British Rail Class 455
Encyclopedia
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 were initially categorised as Class 510 as the successor to the Class 508. They are used on suburban services in South London
, by South West Trains
and Southern
.
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 (121 km/h). Like the Class 317/318, as well as the diesel Class 150
, they are based on British Rail
's Mark 3
coaches, with a steel construction, unlike the earlier PEP
-based Class 313
s, 314
s, 315
s, 507
s and 508
s which had an aluminium alloy body.
depot) and 28 allocated to South West Trains (at Wimbledon
depot). Southern's 455/8s have a revised front end, with the gangway connection plated over.
and Class 318
.
The 455/7s are easily distinguished from 455/8s as each TSO car is taken from a Class 508
. The Class 508s
that were transferred to Merseyrail
were originally four carriage trains but were reduced to only three cars when transferred. Therefore, to cut production costs, the Class 455/7s built between 1984-85 used the existing surplus TSOs from the Class 508s instead of having expensive newly constructed TSOs built for them. These cars have a lower roofline and wider body sides, in common with the Classes 313 / 314 / 315 / 507 / 508 units.
DEMU (which also had the same bodyshell).
to South West London and neighbouring areas, including:
Trains can be used as 4-car unit sets, but two units are usually coupled together to form 8-car trains.
Refurbished Class 455s had also started making appearances on Waterloo-Reading services, working in unison with Class 458s and Class 450s. In the years prior to refurbishment of the fleet, they were put on this service mainly at weekends, at other times being worked by vintage slam-door stock.
. They appear on routes including:
These services are shared with the Class 456s
, which are 2-car units. Often a Class 455 unit is coupled to a Class 456 unit, forming a 6-car train.
It is believed that 3-6 units will work on the coast from 2010, due to the amount of spare class 456s, these will replace them on the South London line.
service from Guildford
to London Waterloo. The train was formed of two Class 455 units, 455 741 and 455 913. The end of the roof of the sixth carriage was severely crushed. Further damage was sustained to the fifth and sixth, seventh and eighth carriages, with the latter being derailed at its trailing bogie, although the train remained upright. The lorry driver and one passenger suffered serious injuries; a further five passengers suffered minor injuries.
Electric multiple unit
An electric multiple unit or EMU is a multiple unit train consisting of self-propelled carriages, using electricity as the motive power. An EMU requires no separate locomotive, as electric traction motors are incorporated within one or a number of the carriages...
drawing power from a 750 V DC third rail
Third rail
A third rail is a method of providing electric power to a railway train, through a semi-continuous rigid conductor placed alongside or between the rails of a railway track. It is used typically in a mass transit or rapid transit system, which has alignments in its own corridors, fully or almost...
. Built by BREL
BREL
British Rail Engineering Limited , was the railway systems engineering division of British Rail, until the design and building of trains in the UK was privatised in 1993. On 31 October 1969, the company was incorporated as British Rail Engineering Limited.-Main products:The vast majority of BREL's...
at York
York
York is a walled city, situated at the confluence of the Rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. The city has a rich heritage and has provided the backdrop to major political events throughout much of its two millennia of existence...
works in the early and mid-1980s, they were initially categorised as Class 510 as the successor to the Class 508. They are used on suburban services in South London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, by South West Trains
South West Trains
South West Trains is a British train operating company providing, under franchise, passenger rail services, mostly out of Waterloo station, to the southwest of London in the suburbs and in the counties of Surrey, Hampshire, Dorset, Devon, Somerset, Berkshire, and Wiltshire and on the Isle of Wight...
and Southern
Southern (train operating company)
Southern is a train operating company in the United Kingdom. Officially named Southern Railway Ltd., it is a subsidiary of Govia, a joint venture between transport groups Go-Ahead Group and Keolis, and has operated the South Central rail franchise since October 2000 and the Gatwick Express service...
.
Description
There were three batches of Class 455 units, all consisting of 4 cars: driving carriages at each end, an intermediate trailer vehicle and an intermediate motorised vehicle (powered by four GEC507-20J of 185 kW carried on the bogies of the MSO vehicle, some recovered from Class 405), all originally built to the Standard Class 3+2 seating arrangement. Technically, they are formed DTSO+MSO+TSO+DTSO. They have the same bodyshell as the Class 317British Rail Class 317
The British Rail Class 317 alternating current electric multiple units were built by BREL York in two batches, from 1981-82 and 1985-87. They were the first of several classes of British Rail EMU to be based on the all-steel Mark 3 bodyshell, departing from the "PEP"-aluminium design which had...
and Class 318
British Rail Class 318
The British Rail Class 318 is an electric multiple unit train, which operates exclusively in the Strathclyde Partnership for Transport network in West Central Scotland. The units were introduced fully on 29 September 1986 as part of the electrification of the Ayrshire Coast Line between and...
, 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 (121 km/h). Like the Class 317/318, as well as the diesel Class 150
British Rail Class 150
The British Rail Class 150 "Sprinter" diesel multiple units were built by BREL from 1984-87. A total of 137 units were built in three main subclasses, replacing many of the earlier first-generation "Heritage" DMUs.- Background :...
, they are based on British Rail
British Rail
British Railways , which from 1965 traded as British Rail, was the operator of most of the rail transport in Great Britain between 1948 and 1997. It was formed from the nationalisation of the "Big Four" British railway companies and lasted until the gradual privatisation of British Rail, in stages...
's Mark 3
British Rail Mark 3
British Rail's third design of standard carriage was designated 'Mark 3' , and was developed primarily for the InterCity 125 High Speed Train...
coaches, with a steel construction, unlike the earlier PEP
British Rail Class 445
The PEP Stock were prototype electric multiple units used on British Rail's Southern Region during the early 1970s. They were forerunners of the BR Second Generation electric multiple unit fleet. Three units were built, one two-car unit , and two four-car units...
-based Class 313
British Rail Class 313
British Rail Class 313 electric multiple units were built by BREL at York Works between February 1976 and April 1977 and were the first second-generation EMUs to be constructed for British Rail...
s, 314
British Rail Class 314
British Rail Class 314 alternating current electric multiple units were built by BREL at York works in 1979. They were the third variety of British Rail's then-standard 1972 design for suburban EMUs, which eventually encompassed 755 vehicles and five classes...
s, 315
British Rail Class 315
British Rail Class 315 alternating current electric multiple units were built by BREL at York works from 1980 to 1981. They were the fifth and final variety of British Rail's then-standard 1972 design for suburban EMUs, which eventually encompassed 755 vehicles and five Classes...
s, 507
British Rail Class 507
British Rail Class 507 electric multiple units were built by BREL at York works in two batches from 1978 to 1980. The first thirty sets were constructed from September 1978 to mid-1979 and a further three were added during 1980...
s and 508
British Rail Class 508
The British Rail Class 508 electric multiple units were built by BREL at York works in 1979-80. They were the fourth variety of BR's then-standard 1972 design for suburban EMUs, eventually encompassing 755 vehicles and five classes...
s which had an aluminium alloy body.
Class 455/8
The first batch, now classified as Class 455/8, were built 1982-84. These include all 46 Southern units (allocated to SelhurstSelhurst
Selhurst is a suburban development in the London Borough of Croydon south-south-east of Charing Cross. A relatively small area, Selhurst is bounded by South Norwood, Croydon and Thornton Heath and, like nearby Broad Green, has lost its distinct identity from these larger neighbours in recent years...
depot) and 28 allocated to South West Trains (at Wimbledon
Wimbledon station
Wimbledon station is a National Rail, London Underground, and Tramlink station located in Wimbledon in the London Borough of Merton, and is the only London station that provides an interchange between rail, Underground, and Tramlink services...
depot). Southern's 455/8s have a revised front end, with the gangway connection plated over.
Class 455/7
The second batch, now classified as Class 455/7, were built 1984-85. There are 43 four-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 317/2British Rail Class 317
The British Rail Class 317 alternating current electric multiple units were built by BREL York in two batches, from 1981-82 and 1985-87. They were the first of several classes of British Rail EMU to be based on the all-steel Mark 3 bodyshell, departing from the "PEP"-aluminium design which had...
and Class 318
British Rail Class 318
The British Rail Class 318 is an electric multiple unit train, which operates exclusively in the Strathclyde Partnership for Transport network in West Central Scotland. The units were introduced fully on 29 September 1986 as part of the electrification of the Ayrshire Coast Line between and...
.
The 455/7s are easily distinguished from 455/8s as each TSO car is taken from a Class 508
British Rail Class 508
The British Rail Class 508 electric multiple units were built by BREL at York works in 1979-80. They were the fourth variety of BR's then-standard 1972 design for suburban EMUs, eventually encompassing 755 vehicles and five classes...
. The Class 508s
British Rail Class 508
The British Rail Class 508 electric multiple units were built by BREL at York works in 1979-80. They were the fourth variety of BR's then-standard 1972 design for suburban EMUs, eventually encompassing 755 vehicles and five classes...
that were transferred to Merseyrail
Merseyrail
Merseyrail is a train operating company and commuter rail network in the United Kingdom, centred on Liverpool, Merseyside. The network is predominantly electric with diesel trains running on the City Line. Two City Line branches are currently being electrified on the overhead wire AC system with...
were originally four carriage trains but were reduced to only three cars when transferred. Therefore, to cut production costs, the Class 455/7s built between 1984-85 used the existing surplus TSOs from the Class 508s instead of having expensive newly constructed TSOs built for them. These cars have a lower roofline and wider body sides, in common with the Classes 313 / 314 / 315 / 507 / 508 units.
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, 455 912, has a TSO formerly part of the prototype Class 210British Rail Class 210
The British Rail Class 210 was a type of diesel-electric multiple unit built in the late 1970s. The class was intended to be a modern replacement for the ageing 'first generation' types in use on the Southern Region of British Railways but the prototypes built did not manage to secure production...
DEMU (which also had the same bodyshell).
South West Trains
The South West Trains units are used on most London commuter rail routes from London WaterlooWaterloo station
Waterloo station, also known as London Waterloo, is a central London railway terminus and London Underground complex. The station is owned and operated by Network Rail and is close to the South Bank of the River Thames, and in Travelcard Zone 1....
to South West London and neighbouring areas, including:
- London Waterloo-DorkingDorking railway stationDorking railway station is one of three railway stations that serve the town of Dorking in Surrey, England. The station is within walking distance of Dorking Deepdene station and interchange on a through ticket is permitted...
, first stop , then , , WimbledonWimbledon stationWimbledon station is a National Rail, London Underground, and Tramlink station located in Wimbledon in the London Borough of Merton, and is the only London station that provides an interchange between rail, Underground, and Tramlink services...
, , and then all stations to Dorking. (During peak hours stops at , and are sometimes omitted.) - London Waterloo-, first stop Vauxhall, then Clapham Junction, Earlsfield, Wimbledon, Raynes Park, Motspur park and then all stations to Chessington South.
- London Waterloo-Guildford, first stop Vauxhall, then Clapham Junction, Earlsfield, Wimbledon and then:
- 50% All stations via Epsom (diverging from the Dorking route at ).
- 50% and then all stations via and (12 minutes faster than the route via Epsom).
- London Waterloo-, first stop Vauxhall, then Clapham Junction, Earlsfield, Wimbledon, Surbiton and then all stations to Woking.
- London Waterloo-, first stop Vauxhall, then Clapham Junction, then all stations to Surbiton, then Thames DittonThames Ditton railway stationThames Ditton railway station serves Thames Ditton in the Elmbridge district of Surrey, England. It is the only intermediate station on the Hampton Court branch...
and Hampton Court - London Waterloo-, first stop Vauxhall, then Clapham Junction and then all stations to Shepperton via Wimbledon and .
- Kingston Loop LineKingston Loop LineThe Kingston Loop Line is a railway line built by the London and South Western Railway in South West London. It runs in an overall southeasterly direction from a junction west of Twickenham on the Waterloo to Reading Line to join the South West Main Line west of New Malden; both connections face...
, first stop Vauxhall, then all stations to Waterloo via Wimbledon, Teddington and . Notice that trains only call at Queenstown RoadQueenstown Road (Battersea) railway stationQueenstown Road is a railway station in South London, between Vauxhall and Clapham Junction. It is a short walk from Battersea Park station and Battersea Park...
once/service. Whereas an anticlockwise service calls at Queenstown Road right after leaving London Waterloo, a clockwise service calls there when coming back (after having run the Kingston Loop). So if someone for example wishes to go from London Waterloo to Queenstown Road, he should take an anticlockwise service, as a clockwise service would run non-stop from Vauxhall to Clapham Junction. Alternatively, there is the option of taking the Hounslow Loop Line, which stops at Queenstown Road twice in both directions, or the London Waterloo-Weybridge (Woking on Sundays) via Staines service. These are operated by Class 450British Rail Class 450The British Rail Class 450 third-rail DC EMU began service during 2003. They are a part of the Siemens Desiro modular train family and are more commonly known as the 'Blue Desiro'...
units
Trains can be used as 4-car unit sets, but two units are usually coupled together to form 8-car trains.
Refurbished Class 455s had also started making appearances on Waterloo-Reading services, working in unison with Class 458s and Class 450s. In the years prior to refurbishment of the fleet, they were put on this service mainly at weekends, at other times being worked by vintage slam-door stock.
Southern
Southern Class 455 units are also used on inner and outer suburban services, from London Victoria and London BridgeLondon Bridge station
London Bridge railway station is a central London railway terminus and London Underground complex in the London Borough of Southwark, occupying a large area on two levels immediately south-east of London Bridge and 1.6 miles east of Charing Cross. It is one of the oldest railway stations in the...
. They appear on routes including:
- Caterham Line
- Tattenham Corner LineTattenham Corner LineThe Tattenham Corner Line is a railway line in Southern England. It was opened in two parts: from Purley to Tadworth as the Chipstead Valley Railway in 1893, and to Tattenham Corner as the Epsom Downs Extension Railway in 1894. Both companies were then acquired by the South Eastern Railway...
- Sutton & Mole Valley LineSutton & Mole Valley LineThe Sutton & Mole Valley Lines are a group of railway lines constructed between 1847 and 1868 by the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway, the London and South Western Railway and the LBSCR-sponsored Horsham, Dorking and Leatherhead Railway.-Services:The scheduled services run along the Sutton...
to , and - London BridgeLondon Bridge stationLondon Bridge railway station is a central London railway terminus and London Underground complex in the London Borough of Southwark, occupying a large area on two levels immediately south-east of London Bridge and 1.6 miles east of Charing Cross. It is one of the oldest railway stations in the...
to and via Sydenham (which goes on to Caterham or Sutton) - London Victoria and London BridgeLondon Bridge stationLondon Bridge railway station is a central London railway terminus and London Underground complex in the London Borough of Southwark, occupying a large area on two levels immediately south-east of London Bridge and 1.6 miles east of Charing Cross. It is one of the oldest railway stations in the...
to Croydon via - Inner South London Line (London BridgeLondon Bridge stationLondon Bridge railway station is a central London railway terminus and London Underground complex in the London Borough of Southwark, occupying a large area on two levels immediately south-east of London Bridge and 1.6 miles east of Charing Cross. It is one of the oldest railway stations in the...
to Victoria via Denmark HillDenmark Hill railway stationDenmark Hill railway station is a railway station in the London Borough of Southwark in London, England, on the Inner South London Line. The station is managed by Southeastern and is served by trains of that company and Southern. It is in Travelcard Zone 2. It is located on Champion Park in the...
) - Outer South London Line (London BridgeLondon Bridge stationLondon Bridge railway station is a central London railway terminus and London Underground complex in the London Borough of Southwark, occupying a large area on two levels immediately south-east of London Bridge and 1.6 miles east of Charing Cross. It is one of the oldest railway stations in the...
to Victoria via Crystal PalaceCrystal Palace railway stationCrystal Palace railway station is in the London Borough of Bromley in south London. It is located in the Anerley area between the town centres of Crystal Palace and Penge...
) - London BridgeLondon Bridge stationLondon Bridge railway station is a central London railway terminus and London Underground complex in the London Borough of Southwark, occupying a large area on two levels immediately south-east of London Bridge and 1.6 miles east of Charing Cross. It is one of the oldest railway stations in the...
to Beckenham JunctionBeckenham Junction stationBeckenham Junction is a railway station and a tram terminus in Beckenham, south east London. It is in the London Borough of Bromley and Travelcard Zone 4, 8.6 miles from London Victoria....
.
These services are shared with the Class 456s
British Rail Class 456
The British Rail Class 456 electric multiple-unit trains were built by BREL at York Works from 1990-91.- Description :24 two-car units were built as direct replacements for the elderly Class 416 2EPB units which operated on the Central Division of the Southern Region of British Rail. Units were...
, which are 2-car units. Often a Class 455 unit is coupled to a Class 456 unit, forming a 6-car train.
It is believed that 3-6 units will work on the coast from 2010, due to the amount of spare class 456s, these will replace them on the South London line.
Refurbishment
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. The units are painted in a new red "Metro" version of the South West Trains livery. The units have also been fitted with high backed seats for better passenger comfort and audio and visual Customer Information Systems (CIS). This refurbishment was so comprehensive that many passengers thought the refurbished units were new trains.Southern
Southern have retained the original 3+2 layout but with high-backed seats to improve passenger comfort especially for commuters travelling long distances. Southern have also removed the gangway and door from the front of the trains, replacing them with an air conditioning unit. Some do not consider the new front end plate aesthetically pleasing. Units are painted in the green Southern livery. They have also installed digital information boards and voiceover information. New flooring has been installed as have new white dado panels. They have also given the lights new covers inside for a more pleasant ambience plus new car to car doors and new hand rails. New litter bins have been added under the seats too to minimise littering. They have even added LED marker lights and tail lights. This has vastly modernised the interior and changed the exterior a considerable amount.Accidents and incidents
On 5 November 2010, a lorry fell off a bridge over the railway line near Oxshott railway station, landing on the 3:05pm South West TrainsSouth West Trains
South West Trains is a British train operating company providing, under franchise, passenger rail services, mostly out of Waterloo station, to the southwest of London in the suburbs and in the counties of Surrey, Hampshire, Dorset, Devon, Somerset, Berkshire, and Wiltshire and on the Isle of Wight...
service from Guildford
Guildford (Surrey) railway station
Guildford railway station is an important railway junction on the Portsmouth Direct Line serving the town of Guildford in Surrey, England. It is 30.3 miles from London Waterloo....
to London Waterloo. The train was formed of two Class 455 units, 455 741 and 455 913. The end of the roof of the sixth carriage was severely crushed. Further damage was sustained to the fifth and sixth, seventh and eighth carriages, with the latter being derailed at its trailing bogie, although the train remained upright. The lorry driver and one passenger suffered serious injuries; a further five passengers suffered minor injuries.
Fleet details
| Class | Operator | Number of Trains | Built | Cars per Set | Unit numbers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Class 455/7 | South West Trains | 43 | 1984–1985 | 4 | 455 701 - 455 742, 455 750 |
| Class 455/8 | Southern | 46 | 1982–1984 | 455 801 - 455 846 | |
| South West Trains | 28 | 455 847 - 455 874 | |||
| Class 455/9 | 20 | 1985 | 455 901 - 455 920 |