Tickets for South Western Railway’s (SWR) farewell tour of its Class 455 trains sold out in just 15 seconds, with more than 9,000 enthusiasts trying to secure one of the initial 400 seats. The trains, which have been a familiar sight on routes across Berkshire, South West London, and Surrey since 1983, are set to be retired by the end of 2025 as SWR introduces its new Arterio fleet.

The first batch of tickets went on sale through the Branch Line Society on Monday 10 November, priced at £45.50 each. The rapid sell-out raised thousands of pounds for charities including Macmillan Cancer Support, The Alex Wardle Foundation, and Railway Children. In response to overwhelming demand, SWR and the Branch Line Society confirmed a second train for the farewell tour, with tickets released on Tuesday 2 December, expected to sell out just as quickly.

Lawrence Bowman, Managing Director of South Western Railway and Network Rail Wessex Route, said:

“We’ve been amazed at the level of interest in our Class 455 Farewell tour and are thrilled to raise so much money for Macmillan, The Alex Wardle Foundation and Railway Children, three charities that have a special significance to our colleagues. Knowing there are so many more enthusiasts out there who want to be part of this special occasion, we’re pleased to run a second train on Sunday 21 December. Doing so will raise even more money for our chosen charities and give some lucky enthusiasts an early Christmas present!”

The farewell tour was announced on Thursday 6 November, prompting thousands of fans to visit the SWR website for details. Social media quickly filled with Class 455 content, from photos and videos of the trains to AI-generated music videos celebrating the iconic fleet.

On Sunday 21 December, the first train will depart London Waterloo at 09:32, followed by the second at 10:35. Both journeys will travel across the SWR network, stopping at familiar stations such as Guildford and Kingston. Special routes for the occasion include the District Line branch from East Putney to Wimbledon and Haslemere on the Portsmouth Direct Line.

The Class 455 trains were built by British Rail Engineering Limited between 1982 and 1985 and entered service on 28 March 1983. They will be replaced by 90 Arterio trains, which currently operate 376 services a day across 96 stations in and around South West London.

Image: South Western Railway