Farewell Wessex Electrics 442 1988 - 2021.
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- čas přidán 1. 04. 2021
- Hello and welcome to my latest video.
Well I'm sure most of you already heard the news and some of you may not. Something that some of us wasn't expecting, and some did saw this coming for a while. It’s a new world we are all living right now. As we all know Covid 19 has taken a massive toll on UK! Having a massive impact on many people's lives. Including the railway industry for that matter. Which has caused TOC across the UK to reduce their services due to fewer passengers travelling on the Network, as we are living under Lockdown restrictions and social distancing! Because of this result sadly yesterday SWR has issued a statement that they are no longer using their refurbished Wessex 442. And it will be scrapped with immediate effect. And will be returning back to their lessor Angel Trains. With all the £45 million that was wasted on restoring and refurbished them. They only came back last year January to March, but they did suffer mechanical problems. I’m so gutted by this news as I only went on them a few times, and they are one of my most favourite unit stock from the SWT days. I did had opportunity to filming them last year, pre Covid & Lockdown. I was planning to do completion of filming them from Petersfield and follow along Portsmouth Direct Line route, such as Rowlands Castle, Havant, Bedhampton, Hilsea, Fratton, and Portsmouth & Southsea & Harbour, and one at Southampton Central. But sadly that came to a sudden halt due to Pandemic, so I didn't get the chance to finish it and was hoping when they were back up and running again I would of resumed it. But sadly this is no longer the case.
So here is unseen footage from last year. Filmed at at Petersfield January 21st & 28th, & 4th February at Rowlands Castle & Havant! I filmed shots at Petersfield, Rowlands Castle, Havant.
Another unexpected end to another era, and far too soon to go. Farewell Wessex 442, you will be missed. Thank you for the 33 years.
Hope you all enjoy it.
Stay safe.
Glad Northumbria rail saved a driving coach. Wish they would’ve saved a complete set tho. A lot of people sadly just see them as HST coaches that can drive.
Cool! I did not actually know that class 442's went to Portsmouth Harbour!
Yes they were for a short space of time. SWR bought them back to provide more trains and to ease overcrowding. But they came back into service in January last year, and then in March it got withdrawn immediately because of Covid and the reduced timetable. And they been sitting in depot doing nothing. Then sadly SWR had decided to scrap them, as it’s costing them so much money on upgrading their motors!
Got to work one of the last 442's in service in passenger service in March 2020 before they were put away for no longer needed due to no passengers. Did the refresh in August, before they were scrapped all together.
I think it was a shame that SWR have only bought them back for like 2 years. All that huge amount of money wasted on them. I was overjoyed that they were coming back to Portsmouth - Waterloo via Guildford as they are nostalgic from the old BR days. Very gutted they were withdrawn permanently, destined for scrap. My filming got short lived as I would of filmed 442 in Bedhampton, Hilsea, Fratton & Portsmouth & Southsea & Harbour. And then Covid & Lockdown happend. But I very fortunate enough to film them when I had the opportunity just before Covid struck the UK!
Wonderful tribute to a great train - in my opinion it had plenty of life left in it, so it’s a real shame they’re being scrapped. I captured one at Eastleigh the other day (one video on my channel - 2 to follow if you’re interested). Oddly it had been towed back from Wolverton - no idea why.
If that was 442420 then 420 was being used purely for breakforce hence why it came back down from Wolverton
@@harrytilbury2453 yeah it was 420 - I subsequently found out it was being used for that purpose. I’m gutted the 442s went - my favourite EMU by far.
Could always use it as a DBSO with a set of MK3's & 73/1 or even a HST Powercar although not sure how easy it would be to get them to work together & Would obviously need coaches n such first of course
@@harrytilbury2453 yeah it’d be nice if one got converted like that and became a test train or something. One plan a few years back after they left GX was to have them in an open access operator route to Southampton, but that wasn’t approved, then there was talk of pantographs being fitted to make them suitable for overhead supplies though I don’t know which line they had in mind but this was deemed too costly and logistically awkward as it wasn’t just the pantograph and electrical systems that would need changing - an entire roof modification to the train would be required - it’s a real shame they have such a muted demise because they were awesome!
I’ve heard that they are keeping one of the units as a museum piece somewhere, but I’m not sure. Don’t quote me as I could be wrong.
i still do miss the 442s but I did travel on them a few times but yeah I was surprised and a little sad when they said they were not going to run them anymore and stop the refurb but they were showing their age!
Certainly we’re showing their age, and since they been bought back they had a number of issues with them. Problem is it’s just too expensive for SWR to keep giving them maintenance. They have had their day now I think. It is sad they are gone, but we still have lots of memories of them. 😊
@@joes-trainproductions5987 I thought 2 were stored at Bournemouth trsmd
Oh no, why these gone to waste!?! 😦💔
I was also reading that the Class 442s that would had needed more modifications and had to be compliant and to be fully accessible by 2024 to meet Persons with Reduced Mobility (PRM)
I have read about that as well, didn’t know they were only running them for 4 years. I strongly believe that if it wasn’t for Covid 19 SWR still would off got rid off them eventually, as these trains were huge nuisance to mainline. As I stated traction motors that were installed in them keep interfering with the Signals, setting them to Green when train passes. Also one time one of carriages was causing smoke and having to terminate train at Petersfield, causing blockage on the line for hours before it got removed to depot. And it’s causing SWR lots of money on having maintenance work been done on them. So I guess it makes sense of them retiring then, but they shouldn’t off wasted £45 million on bringing back in first place. Be interesting to see Coradia Juniper 458 when they run on Portsmouth - Waterloo line sometime this year I think. Also they will run for a long time as they aren’t that very old compare to 442!
I truly believe that the Intercity Swallow ( Mars bar and Rolo chocolate ) livery would have best suited these 442s, if they had ever did it in the late 80s or early 90s.
That’s interesting thought, Intercity swallow would of suit the Wessex 442. Personally my favourite and what I think trumps it all is Network South East Iivery!
@@joes-trainproductions5987 Yeah, Network Southeast is my all time favourite railway livery in the world as well, Intercity Swallow is my second favourite.
you know i’m think just the same about what types of livery some trains would of looked like if they had them applied. some of the later rolling stock, imagine the NSE or BR livery. i do like the 442s and the 444 in that white/grey SW livery (and i’m not such a fan of these latest train op liveries!!)
Heard that South Western Railway are retaining the Class 458s to replace the Class 442s and reforming them from 5 to 4 coaches and re-rated to meet the need for 100mph operations and other modifications to associate them for Mainline services to the South Coast
Yes I heard Class 458 are going to be replacing them. Already said it in my description. Should be interesting as they are decent units stock. As they used to run Waterloo - Reading route for many years. They are newer then 442 as they are BR units!
@@joes-trainproductions5987 It is confirmed that SWR is keeping the 458 to replace the 442, There are going to refurbished, reform back to 4 car and re gear to 100mph
@@TheDancingGamer01 what would happen to the coaches taken out of the 458s?
Spares or would they be sold to the scrap man?
@@jackphilpott The GX coaches may likely be scraped/kept for spares
I believe 26 458s are being kept - no idea what the fate of the other 10 will be. One option would be to extend the other 10 to 6 car using the coaches removed from the other 458s but I don’t see it happening - I think they will sadly just be cannibalised for parts.
Class 442s were great EMUs and it's a disgrace they have to been scrapped as they had plenty of life in them
I agree SWR have wasted millions on bring them back. Covid was partly to blame, but they are decent units. But they do have flaws on their side, as they have issues. Plus they are such old units. They still would have been withdrawn anyway as they were only certificate to run on mainline until 2024!
Are these being sold for 15 grand per carriage like the ex Isle of Wight / 38 stock trains?
No they were all very sadly, destined for scrap.
Do they still run to like Eastleigh to get picked up by a class 66 to get hauled to Wolverton Center Sidings
They get taken out of Bournemouth depot by a 66 and two 73s, the down move is 1 pig and the 3 locos and then the up move is 1 pig for scrap with the other pig and locos.
Far as I possibly know that they are still in process of been moved from Bournemouth Depot to Wolverton to be scrapped. I know they already moved 10 car units a few weeks ago!
@@joes-trainproductions5987 Last move was mid last week I believe, sad to see them go...
A shame to see them go. Always thought they nice looking trains and suitable for longer distance services south west of London. Was chatting to a rolling stock maintenance engineer at a friend's party a few years back and he did say they were prone to problems and costly to maintain.
Yes they do look like they are showing their age, since bringing them back they had number of problems. One was the door fault at Havant, and setting off signals to red. And had electrical problems and caught fire at Petersfield in one of the carriages. It just goes to show that they had their time. Even though they do have life in them, but it’s just expensive for SWR to pay for maintenance.
Great video. Why they're leaving SWR they're great trains 😭😭.
Thank you for viewing & for commenting. ☺️ SWR is scrapping 442 because of Covid 19 pandemic, and due to low on demand of stock, and as there is fewer passengers travelling on trains as they are running on reduced services, and due to social distancing. So they decided in the end to retire them as they have no further use for them anymore. These units have been unused for over a year, just sitting around doing nothing. SWR wasted so much money on restoring them and refurbishing them, such a terrible waste of £45 million. They will be sold back to their lessor Angel Trains!
@@joes-trainproductions5987 oh okay. I always love them (otherwise notice Pigs).
@@joes-trainproductions5987 yeah I would have loved if another company brought them but I agree they have been doing nothing and I think swr have wasted loads of money these good units that are going for scrap.
@@alanberrisford2957 agreed - they’re still good - a new home should have been found for them!
Absolutely is! 😦💔
I don't know why are there so many different trains now it's ridiculous why an earth can the UK have 1 or 2 different types of trains in each region
Such a shame, as a really great comfy train. Used to get them when they were working the Gatwick express. Totally wrong for that use but should have stayed on the Waterloo - Portsmouth etc as perfect. Ahh never mind
It is a real shame, a lot of money has been wasted away on getting them back into service and refurbished them.
I think SWR either likes throwing away money, is stupid, or they don't know what they are doing anymore
SWT would never get into any of this mess SWR got in.
@@joes-trainproductions5987 yeah it makes no sense really - surely (given that rail travel could bounce back) they could have stored them for a little longer before making any decisions.
I've not been on the South Western on a very long time and I'm glad. Don't get me wrong the company has zero experience in train management clearly.. but the majority of Guildford commuters have got to be the worst in Britain. Suck it up and try to find a seat on a 450 from now on, you may not want to be travelling on suburban stock. BUT NEWS FLASH,,,, you live on a suburban network. The rest of the country deals with shit stock all the time