British Rail Class 455

British Rail Class 455
South Western Railway Class 455 train seen on the Kingston loop line in October 2024
Interior of a refurbished South West Trains Class 455/9
In service1983–present[1]
ManufacturerBritish Rail Engineering Limited[1]
Built atHolgate Road Works, York
Family nameBR Second Generation (Mark 3)
Replaced
Constructed1982–1985
Scrapped2022–present
Number built
  • 137
  • (43 × 455/7,
  •  with Class 508 TSO vehicles)
  • (74 × 455/8)
  • (20 × 455/9)
Number in service82
Number scrapped55
Successor
Formation4 cars per unit:
DTSO-MSO-TSO-DTSO[1]
Diagram
  • 455/7 & /9 DTSO vehs.: EE226
  • 455/8 DTSO vehs.: EE218
  • 455/7 & /9 MSO vehs.: EC206
  • 455/8 MSO vehs.: EC203
  • 455/7 TSO vehs.: EH219
  • 455/8 TSO vehs.: EH221
  • 455/9 TSO vehs.: EH224[2]
Fleet numbers
  • 455701–455742
  • 455750[3]
  • 455801–455874
  • 455901–455920
Capacity
  • As built: 316 seats
  • SN refurb.: 307 seats
  • SWT refurb.: 244 seats[4]
OwnersPorterbrook
Operators
Depots
Specifications
Car body construction
Train length81.16 m (266 ft 3 in)[1]
Car length
  • DTSO: 19.83 m (65 ft 1 in)
  • MSO/TSO: 19.92 m (65 ft 4 in)[2]
Width2.82 m (9 ft 3 in)[2]
Height
  • 455/7 TSOs: 3.58 m (11 ft 9 in)
  • All others: 3.77 m (12 ft 4 in)[2]
Floor height1.14 m (3 ft 9 in)
DoorsDouble-leaf pocket sliding
(2 per side per car)[note 1]
WheelbaseOver bogie centres:
14.17 m (46 ft 6 in)
Maximum speed75 mph (121 km/h)[1]
Weight
  • DTSO: 29.5 t (29.0 long tons; 32.5 short tons)
  • MSO: 45.6 t (44.9 long tons; 50.3 short tons)
  • 455/7 TSO: 25.5 t (25.1 long tons; 28.1 short tons)
  • 455/8 & /9 TSO: 27.1 t (26.7 long tons; 29.9 short tons)
Traction system
Traction motors
  • As built:
    4 × English Electric 507-20J,[2]
    each of 153 kW (205 hp)
  • SWR refurbished:
    4 × TSA TME 52-35-4,[7]
    each of 250 kW (335 hp)
Power output
  • As built: 610 kW (820 hp)
  • Refurbished: 1,000 kW (1,300 hp)
Acceleration0.58 m/s2 (1.9 ft/s2)[1]
Electric system(s)750 V DC third rail[1]
Current collector(s)Contact shoe
UIC classification2′2′+Bo′Bo′+2′2′+2′2′
Bogies
  • 455/7 TSOs: BREL BX1
  • MSOs: BREL BP27
  • Others: BREL BT13[2]
Minimum turning radius70 m (231 ft)[2]
Braking system(s)
Safety system(s)
Coupling systemTightlock[2]
Multiple workingWithin class, and with Class 456
Track gauge1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge

The British Rail Class 455 is an electric multiple unit passenger train built by BREL[1] 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.

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h "Class 455 Electric Multiple Unit" (PDF). London: Eversholt Rail Group. August 2014. Archived from the original (PDF) on 5 October 2015.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i Vehicle Diagram Book No. 210 for Electric Multiple Units (including A.P.T.) (PDF). Derby: Mechanical & Electrical Engineering Department, British Railways Board. EC203, EC206, EE218, EE226, EH219, EH221, EH224 (in work pp. 76–77, 82–83, 150–151, 166–167, 292–295, 300–301). Archived from the original (PDF) on 21 January 2015. Retrieved 24 January 2022 – via Barrowmore MRG.
  3. ^ "Class 455s: suburban workhorses". Today's Railways UK. No. 66. Sheffield. June 2007. pp. 48–55.
  4. ^ "Our Trains - Class 455 'British Rail Second Generation'". South Western Railway. Retrieved 24 January 2022.
  5. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference gemini was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference Railway Gazette International was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ "Class 455 EMU overhaul for Porterbrook". Wiener Neudorf: Traktionssysteme Austria. Retrieved 28 January 2023.


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