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Desiro 450101 finally in service

The last of original batch of class 450 Desiro units has finally entered service. Unit 450101 was derailed and damaged on the 4th February 2005 at Lüttich-Kinkempois in Belgium whilst on its delivery run to the UK. The unit was returned to Germany for repair and was then used at the Siemens Wildenwrath test facility for software development. 450101 arrived in the country on May 24th 2006 and was delivered to Bournemouth T&RMSD on May 30th via Willesden and a sojourn in Eastleigh yard. The unit entered service briefly on Monday June 5th 2006 with an early morning working from Southampton Central to Waterloo and then a Woking -Waterloo service.

rear of 450101 departing Clapham Junction It commenced working for a full day the following day on the NT444 diagram (Haslemere/Alton/Basingstoke to Waterloo services) and then on Wednesday June 7th the NT 411 diagram between Waterloo and Windsor & Eton Riverside where it is seen above departing Clapham Junction for Windsor for the third time that day.

photograph by Colin Duff