South West Trains News

shown top to bottom in reverse date order

(above)   Saturday 3rd February - u2410 and u2412 Waterloo bound through Farnborough whilst working the 09.01 departure from Poole. photograph by Robert Armstrong

Saturday 3rd February was the very last day in passenger operation for class 442 "Wessex Electric" Units for South West Trains.  As recounted in our feature Whither Wessies? they have been taken off lease as part of a fleet reshuffle to increase capacity.  On the last day units 2405, 2410 and 2412 were in service, with the honour of the last being to run a passenger working falling to 2412 "Special Olympics" which worked the 21.05 Waterloo to Poole service.  At one time it was thought that Electro-diesel 73109 would pilot the train but this did not materialise.  Earlier in the day 2412 worked a "Control Special" - a staff only tour taking a Wessex Express unit to unfamiliar - though not uncharted - territory by taking in the Windsor and Shepperton branches.  This tour was organised and run entirely by volunteers.  70 lucky souls travelled on it, in doing so raised £265 for Woking Homes - a charity dear to Southern Region railwaymen.  A tribute to Wessex Electric Units now appears in the February edition of Live Rail (LR 214).

View our new Last Month of Operation and Last Day of Operation features.
(other features to follow)

photograph by Colin Duff

A picture is worth a thousand words and here is a comparison of overhauled 2401 coupled to 2416 clearly demonstrating how the "swoosh" and cab vestibule door has been changed during the overhaul. This fortunate shot was taken during shunting at Clapham Yard on June 7th 2006.

Interestingly, the doors into the rear of the cab vestibule are now orange (a lighter shade than the orange of the "swoosh"), believed to be as originally designed, and not yellow as seen at Ilford above. u2407 was the second to receive its C6 overhaul and on Saturday 8th April 2006 2401 and 2407 together worked the 16.59 service from Bournemouth to Waterloo and then the 19.35 Waterloo to Bournemouth. u2405 was the third unit to receive its overhaul returning to Bournemouth T&RSMD on the 4th May 2006 with u2406 departing there for Ilford on the 8th May and returning on June 12th. u2403 departed for Ilford on the 12th of June 2006.
photograph by Colin Duff

photograph by Mike Cook (with permission from Bombardier)

Some weeks later, a glimpse of the new DDA (Disability Discrimination Act) compliant "swoosh" being applied to South West Trains' 442 401 at Ilford during its C6 overhaul.  Note the "swoosh" now extends further back along the coach by the length of another window and the door within it is a contrasting yellow. Other doors are red as before. 2401 was due to leave Ilford at 18+00 on Friday 10th February 2006 but could not because more work was required.

photograph by Mike Cook

photograph by Mike Cook

This feature is brought to you by the Southern Electric Group as a service to its members and enthusiasts.  The Southern Electric Group is the only group covering all aspects of the Southern Electric System past , present and future.   If you are not a member you are very welcome to join the group.  For more details please follow the links bottom left.

This page updated 20th May 2007 by Colin Duff.
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