As a South Westerner and someone who has worked very closely with these trains this is the lowest we’ve felt about losing an Edition to date.
It’s with a heavy heart that we have to announce the cancellation of an Edition we have had planned for over a year and we’re gutted to reveal the one that got away.
This loss will haunt us going forward knowing how close we got and the time we spent trying to make this happen.
Since March 2025, an agreement had been in place with Porterbrook to acquire metal from a Class 455 unit to turn into a non profit edition.
After one year and three months of discussion, multiple greenlights, changing priorities in the industry and the majority of the units now scrapped we have no choice but to put this to rest.
We came as far to have had permission granted for the sourcing and delivery of metal, demo designs finalised and priority for production always on standby.
This was the one Edition that we had dreamt of doing since the very beginning and got very close to making a reality. Speaking to people in person as well as the messages received we understand this was a dream to you as much as it was to us.
Whilst we are aware of the existence of multiple sets out in Newport we feel all hope is lost, hence our disclosure of the situation after hinting that something might have been in the works for a while.
It’s our partners and those in the rail industry that have faith in what we do that makes our dreams a reality and gives us legs to stand on.
I’d like to thank all of those that have given us a platform to do more for the industry and preservation alike. We wouldn’t have anything to make without any of you, I hope we can continue to receive your utmost faith and backing going into the future which is as bright as ever.
We’d also like to remind people despite this loss, a unit survives in preservation at Strawberry Hill under the care of the Southern Electric Traction Group and your support should be shown to them to keep the legacy alive.
455s forever! – Aryan, Founder of Rail Tags.
