Southern Electric Traction Group Announces Preservation of Class 455 Unit 455871
The Southern Electric Traction Group (SETG) is delighted to announce the successfulacquisition and preservation of Class 455 Unit 455871 from Porterbrook, marking a significantmilestone in the story of Britain’s third-rail suburban railways.The unit was delivered to SETG’s Strawberry Hill Depot on the 14th of January 2026 under itsown power, thanks to collaborative support from South Western Railway (SWR) andPorterbrook. Since arrival, the unit is undergoing a full mechanical inspection and is currentlyprogressing through a ‘D’ exam—the most comprehensive maintenance regime available forEMUs of its type. Background: The Class 455 LegacyIntroduced in the early 1980s, the Class 455 fleet was a workhorse of Southern Regionsuburban services, carrying millions of passengers across London and the South East for overfour decades. 455871 was part of the final batch in traffic with SWR. Why…