Class 455 Profile and Models

Class 455

455917 at Basingstoke in July 2009. ©Foulger Rail Photos

The British Rail Class 455 is an electric multiple unit 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. 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. South Western Railway had intended to replace their fleet with Class 701 Aventra units from 2019; however this was initially deferred to mid-2020 and has been deferred again to 2021. The Class 701 Aventra EMUs are planned to enter service in December 2023.

(Information provided via Wikipedia)

Type of Unit

750V DC 3rd-Rail Electric Multiple Unit

Builder

BR Holgate Road Works

Build Dates

1982 to 1985

Total Built

137 units

Coaches Per Unit

4

Power Output

1,300hp

Top Speed

75 mph

Operated By

British Rail
Connext
South West Trains
South Western Railway

Main Duties

Suburban Passenger

In Service Until

Present

Surviving Examples

83 in service