Class 456 Farewell

A forgotten scene from 10th July 2004. 456003 wearing Network South East livery and working for Southern approaches the old terminal platforms at London Bridge while 319437 departs wth a Thameslink service. Today the station has been totally re-built, the trains replaced and London's tallest building, the Shard dominates the skyline. The view was captured from a passing 'slam door' service.

 A chilly 456009 waits to depart for Guildford on 24th January
2021. Engineering works this day meant this service was 
running as a shuttle from Surbiton, hence the train waiting for
time on the up fast platform.

The class 456, built by BREL at York from 1990 - 1991 have worked their final journey for South Western Railway. The two car 3rd rail EMU's worked their last service for SWR on Saturday 15th January 2022, while due to come off-lease during March the introduction of another emergency timetable in responce to Covid-19 with reduced rolling stock requirements allowed this date to be brought forward. 

Units had increasingly been rostered in pairs covering for non-available 455's. The withdrawal of 10 car 455/456 'hybrid' operations again coming as a consequence of Covid-19 and the downturn in passenger traffic.

456019 calls at Battersea Park with a London Bridge - London Victoria inner suburban service on 25th March 2007. This route was synonomous with the class until it was withdrawn in 2012 upon the commencement of London Overground services between Dalston Junction and Clapham Junction. Platforms 1 and 2 at Battersea park are now terminal platforms with no connection to Victoria.

456002 approaches New Malden with a 10 car SWR service bound for Hampton Court. 04/11/2020

The unique Connex liveried 456024 'Sir Cosmo Bonsor' in the 
old terminal platforms at London Bridge. 23/04/2005

Originally destined to work on the South Western lines out of Waterloo the 456's instead entered traffic on the Central division where they replaced 2-EPB's working out of Victoria and London Bridge. All delivered in Network South East livery to match the 455's the units transferred to Connex South Central upon privatisation. Only one unit, 456024 named 'Sir Cosmo Bonsor' would ever receive the Connex livery, the remaining units retaining the increasingly shabby NSE livery until sent for refurbishment by Southern from 2006. 

The units returned from their 'refresh' in Southern's attractive green and white livery, with CCTV and refurbished seating. At the same time the retention toilets fitted to the units from new were removed, though the external window pattern was not changed. 

 456020 arrives at Battersea Park from Victoria working the suburban service to London Bridge on 07/04/2005. By this time the units were looking increasingly shabby in their original NSE colours.

31/3/2007 456020 is seen at South Croydon now fresh from its refresh and re-paint with a service to Smitham (now Coulesden Town) working with a 455 on 31st March 2007.

456022 has terminated at East Croydon on 14th November
2006. It will now form a service back to London Bridge. 

In 2014 all 24 units of the class transferred to South West Trains, finally destined to work out of Waterlo as part of the 10 car suburban upgrade which would see them working alongside class 455's. 

Initially some units entered service in their 'green' ex-Southern condition working Ascot - Guildford services as 4 car sets. After a heavy refurbishment at Wolverton, which included re-painting into the SWT red suburban livery, 10 car services began on the SWT suburban network.

The fleet passed to South Western Railway upon the change of franchise in 2017 and it was quickly announced that they, along with the other units in the suburban fleet, would be replaced by new class 701 'Aventra' trains from Bombadier by 2020. Delays in acceptance of 701's brought the units a stay of execution until their withdrawal in early 2022. 

In their last week 456009 is seen trailing an 8 car 455/456 formation crossing Durnsford Road Viaduct near Wimbledon with a Waterloo 'rounder' via Kingston. On this date just four units were still use. 12/01/2022 456009

456010 brings up the rear of a 4 car information at Wanbrough while working for South West Trains in 'green' condition. After transfering from Southern the units were put into use on the Ascot - Guildford route in four car formatoins (2 cars being banned on the South Western outside of depots). 22/07/2014 

An unusual duty for the class 456 during their early years with South West Trains was the daily (M-F) 2N13 07:45 Clapham Junction - Guildford (via Ascot). The service started as empty stock from Waterloo running as 3N13 and was therefore the only occasion where the unrefurbished class 456's could be seen at the terminal. 456005 prepares to lead 3N13 on 7th April 2015.

Less than a year before the photo of 456019 (third from top), 456014 is pictured at Battersea Park bound for Victoria having worked from London Bridge. Some units received attention to the faded grey area around the cabs at this time, however there was no denying that a full repaint was due. 01/06/2006 

456006 was the first 456 to be refreshed by Southern and carried a special 'travel safe' livery promoting the new CCTV which was installed on these trains and the 455's post refurbishment. Working together with a 455 the unit calls at Clapham Junction with a service to Epsom Downs on 1st May 2007.

Despite being inner Suburban units the 456's reached well into leafy Surrey over their careers serving locations inlcuding Tattenham Corner, Epsom Downs, Caterham, Guildford, Woking and Dorking. On 27th September 2001 456008 leads an 8 car formation to the latter and is seen passing Norbury park south of Leatherhead. 

Class pioneer 456001 pauses at Clapham Junction with a service to Horsham on 29th March 2005. This is perhaps the furthest from London that the 456's reached in passenger service. It is difficult to imagine a solitary 2 car train working a service such as this today!

No further use for the units is currently forthcoming and the trains have been removed to Long Marsden for storage pending any possible further developments. Rail Operations Groups have been entrusted to provide the storage moves which have run from their final home depot at Wimbledon Park.

Farewell to the class 456. Rail Operations Group's 37800 storms through Hanwell conveying 456015, 456020 and 456008 from Wimbledon Park to Long Marsden as 5Q94, one of a number of moves to place the 456 fleet into store. 31/01/2022