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

[Elorith]

"Mainline driver training is scheduled to commence in the new year."
So next week (no strikes)? On simulator or actual 701?

AFAIK, SWR people still aren't allowed on or near them unless they're being supervised.

 

[DelW]

Here is a question for anyone. Why was 701022 stabled in the sidings by Portsmouth & Southsea station just before Christmas? Also are the 458's coming to Portsmouth? This might belong in another thread, apologies.

The 458s' move to Portsmouth services has been deferred, apparently for two years (though with no certainty that it will happen then or indeed ever).

The main discussion of them is here

SWR Class 458 to be retained

I didn’t think it would be, but I’m not comfortable with the idea of the person sharing it getting into trouble. Furthermore, who’s to say someone didn’t show me something off their phone or something, or an expiring photo like on IG/SC? I’m not going to deliberately withhold it, am I? Ok. To...

www.railforums.co.uk

with post 1090 being the most recent summary of the position.

 

[Versa274]

Here is a question for anyone. Why was 701022 stabled in the sidings by Portsmouth & Southsea station just before Christmas? Also are the 458's coming to Portsmouth? This might belong in another thread, apologies.

Maybe the plan is to transfer all or most of the 450s to suburban lines then 444/458/701 will be dominated on mainline duties just something i heard s few times

 

[spark001uk]

Maybe the plan is to transfer all or most of the 450s to suburban lines then 444/458/701 will be dominated on mainline duties just something i heard s few times

450 aren't really preferable for suburban stoppage patterns. Slow doors, less standing room etc

 

[Goldfish62]

Maybe the plan is to transfer all or most of the 450s to suburban lines then 444/458/701 will be dominated on mainline duties just something i heard s few times

Given that the 458s are no longer in the equation, at least for the next few years, that's clearly not going to happen. Plus the not insignificant point that the 701s will be on suburban services.

 

[Omer_I]

Does anyone know the plan with SWR's remaining 707s? Will the full transfer of the remaining train sets commence after there are 701s ready to replace them?

 

[jackot]

Does anyone know the plan with SWR's remaining 707s? Will the full transfer of the remaining train sets commence after there are 701s ready to replace them?

Supposedly it will. AFAIK not much is known other than the fact that they should all eventually end up at Southeastern, but that is heavily reliant on the introduction of the 701s as you mentioned. Because they have ditched the 456s and lost some 458s their suburban fleet is quite stretched at the moment, so I doubt they will move any more 707s until they can be directly replaced by an Arterio.

 

[Goldfish62]

Supposedly it will. AFAIK not much is known other than the fact that they should all eventually end up at Southeastern, but that is heavily reliant on the introduction of the 701s as you mentioned. Because they have ditched the 456s and lost some 458s their suburban fleet is quite stretched at the moment, so I doubt they will move any more 707s until they can be directly replaced by an Arterio.

Given that Southeastern sub-lease the remaining 12 707s to SWR I assume they will be the first units to be withdrawn by SWR once the 701s start entering service.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 11 Jan 2023 ==

Yesterday afternoon I saw a 701 (sorry didn't get the number) stabled in Clapham yard with its tail lights on rather than a lamp.

 

[VWRO2]

701035 has had an extensive 'respray' to 4 of it's carriages at Strawberry hill. Unfortunately they're fresh canvas so will attract the wrong attention wherever they are.

 

[5562]

Does anyone know which unit was conveyed today by GBRf Class 47 No. 47727 from Derby to Eastleigh. Maybe 701030?

 

[St. Paddy]

Does anyone know which unit was conveyed today by GBRf Class 47 No. 47727 from Derby to Eastleigh. Maybe 701030?

701010, saw a photo on Twitter

 

[XCTurbostar]

Does anyone know which unit was conveyed today by GBRf Class 47 No. 47727 from Derby to Eastleigh. Maybe 701030?

701010

 

[Invincible]

AFAIK, SWR people still aren't allowed on or near them unless they're being supervised.

So if the 701s do make further test/training runs from Waterloo in January with the latest software release, SWR staff can now ride and perhaps do a bit of training on them under supervision?.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 12 Jan 2023 ==

On realtime trains website looks like 5Q51 test left Waterloo at 1115 for a test to Poole and back.
Was this a 701?.

 

[Elorith]

So if the 701s do make further test/training runs from Waterloo in January with the latest software release, SWR staff can now ride and perhaps do a bit of training on them under supervision?.

They'd have to be approved by the company/union for training before staff will be allowed on them, which I still imagine we are some way away from still

I believe staff are still not permitted to walk past them at ground level unless they're switched off at the moment

 

[Domh245]

I believe staff are still not permitted to walk past them at ground level unless they're switched off at the moment

I'm hopeful that is only a temporary thing - whilst they are in the currently unaccepted state and not going anywhere it's a sensible precaution to take, but as evidenced by the other Aventra fleets (with the same explosive issue) all being in daily service I would hope that once all of the major stumbling blocks are cleared they'll be switched back on and let loose

 

[BRblue33]

Reported to'day on Trainlogger . That 701001 is at C F Booths Rotherham scrap yard. WHY is this ?

 

[DanNCL]

Reported to'day on Trainlogger . That 701001 is at C F Booths Rotherham scrap yard. WHY is this ?

It isn't at Booths, and the entry has already been removed from Trainlogger.

 

[TheHSRailFan]

Reported to'day on Trainlogger . That 701001 is at C F Booths Rotherham scrap yard. WHY is this ?

Probably a troll, Since there are a lot of people that are like that and not fond of them. The quick takedown off TL probably confirms that

 

[Elorith]

Reported to'day on Trainlogger . That 701001 is at C F Booths Rotherham scrap yard. WHY is this ?

I have to say I found this rather amusing

Then again, perhaps there'd be little sense in sending them there given that some of them already appear to be falling apart of their own accord

 

[jackot]

Then again, perhaps there'd be little sense in sending them there given that some of them already appear to be falling apart of their own accord

Yes I don't think scrappage is needed, Bombardier seems to have made them positively biodegradable by the looks of things!

 

[Snow1964]

Yes I don't think scrappage is needed, Bombardier seems to have made them positively biodegradable by the looks of things!

They do have bioreactor toilets (first time in a train in UK I think) so perhaps they just eat themselves

 

[Train Maniac]

Reported to'day on Trainlogger . That 701001 is at C F Booths Rotherham scrap yard. WHY is this ?

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHA
Bloody brilliant! Cant believe its been almost 3 years since i saw 701 002 on the Portsmouth Direct Line...
If GWR are anything to go by, it seems the likelihood of this happening has increased somewhat (although still incredibly unlikely)

 

[nlogax]

After recently catching up with this thread I've come to the conclusion that a year from now I'll still be having the occasional commute on 455s. This is rather insane, is it not? Three years of new units sitting idle.

 

[Elorith]

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHA
Bloody brilliant! Cant believe its been almost 3 years since i saw 701 002 on the Portsmouth Direct Line...
If GWR are anything to go by, it seems the likelihood of this happening has increased somewhat (although still incredibly unlikely)

They are definitely coming. But when is really anyone's guess. I suspect we are probably still quite a way from seeing them in service.

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

After recently catching up with this thread I've come to the conclusion that a year from now I'll still be having the occasional commute on 455s. This is rather insane, is it not? Three years of new units sitting idle.

Most probably two years from now also, if introductions of similar size fleets are anything to go by. It's taken well over two years for 720s to eliminate 317s and 321s, and it took around a year and a half for 700s to eliminate 319s and 317s. GWR HSTs also clung on for a year and a half after the first 800 carried passengers. Don't even get me started on the five and a half years (!!!) that clapped-out 315s trundled alongside in-service-345s.

 

[Goldfish62]

Most probably two years from now also, if introductions of similar size fleets are anything to go by. It's taken well over two years for 720s to eliminate 317s and 321s, and it took around a year and a half for 700s to eliminate 319s and 317s. GWR HSTs also clung on for a year and a half after the first 800 carried passengers. Don't even get me started on the five and a half years (!!!) that clapped-out 315s trundled alongside in-service-345s.

Well yes, it's a huge fleet and two years plus to introduce the whole fleet of 701s would be perfectly reasonable in any circumstances.

It took nearly four years for the whole fleet of 30 Class 458s to enter service!

 

[PG]

They are definitely coming. But when is really anyone's guess. I suspect we are probably still quite a way from seeing them in service.

The rate things are going it's a good job they are electric and not diesel otherwise the lines might well have been electrified in the meantime [Sarcasm]

 

[Peter Sarf]

Hearing a rumour that some 701s are going to Marchwood (storage). Maybe 9. Anyone know anything ?.

 

[3973EXL]

Hearing a rumour that some 701s are going to Marchwood (storage). Maybe 9. Anyone know anything ?.

5Q96 47727 701019 ran today.

5Q95 & 5Q96 EH - Marchwood paths for tomorrow.

 

[Peter Sarf]

5Q96 47727 701019 ran today.

5Q95 & 5Q96 EH - Marchwood paths for tomorrow.

Thanks. So from Eastleigh.

Rock rail had raised charges middle of last year for eight 701s and 701019 was one of them. Now does that mean the units going for store are ones that are already accepted (to a certain extent) as opposed to units merely off the production line with no where to go ?.

Looks ominous unless SWR just want more room to do FFR (Fault Free Running) on some more 701s.