Class 442 - Update
AN UPDATE TO HERE (ONE) AND THIS (TWO), REGARDING EX- GATWICK EXPRESS CLASS 442S WHICH ARE CURRENTLY (OR ARE SOON TO BE, AS ARE STILL AT GE) GOING INTO STORAGE.......
As previously reported, Class 442s have gradually been going into storage following the arrival of Class 387s. Angel Trains, the leaser of these units, will undertake an overhaul on the fleet though to give them a lease of life.
Well, since that announcement, Alliance Rail Holdings has proposed to launch a Southampton to London Waterloo service from December 2017, to compete with the current demand for services in the region, using this fleet of refurbished Class 442s.
This wouldn't be the first time 442s have seen use on this corridor - a number of years ago they were leased to SouthWestTrains exactly for this purpose, before heading over to Gatwick Express to replace the 460s (which have since been used to add another carriage to the 458s at SWT, which have since a major overhaul).
I guess we'll have to see how this will pan out. I'm sure there'll be many further updates on fellow pages and media sources - as many of you know, we won't be making any further reports from the New Year, as the blog will practically deminish unfortunately.