Looking back on the Class 456

THE sudden withdrawal of the small fleet of two-car Class 456 EMUs further illustrates the perhaps unpleasant fact that BR Mk.3 powerdoor EMUs have almost reached the end of their operational lives. Yet, not a single model of this type of stock is available in ‘OO’ gauge as a mainstream model, in any form, be it third rail Class 455 and 456; or the dual voltage Class 319. Not a hint of the 25Kv AC Class

318, Class 320 and Class 321 type has been detected either.

Conversely, at the time of writing, the first ‘N’ gauge models of Mk.3 power-door EMUs will have emerged from Revolution Trains. Customers will have taken delivery of Class 320s and Class 321 models by the time this issue of Rail Express goes to press, with the Graham Farish Class 319 not far behind. But in the most recent swathe of announcements, there’s nothing for the ‘OO’ gauge modeller even though this large family of EMUs shares a lot of common features and components.

So a small tribute to the 24 Class 456s follows. Sometimes maligned, but always part of the South London suburban scene, they were reasonably reliable, if not likely to set the lineside on fire with their performance and top speed of 75mph.

Introduced in September 1991, they became the replacement for Class 416 2EPBs used on Network SouthEast South London Lines routes where the need for new stock to replace slam-door trains was considered to be acute, despite the use of some Class 319/0s on internal services. The remaining EPB stock was transferred, allowing withdrawal of 4-CAP units from the Eastern Division until arrival of Networkers.

Their main stamping ground became inner suburban routes of the former Central Division of the Southern Region including the South London

Line; Wimbledon-East Croydon, West Croydon stopping services and services to Sutton to mention a few. Class 456s worked singly, in pairs and coupled to four-car Class 455 units to provide six-car trains where eight cars would provide too much capacity.

Redeployment came in 2014 with transfer to South West Trains and, latterly, South West Railways, which withdrew the fleet on January 17, 2022. The former Western Division was, strangely enough, the original destination of the Class 456s where they would have been used to provide six-car trains with a single Class 455. The future does not look well for the stored units. However, there have been suggestions of converting them for battery operation, but nothing concrete has emerged.

Technical details

Class 456 EMUs consist of two driving vehicles, formed as DMS and DTS (lavatory). The DMS vehicle is powered with a single motor bogie positioned at the inner end of the set which delivers 500hp from two conventional English Electric traction motors. Mounted on the front of the cabs are the same multiple working and waist-height brake pipes as fitted to Class 455s, allowing them to work together. The large twin windscreen and front end design is the same as Class 320s and Class 321s.

The Class 456 was designed for driver-only operation which proved to be problematic when it was discovered that the driver could not see platformmounted DOO monitor screens. The driver’s seat was modified to slide to allow an appropriate view and so maintain safe operation of the unit.

Liveries

All 24 units were delivered in Network SouthEast livery, which many retained well into the Privatisation era, with only one unit being painted in Connex yellow and white (No. 456024). Refurbishment by Southern saw them finished in the same attractive green and ivory colours applied to Class 377s and 455s.

Upon transfer to South West Trains, the units were refurbished again and painted in Stagecoach house colours of blue, orange and red which suited them particularly well. One Class 456 at least carried a special livery when

No. 456006 carried advertising regarding measures being taken to make south London stations safer for passengers.

Modelling

To date, no mainstream model of a Class 456 has been produced in any scale. The only way to model one in the early days of their operation was to build a fairly rough but useful white metal and aluminium kit produced by Modern Traction Kits or MTK.

In the 1990s, Bratchell Models started producing good quality injection moulded plastic kits of Mk.3 powerdoor EMU stock including the Class

320 and Class 456 in ‘OO’ gauge. They were not entirely complete, leaving it to the modeller to find a way to add power bogies, lighting, interior detail and other features. Nonetheless, they opened up a whole family of EMUs to modellers and with enough skill, a good representation of the trains could be created in ‘OO’ gauge.

Bratchell Models kits are still available to buy and build today and the Class 456 kit in undecorated form, including wheels, costs £126. Decorated ready to assemble kits are also available in several liveries. Given the lack of

Mk.3 EMU stock in ‘OO’ gauge, it offers a very good method of obtaining a model of a Class 455 and Class 456 in addition to Class 319/0s for those wanting to re-create the atmosphere of inner suburban workings on the former Central and Western Divisions of the Southern Region, in both Network SouthEast and franchise eras.

www.bratchellmodels.com.

Patched Network SouthEast livery could be seen on Class 456s as late as November 2002 when No. 456009 was photographed at London Victoria station departing with a service for West Croydon.

Photographed in the first months of service in 1991 at London bridge (December 1991) shiny new No. 456002 stands alongside 2EPB No. 6326. They were allocated to Selhurst depot for operation on South London Lines duties in place of the 2EPB units, which were transferred elsewhere.

No. 456014 and its 23 sister units continued to work suburban services from London Victoria and London Bridge, the location of this shot, until they were displaced by London Overground Class 378 units as part of a reorganisation of South London train services. The transfer of Class 377/6s to Southern suburban services also contributed to their 2014 transfer to South West Trains.

South London Lines route branding as applied to Class 456s.

The Driving Trailer Standard (DTS) vehicle. No. 78261 is part of No. 456012 which was photographed on May 21, 2004.

← The Driving Motor Standard of No. 456012 (No. 64746) with the single motor bogie located at the inner end. Note the position of the depot socket on the end panel. The Class 456s are gangwayed within the set.

Connex No. 456024 departs London Bridge bound for Tattenham Corner on a Metro service. This was the sole member of the class to carry the yellow and white livery. Note that the DTS vehicle has a slight livery variation, the yellow band is not faded into the main body colour towards the cab door.

 Completed model of No. 456024 finished in Connex yellow and white livery.

The Class 456 cab design is similar to Classes 320-322 except for those fittings that are required for multiple working with class 455 units. This image can be used to determine the differences between the cab design supplied with the new Bratchell Models kit for the class 456.

↑ Assembly of a Bratchell Models ‘OO’ gauge Class 456 kit. Some kit bashing to add the jumper cables and brake pipe detail to the cab fronts is required.