Class 701 'Aventra' trains for South Western Railway: progress updates

[pompeyfan]

I’m led to believe 5Q22/5Q23 test runs today are crewed by SWR today but operated under GBRFs safety case.

 

[gmaguire]

It's been documented that one of the major issues was very poor quality control and rushed production during the first year of Covid in an attempt to catch up with what was already late delivery.

Essentially Class 458 on steroids!

If Bombardier are blaming COVID it’s probably just a convenient excuse. They were already about 8 months late when the pandemic started. And I doubt the ones built before the pandemic are much better than the later ones, if at all.

 

[PG]

If Bombardier are blaming COVID it’s probably just a convenient excuse. They were already about 8 months late when the pandemic started. And I doubt the ones built before the pandemic are much better than the later ones, if at all.

Can't totally blame Bombardier [sarcasm] - Wabtec weren't exactly any better with the ScotRail HSTs!

 

[spark001uk]

Evening delivery run today. 47749 + 701045 (second time for this unit)

5Q10 1715 Derby Litchurch Lane to Eastleigh Trsmd

 

[Juniper Driver]

I'm sure they're not refusing them for no reason, yet we fail to receive regular updates on exactly why they're not being accepted. Are doors still opening? Are the shoes not picking up electricity? Are drivers having a sulk about how comfy the cab seat is?

I'm not sure how we are having a sulk.We've never been on them.

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

I'm not sure how we are having a sulk.We've never been on them.

I never said you were, it was an example of how it could be anything and we wouldn’t know because GWR don’t seem to update us on them anymore.

Edit: SWR sorry

 

[Juniper Driver]

Okay then.

 

[VWRO2]

Has 035 passed fault free yet?
Unfortunately the units are still plagued by software issues, some of which are related to the formation (10 car units are still essentially 2 5 car units without cabs in the middle), but build and hardware issues are still there, even with newly delivered units.

 

[Snow1964]

Has 035 passed fault free yet?
Unfortunately the units are still plagued by software issues, some of which are related to the formation (10 car units are still essentially 2 5 car units without cabs in the middle), but build and hardware issues are still there, even with newly delivered units.

Rock Rail South Western has following

Charges 2-4, 6-9, 11-20 cover following 17 units :
004, 006, 011, 012, 016, 017, 019, 023, 025, 029, 032, 034, 035, 037, 042, 044, 047,

charges : 1 (general), 5 (simulators), 10 (spare parts) also exist, hence 20 charges, but only 17 trains.

I am guessing new versions of software (which may or may not be turn out to be faulty) can be uploaded to trains fairly easily so when it is finally sorted, roll out can be quick.

 

[Invincible]

I’m led to believe 5Q22/5Q23 test runs today are crewed by SWR today but operated under GBRFs safety case.

So will the Hounslow loop tests/training runs be daily?.
Was interesting on the Elizabeth line commissioning TV programme some software bugs on the 345s were only noticed during tests, and Alstom then did regular software updates.

 

[XAM2175]

I never said you were, it was an example of how it could be anything and we wouldn’t know because GWR don’t seem to update us on them anymore.

But you got the pejorative jab at the drivers and ASLEF in anyway, that's the important thing.

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

But you got the pejorative jab at the drivers and ASLEF in anyway, that's the important thing.

If you want to make sweeping assumptions about the intent of my posts, feel free to drop me a PM to discuss, but I don’t wish for the thread to be derailed just because somebody wants to make it look to forum staff that I’m bringing strikes & unions into something that I’m not.

Rock Rail South Western has following

Charges 2-4, 6-9, 11-20 cover following 17 units :
004, 006, 011, 012, 016, 017, 019, 023, 025, 029, 032, 034, 035, 037, 042, 044, 047,

charges : 1 (general), 5 (simulators), 10 (spare parts) also exist, hence 20 charges, but only 17 trains.

I am guessing new versions of software (which may or may not be turn out to be faulty) can be uploaded to trains fairly easily so when it is finally sorted, roll out can be quick.

The 10 cars must be well over halfway through the build process now? We may start seeing five cars soon - I know the first was built way back in 2020/early 21.

 

[Goldfish62]

The 10 cars must be well over halfway through the build process now? We may start seeing five cars soon - I know the first was built way back in 2020/early 21.

Well, 047 has been accepted by Rock Rail and as the 10 car units go up to 060 they must be reaching the end of the build at any time.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 11 Nov 2022 ==

So will the Hounslow loop tests/training runs be daily?.
Was interesting on the Elizabeth line commissioning TV programme some software bugs on the 345s were only noticed during tests, and Alstom then did regular software updates.

I'm told there are still loads of bugs on the 345s.

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

Well, 047 has been accepted by Rock Rail and as the 10 car units go up to 060 they must be reaching the end of the build at any time.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 11 Nov 2022 ==

Good news for Southeastern potentially, then, if it means Alstom will be free sooner to perhaps offer a product to them that meets their specifications after the 730s are sorted.

 

[Mainsideman]

I’m led to believe 5Q22/5Q23 test runs today are crewed by SWR today but operated under GBRFs safety case.

Have ASLEF (swr) agreed to drive them then?

 

[Bigfoot]

Have ASLEF (swr) agreed to drive them then?

No.

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

At the moment it is undated but it is hoped with driver training on 701s starting it’ll happen within the first half of 2023.

Is it starting?

 

[HamworthyGoods]

Is it starting?

The training of the driver trainers I believe has.

 

[Jonny]

Have ASLEF (swr) agreed to drive them then?

No.

I presume that they would need to (and do) have a good reason. Is there any information as to what this is?

 

[Wyrleybart]

The training of the driver trainers I believe has.

Would the driver trainers be ASLEF members ?
Just askin

 

[HamworthyGoods]

Would the driver trainers be ASLEF members ?
Just askin

I’m not sure whether ASLEF represents the DI grade or not.

 

[pompeyfan]

I would imagine DIs are part of ASLEF, however driver managers and the trainers at Basingstoke school are less likely to be ASLEF members.

 

[WarrenTManager]

I’m not sure whether ASLEF represents the DI grade or not.

The DI's I know are in ASLEF.

 

[Goldfish62]

The training of the driver trainers I believe has.

Well, that's good news. Progress!

 

[HamworthyGoods]

Well, that's good news. Progress!

I know some form of training someone who does the training has started, hopefully someone involved in the project can update!

 

[Wyrleybart]

I would imagine DIs are part of ASLEF, however driver managers and the trainers at Basingstoke school are less likely to be ASLEF members.

Maybe "classroom" instructors, but i would expect all practical qualified driver instructors who hold their own licence would be RMT or ASLEF members. Certainly at the TOC i work for, as they are ex drivers.

Just wondered how ASLEF have yet to sign 701s off but will represent their members who are training / instructing on them.

 

[Invincible]

Saw the 5Q51 test London to Poole return today.

 

[Elorith]

Maybe "classroom" instructors, but i would expect all practical qualified driver instructors who hold their own licence would be RMT or ASLEF members. Certainly at the TOC i work for, as they are ex drivers.

Just wondered how ASLEF have yet to sign 701s off but will represent their members who are training / instructing on them.

Yes, my understanding is that the DIs are either former or active drivers (who of course are almost all, if not all, ASLEF).

It's of note I feel that, from my understanding, the people supposed to be involved in training guards on 701s were trained on them and put the training material together several years ago. So not necessarily any indication of any tangible progress if this is true; perhaps just operations getting everything ready so that the process can be started as soon as possible.

I've personally yet to hear anything about them from anyone in my circles other than the usual making jokes about how they don't work etc.

 

[Goldfish62]

I've personally yet to hear anything about them from anyone in my circles other than the usual making jokes about how they don't work etc.

But the messroom experts say that about every new train, don't they?

 

[deepeetw]

701028 seems to have been sat on 11 road at Clapham cut-in for the last few days (no portable red tail lamp) - does this mean that they have got to the bottom of the exploding capacitors?