British Rail Class 458
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The South West Trains Class 458 (or 4Jop) electrical multiple units were built by Alstom at Washwood Heath from 1998-2000. These units are part of Alstom's "Juniper" family of units, which also includes Classes 334 and 460.
[edit] Description
Thirty of these 4-car units were ordered by South West Trains in 1998, to create extra capacity and to replace some of the ageing 4Cep units, which at the time were on short-term lease. Deliveries of these units commenced in 1998. Units were delivered in SWT's mainline livery of mainly white, with a blue band, and red/orange 'swish' at cab ends.
The class suffered from major technical problems, so none of the older units were withdrawn from service. It was six more years, in 2004, before the full fleet was in service. In 2003/04, reliability was so dire, that despite being only six years old, it was planned to replace these units by 2005 with new Class 450 "Desiro" units. Since then reliability has improved sufficiently to allow them to be retained. As of the 11th December 2005 timetable change, the trains have been significantly lowered in diagrams and can now be found on 3 diagrams on weekdays out of London Waterloo. As of September 2005; two units (8001 and 8002) have been transferred to Gatwick Express. Currently the units are being refurbished, and will recommence service in 2007, on outer suburban lines, complementing the Desiro fleet. The two trains previously allocated to Gatwick Express are also being transferred back to South West Trains. 30 units were built, numbered 8001-8030. Each unit was formed from two outer driving motors, an intermediate trailer, and an intermediate motor. The trailer has the capacity to be fitted with a pantograph, thus allowing the units to be rebuilt in the future for overhead power collection at 25kV AC, should the need arise. The technical description of the formation is DMCO+PTSO+MSO+DMCO. Individual vehicles are numbered as follows:
- 67601-67630 - DMCO
- 74001-74030 - PTSO
- 74101-74130 - MSO
- 67701-67730 - DMCO
[edit] Operations
When first built, the units were used on the half-hourly London Waterloo to Alton trains.
But this was later changed to Waterloo to Reading and Windsor and Eton services.
The trains are now in very limited service, but will return to regular service with the start of the new South West Trains franchise.
[edit] The future
The two units (8001/2) transferred to Gatwick Express have still not entered service as of April 2006, and with the termination of the Gatwick Express franchise announced it is unlikely they will see much usage, if any. Eight of the units have been fitted with a new PIS by Porterbrook and are still in service.
An original idea had been to convert the units to 25Kv AC operation to run alongside the class 334 'Junipers' with First Scotrail, this idea has however not come to fruition as it has proved too expensive to convert the units to AC. Porterbrook also tendered the units for use on the East London Line extension, which would have seen the units totally refreshed internally and saved the need for new stock to be brought for the line. Unfortunately the Department For Transport rejected the proposal with their preference being for new stock.
It has now been announced that all of the Class 458s will be modified with the new displays and all units (including 8001/2 with Gatwick Express) will return to use with South West Trains, operating between Ascot, Reading and Guildford to London Waterloo. This has come around because of South West Train needing extra stock once the Class 442s are withdrawn in 2007 and when Class 444s and Class 450s are cascaded on these diagrams.
