Trains:
Class 455
Operator:
Southern
Recorded on 3/7/21

Here's some history on the class 455
the Class 455 has been in service since 1983 and they are a British Rail Second Generation EMU and were constructed by BREL or British Rail Engineering limited at Holgate Road Carriage Works and a total of 505 carriages were built with 43 cars coming from class 508 Emus which were applied to the Class 455/7's. there introduction meant that the last of the Class 415 4EPB and class 405 4Sub units could be withdrawn. there top speed is 75Mph and were built with 4 English Electric EE507 traction motors. there current collection is of the 750V DC 3rd Rail shoe gear.

When BR was Sectorised in the late 1980's all the units in service fell into the hands of Network Southeast and in the late 1990s when British Rail was being privatised, they also fell under the control of Network SouthCentral.

In the late 1990s when BR was privatised, all class 455s fell into the hands of 2 operators. South West Trains and Connex South Central. all The class 455/7 and 455/9's fell into the hands of South West Trains and the majority of 455/8's also fell into the hands of them but Connex South Central also operated the 455/8's. Connex painted 16 of their units into their yellow and white livery while the rest retained their Network Southeast livery. in 2001, when Govia took over from Connex, the majority of them were repainted into their new green and white colours and in 2004, the South Central units received a major refurbishment with the most notable change being the sealing off of the end gangway to make way for driver Air conditioning. in 2020 as well, their fleet received another refurbishment to coincide with 2020 PRM specifications

With South West Trains however, when South Western Railway took over from them, they received a set of new traction motors which they were Vossloh Kiepe type traction motors.

one notable question is the following: What does the future of these trains look like? Well first off, with South Western Service Railway, it is intended that they'll replace them with New 5-10 car units that will come in the form of class 701's. the first of the new trains have yet to enter service.
With Southern however, they have no plans to replace their units so its likely that these will be in front line service for a couple more years.

Thanks for Watching

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