My fellow rail enthusiasts and petition signers:

Tomorrow (23rd December 2025) is the day the last official timetabled Class 455 trains operate, it is the day we've all been dreading as these trains will be permanently withdrawn from service imminently - a special charity Farewell rail tour ran yesterday (21st December).

The aim of this petition is to preserve absolutely anything from a Class 455 EMU, EVEN IF just a driving cab, window, door or one of the Vossloh Kiepe traction motors is preserved, this would be better than scrapping the entire fleet!!

These robust electric multiple units have been in service and have been part of people's lives for over 42 years. Absolutely NOBODY in their 30s or younger living in Surrey or South West London has ever known a time without these commuter trains!!

These trains are JUST AS HISTORICALLY IMPORTANT as the Flying Scotsman, the Mallard, Stephenson's Rocket and the STEAM ENGINES!!

These trains came in to service in March 1983 with DC English Electric traction motors but were later re-motored to the AC Vossloh Kiepe traction motors in 2016/7 (just as the demise of the Class 455 was first proposed).

Even the South Western Railway long distance Class 450/444 Siemens Desiro trains have (which came in to service in 2004/5 to replace 1960s slam door stock) are half as old as the Class 455.

The Class 150 diesel multiple trains used on Transport for Wales services have an identical body shell to the Class 455 (same doors and windows), the only differences are that they are 2-car trains instead of 4 and are DMUs rather than EMUs.

Currently there are only 27 four-car EMUs left in existence as we speak (with more than 100 units scrapped to date).

I (the petition starter) unfortunately do not have a Facebook page, LinkedIn account or Twitter account so could somebody do me a favour and share this petition on those platforms?

We need to ACT NOW, the future of these trains is hanging by a thread and in in jeopardy.