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Class 456 Enters Service

Poster at Ascot informing passengers of changes to the Ascot - Guildford service

With four units available for passenger service at any given time, Class 456 units, still in Southern livery but shorn of Southern branding, were introduced to South West Trains service from 23rd March 2014 on the Ascot to Guildford line, so releasing an equivalent number of Class 450 cars for strengthening other services. Eight units in this condition will soon be available allowing most of the Ascot to Guildford service (which requires five diagrams) to be run by Class 456, station lavatories being kept open longer to make up for the absence of toilets on these trains.

left, this notice explaining things was on display at Ascot on 29th March.
photograph by Ian Buck

456001 at Aldershot on 28th March 2014
456001 on 28th March at (above) Aldershot and (below) Bagshot.
photographs by Ian Buck
456001 at Bagshot on 28th March 2014
456008 at Ascot o 28th March 2014
456008 at (above) Ascot on 28th March and (below) Wanborough with the 10:30 from Guildford on 26th March.
photographs by Ian Buck
456008 and 456022 at Wanborough with the 1030 Guildford to Ascot service on 26th March 2014
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