Networker cull begins as former Southeastern Class 466s go for scrap

Angel Trains has started to send the first of its Networker electric multiple units for scrap, with a handful of the two-car Class 466 units that had been in store in Ely sent to Newport for disposal.

The first to go were 466005/032, which were despatched on February 11 with 37800 Cassiopeia taking them as the 0852 Ely Papworth Sidings-Newport Docks.

Two days later, the same Class 37 hauled 466004/009 to South Wales using the same path. All were previously in use with Southeastern.

Of the 43 Class 466s built by Alstom at Birmingham in 1993-94, 29 are in use with Southeastern, with four now scrapped.

The remaining ten are off-lease. In store at Worksop are 466001/010/013/017/024/027/030/033/ 043, while 466016 is in store at Wabtec’s Doncaster Works.

Of the remaining Networker fleet, the four-car Class 465s remain mostly in traffic, with 50 Class 465/0s and 47 Class 465/1s still in use with Southeastern. The 16 Class 465/2s are all now stored, split between Worksop and Ely, while nine of the 34 Class 465/9s are in store at Ely with the rest still in traffic.

Southeastern has taken 30 Class 707s from South Western Railway, but last March invited train builders Alstom, CAF, Hitachi, Siemens and Stadler to bid for a fleet of new trains. As yet, no developments have been made public on this procedure.

Other redundant rolling stock going for scrap recently has included ex-Greater Anglia 321313/315, which were taken from Wembley to Newport by 37884 Cepheus on February 18.

South Western Railway 455906 was sent by road for scrap at Newport on February 7, while Tyne & Wear Metro has sent two of its Class 559 units (4007/076) for breaking up.