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Lots of short forms out today too. Saw a few 455s and 458/5s running by themselves

There were replacement buses yesterday but for most people it’s easier to get a normal bus to Surbiton or New Malden

The Chessington branch is still closed this morning, although that’s hardly SWR’s fault. But it’s all part of the weekly service meltdowns that commuters through Waterloo have to endure.

Shame the 456s were binned off a couple of years ago. They would have been handy now too.

I’d hope not. It’s not uncommon to be stuck at a red signal just outside a station during the morning peak (Wimbledon is especially bad) even with the reduced frequency. ABDO could be a real help still.

I don’t know, but SWR have had 7 years since first announcing the 701s to sort it out.

And then nothing will change for another 2-3 months. Why is it taking so long for SWR to agree a training plan? No other Aventra fleet rollout has been this protracted.

It’s what Southern have done with the Lewes fireworks so it’s not completely out of the question

6 months later and we’re still discussing which one unit will be out for half a day. Every other Aventra operator has managed to introduce their fleets en masse. At this point it feels like malice rather than incompetence.

It is. I saw it this morning from another train, between Vauxhall and Queenstown Road with passengers on board

There’s speculation that the training program needs to get through the unions, but what’s in it for them other than being difficult? Surely the guards would rather work an air conditioned 701 this summer rather than a sweat box 455. Drivers too. I know the 455s have cab air con but surely the...

Given the state of the toilets on the 700s, the ones one the 701s won’t stay pristine for long Although, credit to Thameslink as although the toilets look shocking, they do still work

Why are there so many software problems preventing these from entering service when the 710, 720 and 730 fleets are all in regular (not just 2 return trips a day) service?

The 10:26 5Q31 Waterloo to Windsor is now running with senior SWR staff on board. Not open to the public.

Might as well make a start on the 455s now, it’s not as if they’re going anywhere anytime soon. Temporary fleets with other operators wore the correct livery for far less time than the suburban SWR fleet has wore out of date SWT red.

It looks like whoever fitted that GWR sign removed a First Capital Connect sign and not the First Great Western - there should be mention of Thameslink there

Later Angrier too

It appears to be fixed now

Mulsecoomb near Brighton. I always knew it as Muls-COOM but the auto announcer pronounces it as MULZ-cm

When I visited the line in October last year I was told by the guard that I didn’t have to pay, as the ticket machine at Ryde wasn’t working and he wouldn’t be coming down the train to sell tickets.