Several people have told us about the new trains coming to (and, thinking about it, leaving from) Camberley. We’ve been sent this photo of a station poster that gives the details:
According to South West Trains:
“We have now also taken delivery of a further 48 Class 456 carriages, previously operated by Southern, for phase two. These carriages will begin operating on the Guildford to Ascot line from early April. The Class 456 trains will replace the Class 450 and Class 458 trains which are currently used on the Ascot to Guildford route. Later in the Spring we will begin the refurbishment of these trains to a very high standard at a cost of around £15million, they will be similar in style to the Class 455 fleet (Red Trains).
The trains will feature wider doors, enabling two people to comfortably board the train at once which will help to speed up boarding. They will also have improved 2+2 seating, full CCTV, energy efficient LED lighting and a remote monitoring system that will help to improve reliability and ensure earlier identification and rectification of any faults. They will also be fully compliant with current disability regulations.
The design of the carriages is specifically suited for shorter journeys, like those made most frequently on the Ascot to Guildford line where the majority of journeys are 20 minutes or less. As a result, there are no on-board toilets or air conditioning [our emphasis] and the units will be fully standard class throughout.
The use of the Class 456 trains on the Ascot to Guildford route will allow us to strengthen some of our services travelling into London Waterloo with additional carriages.”
That bit about no toilets or air conditioning isn’t a great incentive to use public transport. Once upon a time, you could at least open the train windows fully………..
Paul has spotted some of the new rolling stock:
The Camberley Eye 
I have been on some of those Southern routes and found this rolling stock to be cramped, sticky uncomfortable and I heard no end of complaints about the lack of toilets on board. This is a truly ridiculous backward step by South West trains. How can dare to put a positive spin on the fact that a train service which so poorly serves Camberley residents who want to travel into London now has reduced services such as no loos and are so horribly uncomfortable in the summer. These carriages fairly squeeze the passengers in so no doubt SWT will be rubbing their hands together at the prospect of generating more income for themselves but one thing is for sure, they wont reduce their inflated prices to the customer! Its almost as bad as the post office increasing their prices dramatically whilst stating that they are streamlining their services to make it simpler for their customers!!
Add to the above that there are no loos at several stations on the route e.g. Bagshot, Frimley and only loos available during the limited opening hours of some of the other station ticket offices e.g. Camberley, Ash Vale and the fact that the Aldershot station loos seem to be semi-permanently shut often claimed to be so due to vandalism…
I’m sure there are ‘official’ explanations – reducing government subsidy, increasing cost of everything. But a modern country needs a modern transport system, and attempts to winkle us out of our cars aren’t going to work unless the alternative is appealing.
Sadly, I suspect you’re right re SWT. I’m not so sure re the post office – it’s got lots of competition.
So, the loos on this line have been taken to the main waterloo lines, allowing those trains to be extended, at the expense of this line.
Hmmm, what will the carriages smell like on a monday morning when drunks returning from a night out in Guildford use empty seats as toilets? And what happens if one of them feels a bit queezy?
It doesn’t bear thinking about. Thank goodness I don’t commute by train any longer.
Certainly wont be tempted to get winkle out of the car !
LOL
From the picture, it looks like the windows might open. (Just wiping tears of laughter from my eyes at the last comment.)
I’m sure I didn’t understand it…….
The windows open at the top, but passengers will need to travel with a length of hosepipe!
Speak for yourself!
Just had another thought about these new-fangled modern trains with opening windows. When we moved into our house, adjacent to the railway line, there was a regular supply of rubbish deposited from passing trains. It’s been nice not to see discarded beer cans, bottles, etc. on the embankment in recent years, but is it safe to assume that the litter will be back too?
Seems a reasonable assumption, unfortunately.
I must announce with sadness that last night I tweeted South West Trains, and they have confirmed that not only will these trains (even when they are re-furbed!) not have toilets, they also will not have air conditioning. I was hopignt hat once they had refurbed we would get both, but it seems our service is going backwards and not forwards…
South West trains are not interested in passengers or in service to customers. They just want money. A very sad but true statement… and they have just shafted their own customers whilst at the same time putting a positive spin on it with their lies.
Not sure that it’s less. But certainly profit is the motive.
It’s called progress. No doubt the fares will advance…
Since I still haven’t spotted any new trains on the Camberley line, I’ve just looked at the South West Trains website to check what this poster said. Curiously, it isn’t there any more… http://www.southwesttrains.co.uk/404.aspx?aspxerrorpath=/uploads/ascot-guildfordposter.pdf
South West Trains (SWeT) say on Twitter that “The refurbishment programme did begin in the spring as stated, but the first trains are yet to enter service.” Keep watching…
Thanks Paul.
How strange. Or not
The old trains still run all the time. Pure rubbish and sub standard service. SWT should be ashamed of themselves. The Camberley line is a backwater for them and priority number 99 or even less. They cant even be bothered to keep people informed of the changes to the service. The council or even the government should be asking questions but they probably dont care either. The council is more interested in restricting parking and issuing tickets to raise revenue. The government and our absolutely useless and infective MP has far better things to waste his time and resources on than to help his constituents – he has made that clear to us all many many times. Very sad place to be to be honest.
The council etc may care – but it’s hard to tell, as they don’t tell us
According to the SHBC website, “From April 2014 new improved trains with more carriages will be operating along the Guildford to Ascot line.” So maybe the new trains are running after all, we just can’t actually see them… http://www.surreyheath.gov.uk/services/list.htm?mode=8&pk_services=156
Perhaps it’s like reproduction antiques. We’ve been given new rolling stock, but they’ve spent a lot of time and effort making it look old and crappy!
I was on the train on Tuesday night and I have to say it was very poor. Even after all this time with these sub-standard trains on the line they cant even be bothered to brand them as South West Trains. Probably, they are too embarrassed to put their logos on the carriages. Also for SWT to try to put a positive spin on the introduction of this ‘new’ rolling stock and the refurbishment of these carriages (which never happened) is utterly laughable. I bet South West Trains management is crying tears of joy into the bonuses they no doubt got for pulling this master stroke off!
About time we renationalised the railways…