British Rail Class 455
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The British Rail Class 455 is a type of electric multiple unit drawing power from a 750 V DC third rail. Built by BREL at York works in the early and mid-1980s, they are used on suburban services in South London, by South West Trains and Southern. They are often criticised due to the obvious aesthetic and comfort resemblance with a cattle truck.
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[edit] Description
There were three batches of Class 455 units, all formed of 4 cars: driving carriages at each end, an intermediate traier vehicle and an intermediate motorised vehicle, all with standard class (i.e. 2nd class) 3+2 seating. (Technically, they are formed DTSO+MSO+TSO+DTSO.) They have the same bodyshell as the Class 317 and Class 318, but as they were designed for inner suburban services they do not feature first class seating or toilet facilities and are restricted to 75 mph. Like the 317/318, they are based on British Rail's Mark 3 coaches, with a steel construction, unlike the earlier PEP-based Class 313s, 314s, 315s, 507s and 508s which had steel underframes but an aluminium alloy body.
[edit] Class 455/8
The first batch, now classified as Class 455/8, were built 1982-84. These include all 46 of Southern's units (allocated to Selhurst depot) and 28 allocated to South West Trains (at Wimbledon depot).
[edit] Class 455/7
The second batch, now classified as Class 455/7, were built 1984-85. There are 50 4-car units, all allocated to South West Trains at Wimbledon depot. They differ from the 455/8s in having a revised front end (air horns relocated next to the coupler and revised headlamp clusters) that was later used on the Class 317/2 and Class 318. The TSOs were re-used from Class 508s, which were reduced to 3 cars when they were transferred to Merseyrail when the Class 455/7s entered service. The 455/7s are easily noticed as the Class 508 TSOs have a very different profile from the Class 455 vehicles, the roofline being lower due to sharing a common design with the Class 313 / 314 / 315 / 507 units.
[edit] Class 455/9
The final batch, now classified as Class 455/9, were built in 1985. These 20 units are all allocated to South West Trains at Wimbledon depot. These are similar to the 455/7s, except that they had new-build TSOs, however one unit, 5912, has a TSO formerly part of the prototype Class 210 DEMU (which also had the same bodyshell).
[edit] Current operations
[edit] South West Trains
The South West Trains units are used on most of their inner suburban services from London Waterloo, including:
- Waterloo-Dorking
- Waterloo-Chessington South
- Waterloo-Guildford, via Epsom or Cobham
- Waterloo-Woking
- Waterloo-Hampton Court
- Waterloo-Shepperton
- Strawberry Hill Loop Line
- Waterloo-Windsor and Eton Riverside
Trains are used either as 4-car units, but are usually coupled together to form 8-car trains.`
[edit] Southern
Southern's 455s are also used on inner & outer suburban services, from London Victoria and London Bridge. They appear on routes including:
- Caterham Line
- Tattenham Corner Line
- Sutton & Mole Valley Line to Horsham and Epsom Downs
- London Bridge to East Croydon and West Croydon via Sydenham
- London Victoria and London Bridge to Croydon via Norbury
- South London Line
- London Bridge to Beckenham Junction.
These services are shared with the Class 456s, which are 2-car units. Often a 455 unit is coupled to a 456, forming a 6-car train.
[edit] Refurbishment
South West Trains are still refurbishing their units, but Southern have completed their 455 refurbishment programme.
[edit] South West Trains
For their refurbishments South West Trains have chosen a 2+2 layout. The doorways have been modified so that the sliding doors can open further, to allow for faster boarding and alighting. Finished units are painted in a new red "Metro" version of the South West Trains livery. The units have also been fitted with Passenger Information Systems (PIS), both audio and visual.
[edit] Southern
Southern have retained the original 3+2 layout but with high backed seats to improve passenger comfort (especially for commuters travelling long distances on these units). Southern have also removed the gangway and door from the front of the trains. Some consider the new front end plate not to be aesthetically pleasing. Units are painted in the Southern livery.
