5 Wes (Class 442)
A celebrated early use of a 442 occurred with the charter by the Southern Electric Group on their 21st anniversary of unit number 2413 (note the reverse of their preserved 4 Cor unit number 3142) for their "Coming of Age" railtour on 7 December 1991. This took a 442 unit away from its normal territory from Victoria to Brighton and back (including a 100mph run on the Brighton main line) and thence from Victoria to Portsmouth and then the coast way to Southampton and Weymouth. An intended record breaking run back from Weymouth to Waterloo was frustrated by signal checks. Following timetable changes 442s were also used on the Portsmouth direct line in regular service (at least for a while) from 11 May 1992. Refurbishment of the class began in January 1998 which also involved further reducing the guards/luggage area in the MBLS to provide 16 more seats. During refurbishment the units were repainted into the new South West Trains colours. To conclude their recent history, in a re-run of the jumper hatch problems ten years earlier in November 1999 the hatches were again removed. They started being restored during the summer of 2001. |
| 2413 pictured off its normal patch at Brighton on 7 December
1991 during the Southern Electric Group's "Coming of Age"
railtour. Note this unit had still not been refitted with hatch covers by this
time.
photograph by Colin Duff. |
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2413 is captured (now with hatch covers) almost 8 years later flying
through Clapham Junction towards Waterloo on 13 October 1999.
photograph by Colin Duff |
| The new SWT livery is at its most effective when the whole
unit can be seen. 2424 is seen emerging from Clapham Yard on 13 October 1999.
photograph by Colin Duff |
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By 2000 hatch covers were again off for a similar reason to their original
removal. 2418 is pictured approaching Clapham Junction on 8 April 2000.
photograph by Colin Duff |
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This page was last updated 3 December 2002
