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British Rail Class 455
The British Rail Class 455 is a type of electric multiple unit (EMU) passenger train built by BREL between 1982 and 1985. It is operated on suburban services in Greater London and Surrey by South Western Railway, as well as formerly by Southern. They are currently being replaced by the Class 701 EMU on the South Western Railway network.
The Class 455 was originally to be classified as the Class 510, which were planned as a 750 V DC version of the Class 317. However, as the chopper control system at the time was not considered robust enough for the electrically rougher third rail Southern Region, they were fitted with GEC Traction camshaft-control systems instead. The Class 510 designation was changed to Class 455.
The class has the same bodyshell as the Class 317 and Class 318, but as they were designed for inner suburban services they do not feature first class seating, air conditioning or toilet facilities and are restricted to 75 mph (121 km/h). Like the Class 317/318, as well as the diesel Class 150, they are based on the British Rail Mark 3, with a steel construction, unlike the earlier PEP based Class 313, Class 314, Class 315, Class 507 and Class 508, which have an aluminium alloy body.
A total of 505 carriages were built by British Rail Engineering Limited's Holgate Road carriage works and together with 43 existing trailers from Class 508s, formed 137 four-car sets. The Class 455 allowed the Class 405 and Class 415 to be withdrawn, as well as allowing the Class 508 units to be transferred to the Merseyside network for which they were originally intended. They also allowed other stock to be cascaded to the North London and Oxted lines.
There were three batches of Class 455 units, all consisting of four cars: driving trailer vehicles at each end, an intermediate trailer vehicle and an intermediate motorised vehicle (powered by four EE507-20J of 185 kW carried on the bogies of the MSO vehicle, some recovered from Class 405s), all originally built to the standard class 3+2 seating arrangement with 316 seats. Technically, they are formed DTSO+MSO+TSO+DTSO.
The Class 455/8 units were built between 1982 and 1984. These include all 46 units formerly operated by Southern (allocated to Stewarts Lane depot) and 28 allocated to South Western Railway (at Wimbledon depot).
The last day of service of the Southern Class 455/8 was 14 May 2022.
The Class 455/7 units were built in 1984–1985. There are 43 four-car units, all allocated to South Western Railway at Wimbledon depot. They differ from the Class 455/8 in having a revised front end (air horns relocated next to the coupler and revised headlamp clusters) that was later used on Class 317/2 and Class 318 units.[citation needed]
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British Rail Class 455 AI simulator
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British Rail Class 455
The British Rail Class 455 is a type of electric multiple unit (EMU) passenger train built by BREL between 1982 and 1985. It is operated on suburban services in Greater London and Surrey by South Western Railway, as well as formerly by Southern. They are currently being replaced by the Class 701 EMU on the South Western Railway network.
The Class 455 was originally to be classified as the Class 510, which were planned as a 750 V DC version of the Class 317. However, as the chopper control system at the time was not considered robust enough for the electrically rougher third rail Southern Region, they were fitted with GEC Traction camshaft-control systems instead. The Class 510 designation was changed to Class 455.
The class has the same bodyshell as the Class 317 and Class 318, but as they were designed for inner suburban services they do not feature first class seating, air conditioning or toilet facilities and are restricted to 75 mph (121 km/h). Like the Class 317/318, as well as the diesel Class 150, they are based on the British Rail Mark 3, with a steel construction, unlike the earlier PEP based Class 313, Class 314, Class 315, Class 507 and Class 508, which have an aluminium alloy body.
A total of 505 carriages were built by British Rail Engineering Limited's Holgate Road carriage works and together with 43 existing trailers from Class 508s, formed 137 four-car sets. The Class 455 allowed the Class 405 and Class 415 to be withdrawn, as well as allowing the Class 508 units to be transferred to the Merseyside network for which they were originally intended. They also allowed other stock to be cascaded to the North London and Oxted lines.
There were three batches of Class 455 units, all consisting of four cars: driving trailer vehicles at each end, an intermediate trailer vehicle and an intermediate motorised vehicle (powered by four EE507-20J of 185 kW carried on the bogies of the MSO vehicle, some recovered from Class 405s), all originally built to the standard class 3+2 seating arrangement with 316 seats. Technically, they are formed DTSO+MSO+TSO+DTSO.
The Class 455/8 units were built between 1982 and 1984. These include all 46 units formerly operated by Southern (allocated to Stewarts Lane depot) and 28 allocated to South Western Railway (at Wimbledon depot).
The last day of service of the Southern Class 455/8 was 14 May 2022.
The Class 455/7 units were built in 1984–1985. There are 43 four-car units, all allocated to South Western Railway at Wimbledon depot. They differ from the Class 455/8 in having a revised front end (air horns relocated next to the coupler and revised headlamp clusters) that was later used on Class 317/2 and Class 318 units.[citation needed]