This page contains brief notes on each unit's history supplied by John Atkinson with significant events from their latter days of operation added later by the webmaster.

(left) Two Wessex units could be found in the platforms at Weymouth on 29th May 1988, 2405 being in platform 2. photograph by Tony Hillman

2405 was delivered to Bournemouth on 13th April 1988. It was sent to Derby on 22nd April 1989 and MBLS 62941 was exchanged with modified 62944 (ex 2411). MBLS 62944 was named ‘City of Portsmouth' at Portsmouth on 21st August 1992.

The unit went to Crewe on 23rd May 1998 for MBLS modifications and was released on 12th June 1998. 2405 was then refurbished at Eastleigh and returned to traffic on 13th September 1999.

2405 went to Ilford for its C6 overhaul between 3rd April and 4th May 2006.The unit was graffitied on three cars whilst stabled at Weymouth over Christmas 2006. 2405 was the penultimate Wessex Electric unit in service, its last working being the 19.05 Waterloo to Poole service on 3rd February 2007. It was put into store at the former Alstom works at Eastleigh on 15th February.

If units are stored with the prospect of being reactivated it is necessary to move them periodically to keep them in running order. 2405 was used on 17th May with 2413 on a training run between Eastleigh and Basingstoke for Freightliner Heavy Haul drivers and on 21st August 2405 did another round trip between Eastleigh Works and Basingstoke, this time with 2408, and again on 19th December with 2410. In 2008 so far this unit has had one outing to Basingstoke, on 27th February with 2411. 2405 took two round trips to Basingstoke with 2403 on 17th March and the same pairing was on a single trip during the afternoon of 19th March. On 15th April this unit was moved, with 2410, from Eastleigh to Brighton. Between 9th and 13th June and from 23rd June, 2405 was used with 2406 on driver training runs out of Brighton. During the second week of training runs 25th June saw the first working of this class between Keymer Junction and Eastbourne.Unfortunately whilst running on this day 2405 was damaged south of Balcombe due to a pickup shoe becoming detached from passing 377118. Once repaired this unit returned to driver training duties. On 2nd October 2008 this unit, along with 2407, made a test trip into Victoria, the first time any Wessex unit had been into the station since 7th December 1991. On 3rd November 2405 went from Lovers walk to Chart Leacon (for overhaul) via Redhill, belived to be the first of this class to traverse the Redhill - Tonbridge line.

This unit was delivered to Bournemouth on the 3rd May 1988. It was sent to Derby on 6th May 1989 and MBLS 62942 was exchanged with modified 62941 (ex 2411). MBLS 62941 was then exchanged with 62942 (ex 2403) circa December 1989 thus returning the unit to its original formation. DTS 77411 was damaged in a collision with a fallen tree in the Winchester area 25th January 1990. DTF 77387 was exchanged with damaged 77389 (ex 2408) January 1990 and the unit was out of use for repairs.

(left) 2406 through Esher on 2nd August 2004.
photograph by LSWR Penguin

MBLS 62942 was named ‘Victory' at Portsmouth on 21st October 1992. 2406 went to Crewe 9th May 1998 for MBLS modifications and was released on 6th June 1998. The unit was then refurbished at Eastleigh and returned to traffic during October 1999.

This unit went to Bombardier Ilford for its C6 overhaul between 8th May and 1st June 2006. 2406's last working was the 18.05 Waterloo to Poole service on 11th January 2007. It was put into store at Eastleigh on the 15th January.

On 17th May 2406 with 2410 did a driver training trip for Freightliner Heavy Haul drivers between Eastleigh and Basingstoke. On 21st August 2406 did another round trip between Eastleigh Works and Basingstoke with 2421, 31st October again with 2421, on 21st November with 2417 and on 19th December with 2403. 2406 did not stay in store for very long because it was out again in the new year running to Basingstoke on 9th January 2008 with 2402. It is believed this unit is likely to be one of the seventeen to be leased to Southern for Gatwick Express services. This belief was re-inforced on 12th February when in a formation with 73209, 2402 and 73205 it was moved from Eastleigh to Lovers Walk. Between 9th and 13th June and from 23rd June, 2406 was used with 2405 on driver training runs out of Brighton. During the second week of training runs 25th June saw the first working of this class between Keymer Junction and Eastbourne. On 30th June and 1st July this unit was seen on training runs paired with 2413 but was out on its own on 4th July. 2406 travelled to Stewarts Lane under its own power on 16th July and on 21st July was taken from there by 66547 to Wolverton for refurbishment.

2407 was delivered to Bournemouth on 7th May 1988. It was sent to Derby on 11th February 1989 and MBLS 62943 was exchanged with modified 62938 (ex 2411). MBLS 62938 was then exchanged with its ‘own' 62943 (ex 2412) circa 20th March 1989.

The unit ran through buffer stops at Bournemouth depot on 3rd September 1989 after ‘running away' and three coaches ended up in an adjacent roadway. The unit was sent to Eastleigh for a ‘C4' repair, returning to traffic 13th February 1990. MBLS 62943 was named ‘Thomas Hardy' at Dorchester South on 5th June 1990.

2407 went to Crewe on 27th November 1998 for MBLS modifications and was released on 8th January 1999. The unit was then refurbished at Eastleigh during September 1999.

This unit went to Ilford for its C6 overhaul between 27th February and 29th March 2006, the second unit to go. Its last working was the 23.10 Weymouth to Bournemouth service on 13th January 2007. 2407 was put into store at Eastleigh on 22nd January. It is believed this unit did not move again during 2007 , except perhaps within the confines of Eastleigh Works.

(left) Wessex units being very much the pride of Network SouthEast, 2408 was put on display in Woking PW Yard for the popular LSWR 150 event, pictured here on 29th May 1988. Note that the leading vehicle is clearly a DTF by this time. photograph by Tony Hillman.

This unit was delivered to Bournemouth on 12th May 1988. It was sent to Derby on 8th April 1989 and MBLS 62944 was exchanged with modified 62945 (ex 2411). DTF 77389 was damaged in a collision with a fallen tree at Winchester on the 25th January 1990 and exchanged with 77387 (ex 2406). MBLS 62945 was named ‘County of Dorset' at Weymouth on the 5th October 1990.

2408 went to Crewe on 1st August 1998 for MBLS modifications, being released on 14th August 1998. The unit was then refurbished at Eastleigh and returned to traffic on 23rd December 1999.

2408 went to Bombardier Ilford for its C6 overhaul between 31st July and 18th August 2006. The unit's last working was the 18.35 Waterloo to Poole service on 12th January 2007 and it was stored at Eastleigh on 17th January. On 21st August 2408 did a round trip between Eastleigh Works and Basingstoke with 2405 and on 28th November with 2414. During 2008 so far this unit has been run to Basingstoke thrice, on 30th January, 7th and 12th February, on all outings with 2421. 2408's next outing was on 20th May when with 2402 it did a round trip to Winchester. On 31st July this unit was taken by 73206 and 73208 from Eastleigh to Chart Leacon for a C4 bogie overhaul. It returned to Lovers Walk on 19th August. On 5th September 2408 went back to Chart leacon, reason unknown and 24th October 2408 was hauled by 67028 from there to Wolverton for refurbishment.