Trains withdrawn from service after 43 years

South Western Railway has withdrawn its 43‑year‑old Class 455 trains after the final units made their last passenger journeys on Friday.

The four‑carriage trains, introduced in the 1980s, had remained in use longer than planned because of fleet shortages across the network.

Their departure follows December's sold‑out farewell tours, which attracted hundreds of enthusiasts and raised money for three charities.

SWR said the replacement 39‑strong Arterio fleet is now running more than 500 services a day, adding that after 43 years in operation it was the right time to retire the older units.

Profits from the farewell tours were shared between Macmillan, The Alex Wardle Foundation and Railway Children.

More than 900 people joined the tours, and a second train was added after tickets sold out in 15 seconds.

The Arterio trains offer features such as Wi‑Fi, accessible toilets and increased capacity, although they entered service five years later than scheduled.

When in regular operation, the Class 455s served routes across Surrey, Berkshire, Hampshire and south‑west London into London Waterloo.

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