Farewell South West Trains

This Is A TOC Focus, Summarising What Has Been The Stagecoach South West Trains Franchise, Which Passes Over To FirstGroup....

Since 1996, Stagecoach have operated the franchise. During this time:

• More frequent services across the network,

• Smart Cards have been introduced, and Automated ticket barriers have been installed at many stations,

• Eight class 170s moved to Transpennine Express (now these are at Chiltern) whilst the final of the batch was converted into a 171 for Southern Rail. This was in favour for eight 159/1s, which were overhauled at Wabtec Doncaster before entering service with SWT. 

• 29 class 411 units, seven 412s, 34 421s and 66 class 423s were withdrawn, between 2005 and 2010, in favour for a brand new fleet of Siemens Desiro units. These consist of 45 444s and 127 450s. 

In 2015, door-select software was fitted to these Desiro units, which means that the crew can control which doors are opened at stations with shorter platforms. Prior to this, customers would have to alight/board from the front coach only, or from specific coaches. 

• 2-car Class 456 units were cascaded from Southern Rail, especially for the Ascot to Guildford branch.

• 30 5-car Class 707s (which host improved on-board daciktiites, like up-to-the-minute information screens,, free WiFi, and wide vestibules) are currently being constructed, and will operate in pairs (forming 10 coach services) along the London to Windsor route. As a result, the Class 458/5 units currently on the line will be redeployed on the network, allowing higher capacity on other routes. 

Services Operated: 

• The services that SWT operate include London Waterloo to Southampton Central, Bournemouth and Weymouth (class 444s), the line to Portsmouth via Guildford and Haslemere; Chertsey Loop, Windsor and Eaton Riverside; and from London Waterloo to Salisbury, Yeovil Junction, and Exeter St. Davids (class 158s). 

• This is of course not forgetting that 5-car 455/8s run from Waterloo to Reading, these were converted from 455/5s which were originally each only a 4-car. This is because when they were refurbished and repainted into the blue mainline guise, an additional carriage was added in the form of a saloon from ex-Gatwick 460s. 

• 2-car class 456s run from Ascot to Aldershot and Guildford (plus coupling up to 455/8s during the peak time to form 10-car services), and 91 class 455s run on the Suburban routes (like to Shepperton, Woking). 

• 1 of the 11 2-car Sprinters runs on the Lymington Branch (which were operated by 2 class 421s until 2010), and ex-London-Underground 463s on the Isle Of Wight link. 

Other Withdrawal/Cascade Information:

• 421497 went to the Mid Norfolk Railway, 498 to Epping Ongar Railway, for preservation. 423417 is restored by the Bluebell Railway. 

• DMU 960012 was also apart of the fleet until 2010. Painted in SWT colours, it was used for route/driver training but is now in preservation. 

• 24 Class 442s were transferred to Gatwick Express in 2007, however these have since been displaced by Class 387s and therefore are coming back to South West for the new franchise. 

So, the current fleet consists of:

• 73109 is used as a Thunderbird, whilst 201/235 which were previously in the fleet moved to Gatwick Express. 
• 11 class 158s, and 30 class 159s
• 44 444s, 127 450s. 
• 91 455s
• 24 456s
• 36 class 458s
• And 6 483s (Island Line). 

Here's information for their timeline of upgrades. 

First Group Have Already Promised Big Things For The Franchise, Of Course Including 750 New Carriages (90 Aventra Units, Like Those At CrossRail) Which Are To Be Built By Bombardier To Enter Service During 2019 And 2020. 

This Will Result In The Cascade Of The Class 455/456/458s (And Even The New 707s Will Leave The Fleet)...... Though It **Seems** The 158/159/444/450 Units Will Stay (Plus The Addition Of 18 442s). We Have To Wait And See!

So That's Farewell To Stagecoach South West Trains! And A Big Hello To South Western Railway!  

Update: 27/08/17: What's notable of the new franchise so far is updated Phil/Celia announcements, and logos placed onto the side of trains.