South West Trains
Encyclopedia
South West Trains is a British train operating company
providing, under franchise
, passenger rail services, mostly out of Waterloo station, to the southwest of London in the suburbs and in the counties of Surrey
, Hampshire
, Dorset
, Devon
, Somerset
, Berkshire
, and Wiltshire
and on the Isle of Wight
. The area of operation, essentially the former South Western division of Network SouthEast
, is also roughly that in 1923 of the pre-grouping
London and South Western Railway
. The Stagecoach Group
took over the franchise on the privatisation of British Rail
in 1996 and retained it against stiff competition in 2007 making it, with Chiltern Railways
and Virgin West Coast
, one of the three longest-running franchises. It is the largest passenger franchise in the UK and is a particularly complex operation due to the large number and variety of services.
.
On 12 December 2004 the company completely recast its timetable, for the first time since 1967, in an attempt to bring service provision into line with changing demand and to take into account the different characteristics of modern rolling stock, with the intention that this would improve reliability and punctuality across the network.
A smoking ban on all SWT services was introduced from May 2004, partly in response to a fire caused by a cigarette left near a heater under a seat, and also pre-empting the public smoking ban that would be introduced two years later.
, First Group
and a partnership between MTR Corporation
and GNER.
This enlarged franchise started on 4 February 2007 and incorporated the formerly independent Island Line
on the Isle of Wight. The legal name of the company has also changed from South West Trains Ltd to Stagecoach South Western Trains Ltd, but the trading name has remained unchanged.
third-rail
system. There is a small diesel fleet for services on the West of England line to Exeter and Bristol, which is unelectrified beyond Basingstoke. SWT operates almost 1,700 trains per day. The intense service and past chronic under-investment led to many delays, but performance has improved in part due to a completely restructured timetable from December 2004, and the commissioning of a unified Network Rail
and SWT control centre at Waterloo
which improves communication between the two organisations.
From Waterloo, SWT's London terminus, long-distance trains run to southern England, including the major coastal population centres of Portsmouth, Southampton, Bournemouth, Poole and Weymouth; the company also operates many local services on suburban commuter lines in south-west London and Surrey. There are also trains to Reading, Exeter and Bristol, but these are not the principal fast services from London to those cities, which are operated from by First Great Western
.
As with most rail companies, non-folding bicycles are banned from peak-time trains to and from London Waterloo. However, these restrictions apply only to cyclists boarding or alighting in the area bounded by Hook, Alton, Guildford, Reading and Dorking. The policy is designed to maximise available passenger space on the most crowded trains.
The six main lines operated by SWT are:
, Tramlink
, Docklands Light Railway
, London Underground
and national rail services within the London travelcard area.
Season ticket
s and travelcards are also available to cover multi-day regular journeys. They are available in weekly, monthly and annual periods.
In May 2007, South West Trains introduced a new fare structure for all routes. The original peak prices and times were retained, with "Off-Peak" being redefined at a higher fare for services leaving after 11am for stations closer to London or arriving in Waterloo at or before mid-day for stations further away from London. Services after this period are now referred to as "Super Off-Peak" and attract similar prices to the old Off-Peak tickets.
In January 2008 SWT fares increased on average by 4.3%.
In 2009, ticket gates were installed at Waterloo Station in order to improve revenue protection.
The smartcard scheme for season tickets on the national rail system was extended from spring 2010 to cover the lines from Weymouth to Basingstoke, Staines to Wokingham and the Isle of Wight in addition to the current trial area between Staines and Windsor. It was also announced that SWT proposes to reduce the operating hours at 24 of its ticket offices.
In May 2010 posters started to appear at stations advertising that the extended smartcard scheme is now available for stations between Weymouth and Basingstoke. The smart cards which South West Trains is using are branded StagecoachSmart in common with those being introduced on Stagecoach buses in Cambridgeshire and which Stagecoach plans to provide across its rail and bus operations.
pay as you go is now available on all South West Trains routes within the Greater London
area. Oyster card travelcards and season tickets have always been valid within the London travelcard area, the same way as normal paper travelcards and season tickets.
In November 2010 the Department for Transport announced an agreement between government and SWT that passengers will be able to top up Pay-as-You-Go Oyster cards at all stations operated by South West Trains in the London Travelcard area from May 2011. SWT was the last rail company franchise not to offer this facility (except at Wimbledon and Richmond stations) for passengers using suburban rail services within the London travelcard area.
s for passengers travelling by train without a valid ticket. However, the company has planned to install at least one self-service ticket machine at each of its served stations in the bid to stop fare evasion.
The penalty fare is either £20 or double the travelled fare, whichever is greater. This does not apply west of Salisbury or at Wraysbury
on the Windsor line,
due to the lack of ticket machines available. Revenue Protection Officers employed by SWT travel the network and are visible at stations to enforce penalty fares and issue some tickets; aside from station ticket barriers and permit-to-travel machines, CCTV is used to combat ticketless travel and prevent assaults on members of staff and customers.
From August 2007, South West Trains has reinforced the penalty fares policy with announcements at stations prompting travellers to buy tickets before boarding. This clamp-down has been criticised due to the lack of "self-service" ticketing machines and the long queues at booking offices due to a lack of staff, which impedes the ability to buy tickets.
s. Entry to parts of SWT station concourses beyond the ticket barrier for passengers without valid tickets for travel is at the company's discretion.
and Brighton
, or the mainline portion of Reading
. South West Trains does now serve stations to Bristol
, Mottisfont and Dunbridge and Dean
. However, services beyond Exeter
to stations such as Newton Abbot
, Paignton
and Plymouth
ceased from December 2009.
brand from Mondays to Saturdays. This uses a similar low-cost model to its Megabus
service. Megatrain tickets are generally available on services that are expected to be lightly loaded. The tickets available are generally between London Waterloo and other principal stations, and ticket holders are assigned to a specific carriage (normally the second from the front) in the train.
The company later introduced new or refurbished trains, and has standardised on a set of three distinct liveries - mainly white for long-distance services, mainly blue for outer-suburban services, and mainly red for London commuter rail services. There are exceptions to this: most notably, the trains operating suburban rail services to Hounslow
, Windsor and Weybridge via Staines
are in the blue livery as opposed to the red livery used on other services.
On the Island Line
, the clearances of a tunnel under Ryde
are insufficient for standard trains. As a consequence, former London Underground
rolling stock has been used since the line was electrified. Since 1992, Class 483
trains have been used, of which five 2-car units remain in service. They date from 1938. SWT took on this fleet when it was awarded the combined South West/Island Line franchise in 2007 (though Island Line as a separate franchise was also previously operated by a separate Stagecoach
- owned company).
The introduction of Desiro
rolling stock built by Siemens
was to replace the old Class 423
slam-door trains which were coming to the end of their useful lives, and which did not meet modern health and safety requirements. The introduction was delayed because of the additional power needs of this type of stock: Network Rail
spent £1 billion upgrading the power supply to take account of this.
The new trains have on-board information systems and full air-conditioning. Their faster acceleration is counterbalanced by the need to dwell longer at each station, since they have fewer doors. In addition, the Desiros have many more components: all are computerised and subject to the possibility of breakdowns. It is estimated that the slam-door trains could achieve 60,000 miles (96,000 km) without breakdown; the Desiros an estimated 13,000 miles (20,800 km) but this is gradually improving.
The Desiro stock comes in two variants - Class 450
units which have four 20 m cars and are mainly used on suburban and outer-suburban services, and Class 444
units which have five 23 m cars as well as intercity-style door layouts and are used on longer-distance services to .
metro-style commuter trains. These were built for British Rail
.
A full refurbishment program started in 2004 on the fleet of 91 four-car units and was completed in March 2008. Modifications included a new 2+2 seating layout with high-back seats, CCTV, cycle storage, wheelchair space, doors that open further to allow for faster alighting, and additional passenger information systems. All units are now painted in a new red "Metro" version of the SWT livery.
There are proposals for 24 two-car Class 456s
to be cascaded from Southern
to SWT, where they would be paired up with the Class 455s to make six-car trains. As at November 2010 there was no date set for this.
Thirty of these four-car units were ordered by South West Trains in 1998, to create extra capacity and to replace some of the ageing 4Cep
units, which at the time were on short-term lease. Deliveries of these units began in 1998.
The class suffered major technical problems, so in the event none of the older units was withdrawn from service. It was six more years, in 2004, before the full fleet was in service. In 2003 and 2004, reliability was so poor that, although they were only six years old, South West Trains decided that the units should be replaced by 2005 with the newer Class 450
Desiro
units. Only a handful of units is required each day to help maintain services from Waterloo to Reading, and these had been expected to cease after 31 July 2006, when the lease with the rolling stock company expired. An application by SWT to extend this by six months was refused, as the class does not meet all the requirements of disability legislation.
However, later it was decided that, on or before the start of the new franchise in February 2007, the class would be reinstated and take over all operations on the Waterloo to Reading line, indirectly covering the loss of the Class 442s. They have been fitted with new, larger destination screens that comply with the disability legislation, but the trains still fall foul in some other areas, such as the height of the door open buttons. It is believed that a small exemption is being made for the Class 458s
in those respects.
Under the government's rolling-stock plan, SWT is due to receive up to 140 additional vehicles. Porterbrook
, the owner of the Class 458 fleet, has proposed that part of this could be met through lengthening the 4-car Junipers to 5 cars using the mechanically similar Class 460
units formerly employed on the Gatwick Express
and now spare. 24 Class 458s would be lengthened using vehicles from the Class 460s, while the remaining Class 460 vehicles would be reformed into six new 5-car sets, leaving an additional vehicle for use as parts hulks. As at November 2010 this scheme was still in limbo, as it depends on Network Rail securing funding from government to go ahead with lengthening the suburban platforms at Waterloo to take 10-car trains.
South West Trains currently has 30 three-car Class 159s
(22 159/0s and 8 159/1s) and 11 two-car Class 158s
.
The 159/1s were converted at Wabtec Doncaster from Class 158s, received from TransPennine Express in exchange for Class 170s, to expand the current fleet. 11 further two-car 158s were received from TransPennine Express, which were refurbished and renumbered. All SWT 159/0s are currently being refurbished at Wabtec Doncaster to look like the newly received and refurbished class members. They will however retain their more powerful engines.
Two ex-SWT 158s, 786 and 789, have been allocated to First ScotRail and are currently based at Edinburgh Haymarket DMUD.
locomotives for "Thunderbird" (recovery) duties. One of these has been in service with SWT since the start of the franchise, while the other two were acquired from Gatwick Express
in 2005.
South West Trains announced that it would be withdrawing these units, and the last operated SWT service was on 3 February 2007. This move also coincided with SWT reinstating all Class 458s for the Waterloo-Reading line. As a result, the Class 444s inherited the Waterloo - Weymouth route and the Class 450s took over some of the Portsmouth Harbour services, while the 442s went into storage at Eastleigh. They are now running between London and Brighton on Gatwick Express services.
fleet. Units were deployed on London Waterloo
to Salisbury as well as a new Southampton
local train, and Reading
to Basingstoke
trains. They were sometimes pressed into use on Exeter
services, but as they are not fitted with end gangways for catering or selective door opening for the short platforms at some stations, this was not a regular route.
From late 2006 to mid-2007, the Class 170s were gradually transferred to TransPennine Express in exchange for a larger number of Class 158
units, to expand and standardise the fleet. One Class 170, 170392, which was originally built to Southern
specification, but taken over by SWT soon after its construction, has returned to Southern and converted to a Class 171
unit.
to Bournemouth
on 26 May 2005 with units 1396
, 3536
and 1398
. Some slam-door units have been preserved on heritage railways and three were retained by SWT for operations on the Lymington Branch Line
and for special duties.
Services on the Lymington branch were operated as a "heritage" operation using one of two refurbished 3Cig units, nos. 1497 and 1498. The two units were repainted in their original liveries, one in classic Southern Region green and the other in British Rail blue and grey, and went into service on 12 May 2005. Following the May 2010 timetable change, these have now been replaced on the Lymington branch by Class 158
units during the week and Class 450
units at the weekend.
Of the Classes 411, 412, 421 and 423 slam-door trains, several former SWT units have been preserved.
In contrast, just two former Southern
units have been preserved - one Class 421 and one Class 423. No complete units from South Eastern Trains
have been preserved.
and Earlsfield
stations, on the main line to Waterloo, and is, coincidentally, situated next to South West Trains' other iconic landmark, the Wimbledon Train Viaduct.
, occupying the approach to the former Bournemouth West Station
. It was the last place the Class 442 (5Wes) Wessex Electrics were stored before moving to Southern. The branch turns off at Branksome railway station
and trains can be seen stopping at platform 2 and reversing into the depot.
and is also next to Southampton FC's stadium at St Mary's. This newer traincare depot was constructed to perform maintenance on the new Desiro stock, which can now be found at the works.
The carriage washer is still in place (and in use), as is the fuelling point (for First Great Western
and the few diesel services that still serve Portsea Island).
Quite a few class 444 and 450 units berth overnight there (and a few 15x DMUs), and there are stabling sidings and bay platforms at Portsmouth & Southsea
station.
depot, in Weydon Lane, was opened by the Southern Railway
at the time of the electrification of the Portsmouth and lines in 1937. It was refurbished for the introduction of modern units when slam-door trains were replaced circa 2005. At the same time, disused quarry and ballast dump sidings behind the carriage shed were removed and a number of outdoor sidings were laid for overnight storage and servicing of units.
Train operating company
The term train operating company is used in the United Kingdom to describe the various businesses operating passenger trains on the railway system of Great Britain under the collective National Rail brand...
providing, under franchise
Rail franchising in Great Britain
Rail franchising in Great Britain was created by the Railways Act 1993. Passenger services are franchised, for a limited period, to train operating companies...
, passenger rail services, mostly out of Waterloo station, to the southwest of London in the suburbs and in the counties of Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
, Hampshire
Hampshire
Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...
, Dorset
Dorset
Dorset , is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The county town is Dorchester which is situated in the south. The Hampshire towns of Bournemouth and Christchurch joined the county with the reorganisation of local government in 1974...
, Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
, Somerset
Somerset
The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
, Berkshire
Berkshire
Berkshire is a historic county in the South of England. It is also often referred to as the Royal County of Berkshire because of the presence of the royal residence of Windsor Castle in the county; this usage, which dates to the 19th century at least, was recognised by the Queen in 1957, and...
, and Wiltshire
Wiltshire
Wiltshire is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. It contains the unitary authority of Swindon and covers...
and on the Isle of Wight
Isle of Wight
The Isle of Wight is a county and the largest island of England, located in the English Channel, on average about 2–4 miles off the south coast of the county of Hampshire, separated from the mainland by a strait called the Solent...
. The area of operation, essentially the former South Western division of Network SouthEast
Network SouthEast
Network SouthEast was one of three passenger sectors of British Rail created in 1982. NSE principally operated commuter trains in the London area and inter-urban services in densely populated South East England, although the network reached as far west as Exeter...
, is also roughly that in 1923 of the pre-grouping
Railways Act 1921
The Railways Act 1921, also known as the Grouping Act, was an enactment by the British government of David Lloyd George intended to stem the losses being made by many of the country's 120 railway companies, move the railways away from internal competition, and to retain some of the benefits which...
London and South Western Railway
London and South Western Railway
The London and South Western Railway was a railway company in England from 1838 to 1922. Its network extended from London to Plymouth via Salisbury and Exeter, with branches to Ilfracombe and Padstow and via Southampton to Bournemouth and Weymouth. It also had many routes connecting towns in...
. The Stagecoach Group
Stagecoach Group
Stagecoach Group plc is an international transport group operating buses, trains, trams, express coaches and ferries. The group was founded in 1980 by the current chairman, Sir Brian Souter, his sister, Ann Gloag, and her former husband Robin...
took over the franchise on the privatisation of British Rail
Privatisation of British Rail
The privatisation of British Rail was set in motion when the Conservative government enacted, on 19 January 1993, the British Coal and British Rail Act 1993 . This enabled the relevant Secretary of State to issue directions to the relevant Board...
in 1996 and retained it against stiff competition in 2007 making it, with Chiltern Railways
Chiltern Railways
Chiltern Railways is a British train operating company. It was set up at the privatisation of British Rail in 1996, and operates local passenger trains from Marylebone station in London to Aylesbury and main-line trains on the Chiltern Main Line to Birmingham Snow Hill with its associated branches...
and Virgin West Coast
Virgin Trains
Virgin Trains is a train operating company in the United Kingdom. It operates long-distance passenger services on the West Coast Main Line between London, the West Midlands, North West England, North Wales and Scotland...
, one of the three longest-running franchises. It is the largest passenger franchise in the UK and is a particularly complex operation due to the large number and variety of services.
Operating history
In the early days of its franchise SWT gained notoriety for severe service cuts due to driver shortages but later made significant improvements to the network, including replacing much of the rolling stock, refurbishing stations, making stations accessible to disabled passengers, and improving customer information. During the early 2000s, improvements included the introduction of new rail services and the reopening of station in HampshireHampshire
Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...
.
On 12 December 2004 the company completely recast its timetable, for the first time since 1967, in an attempt to bring service provision into line with changing demand and to take into account the different characteristics of modern rolling stock, with the intention that this would improve reliability and punctuality across the network.
A smoking ban on all SWT services was introduced from May 2004, partly in response to a fire caused by a cigarette left near a heater under a seat, and also pre-empting the public smoking ban that would be introduced two years later.
Extension and renewal of franchise
The South West Trains franchise was initially renewed for four years from February 2003. Then, on 22 September 2006, Stagecoach Group won the right to operate the newly-enlarged South Western franchise for a further ten years, until 2017. Competing bids for the franchise had been made by ArrivaArriva
Arriva plc is a multinational public transport company owned by Deutsche Bahn and headquartered in Sunderland, United Kingdom. It has bus, coach, train, tram and waterbus operations in 12 countries across Europe, employs more than 47,500 people and services over 1.5 billion passenger journeys each...
, First Group
FirstGroup plc
FirstGroup plc is a public transport company, registered in Scotland at its headquarters in Aberdeen, operating in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Denmark, Sweden, Canada and the United States...
and a partnership between MTR Corporation
MTR Corporation
MTR Corporation Limited is a company listed on the Hong Kong Exchange and included in the Hang Seng Index. MTR owns and runs the Hong Kong MTR metro system, and is also a major property developer and landlord in Hong Kong...
and GNER.
This enlarged franchise started on 4 February 2007 and incorporated the formerly independent Island Line
Island Line (train operating company)
Island Line Trains is a sub-brand of South West Trains, a train operating company on Great Britain's National Rail Network, operating the 8½ mile Island Line on the Isle of Wight.-Before "Island Line":...
on the Isle of Wight. The legal name of the company has also changed from South West Trains Ltd to Stagecoach South Western Trains Ltd, but the trading name has remained unchanged.
Train services
Most SWT services are on electrified lines using the 750 V DCDirect current
Direct current is the unidirectional flow of electric charge. Direct current is produced by such sources as batteries, thermocouples, solar cells, and commutator-type electric machines of the dynamo type. Direct current may flow in a conductor such as a wire, but can also flow through...
third-rail
Third rail
A third rail is a method of providing electric power to a railway train, through a semi-continuous rigid conductor placed alongside or between the rails of a railway track. It is used typically in a mass transit or rapid transit system, which has alignments in its own corridors, fully or almost...
system. There is a small diesel fleet for services on the West of England line to Exeter and Bristol, which is unelectrified beyond Basingstoke. SWT operates almost 1,700 trains per day. The intense service and past chronic under-investment led to many delays, but performance has improved in part due to a completely restructured timetable from December 2004, and the commissioning of a unified Network Rail
Network Rail
Network Rail is the government-created owner and operator of most of the rail infrastructure in Great Britain .; it is not responsible for railway infrastructure in Northern Ireland...
and SWT control centre at Waterloo
Waterloo station
Waterloo station, also known as London Waterloo, is a central London railway terminus and London Underground complex. The station is owned and operated by Network Rail and is close to the South Bank of the River Thames, and in Travelcard Zone 1....
which improves communication between the two organisations.
From Waterloo, SWT's London terminus, long-distance trains run to southern England, including the major coastal population centres of Portsmouth, Southampton, Bournemouth, Poole and Weymouth; the company also operates many local services on suburban commuter lines in south-west London and Surrey. There are also trains to Reading, Exeter and Bristol, but these are not the principal fast services from London to those cities, which are operated from by First Great Western
First Great Western
First Great Western is the operating name of First Greater Western Ltd, a British train operating company owned by FirstGroup that serves Greater London, the South East, South West and West Midlands regions of England, and South Wales....
.
As with most rail companies, non-folding bicycles are banned from peak-time trains to and from London Waterloo. However, these restrictions apply only to cyclists boarding or alighting in the area bounded by Hook, Alton, Guildford, Reading and Dorking. The policy is designed to maximise available passenger space on the most crowded trains.
Routes
South West Trains off-peak Monday to Saturday routes, with numbers of trains per hour, include:- from Waterloo:
- 2 to Hampton CourtHampton Court Branch LineThe Hampton Court Branch Line is a short branch line off the South Western Main Line. It has a through station at Thames Ditton and a terminus at Hampton Court. The line is electrified, using 750 V DC third rail.-History:...
- 2 to Dorking
- 2 to SheppertonShepperton Branch LineThe Shepperton Branch Line is a railway line in the south west of London. It is also known as the Shepperton Line though on opening it was named The Thames Valley Railway...
- 2 to Chessington South
- 2 to WokingSouth Western Main LineThe South Western Main Line is a railway line between London Waterloo and Weymouth on the Dorset coast, in the south of England. It is a major railway which serves many important commuter areas, as well as the major settlements of Southampton and Bournemouth...
- 2 to AltonAlton LineThe Alton Line is a railway line operated by South West Trains. Today Alton station is the terminus of a main line branch, although it was at one time the junction for three lines. The branch leaves the South Western Main Line at Pirbright Junction near Brookwood...
- 2 to BasingstokeSouth Western Main LineThe South Western Main Line is a railway line between London Waterloo and Weymouth on the Dorset coast, in the south of England. It is a major railway which serves many important commuter areas, as well as the major settlements of Southampton and Bournemouth...
- 2 to Guildford via Cobham
- 2 to Guildford via Epsom
- 2 to Windsor and Eton Riverside
- 2 to ReadingWaterloo to Reading LineThe Waterloo to Reading Line is a National Rail suburban electric railway line running generally westwards from London, England. It is operated by South West Trains...
- 2 to Weybridge via StainesChertsey Branch LineThe Chertsey Branch Line, opened in 1848, connects the Waterloo to Reading Line at to the South Western Main Line at . It is also referred to as the Weybridge Line.The line was electrified in the late 1930s by the Southern Railway....
- 2 round the Kingston Loop LineKingston Loop LineThe Kingston Loop Line is a railway line built by the London and South Western Railway in South West London. It runs in an overall southeasterly direction from a junction west of Twickenham on the Waterloo to Reading Line to join the South West Main Line west of New Malden; both connections face...
back to Waterloo via Kingston and Richmond - 2 round the Kingston Loop back to Waterloo via Richmond and Kingston
- 2 round the Hounslow Loop LineHounslow Loop LineThe Hounslow Loop Line is a railway line in southwest London which was opened by the London and South Western Railway in 1850. It leaves the Waterloo to Reading Line at Barnes Junction and after some seven and a half miles rejoins it at a triangular junction between and...
back to Waterloo via Hounslow and Richmond - 2 round the Hounslow Loop Line back to Waterloo via Richmond and Hounslow
- 2 to Portsmouth Harbour via GuildfordPortsmouth Direct LineThe Portsmouth Direct Line is the route of a railway service operated by South West Trains which runs between London Waterloo and Portsmouth Harbour, England...
- 1 to Portsmouth and Southsea via GuildfordPortsmouth Direct LineThe Portsmouth Direct Line is the route of a railway service operated by South West Trains which runs between London Waterloo and Portsmouth Harbour, England...
- 1 to HaslemerePortsmouth Direct LineThe Portsmouth Direct Line is the route of a railway service operated by South West Trains which runs between London Waterloo and Portsmouth Harbour, England...
- 1 to Portsmouth Harbour via BasingstokeSouth Western Main LineThe South Western Main Line is a railway line between London Waterloo and Weymouth on the Dorset coast, in the south of England. It is a major railway which serves many important commuter areas, as well as the major settlements of Southampton and Bournemouth...
- 2 to WeymouthSouth Western Main LineThe South Western Main Line is a railway line between London Waterloo and Weymouth on the Dorset coast, in the south of England. It is a major railway which serves many important commuter areas, as well as the major settlements of Southampton and Bournemouth...
- 1 to PooleSouth Western Main LineThe South Western Main Line is a railway line between London Waterloo and Weymouth on the Dorset coast, in the south of England. It is a major railway which serves many important commuter areas, as well as the major settlements of Southampton and Bournemouth...
- 2 to SalisburyWest of England Main LineThe West of England Main Line is a British railway line that runs from , Hampshire to Exeter St Davids in Devon, England. Passenger services run between London Waterloo station and Exeter...
- 1 to Exeter St DavidsWest of England Main LineThe West of England Main Line is a British railway line that runs from , Hampshire to Exeter St Davids in Devon, England. Passenger services run between London Waterloo station and Exeter...
- 2 to Hampton Court
- Off-peak hours services not originating from London include:
- 1 Southampton Central to Portsmouth and SouthseaWest Coastway LineThe West Coastway Line is a railway line in England, along the south coast of West Sussex and Hampshire, between Brighton and Southampton, plus the short branches to Littlehampton and Bognor Regis....
- 1 Salisbury to Romsey via Romsey and Southampton CentralEastleigh to Romsey LineThe Eastleigh-Romsey Line is the railway line from Eastleigh to Romsey in Hampshire, England. At Eastleigh, trains join the South Western Main Line for onward travel to Southampton and Totton...
- 2 Ascot to GuildfordAscot to Guildford lineThe Ascot to Guildford Line is a railway line operated by South West Trains.The name refers both to a service between Ascot and Guildford and a physical railway line between Ascot to Ash Vale....
- 2 Brockenhurst to Lymington PierLymington Branch LineThe Lymington Branch Line is a railway that runs from Brockenhurst to Lymington Pier, both in the New Forest. The railway line is around long, and is single track throughout its length. It diverges from the South Western Main Line at Lymington Junction; and, at Lymington Pier, trains connect with...
- 1 Southampton Central to Portsmouth and Southsea
Main lines
- The South Western Main LineSouth Western Main LineThe South Western Main Line is a railway line between London Waterloo and Weymouth on the Dorset coast, in the south of England. It is a major railway which serves many important commuter areas, as well as the major settlements of Southampton and Bournemouth...
(SWML) to Southampton Central, BournemouthBournemouth railway stationBournemouth railway station, originally known as Bournemouth East and then Bournemouth Central , is the main railway station serving the town of Bournemouth in Dorset, England. It is located on the South Western Main Line from London Waterloo to Weymouth...
and (2 trains an hour through to WeymouthWeymouth railway stationWeymouth railway station is a railway station serving the town of Weymouth, Dorset, England. The station is the terminus of both the South Western Main Line from London Waterloo and the Heart of Wessex Line from and .-History:...
(1 fast and 1 semi-fast) and 1 train an hour to PoolePoole railway stationthumb|right|Down stopping train in 1958Poole railway station is a railway station on the South Western Main Line serving the town of Poole in Dorset, England. The station is situated in the town centre next to Holes Bay...
(stopping) Mondays-Saturdays), with Sunday Bournemouth services extended to Poole. - The Portsmouth Direct LinePortsmouth Direct LineThe Portsmouth Direct Line is the route of a railway service operated by South West Trains which runs between London Waterloo and Portsmouth Harbour, England...
via Guildford and HaslemereHaslemere railway stationHaslemere railway station is a busy stop on the Portsmouth Direct Line, serving the town of Haslemere, Surrey.The large car park and industrial estate were originally large goods sidings. Platform 3 is an addition to the original structure, built in 1938 when the line was electrified...
: leaves the main line at WokingWoking railway stationWoking railway station is a railway station in England, serving the town of Woking, Surrey. It is a major stop on the South Western Main Line and is used by many commuters...
(4 trains per hour to Guildford, then 1 semi-fast service and 1 stopping service to Haslemere. The semi-fast service continues as a stopping service to Portsmouth. The fast services run approximately half-hourly Mondays-Saturdays, 2 trains per hour (1 fast, 1 stopping from Guildford) on Sundays). - The West of England Main LineWest of England Main LineThe West of England Main Line is a British railway line that runs from , Hampshire to Exeter St Davids in Devon, England. Passenger services run between London Waterloo station and Exeter...
to SalisburySalisbury railway stationSalisbury is a railway station serving the city of Salisbury, Wiltshire. Located southwest of London Waterloo, the station is the crossing point of the West of England Main Line and the Wessex Main Line...
, Yeovil JunctionYeovil Junction railway stationYeovil Junction railway station is the busier of two railway stations serving the town of Yeovil in England. The station is outside the town in the village of Stoford; although Yeovil is in Somerset, the station was in Dorset until 1995. It was opened by the London and South Western Railway in...
and : leaves the main line at BasingstokeBasingstoke railway stationBasingstoke railway station, in the town of Basingstoke in the county of Hampshire in England, is on the South Western Main Line from London Waterloo, with local and fast services operated by South West Trains. It is also the terminus of First Great Western local services on the Reading to...
. - Wessex Main LineWessex Main LineThe Wessex Main Line is the railway line from Bristol Temple Meads to Southampton. Diverging from this route is the Heart of Wessex Line from Westbury to Weymouth.- Places served :The places served are listed below.*Bristol*Keynsham*Oldfield Park*Bath...
(part): SalisburySalisbury railway stationSalisbury is a railway station serving the city of Salisbury, Wiltshire. Located southwest of London Waterloo, the station is the crossing point of the West of England Main Line and the Wessex Main Line...
to Bristol Temple Meads. This service originates from London Waterloo and divides at SalisburySalisbury railway stationSalisbury is a railway station serving the city of Salisbury, Wiltshire. Located southwest of London Waterloo, the station is the crossing point of the West of England Main Line and the Wessex Main Line...
. - London Waterloo to Portsmouth HarbourPortsmouth Harbour railway stationPortsmouth Harbour railway station is a railway station in Portsmouth, England. It is situated beside Gunwharf Quays in the city's harbour, and is an important transport terminal, with a bus interchange and ferry services to Gosport and the Isle of Wight. The station currently has four platforms:...
via BasingstokeBasingstoke railway stationBasingstoke railway station, in the town of Basingstoke in the county of Hampshire in England, is on the South Western Main Line from London Waterloo, with local and fast services operated by South West Trains. It is also the terminus of First Great Western local services on the Reading to...
and EastleighEastleigh railway stationEastleigh railway station serves the town of Eastleigh in the county of Hampshire in England. It is located on the South Western Main Line and is the junction station for two other routes, the Eastleigh-Fareham Line and the Eastleigh-Romsey Line...
(Hourly service off-peak Mondays-Saturdays, merges with the Poole train on Sundays). - London Waterloo to ReadingReading, BerkshireReading is a large town and unitary authority area in England. It is located in the Thames Valley at the confluence of the River Thames and River Kennet, and on both the Great Western Main Line railway and the M4 motorway, some west of London....
via StainesStainesStaines is a Thames-side town in the Spelthorne borough of Surrey and Greater London Urban Area, as well as the London Commuter Belt of South East England. It is a suburban development within the western bounds of the M25 motorway and located 17 miles west south-west of Charing Cross in...
and AscotAscot, BerkshireAscot is a village within the civil parish of Sunninghill and Ascot, in the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead, Berkshire, England. It is most notable as the location of Ascot Racecourse, home of the prestigious Royal Ascot meeting...
.
Suburban services
Suburban services diverge from the above routes. Taken in order westwards from Waterloo, travelling down the SWML, they are:- Waterloo to Reading lineWaterloo to Reading LineThe Waterloo to Reading Line is a National Rail suburban electric railway line running generally westwards from London, England. It is operated by South West Trains...
: from Clapham JunctionClapham Junction railway stationClapham Junction railway station is near St John's Hill in the south-west of Battersea in the London Borough of Wandsworth. Although it is in Battersea, the area around the station is commonly identified as Clapham Junction....
- The Hounslow Loop LineHounslow Loop LineThe Hounslow Loop Line is a railway line in southwest London which was opened by the London and South Western Railway in 1850. It leaves the Waterloo to Reading Line at Barnes Junction and after some seven and a half miles rejoins it at a triangular junction between and...
from BarnesBarnes railway stationBarnes railway station is in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, in south London, and is in Travelcard Zone 3. The station and all trains serving it are operated by South West Trains....
to WhittonWhitton railway stationWhitton railway station is in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, in south London, and is in Travelcard Zone 5. The station and all trains serving it are operated by South West Trains. The ticket office is staffed 7 days a week during the day time. There are no ticket barriers or gates, but...
or FelthamFeltham railway stationFeltham railway station is in Feltham, in the London Borough of Hounslow. It was opened in 1848 by the Windsor Staines and South Western Railway . It is in Travelcard Zone 6. A regular bus service runs from Feltham to Heathrow Airport.-Facilities:A footbridge in the station with lifts connects the... - The Windsor branch from StainesStaines railway stationStaines railway station is in Staines, Surrey. South West Trains manage it and provide all services which are down to , and and up to London Waterloo....
- The ChertseyChertsey railway stationChertsey railway station serves the town of Chertsey in the Runnymede District of Surrey, England. It is located on the Chertsey Branch of the Waterloo to Reading Line and is operated by South West Trains....
loop line from Virginia WaterVirginia Water railway stationVirginia Water railway station serves the village of Virginia Water, in Surrey, England. The station, and all trains serving it, are operated by South West Trains....
to WeybridgeWeybridge railway stationWeybridge railway station serves Weybridge in the Elmbridge district of Surrey, England. It is located on the South Western Main Line operated by South West Trains, 19 miles from London Waterloo.... - The AscotAscot railway stationAscot railway station is a railway station in the town of Ascot in Berkshire, England. The station, and all trains serving it, are operated by South West Trains. It is at the junction of the Waterloo to Reading line with the Ascot to Guildford line....
to Ash ValeAsh Vale railway stationAsh Vale is a railway station serving the village of Ash Vale in Surrey, England. It is situated at the junction of the London to Alton line and the line from Ascot to Guildford. The station and all trains serving it are operated by South West Trains....
line via CamberleyCamberley railway stationCamberley railway station is a railway station in the town of Camberley in Surrey, England. It is situated on the Ascot to Guildford line. The station, and all trains serving it, are operated by South West Trains...
- The Hounslow Loop Line
- The Mole Valley LineSutton & Mole Valley LineThe Sutton & Mole Valley Lines are a group of railway lines constructed between 1847 and 1868 by the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway, the London and South Western Railway and the LBSCR-sponsored Horsham, Dorking and Leatherhead Railway.-Services:The scheduled services run along the Sutton...
, from Raynes ParkRaynes Park railway stationRaynes Park railway station is in the London Borough of Merton in South London. The station is served by South West Trains, and is in Travelcard Zone 4...
to DorkingDorking railway stationDorking railway station is one of three railway stations that serve the town of Dorking in Surrey, England. The station is within walking distance of Dorking Deepdene station and interchange on a through ticket is permitted...
via EpsomEpsom railway stationEpsom railway station is the main railway station for Epsom in the county of Surrey. It is located off Waterloo Road, near to the High Street....
- The Chessington branch from Motspur ParkMotspur Park railway stationMotspur Park railway station is a suburban station in the London Borough of Merton in South London. The station is served by South West Trains, and is in Travelcard Zone 4...
- The branch to GuildfordGuildford (Surrey) railway stationGuildford railway station is an important railway junction on the Portsmouth Direct Line serving the town of Guildford in Surrey, England. It is 30.3 miles from London Waterloo....
from LeatherheadLeatherhead railway stationLeatherhead railway station is a railway station serving the town of Leatherhead in Surrey, England. The station is managed by Southern, who provide train services along with South West Trains....
- The Chessington branch from Motspur Park
- The Kingston Loop LineKingston Loop LineThe Kingston Loop Line is a railway line built by the London and South Western Railway in South West London. It runs in an overall southeasterly direction from a junction west of Twickenham on the Waterloo to Reading Line to join the South West Main Line west of New Malden; both connections face...
, from New MaldenNew Malden railway stationNew Malden railway station is in the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames in South London. The station is served by South West Trains, and is in Travelcard Zone 4.-History:...
(Main Line) to TwickenhamTwickenham railway stationTwickenham railway station is in Twickenham in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, and is in Travelcard Zone 5. The station and all trains serving it are operated by South West Trains.-History:...
(Reading Line)- The SheppertonShepperton railway stationShepperton railway station is a railway station serving the town of Shepperton in the Spelthorne district of Surrey, England. The station and all trains serving it are operated by South West Trains. The station itself now has one platform , and a large station and office building...
branch from TeddingtonTeddington railway stationTeddington railway station is located in Teddington in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, in south west London, and is in Travelcard Zone 6. The station is operated by South West Trains, as are all trains serving it.-Station layout:...
. Normally, these services run via New Malden, some peak services run via Twickenham.
- The Shepperton
- The New Guildford Line, to GuildfordGuildford (Surrey) railway stationGuildford railway station is an important railway junction on the Portsmouth Direct Line serving the town of Guildford in Surrey, England. It is 30.3 miles from London Waterloo....
via CobhamCobham & Stoke D'Abernon railway stationCobham & Stoke D'Abernon railway station is situated in the village of Stoke d'Abernon in Surrey, England. It also serves the nearby town of Cobham. The station, and all trains serving it, are operated by South West Trains...
from SurbitonSurbiton railway stationSurbiton railway station is a National Rail station in Surbiton, south west London, in the Kingston upon Thames. The station is managed and served by South West Trains, and is in Travelcard Zone 6...
. Travellers from Guildford to London can also travel via the main line through Woking or via Camberley - The Hampton CourtHampton Court railway stationHampton Court railway station is a railway station in the Elmbridge district of Surrey, located in East Molesey by Hampton Court Bridge.The station also serves Hampton Court Palace in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, and for the purposes of fare charging it is included in Travelcard...
branch, also from SurbitonSurbiton railway stationSurbiton railway station is a National Rail station in Surbiton, south west London, in the Kingston upon Thames. The station is managed and served by South West Trains, and is in Travelcard Zone 6... - The AltonAlton LineThe Alton Line is a railway line operated by South West Trains. Today Alton station is the terminus of a main line branch, although it was at one time the junction for three lines. The branch leaves the South Western Main Line at Pirbright Junction near Brookwood...
branch, from BrookwoodBrookwood railway stationBrookwood is a National Rail railway station in Brookwood in the English county of Surrey. It was constructed to serve the adjacent Brookwood Cemetery and was at one stage served by its own station in London for the funeral trains...
Other services
- Southampton local lines: SalisburySalisbury railway stationSalisbury is a railway station serving the city of Salisbury, Wiltshire. Located southwest of London Waterloo, the station is the crossing point of the West of England Main Line and the Wessex Main Line...
to RomseyRomsey railway stationRomsey railway station serves the town of Romsey in the county of Hampshire in England. It is located on the Wessex Main Line and is the junction station for the Eastleigh to Romsey Line.-History:...
via Southampton Central and Chandler's FordChandler's Ford railway stationChandler's Ford railway station serves the Chandler's Ford area of Eastleigh in Hampshire, England. It lies on the Eastleigh to Romsey Line.-History:The station was opened by the LSWR in 1847...
(previously this service ran to TottonTotton railway stationTotton railway station is a railway station serving the town of Totton, west of Southampton, England.The station is run by South West Trains and is served by the stopping service to Poole...
) - Lymington Branch LineLymington Branch LineThe Lymington Branch Line is a railway that runs from Brockenhurst to Lymington Pier, both in the New Forest. The railway line is around long, and is single track throughout its length. It diverges from the South Western Main Line at Lymington Junction; and, at Lymington Pier, trains connect with...
(BrockenhurstBrockenhurst railway stationBrockenhurst railway station is a railway station serving the village of Brockenhurst in Hampshire, England. It is located on the South Western Main Line from London Waterloo to Weymouth...
to Lymington PierLymington Pier railway stationLymington Pier railway station is a railway station serving the harbour area of Lymington in Hampshire, England. It the terminus of the Lymington Branch Line from Brockenhurst, and provides a connection with the ferry service to Yarmouth on the Isle of Wight. It has only one platform.The station is...
) - Island LineIsland Line, Isle of WightThe Island Line is a railway line on the Isle of Wight, running some from Ryde Pier Head to Shanklin down the eastern side of the island. The line was electrified in 1967. Trains connect with passenger ferries to Portsmouth Harbour at Ryde Pier Head, and these ferries in turn connect with the...
(Isle of Wight), Ryde Pier HeadRyde Pier Head railway stationRyde Pier Head railway station is one of three stations in the town of Ryde on the Isle of Wight. Situated at the end of the town's pier, it is adjacent to the terminal for the Wightlink fast catamaran service connecting the island with Portsmouth on the UK mainland...
to ShanklinShanklin railway stationShanklin railway station is a railway station serving Shanklin on the Isle of Wight. It is the present terminus of the Island Line from Ryde, although the line used to run to Ventnor. The station now has one platform with a ticket office and a small shop with the second platform now in use as a... - Southampton Central to Portsmouth and SouthseaPortsmouth and Southsea railway stationPortsmouth and Southsea railway station is the main railway station in central Portsmouth in Hampshire, England. It is close to the Commercial Road shopping centre....
Tickets
Travelcards are available for journeys into London. They are valid on London busesLondon Buses
London Buses is the subsidiary of Transport for London that manages bus services within Greater London, UK. Buses are required to carry similar red colour schemes and conform to the same fare scheme...
, Tramlink
Tramlink
Tramlink is a tramway system in south London in the United Kingdom which began operation in May 2000...
, Docklands Light Railway
Docklands Light Railway
The Docklands Light Railway is an automated light metro or light rail system opened on 31 August 1987 to serve the redeveloped Docklands area of London...
, London Underground
London Underground
The London Underground is a rapid transit system serving a large part of Greater London and some parts of Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire and Essex in England...
and national rail services within the London travelcard area.
Season ticket
Season ticket
A season ticket is a ticket that grants privileges over a defined period of time.-Sport:In sport, a season ticket grants the holder access to all regular-season home games for one season without additional charges. The ticket usually offers a discounted price over purchasing a ticket for each of...
s and travelcards are also available to cover multi-day regular journeys. They are available in weekly, monthly and annual periods.
In May 2007, South West Trains introduced a new fare structure for all routes. The original peak prices and times were retained, with "Off-Peak" being redefined at a higher fare for services leaving after 11am for stations closer to London or arriving in Waterloo at or before mid-day for stations further away from London. Services after this period are now referred to as "Super Off-Peak" and attract similar prices to the old Off-Peak tickets.
In January 2008 SWT fares increased on average by 4.3%.
In 2009, ticket gates were installed at Waterloo Station in order to improve revenue protection.
The smartcard scheme for season tickets on the national rail system was extended from spring 2010 to cover the lines from Weymouth to Basingstoke, Staines to Wokingham and the Isle of Wight in addition to the current trial area between Staines and Windsor. It was also announced that SWT proposes to reduce the operating hours at 24 of its ticket offices.
In May 2010 posters started to appear at stations advertising that the extended smartcard scheme is now available for stations between Weymouth and Basingstoke. The smart cards which South West Trains is using are branded StagecoachSmart in common with those being introduced on Stagecoach buses in Cambridgeshire and which Stagecoach plans to provide across its rail and bus operations.
Oyster Pay as you go, Travelcards and Season Tickets
Oyster cardOyster card
The Oyster card is a form of electronic ticketing used on public transport services within the Greater London area of the United Kingdom. It is promoted by Transport for London and is valid on a number of different travel systems across London including London Underground, buses, the Docklands...
pay as you go is now available on all South West Trains routes within the Greater London
Greater London
Greater London is the top-level administrative division of England covering London. It was created in 1965 and spans the City of London, including Middle Temple and Inner Temple, and the 32 London boroughs. This territory is coterminate with the London Government Office Region and the London...
area. Oyster card travelcards and season tickets have always been valid within the London travelcard area, the same way as normal paper travelcards and season tickets.
In November 2010 the Department for Transport announced an agreement between government and SWT that passengers will be able to top up Pay-as-You-Go Oyster cards at all stations operated by South West Trains in the London Travelcard area from May 2011. SWT was the last rail company franchise not to offer this facility (except at Wimbledon and Richmond stations) for passengers using suburban rail services within the London travelcard area.
Penalty fares
South West Trains currently issues penalty farePenalty fare
On the United Kingdom's public transport systems, a penalty fare is a special fare charged at a higher than normal price because the purchaser did not comply with the normal ticket purchasing rules...
s for passengers travelling by train without a valid ticket. However, the company has planned to install at least one self-service ticket machine at each of its served stations in the bid to stop fare evasion.
The penalty fare is either £20 or double the travelled fare, whichever is greater. This does not apply west of Salisbury or at Wraysbury
Wraysbury railway station
Wraysbury railway station is a railway station serving the village of Wraysbury in Berkshire, England.The station is located on the line between Windsor and Eton Riverside and London Waterloo...
on the Windsor line,
due to the lack of ticket machines available. Revenue Protection Officers employed by SWT travel the network and are visible at stations to enforce penalty fares and issue some tickets; aside from station ticket barriers and permit-to-travel machines, CCTV is used to combat ticketless travel and prevent assaults on members of staff and customers.
From August 2007, South West Trains has reinforced the penalty fares policy with announcements at stations prompting travellers to buy tickets before boarding. This clamp-down has been criticised due to the lack of "self-service" ticketing machines and the long queues at booking offices due to a lack of staff, which impedes the ability to buy tickets.
Platform Tickets
South West Trains does not issue platform ticketPlatform ticket
A platform ticket is a type of rail ticket issued by some railway systems, permitting the bearer to access the platforms of a railway station, but not to board and use any train services. It allows people to walk with their friends and loved ones all the way to the passenger car at stations where...
s. Entry to parts of SWT station concourses beyond the ticket barrier for passengers without valid tickets for travel is at the company's discretion.
Route Changes
The South West Trains network has changed considerably since privatisation in 1996. It no longer includes West Croydon, Sutton, stations between ChichesterChichester railway station
Chichester railway station is a railway station in the city of Chichester in West Sussex, England. The station is a short walk from the city centre, and about a 10 minute walk from the university....
and Brighton
Brighton railway station
Brighton railway station is the principal railway station in the city of Brighton and Hove, on the south coast of England. The station master is Mark Epsom...
, or the mainline portion of Reading
Reading railway station
Reading railway station is a major rail transport hub in the English town of Reading. It is situated on the northern edge of the town centre, close to the main retail and commercial areas, and also the River Thames...
. South West Trains does now serve stations to Bristol
Bristol Temple Meads railway station
Bristol Temple Meads railway station is the oldest and largest railway station in Bristol, England. It is an important transport hub for public transport in Bristol, with bus services to various parts of the city and surrounding districts, and a ferry service to the city centre in addition to the...
, Mottisfont and Dunbridge and Dean
Dean railway station
Dean railway station is a small station near the village of West Dean, Wiltshire , England.The station itself is on the Wessex Main Line south east of Salisbury.-Service:...
. However, services beyond Exeter
Exeter St Davids railway station
Exeter St Davids station is the most important of seven National Rail stations in the city of Exeter in southwest England. Today the station is owned by Network Rail and operated by First Great Western.-History:...
to stations such as Newton Abbot
Newton Abbot railway station
Newton Abbot railway station serves the town of Newton Abbot in Devon, England. It is from London on the Exeter to Plymouth line via the Reading to Taunton line, at the junction for the branch to . For many years it was also the junction for Moretonhampstead and the site of a large locomotive...
, Paignton
Paignton railway station
Paignton railway station is the railway station serving Paignton in Devon, England. It is the terminus of the Riviera Line from Exeter and is also an interchange between National Rail services and the preserved Paignton and Dartmouth Steam Railway.-History:...
and Plymouth
Plymouth railway station
Plymouth railway station serves the city of Plymouth, Devon, England. It is situated on the northern edge of the city centre close to the North Cross roundabout...
ceased from December 2009.
Megatrain
Stagecoach, SWT's parent company, currently sells seats on some off-peak services under the MegatrainMegatrain
Megatrain offers low cost intercity train travel via the megabus.com website, using yield management pricing, on East Midlands Trains and South West Trains which are rail franchises in the United Kingdom operated by Scottish-based Stagecoach Group...
brand from Mondays to Saturdays. This uses a similar low-cost model to its Megabus
Megabus (United Kingdom)
Megabus is a UK coach service operated by Stagecoach Group. It started in 2003 and as of February 2010 operated 19 UK coach routes serving 41 destinations in England, Scotland and Wales. Some services link with Megatrain services which are also operated by Stagecoach...
service. Megatrain tickets are generally available on services that are expected to be lightly loaded. The tickets available are generally between London Waterloo and other principal stations, and ticket holders are assigned to a specific carriage (normally the second from the front) in the train.
Performance
Latest performance figures released by the ORR as of the fourth quarter of the 2010/11 financial year were 92.9% (PPM) and 93.7% (MAA).Rolling stock details
In the early days of the franchise, South West Trains operated rolling stock inherited from British Rail. It applied its brand to the trains by modifying the Network SouthEast livery with an orange stripe, taking advantage of the similarity between the Network SouthEast livery and that of parent company Stagecoach.The company later introduced new or refurbished trains, and has standardised on a set of three distinct liveries - mainly white for long-distance services, mainly blue for outer-suburban services, and mainly red for London commuter rail services. There are exceptions to this: most notably, the trains operating suburban rail services to Hounslow
Hounslow Loop Line
The Hounslow Loop Line is a railway line in southwest London which was opened by the London and South Western Railway in 1850. It leaves the Waterloo to Reading Line at Barnes Junction and after some seven and a half miles rejoins it at a triangular junction between and...
, Windsor and Weybridge via Staines
Chertsey Branch Line
The Chertsey Branch Line, opened in 1848, connects the Waterloo to Reading Line at to the South Western Main Line at . It is also referred to as the Weybridge Line.The line was electrified in the late 1930s by the Southern Railway....
are in the blue livery as opposed to the red livery used on other services.
London Underground fleet
Island Line, Isle of Wight
The Island Line is a railway line on the Isle of Wight, running some from Ryde Pier Head to Shanklin down the eastern side of the island. The line was electrified in 1967. Trains connect with passenger ferries to Portsmouth Harbour at Ryde Pier Head, and these ferries in turn connect with the...
, the clearances of a tunnel under Ryde
Ryde
Ryde is a British seaside town, civil parish and the most populous town and urban area on the Isle of Wight, with a population of approximately 30,000. It is situated on the north-east coast. The town grew in size as a seaside resort following the joining of the villages of Upper Ryde and Lower...
are insufficient for standard trains. As a consequence, former London Underground
London Underground
The London Underground is a rapid transit system serving a large part of Greater London and some parts of Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire and Essex in England...
rolling stock has been used since the line was electrified. Since 1992, Class 483
British Rail Class 483
The British Rail Class 483 electrical multiple units were originally built as 1938 tube stock units for London Underground. They were extensively refurbished between 1989 and 1992 by Eastleigh Works, for use on services on the Isle of Wight's Island Line. This was despite having already worked for...
trains have been used, of which five 2-car units remain in service. They date from 1938. SWT took on this fleet when it was awarded the combined South West/Island Line franchise in 2007 (though Island Line as a separate franchise was also previously operated by a separate Stagecoach
Stagecoach
A stagecoach is a type of covered wagon for passengers and goods, strongly sprung and drawn by four horses, usually four-in-hand. Widely used before the introduction of railway transport, it made regular trips between stages or stations, which were places of rest provided for stagecoach travelers...
- owned company).
Desiro fleet
Desiro
The Siemens Desiro is a family of diesel or electric multiple unit passenger trains. The main variants are the Desiro Classic, Desiro ML, Desiro UK and the future Desiro City and Desiro RUS. The trains are mostly used for commuter and regional services, and their rapid acceleration makes them...
rolling stock built by Siemens
Siemens AG
Siemens AG is a German multinational conglomerate company headquartered in Munich, Germany. It is the largest Europe-based electronics and electrical engineering company....
was to replace the old Class 423
British Rail Class 423
The British Rail Class 423 electrical multiple units were built by BR at York Works from 1967 to 1974, although the MBSOs and TSOs of the first 20, 7701-7720, were constructed at Derby Works. They feature manually-opening doors next to every seating row and were the last coaching stock built in...
slam-door trains which were coming to the end of their useful lives, and which did not meet modern health and safety requirements. The introduction was delayed because of the additional power needs of this type of stock: Network Rail
Network Rail
Network Rail is the government-created owner and operator of most of the rail infrastructure in Great Britain .; it is not responsible for railway infrastructure in Northern Ireland...
spent £1 billion upgrading the power supply to take account of this.
The new trains have on-board information systems and full air-conditioning. Their faster acceleration is counterbalanced by the need to dwell longer at each station, since they have fewer doors. In addition, the Desiros have many more components: all are computerised and subject to the possibility of breakdowns. It is estimated that the slam-door trains could achieve 60,000 miles (96,000 km) without breakdown; the Desiros an estimated 13,000 miles (20,800 km) but this is gradually improving.
The Desiro stock comes in two variants - Class 450
British Rail Class 450
The British Rail Class 450 third-rail DC EMU began service during 2003. They are a part of the Siemens Desiro modular train family and are more commonly known as the 'Blue Desiro'...
units which have four 20 m cars and are mainly used on suburban and outer-suburban services, and Class 444
British Rail Class 444
The British Rail Class 444 Desiro electrical multiple units were built in Germany by Siemens AG from 2003-04. Forty-five of these units were built for express services for South West Trains....
units which have five 23 m cars as well as intercity-style door layouts and are used on longer-distance services to .
- The 450 Desiro Fleet includes 450001-127.
- The 444 Desiro Fleet includes 444001-045.
British Rail EMUs (Class 455)
South West Trains operates a fleet of Class 455British Rail Class 455
The British Rail Class 455 is a type of electric multiple unit drawing power from a 750 V DC third rail. Built by BREL at York works in the early and mid-1980s, they were initially categorised as Class 510 as the successor to the Class 508...
metro-style commuter trains. These were built for British Rail
British Rail
British Railways , which from 1965 traded as British Rail, was the operator of most of the rail transport in Great Britain between 1948 and 1997. It was formed from the nationalisation of the "Big Four" British railway companies and lasted until the gradual privatisation of British Rail, in stages...
.
A full refurbishment program started in 2004 on the fleet of 91 four-car units and was completed in March 2008. Modifications included a new 2+2 seating layout with high-back seats, CCTV, cycle storage, wheelchair space, doors that open further to allow for faster alighting, and additional passenger information systems. All units are now painted in a new red "Metro" version of the SWT livery.
There are proposals for 24 two-car Class 456s
British Rail Class 456
The British Rail Class 456 electric multiple-unit trains were built by BREL at York Works from 1990-91.- Description :24 two-car units were built as direct replacements for the elderly Class 416 2EPB units which operated on the Central Division of the Southern Region of British Rail. Units were...
to be cascaded from Southern
Southern (train operating company)
Southern is a train operating company in the United Kingdom. Officially named Southern Railway Ltd., it is a subsidiary of Govia, a joint venture between transport groups Go-Ahead Group and Keolis, and has operated the South Central rail franchise since October 2000 and the Gatwick Express service...
to SWT, where they would be paired up with the Class 455s to make six-car trains. As at November 2010 there was no date set for this.
Juniper fleet (Class 458)
British Rail Class 411
The British Rail Class 411 electrical multiple units were built at Eastleigh works from 1956-63 for the newly electrified main lines in Kent. These units were based on the earlier Southern Railway 4Cor design, built in 1937. They were replaced by Juniper units.-Description:A total of 133 units...
units, which at the time were on short-term lease. Deliveries of these units began in 1998.
The class suffered major technical problems, so in the event none of the older units was withdrawn from service. It was six more years, in 2004, before the full fleet was in service. In 2003 and 2004, reliability was so poor that, although they were only six years old, South West Trains decided that the units should be replaced by 2005 with the newer Class 450
British Rail Class 450
The British Rail Class 450 third-rail DC EMU began service during 2003. They are a part of the Siemens Desiro modular train family and are more commonly known as the 'Blue Desiro'...
Desiro
Desiro
The Siemens Desiro is a family of diesel or electric multiple unit passenger trains. The main variants are the Desiro Classic, Desiro ML, Desiro UK and the future Desiro City and Desiro RUS. The trains are mostly used for commuter and regional services, and their rapid acceleration makes them...
units. Only a handful of units is required each day to help maintain services from Waterloo to Reading, and these had been expected to cease after 31 July 2006, when the lease with the rolling stock company expired. An application by SWT to extend this by six months was refused, as the class does not meet all the requirements of disability legislation.
However, later it was decided that, on or before the start of the new franchise in February 2007, the class would be reinstated and take over all operations on the Waterloo to Reading line, indirectly covering the loss of the Class 442s. They have been fitted with new, larger destination screens that comply with the disability legislation, but the trains still fall foul in some other areas, such as the height of the door open buttons. It is believed that a small exemption is being made for the Class 458s
British Rail Class 458
The South West Trains Class 458 electrical multiple units were built by Alstom at Washwood Heath between 1998 and 2002. These units are part of Alstom's Juniper family of units, which also includes Classes 334 and 460.-Description:...
in those respects.
Under the government's rolling-stock plan, SWT is due to receive up to 140 additional vehicles. Porterbrook
Porterbrook
Porterbrook is one of the three major ROSCOs in the United Kingdom...
, the owner of the Class 458 fleet, has proposed that part of this could be met through lengthening the 4-car Junipers to 5 cars using the mechanically similar Class 460
British Rail Class 460
The British Rail Class 460 electrical multiple units were built by Alstom at Washwood Heath from 2000-01. These units are part of Alstom's "Juniper" family of units, which also includes Classes 334 and 458...
units formerly employed on the Gatwick Express
Gatwick Express
Gatwick Express is the name given to the frequent rail shuttle service between Victoria station in London and Gatwick Airport in South East England, operated by the Southern franchise...
and now spare. 24 Class 458s would be lengthened using vehicles from the Class 460s, while the remaining Class 460 vehicles would be reformed into six new 5-car sets, leaving an additional vehicle for use as parts hulks. As at November 2010 this scheme was still in limbo, as it depends on Network Rail securing funding from government to go ahead with lengthening the suburban platforms at Waterloo to take 10-car trains.
Diesel fleet
British Rail Class 159
The British Rail Class 159 is a class of diesel multiple unit of the Sprinter family, built in 1989 - 1992 by BREL at the Derby Carriage and Wagon Works as Class 158...
(22 159/0s and 8 159/1s) and 11 two-car Class 158s
British Rail Class 158
British Rail Class 158 Express Sprinter is a diesel multiple-unit train, built for British Rail between 1989 and 1992 by BREL at its Derby Works. They were built to replace many locomotive-hauled passenger trains, and allowed cascading of existing Sprinter units to replace elderly 'heritage' DMUs...
.
The 159/1s were converted at Wabtec Doncaster from Class 158s, received from TransPennine Express in exchange for Class 170s, to expand the current fleet. 11 further two-car 158s were received from TransPennine Express, which were refurbished and renumbered. All SWT 159/0s are currently being refurbished at Wabtec Doncaster to look like the newly received and refurbished class members. They will however retain their more powerful engines.
Two ex-SWT 158s, 786 and 789, have been allocated to First ScotRail and are currently based at Edinburgh Haymarket DMUD.
Locomotives
Although South West Trains does not operate locomotive-hauled services, it maintains three Class 73British Rail Class 73
The British Rail Class 73 is a United Kingdom model of electro-diesel locomotive. The type is unusual in that it can operate from a 750 V DC third-rail or an on-board diesel engine to allow it to operate on non-electrified routes...
locomotives for "Thunderbird" (recovery) duties. One of these has been in service with SWT since the start of the franchise, while the other two were acquired from Gatwick Express
Gatwick Express
Gatwick Express is the name given to the frequent rail shuttle service between Victoria station in London and Gatwick Airport in South East England, operated by the Southern franchise...
in 2005.
Current fleet
| Class | Image | Type | Top speed | Number | Routes operated | Built | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| mph | km/h | ||||||
| Class 73 British Rail Class 73 The British Rail Class 73 is a United Kingdom model of electro-diesel locomotive. The type is unusual in that it can operate from a 750 V DC third-rail or an on-board diesel engine to allow it to operate on non-electrified routes... |
 |
Electro-diesel locomotive Electro-diesel locomotive An Electro-diesel locomotive is powered either from an electricity supply or by using the onboard diesel engine... |
90 | 145 | 3 | Thunderbird Locomotive | 1962 |
| Class 158 Express Sprinter British Rail Class 158 British Rail Class 158 Express Sprinter is a diesel multiple-unit train, built for British Rail between 1989 and 1992 by BREL at its Derby Works. They were built to replace many locomotive-hauled passenger trains, and allowed cascading of existing Sprinter units to replace elderly 'heritage' DMUs... |
 |
Diesel multiple unit Diesel multiple unit A diesel multiple unit or DMU is a multiple unit train consisting of multiple carriages powered by one or more on-board diesel engines. They may also be referred to as a railcar or railmotor, depending on country.-Design:... |
90 | 145 | 11 | London Waterloo - Salisbury Salisbury railway station Salisbury is a railway station serving the city of Salisbury, Wiltshire. Located southwest of London Waterloo, the station is the crossing point of the West of England Main Line and the Wessex Main Line... / Bristol Temple Meads Romsey Romsey railway station Romsey railway station serves the town of Romsey in the county of Hampshire in England. It is located on the Wessex Main Line and is the junction station for the Eastleigh to Romsey Line.-History:... - Salisbury Salisbury railway station Salisbury is a railway station serving the city of Salisbury, Wiltshire. Located southwest of London Waterloo, the station is the crossing point of the West of England Main Line and the Wessex Main Line... via Southampton Central Brockenhurst Brockenhurst railway station Brockenhurst railway station is a railway station serving the village of Brockenhurst in Hampshire, England. It is located on the South Western Main Line from London Waterloo to Weymouth... - Lymington Pier Lymington Pier railway station Lymington Pier railway station is a railway station serving the harbour area of Lymington in Hampshire, England. It the terminus of the Lymington Branch Line from Brockenhurst, and provides a connection with the ferry service to Yarmouth on the Isle of Wight. It has only one platform.The station is... (Weekday services) |
1989–1992 |
| Class 159 South Western Turbo British Rail Class 159 The British Rail Class 159 is a class of diesel multiple unit of the Sprinter family, built in 1989 - 1992 by BREL at the Derby Carriage and Wagon Works as Class 158... |
Diesel multiple unit Diesel multiple unit A diesel multiple unit or DMU is a multiple unit train consisting of multiple carriages powered by one or more on-board diesel engines. They may also be referred to as a railcar or railmotor, depending on country.-Design:... |
90 | 145 | 30 | West of England / Wessex Main Lines: London Waterloo - Salisbury Salisbury railway station Salisbury is a railway station serving the city of Salisbury, Wiltshire. Located southwest of London Waterloo, the station is the crossing point of the West of England Main Line and the Wessex Main Line... / Bristol Temple Meads / Exeter St Davids |
159/0 - 1992 - 1993 159/1 - Converted 2006 - 2007 |
|
| Class 444 Desiro British Rail Class 444 The British Rail Class 444 Desiro electrical multiple units were built in Germany by Siemens AG from 2003-04. Forty-five of these units were built for express services for South West Trains.... |
 |
Electric multiple unit Electric multiple unit An electric multiple unit or EMU is a multiple unit train consisting of self-propelled carriages, using electricity as the motive power. An EMU requires no separate locomotive, as electric traction motors are incorporated within one or a number of the carriages... |
100 | 160 | 45 | Main Line Routes: London Waterloo - Poole Poole railway station thumb|right|Down stopping train in 1958Poole railway station is a railway station on the South Western Main Line serving the town of Poole in Dorset, England. The station is situated in the town centre next to Holes Bay... / Weymouth Weymouth railway station Weymouth railway station is a railway station serving the town of Weymouth, Dorset, England. The station is the terminus of both the South Western Main Line from London Waterloo and the Heart of Wessex Line from and .-History:... London Waterloo - Portsmouth Harbour Portsmouth Harbour railway station Portsmouth Harbour railway station is a railway station in Portsmouth, England. It is situated beside Gunwharf Quays in the city's harbour, and is an important transport terminal, with a bus interchange and ferry services to Gosport and the Isle of Wight. The station currently has four platforms:... (Shared with Class 450s Weekdays and Sundays) |
2003–2004 |
| Class 450 Desiro British Rail Class 450 The British Rail Class 450 third-rail DC EMU began service during 2003. They are a part of the Siemens Desiro modular train family and are more commonly known as the 'Blue Desiro'... |
 |
Electric multiple unit Electric multiple unit An electric multiple unit or EMU is a multiple unit train consisting of self-propelled carriages, using electricity as the motive power. An EMU requires no separate locomotive, as electric traction motors are incorporated within one or a number of the carriages... |
100 | 160 | 127 | Outer Suburban Routes: 450/0 London Waterloo - Portsmouth Harbour Portsmouth Harbour railway station Portsmouth Harbour railway station is a railway station in Portsmouth, England. It is situated beside Gunwharf Quays in the city's harbour, and is an important transport terminal, with a bus interchange and ferry services to Gosport and the Isle of Wight. The station currently has four platforms:... (Shared with Class 444s weekdays and Sundays)/ Alton Alton railway station Alton railway station is a railway station in the town of Alton, in the English county of Hampshire. The station is the terminus for two railway lines; the Alton Line which runs to Brookwood and onto London Waterloo and the Mid Hants Watercress Railway, which runs to Alresford. The latter once ran... / Basingstoke Basingstoke railway station Basingstoke railway station, in the town of Basingstoke in the county of Hampshire in England, is on the South Western Main Line from London Waterloo, with local and fast services operated by South West Trains. It is also the terminus of First Great Western local services on the Reading to... / Poole Poole railway station thumb|right|Down stopping train in 1958Poole railway station is a railway station on the South Western Main Line serving the town of Poole in Dorset, England. The station is situated in the town centre next to Holes Bay... (Occasionally) / Reading Reading railway station Reading railway station is a major rail transport hub in the English town of Reading. It is situated on the northern edge of the town centre, close to the main retail and commercial areas, and also the River Thames... (Occasionally) Southampton Central - Portsmouth & Southsea Portsmouth and Southsea railway station Portsmouth and Southsea railway station is the main railway station in central Portsmouth in Hampshire, England. It is close to the Commercial Road shopping centre.... Brockenhurst Brockenhurst railway station Brockenhurst railway station is a railway station serving the village of Brockenhurst in Hampshire, England. It is located on the South Western Main Line from London Waterloo to Weymouth... - Lymington Pier Lymington Pier railway station Lymington Pier railway station is a railway station serving the harbour area of Lymington in Hampshire, England. It the terminus of the Lymington Branch Line from Brockenhurst, and provides a connection with the ferry service to Yarmouth on the Isle of Wight. It has only one platform.The station is... (Weekend services) 450/5 London Waterloo - Windsor & Eton Riverside Windsor and Eton Riverside railway station Windsor & Eton Riverside station is a station in Windsor in Berkshire, England. The station, close to the River Thames and Windsor Castle, is a grade II listed building.... / Weybridge Weybridge railway station Weybridge railway station serves Weybridge in the Elmbridge district of Surrey, England. It is located on the South Western Main Line operated by South West Trains, 19 miles from London Waterloo.... via Staines Staines railway station Staines railway station is in Staines, Surrey. South West Trains manage it and provide all services which are down to , and and up to London Waterloo.... / London Waterloo via Hounslow Hounslow railway station Hounslow railway station, on the Hounslow Loop Line, is in the London Borough of Hounslow, in west London, and is in Travelcard Zone 5. The station and all trains serving it are operated by South West Trains. It was opened by the London and South Western Railway on 1 February 1850 on completion of... Ascot Ascot railway station Ascot railway station is a railway station in the town of Ascot in Berkshire, England. The station, and all trains serving it, are operated by South West Trains. It is at the junction of the Waterloo to Reading line with the Ascot to Guildford line.... - Guildford Guildford (Surrey) railway station Guildford railway station is an important railway junction on the Portsmouth Direct Line serving the town of Guildford in Surrey, England. It is 30.3 miles from London Waterloo.... |
2002–2006 |
| Class 455 British Rail Class 455 The British Rail Class 455 is a type of electric multiple unit drawing power from a 750 V DC third rail. Built by BREL at York works in the early and mid-1980s, they were initially categorised as Class 510 as the successor to the Class 508... |
 |
Electric multiple unit Electric multiple unit An electric multiple unit or EMU is a multiple unit train consisting of self-propelled carriages, using electricity as the motive power. An EMU requires no separate locomotive, as electric traction motors are incorporated within one or a number of the carriages... |
75 | 120 | 91 | Inner Suburban Routes: London Waterloo - Shepperton Shepperton railway station Shepperton railway station is a railway station serving the town of Shepperton in the Spelthorne district of Surrey, England. The station and all trains serving it are operated by South West Trains. The station itself now has one platform , and a large station and office building... / Hampton Court Hampton Court railway station Hampton Court railway station is a railway station in the Elmbridge district of Surrey, located in East Molesey by Hampton Court Bridge.The station also serves Hampton Court Palace in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, and for the purposes of fare charging it is included in Travelcard... / Woking Woking railway station Woking railway station is a railway station in England, serving the town of Woking, Surrey. It is a major stop on the South Western Main Line and is used by many commuters... / London Waterloo via Hounslow Hounslow railway station Hounslow railway station, on the Hounslow Loop Line, is in the London Borough of Hounslow, in west London, and is in Travelcard Zone 5. The station and all trains serving it are operated by South West Trains. It was opened by the London and South Western Railway on 1 February 1850 on completion of... /London Waterloo via Strawberry Hill Strawberry Hill railway station Strawberry Hill railway station is in Strawberry Hill in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames in south west London, and is in Travelcard Zone 5. The station, and all trains serving it, are operated by South West Trains... / Dorking Dorking railway station Dorking railway station is one of three railway stations that serve the town of Dorking in Surrey, England. The station is within walking distance of Dorking Deepdene station and interchange on a through ticket is permitted... / Guildford Guildford (Surrey) railway station Guildford railway station is an important railway junction on the Portsmouth Direct Line serving the town of Guildford in Surrey, England. It is 30.3 miles from London Waterloo.... via Oxshott Oxshott railway station Oxshott railway station serves the village of Oxshott, in Surrey, England. The station, and all trains serving it, are operated by South West Trains. It is situated on the New Guildford Line, and is served by trains from London Waterloo to Guildford via Cobham.-Services:South West Trains operate... or Epsom Epsom railway station Epsom railway station is the main railway station for Epsom in the county of Surrey. It is located off Waterloo Road, near to the High Street.... / Chessington South Chessington South railway station Chessington South railway station is in Chessington in the south of the London Borough of Kingston upon Thames in South London, England, and is the terminal station of the Chessington branch. The station is served by South West Trains, and is from London Waterloo in Travelcard Zone 6.-History:The... / Windsor & Eton Riverside Windsor and Eton Riverside railway station Windsor & Eton Riverside station is a station in Windsor in Berkshire, England. The station, close to the River Thames and Windsor Castle, is a grade II listed building.... |
1982 - 1985 2004 - 2007 (refurbished) |
| Class 458 (4Jop) Juniper British Rail Class 458 The South West Trains Class 458 electrical multiple units were built by Alstom at Washwood Heath between 1998 and 2002. These units are part of Alstom's Juniper family of units, which also includes Classes 334 and 460.-Description:... |
 |
Electric multiple unit Electric multiple unit An electric multiple unit or EMU is a multiple unit train consisting of self-propelled carriages, using electricity as the motive power. An EMU requires no separate locomotive, as electric traction motors are incorporated within one or a number of the carriages... |
100 | 160 | 30 | London Waterloo - Reading Reading railway station Reading railway station is a major rail transport hub in the English town of Reading. It is situated on the northern edge of the town centre, close to the main retail and commercial areas, and also the River Thames... / Ascot Ascot, Berkshire Ascot is a village within the civil parish of Sunninghill and Ascot, in the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead, Berkshire, England. It is most notable as the location of Ascot Racecourse, home of the prestigious Royal Ascot meeting... - Guildford Guildford (Surrey) railway station Guildford railway station is an important railway junction on the Portsmouth Direct Line serving the town of Guildford in Surrey, England. It is 30.3 miles from London Waterloo.... |
1998–2002 |
| Class 483 British Rail Class 483 The British Rail Class 483 electrical multiple units were originally built as 1938 tube stock units for London Underground. They were extensively refurbished between 1989 and 1992 by Eastleigh Works, for use on services on the Isle of Wight's Island Line. This was despite having already worked for... |
|
Electric multiple unit Electric multiple unit An electric multiple unit or EMU is a multiple unit train consisting of self-propelled carriages, using electricity as the motive power. An EMU requires no separate locomotive, as electric traction motors are incorporated within one or a number of the carriages... |
45 | 72.5 | 6 | Ryde Pier Head Ryde Pier Head railway station Ryde Pier Head railway station is one of three stations in the town of Ryde on the Isle of Wight. Situated at the end of the town's pier, it is adjacent to the terminal for the Wightlink fast catamaran service connecting the island with Portsmouth on the UK mainland... - Shanklin Shanklin railway station Shanklin railway station is a railway station serving Shanklin on the Isle of Wight. It is the present terminus of the Island Line from Ryde, although the line used to run to Ventnor. The station now has one platform with a ticket office and a small shop with the second platform now in use as a... |
1938 1989 - 1992 (refurbished) |
Past fleet
| Class | Image | Type | Number | Withdrawn | Notes |
| Class 170 Turbostar |  |
Diesel multiple unit Diesel multiple unit A diesel multiple unit or DMU is a multiple unit train consisting of multiple carriages powered by one or more on-board diesel engines. They may also be referred to as a railcar or railmotor, depending on country.-Design:... |
9 | July 2007 | Transferred to First TransPennine Express First TransPennine Express First TransPennine Express is a British train operating company. It is a joint operation between First Group and Keolis . It operates regular passenger services in northern England, including services linking the west and east coasts across the Pennines... and Southern Southern (train operating company) Southern is a train operating company in the United Kingdom. Officially named Southern Railway Ltd., it is a subsidiary of Govia, a joint venture between transport groups Go-Ahead Group and Keolis, and has operated the South Central rail franchise since October 2000 and the Gatwick Express service... |
| Class 411 (4Cep) British Rail Class 411 The British Rail Class 411 electrical multiple units were built at Eastleigh works from 1956-63 for the newly electrified main lines in Kent. These units were based on the earlier Southern Railway 4Cor design, built in 1937. They were replaced by Juniper units.-Description:A total of 133 units... |
 |
Electric multiple unit Electric multiple unit An electric multiple unit or EMU is a multiple unit train consisting of self-propelled carriages, using electricity as the motive power. An EMU requires no separate locomotive, as electric traction motors are incorporated within one or a number of the carriages... |
29 | May 2005 | Some Preserved |
| Class 412 (4Bep) |  |
Electric multiple unit Electric multiple unit An electric multiple unit or EMU is a multiple unit train consisting of self-propelled carriages, using electricity as the motive power. An EMU requires no separate locomotive, as electric traction motors are incorporated within one or a number of the carriages... |
7 | May 2005 | Some Preserved |
| Class 421 (4Cig) British Rail Class 421 The British Rail Class 421 electrical multiple units were built at BR York Works between 1964 and 1972. Units were built in two batches, and were initially introduced on services on the Brighton Main Line. Later units were introduced on services to Portsmouth. These units replaced older Southern... |
 |
Electric multiple unit Electric multiple unit An electric multiple unit or EMU is a multiple unit train consisting of self-propelled carriages, using electricity as the motive power. An EMU requires no separate locomotive, as electric traction motors are incorporated within one or a number of the carriages... |
22 | May 2005 | Two retained for heritage operations on Lymington Branch Line Lymington Branch Line The Lymington Branch Line is a railway that runs from Brockenhurst to Lymington Pier, both in the New Forest. The railway line is around long, and is single track throughout its length. It diverges from the South Western Main Line at Lymington Junction; and, at Lymington Pier, trains connect with... , now 3Cig units |
| Class 421 (3Cig) British Rail Class 421 The British Rail Class 421 electrical multiple units were built at BR York Works between 1964 and 1972. Units were built in two batches, and were initially introduced on services on the Brighton Main Line. Later units were introduced on services to Portsmouth. These units replaced older Southern... |
 |
Electric multiple unit Electric multiple unit An electric multiple unit or EMU is a multiple unit train consisting of self-propelled carriages, using electricity as the motive power. An EMU requires no separate locomotive, as electric traction motors are incorporated within one or a number of the carriages... |
12 | May 2010 | 1497 moved to The Mid Norfolk Railway 1498 Expected to be preserved due to historic significance |
| Class 423 (4Vep) British Rail Class 423 The British Rail Class 423 electrical multiple units were built by BR at York Works from 1967 to 1974, although the MBSOs and TSOs of the first 20, 7701-7720, were constructed at Derby Works. They feature manually-opening doors next to every seating row and were the last coaching stock built in... |
 |
Electric multiple unit Electric multiple unit An electric multiple unit or EMU is a multiple unit train consisting of self-propelled carriages, using electricity as the motive power. An EMU requires no separate locomotive, as electric traction motors are incorporated within one or a number of the carriages... |
66 | May 2005 | Some preserved |
| Class 442 (5Wes) Wessex Electric British Rail Class 442 The British Rail Class 442 Wessex Electric electrical multiple units were introduced in 1988 on the South Western Main Line from London Waterloo to Southampton Central, Bournemouth, Poole and Weymouth. Twenty-four of these 5-car units were built in 1988/89 by BREL at its Derby works... |
 |
Electric multiple unit Electric multiple unit An electric multiple unit or EMU is a multiple unit train consisting of self-propelled carriages, using electricity as the motive power. An EMU requires no separate locomotive, as electric traction motors are incorporated within one or a number of the carriages... |
24 | February 2007 | Transferred to Gatwick Express Gatwick Express Gatwick Express is the name given to the frequent rail shuttle service between Victoria station in London and Gatwick Airport in South East England, operated by the Southern franchise... /Southern Southern (train operating company) Southern is a train operating company in the United Kingdom. Officially named Southern Railway Ltd., it is a subsidiary of Govia, a joint venture between transport groups Go-Ahead Group and Keolis, and has operated the South Central rail franchise since October 2000 and the Gatwick Express service... |
| Class 960 British Rail Class 960 The British Rail Class 960 was reserved for former diesel multiple units converted for departmental use, and former electrical multiple units rebuilt as test trains... |
 |
Diesel multiple unit Diesel multiple unit A diesel multiple unit or DMU is a multiple unit train consisting of multiple carriages powered by one or more on-board diesel engines. They may also be referred to as a railcar or railmotor, depending on country.-Design:... |
1 | March 2009 | Preserved on Swanage Railway Swanage Railway The Swanage Railway is a long heritage railway in the Purbeck district of Dorset, England. The railway follows the route of the Purbeck branch line between Norden railway station, Corfe Castle railway station, Harman's Cross railway station, Herston Halt railway station and Swanage... |
Wessex Electrics Fleet
These units were initially dedicated to the Weymouth line but, through the 1990s, began to be diagrammed on the London to Portsmouth direct line. In preparation for the Class 444 and Class 450 "Desiro" units taking over from the slam-door fleet, the Wessex Electrics were withdrawn from Portsmouth line services and were again wholly dedicated to the Weymouth line.South West Trains announced that it would be withdrawing these units, and the last operated SWT service was on 3 February 2007. This move also coincided with SWT reinstating all Class 458s for the Waterloo-Reading line. As a result, the Class 444s inherited the Waterloo - Weymouth route and the Class 450s took over some of the Portsmouth Harbour services, while the 442s went into storage at Eastleigh. They are now running between London and Brighton on Gatwick Express services.
Turbostar Fleet
In 2000, South West Trains acquired a fleet of eight newly-built 2-car Class 170/3 units, to supplement its existing Class 159British Rail Class 159
The British Rail Class 159 is a class of diesel multiple unit of the Sprinter family, built in 1989 - 1992 by BREL at the Derby Carriage and Wagon Works as Class 158...
fleet. Units were deployed on London Waterloo
Waterloo station
Waterloo station, also known as London Waterloo, is a central London railway terminus and London Underground complex. The station is owned and operated by Network Rail and is close to the South Bank of the River Thames, and in Travelcard Zone 1....
to Salisbury as well as a new Southampton
Southampton
Southampton is the largest city in the county of Hampshire on the south coast of England, and is situated south-west of London and north-west of Portsmouth. Southampton is a major port and the closest city to the New Forest...
local train, and Reading
Reading, Berkshire
Reading is a large town and unitary authority area in England. It is located in the Thames Valley at the confluence of the River Thames and River Kennet, and on both the Great Western Main Line railway and the M4 motorway, some west of London....
to Basingstoke
Basingstoke
Basingstoke is a town in northeast Hampshire, in south central England. It lies across a valley at the source of the River Loddon. It is southwest of London, northeast of Southampton, southwest of Reading and northeast of the county town, Winchester. In 2008 it had an estimated population of...
trains. They were sometimes pressed into use on Exeter
Exeter
Exeter is a historic city in Devon, England. It lies within the ceremonial county of Devon, of which it is the county town as well as the home of Devon County Council. Currently the administrative area has the status of a non-metropolitan district, and is therefore under the administration of the...
services, but as they are not fitted with end gangways for catering or selective door opening for the short platforms at some stations, this was not a regular route.
From late 2006 to mid-2007, the Class 170s were gradually transferred to TransPennine Express in exchange for a larger number of Class 158
British Rail Class 158
British Rail Class 158 Express Sprinter is a diesel multiple-unit train, built for British Rail between 1989 and 1992 by BREL at its Derby Works. They were built to replace many locomotive-hauled passenger trains, and allowed cascading of existing Sprinter units to replace elderly 'heritage' DMUs...
units, to expand and standardise the fleet. One Class 170, 170392, which was originally built to Southern
Southern (train operating company)
Southern is a train operating company in the United Kingdom. Officially named Southern Railway Ltd., it is a subsidiary of Govia, a joint venture between transport groups Go-Ahead Group and Keolis, and has operated the South Central rail franchise since October 2000 and the Gatwick Express service...
specification, but taken over by SWT soon after its construction, has returned to Southern and converted to a Class 171
British Rail Class 171
The Class 171 Turbostar is a type of diesel multiple unit built by Bombardier Transportation at their Litchurch Lane Works in Derby, England which is identical to the Class 170, except for the replacement of the BSI coupler with a Dellner coupler...
unit.
Greyhound Fleet
The final slam-door train on regular passenger services ran from London WaterlooWaterloo station
Waterloo station, also known as London Waterloo, is a central London railway terminus and London Underground complex. The station is owned and operated by Network Rail and is close to the South Bank of the River Thames, and in Travelcard Zone 1....
to Bournemouth
Bournemouth railway station
Bournemouth railway station, originally known as Bournemouth East and then Bournemouth Central , is the main railway station serving the town of Bournemouth in Dorset, England. It is located on the South Western Main Line from London Waterloo to Weymouth...
on 26 May 2005 with units 1396
British Rail Class 421
The British Rail Class 421 electrical multiple units were built at BR York Works between 1964 and 1972. Units were built in two batches, and were initially introduced on services on the Brighton Main Line. Later units were introduced on services to Portsmouth. These units replaced older Southern...
, 3536
British Rail Class 423
The British Rail Class 423 electrical multiple units were built by BR at York Works from 1967 to 1974, although the MBSOs and TSOs of the first 20, 7701-7720, were constructed at Derby Works. They feature manually-opening doors next to every seating row and were the last coaching stock built in...
and 1398
British Rail Class 421
The British Rail Class 421 electrical multiple units were built at BR York Works between 1964 and 1972. Units were built in two batches, and were initially introduced on services on the Brighton Main Line. Later units were introduced on services to Portsmouth. These units replaced older Southern...
. Some slam-door units have been preserved on heritage railways and three were retained by SWT for operations on the Lymington Branch Line
Lymington Branch Line
The Lymington Branch Line is a railway that runs from Brockenhurst to Lymington Pier, both in the New Forest. The railway line is around long, and is single track throughout its length. It diverges from the South Western Main Line at Lymington Junction; and, at Lymington Pier, trains connect with...
and for special duties.
Services on the Lymington branch were operated as a "heritage" operation using one of two refurbished 3Cig units, nos. 1497 and 1498. The two units were repainted in their original liveries, one in classic Southern Region green and the other in British Rail blue and grey, and went into service on 12 May 2005. Following the May 2010 timetable change, these have now been replaced on the Lymington branch by Class 158
British Rail Class 158
British Rail Class 158 Express Sprinter is a diesel multiple-unit train, built for British Rail between 1989 and 1992 by BREL at its Derby Works. They were built to replace many locomotive-hauled passenger trains, and allowed cascading of existing Sprinter units to replace elderly 'heritage' DMUs...
units during the week and Class 450
British Rail Class 450
The British Rail Class 450 third-rail DC EMU began service during 2003. They are a part of the Siemens Desiro modular train family and are more commonly known as the 'Blue Desiro'...
units at the weekend.
Preserved SWT trains
- Class 411, no. 1198 at Dartmoor RailwayDartmoor RailwayThe Dartmoor Railway is a long railway line in Devon, England. From Crediton the line parallels the Tarka Line to the site of the former Coleford Junction. Heading west it then serves Sampford Courtenay, Okehampton and Meldon Quarry. The route is owned from Coleford to Meldon by Aggregate...
- Class 412, nos. 2311 and 2315 at Eden Valley RailwayEden Valley RailwayThe Eden Valley Railway was a railway in Cumbria, England. It ran between Clifton Junction near Penrith and Kirkby Stephen via Appleby-in-Westmorland....
- Class 412, no. 2325 at East Kent Railway (heritage)East Kent Railway (heritage)The East Kent Railway is a short heritage railway in Kent, England. It is located at Shepherdswell station on the London to Dover Priory direct mainline. The line was constructed from 1911 to 1917 to serve a local colliery at Tilmanstone...
- Class 421, nos. 1392 and 1499 at Dean Forest RailwayDean Forest RailwayThe Dean Forest Railway is a long heritage railway that runs between Lydney and Parkend in the Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire. The route was part of the Severn and Wye Railway which ran from Lydney to Cinderford. The society that operates the line started steam locomotive operations in 1971, and...
- Class 421, no. 1393 at Great Central RailwayGreat Central Railway (preserved)The Great Central Railway is a heritage railway split into two adjacent sections, one in Leicestershire and the other Nottinghamshire.The Leicestershire section is currently Britain's only double track mainline heritage railway, with of working double track, period signalling, locomotives and...
- Class 421, no. 1399 at Dartmoor RailwayDartmoor RailwayThe Dartmoor Railway is a long railway line in Devon, England. From Crediton the line parallels the Tarka Line to the site of the former Coleford Junction. Heading west it then serves Sampford Courtenay, Okehampton and Meldon Quarry. The route is owned from Coleford to Meldon by Aggregate...
- Class 423, no. 3417 at Bluebell RailwayBluebell RailwayThe Bluebell Railway is a heritage line running for nine miles along the border between East and West Sussex, England. Steam trains are operated between and , with an intermediate station at .The railway is managed and run largely by volunteers...
, stored at East GrinsteadEast Grinstead railway stationEast Grinstead railway station serves the town of East Grinstead in West Sussex. The station was formerly divided into two levels: the higher level platforms serving the Three Bridges to Tunbridge Wells Central Line, whilst the lower level platforms received services from the Oxted Line 49 km ...
station.
In contrast, just two former Southern
Southern (train operating company)
Southern is a train operating company in the United Kingdom. Officially named Southern Railway Ltd., it is a subsidiary of Govia, a joint venture between transport groups Go-Ahead Group and Keolis, and has operated the South Central rail franchise since October 2000 and the Gatwick Express service...
units have been preserved - one Class 421 and one Class 423. No complete units from South Eastern Trains
South Eastern Trains
South Eastern Trains was a British train operating company, in public ownership, that provided train services in south east London and South East England from 9 November 2003 to 31 March 2006....
have been preserved.
Diagrams
Diagrams of operational trainsWimbledon Traincare depot
Wimbledon Traincare depot is one of Europe's most advanced train servicing complexes. It is located between WimbledonWimbledon station
Wimbledon station is a National Rail, London Underground, and Tramlink station located in Wimbledon in the London Borough of Merton, and is the only London station that provides an interchange between rail, Underground, and Tramlink services...
and Earlsfield
Earlsfield railway station
Earlsfield railway station is in the London Borough of Wandsworth in south London. The station, which is in Travelcard Zone 3, is operated by South West Trains, as are all the trains serving it....
stations, on the main line to Waterloo, and is, coincidentally, situated next to South West Trains' other iconic landmark, the Wimbledon Train Viaduct.
Bournemouth Traincare Depot
Bournemouth train care depot is southwest of Bournemouth railway stationBournemouth railway station
Bournemouth railway station, originally known as Bournemouth East and then Bournemouth Central , is the main railway station serving the town of Bournemouth in Dorset, England. It is located on the South Western Main Line from London Waterloo to Weymouth...
, occupying the approach to the former Bournemouth West Station
Bournemouth West railway station
Bournemouth West railway station was a railway station in Bournemouth, Dorset, England. It closed on 4 October 1965. The station was the southern terminus of the Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway, as well as being the terminus for trains from London Waterloo and other local trains.-Closure:The...
. It was the last place the Class 442 (5Wes) Wessex Electrics were stored before moving to Southern. The branch turns off at Branksome railway station
Branksome railway station
Branksome railway station is a railway station serving the Branksome and Branksome Park areas of Poole in Dorset, England. It is located on the South Western Main Line from London Waterloo to Weymouth.-History:...
and trains can be seen stopping at platform 2 and reversing into the depot.
Northam Traincare Depot
Northam train care depot is south of St Denys railway stationSt Denys railway station
St Denys railway station is a railway station serving the St. Denys and Portswood suburbs of Southampton in Hampshire, England.Built in 1865, it is named after the surrounding area, which in turn is named after the Priory of St Denys, a major landmark in medieval Southampton.The station is at the...
and is also next to Southampton FC's stadium at St Mary's. This newer traincare depot was constructed to perform maintenance on the new Desiro stock, which can now be found at the works.
Salisbury Traincare Depot
Salisbury depot provides servicing for South West Trains' diesel fleet.Fratton Traincare Depot
Fratton is now more of a stabling point than a depot - it has no trains allocated as their "home" depot.The carriage washer is still in place (and in use), as is the fuelling point (for First Great Western
First Great Western
First Great Western is the operating name of First Greater Western Ltd, a British train operating company owned by FirstGroup that serves Greater London, the South East, South West and West Midlands regions of England, and South Wales....
and the few diesel services that still serve Portsea Island).
Quite a few class 444 and 450 units berth overnight there (and a few 15x DMUs), and there are stabling sidings and bay platforms at Portsmouth & Southsea
Portsmouth and Southsea railway station
Portsmouth and Southsea railway station is the main railway station in central Portsmouth in Hampshire, England. It is close to the Commercial Road shopping centre....
station.
Farnham Traincare Depot
FarnhamFarnham
Farnham is a town in Surrey, England, within the Borough of Waverley. The town is situated some 42 miles southwest of London in the extreme west of Surrey, adjacent to the border with Hampshire...
depot, in Weydon Lane, was opened by the Southern Railway
Southern Railway (Great Britain)
The Southern Railway was a British railway company established in the 1923 Grouping. It linked London with the Channel ports, South West England, South coast resorts and Kent...
at the time of the electrification of the Portsmouth and lines in 1937. It was refurbished for the introduction of modern units when slam-door trains were replaced circa 2005. At the same time, disused quarry and ballast dump sidings behind the carriage shed were removed and a number of outdoor sidings were laid for overnight storage and servicing of units.