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The 30 Class 458 4 car 750V DC EMUs were the first new design for a privatised operator and have had an interesting life, being rebuilt twice in a career of less than 30 years. To date they have worked for SWR but are currently being displaced by new Class 701s. There are rumours of a transfer to a new operator.
South West trains ordered 30 4-car Class 458 750V DC EMUs from Alstom in 1997, with the first units being delivered in 1998. The new units were the first examples of the Juniper design to run in the UK and proved extremely troublesome in their early years. At one stage the units were all in store and it looked likely that they would be returned to Alstom. Eventually the problems were sorted out and, by 2012, the 458s were the most reliable trains on the system, averaging over 100,000 miles between failures. They were usually deployed on services from Waterloo to Reading, Windsor and Weybridge, often running in pairs.
From 2013 the class underwent a conversion programme to create 36 5-car Class 458/5 units using redundant vehicles from former Gatwick Express Class 460s, also Alstom Junipers, to strengthen the original 30 458s and create 6 new ones. The units were also regeared to reduce their 100mph maximum speed to 75mph. After rebuilding, they spent their early years working from Waterloo to Weybridge and Windsor while waiting for platforms on the Reading line to be extended to take 10-car sets. Afterwards they mainly worked Reading trains but continued to be used on some Weybridge and Windsor services.
Following the takeover of the South Western franchise by South Western Railway in 2017, it looked like the 458s would be made redundant by new class 701 units but, after spending millions refurbishing class 442s for Portsmouth line services, the new franchisee decided in 2021 that it didn't want them and would re-purpose the 458s instead. The conversion programme saw the first 28 units reverting to their original 4-car configuration as Class 458/4s, having new interiors fitted and restoring their 100mph capability. Then in 2024 SWR changed its mind again and decided not to use the 458/4s on the Portsmouth line. Instead they returned to their previous haunts on the routes from Waterloo to Windsor, Weybridge and Reading, working alongside the remaining Class 458/5s. By late 2025 the 701s were finally entering service and the 458/5s started to be withdrawn. All were gone by March 2026. Most 458/4s remained in service in early 2026 but weren't expected to last more than a few months. The future of the fleet remains uncertain but there are unconfirmed rumours of a transfer to South Eastern for the 458/4s at least.
From 2013 the class underwent a conversion programme to create 36 5-car Class 458/5 units using redundant vehicles from former Gatwick Express Class 460s, also Alstom Junipers, to strengthen the original 30 458s and create 6 new ones. The units were also regeared to reduce their 100mph maximum speed to 75mph. After rebuilding, they spent their early years working from Waterloo to Weybridge and Windsor while waiting for platforms on the Reading line to be extended to take 10-car sets. Afterwards they mainly worked Reading trains but continued to be used on some Weybridge and Windsor services.
Following the takeover of the South Western franchise by South Western Railway in 2017, it looked like the 458s would be made redundant by new class 701 units but, after spending millions refurbishing class 442s for Portsmouth line services, the new franchisee decided in 2021 that it didn't want them and would re-purpose the 458s instead. The conversion programme saw the first 28 units reverting to their original 4-car configuration as Class 458/4s, having new interiors fitted and restoring their 100mph capability. Then in 2024 SWR changed its mind again and decided not to use the 458/4s on the Portsmouth line. Instead they returned to their previous haunts on the routes from Waterloo to Windsor, Weybridge and Reading, working alongside the remaining Class 458/5s. By late 2025 the 701s were finally entering service and the 458/5s started to be withdrawn. All were gone by March 2026. Most 458/4s remained in service in early 2026 but weren't expected to last more than a few months. The future of the fleet remains uncertain but there are unconfirmed rumours of a transfer to South Eastern for the 458/4s at least.
