a friend, and having an entire carriage to myself in the late afternoon as we raced towards London. Non-stop to East Croydon, accept one stop at Hassocks for some reason. The sound of the chuga-chuga-chuga-chuga of the air compressors as one stood at East Croydon or as you walked down the platform at Victoria to board one will forever be in my memory, as would the screams from the traction motors as they echoed throughout the streets, which could be heard as far away from the Brighton Mainline as Clapham.

They were great units, I was very sad to hear the other day SWR wouldn't be bringing them back. Still, I had some good runs on them. I found their rides smooth and quiet. And their bulky, 'analouge' feel always made them interesting trains to look at. The 444s are nowhere near a worthy replacement-will miss them.
 
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gaillark

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The "plastic pigs" were a joy to travel on.
Good design (other than the narrow doors).
Comfortable. First Class was superb with half compartments and half open plan. The compartments were smart featuring Edward Pond murials and large full length mirror and reading lights. Very cosy.
Lovely buffet and snug bar area.
Toilets featured electric hand dryers (no other fleet had these)
Smooth quite ride
Express and semi fast services
And the great thing with Network Cards was that you could upgrade any day for £1 for many years before rising to £3) to 1st class. Absolute bargain.
I don't think I've ever had an awful journey on a 442.

The only area of the train that had a stark contrast was the half coach guard's area. Very spartan and bare and no air con in that bit.


When reused on Southern the feel of the train was very much different.
Buffet/bar area removed, first class moved to centre of train (all open plan) but still comfy 2+1 seating but finished in dull grey.
 
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Kieran1990

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Fond memories of them running on the direct back in the late 90s and early 00’s- me aged 10 was always beyond excited when one arrived at Guildford for the harbour on a family visit to the IOW
 

nlogax

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As per something I just posted in the 'withdrawal of certain trains making people feel old thread', I used to live beside the Bournemouth main line in the late 80s and witnessed night after night of brand new units being dragged / delivered to BM (behind class 31s iirc) and the follow-up test runs which gave problem after problem in the plug-door dept.

All the while I remember being disappointed whenever I decided on a jaunt to Southampton or further afield and found myself in an 8TC being propelled by a couple of 73s. I wanted to be onboard the new shiny train but it felt like they took a long time to enter squadron service because of those teething problems.
 

nlogax

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Wow - how different we are. A pair of 73s vs an EMU - no contest for me - locos all the way.

I was always more a fan of the new shiny stuff, probably a factor of being a teenager at the time. Now in the throes of middle age I'm hopelessly clinging onto these 1980s and 90s BREL dinosaurs :D I do remember thinking how dull TC stock was, and far less bothered about what was doing the grunt at the back or front.
 

Cowley

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I have a few good memories of 442s including riding on my first brand new one when they were first introduced.
My favourite memory of a trip on one though was during August 1994 when I wanted to cover Poole to Weymouth (which I hadn’t done before) and also pick up a 37 hauled train from Weymouth to Bristol.
I got to Bournemouth behind 47827 which I’d had from Basingstoke and positioned myself in the bar area of the 442 sipping a beer when I got chatting to an older lady about where I’d been on my All Line Rover that week, basically in a roundabout way I was out of money and heading home the long way around at this point.
I think she was really impressed that I’d been all around Scotland, various bits of Wales and other places and in the end she bought me another drink while we chatted away.
I said that I’d like to have bought her one back but I didn’t have any money left.
“Don’t worry,” she said. “Here have this fiver and get yourself a nice dinner when you get to Bristol...”
Such a nice thing for her to do, and it felt like a travelling pub in that area on those units before the days of people being absorbed in their smart phones and not looking around to chat to people.
 

Galvanize

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My main 442 memories come from their first resurrection…when they were used on the Gatwick Express and peak time Southern workings.

I tried various times to do the 1F83, the 18:23 from London Bridge to Eastbourne in its entirety…took me several attempts over 3 years (only wanted to do it during the Summer when it would be light for the entire journey!)…

First attempt: Train Cancelled completely. Quite often if there was service disruption, the 18:23 from
London Bridge would be binned.

Second Attempt:
Train cancelled from London Bridge, starting from East Croydon. Decided I couldn’t be bothered…and went home instead.

Third Attempt:
Train delayed at London Bridge due to technical problems with the 442 unit…train terminated at East Croydon as it was so late.

Fourth Attempt:
On time leaving London Bridge…not so bad at East Croydon either. Unfortunately when we got to Hayward’s Heath, there was a Fatality just a few miles down the line, so we were held there for ages.

Fifth Attempt:
I think I went all the way to Eastbourne and had a celebratory pint in The London & Rye Wetherspoons!

There was another move that I did a couple of times with a 442…

Caught a peak hour Gatwick Express at about 17:00, which went non stop to Gatwick Airport, then Hayward’s Heath, Burgess Hill and Brighton…nipped out of the station across the road to The Queen’s Head where they appropriately served Orchard PIG Cider…and on one occasion…The Hogfather was also available to drink!!

The return working to London was a Thameslink Class 319, one of the last few booked workings for them south of Three Bridges, as most of the rest of the workings were 377s or 387s which were starting to appear.
 

Mikey C

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Unless my memory is cheating me, I'm sure my first trip was on a "Network away day" to Weymouth in 1988. 442 going out, REP/TC on the way back so a nice contrast in units.

I do remember my last journey though, which was an "extended" Gatwick Express service to Haywards Heath. 2012 I think.
 
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Seeing one at Clapham Junction down fast platform with the door closing mechanism struggling unsuccessfully with the weight of the door and the cant of the track. Gave it a helpful push before the platform staff (who were probably rather bored of the things) could walk down.
 

33101

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Got a soft spot for the 442s - used to commute cross London to Southampton and they were frankly the nicest, most comfy stock that I ever got to ride in those parts at the time. Basically, they felt more like a loco-hauled Inter-City than an EMU.
 
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