At 1.42am on Sunday 20th August, South West Trains headed out of London Waterloo and made its last journey after 21 years of services to Wimbledon, Wandsworth and beyond. You'd be forgiven for sleeping through this bittersweet moment, blissfully unaware. To be honest, we're sure a few people actually on the last ever South West Trains service fell asleep at that hour. Whilst we aren't sure whether it was a particularly notable journey on board, it marks the end of a long franchise, which began in 1996.
Some people are sad to see it go, others are happy to slam the door behind it on its way out. After delays and a recent derailment, it seems easy to understand why it has been criticised. But that didn't stop people getting a little emotional upon its departure.
However you feel about South West Trains, it’s time to say goodbye and say hello to a £1.2 billion investment from South Western Railway, who won the bidding war to take over the service. They made their first journey not long after South West Trains took to the train lines one last time.
Photograph: @L1group on Twitter
It is set to be an action-packed 7 years, with new trains set to hit the tracks in December 2020. These will include wifi, power sockets, increased capacity and even infotainment systems. Whilst some may long for the ‘good old days’ of South West Trains, many will welcome the improved timetable, increased services and decreased journey times with open arms. Plus, they are investing £90 million into renovating stations, including Wimbledon. So here's to hoping South Western Railway do a good job over the next 7 years!
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