A special farewell tour will run this December as South Western Railway bids farewell to its Class 455 trains.

The fleet of trains, which run between London and Guildford, Twickenham and Windsor, is to be retired by the end of the year and replaced with new Alstom-built Arterio trains.

Just 400 tickets are available to purchase, priced at £45.50, direct from the Branch Line Society.

The tickets for the tour, which will take place in places such as Epsom and Kingston, as well as a few special locations, will go on sale at 11 am on Monday, 10th November.

The profits will go to three charities: The Alex Wardle Foundation, Macmillan, and The Railway Children.

“While customers are getting used to the many benefits of our new fleet of Arterio trains, we know there are a lot of enthusiasts out there who will be sad to see our classic red trains go.

“The farewell tour will be a fitting tribute to these trains, which have been a staple of our railway and worked incredibly hard for more than four decades. Best of all, the proceeds will go to three specially selected charities.

“We look forward to welcoming ticket holders on board on Sunday 21 December.”

Neil Drury, South Western Railway’s Engineering and Infrastructure Director