Following its return to Britain it became popularly known as the "Great Escape". South West Trains started to replace its slam-door fleet from early 2004, with the introduction of the first Class 444 and Class 450 Desiro units. Around this time SWT repainted one unit, no. 3417, into its original BR Blue livery to commemorate the final months in traffic of the slam-door fleet. This unit was chosen because it was one of the last to receive major works attention, and therefore had the longest life-expectancy. It was named 'Gordon Pettitt' after a former manager of the Southern Region of British Railways. In the final months of traffic several units, including the first-built, no. 3401, were reformed in order to allow the vehicles in the best condition to be retained in service. Withdrawals of units picked up pace, with several large culls of units, the last of which occurred in March 2005. Beyond this date only a handful of units remained in traffic, namely nos. 3401/17/81 3516/20/36/76 and 3811. The final normal passenger service was operated on 26 May 2005 from London Waterloo to Bournemouth, using 4 VEP 3536 sandwiched between 4 CIG units 1396 and 1398. Following withdrawal most units were rapidly towed away for scrap. The "celebrity" blue unit, no. 3417, has since been sold to the Bluebell Railway. Further use Following withdrawal from normal service, several vehicles have seen further use in departmental service. 4 VOP units 3905 and 3918 were converted into tractor units. They were used to haul Class 375 units to and from Ashford Works. MBSO 62138 (ex-unit 3567) was renumbered to 977981 and was used as a motor coach in the Hitachi V-Train no. 960201 during third-rail testing. It has since been scrapped. Accidents and incidents On 26 January 1985, units 7754 and 7703 formed a train with 4 CIG unit 7395 which was halted by a landslip at Popham, Hampshire and was run into by Class 33 locomotive 33 104 due to the traincrew failing to protect the rear of the stranded train. Twelve people were injured. The Class 33 was written off. On 6 November 1985, unit 7724 collided with 4 CIG unit 7390 at Copyhold Junction, near , West Sussex due to a lack of braking and poor rail adhesion. Forty people were injured. On 12 December 1988, a train comprising units 3033, 3119 and 3005 formed the 07:18 -