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

[Geogregor]

Wrong.
It’s because the network hasn’t been built in a way to allow it to easily happen safely, and requires a lot of investment to bring it up to that standard. Politics has nothing to do with it, it’s all about safety.

How does network in SW London differs from the rest of south or southeast London? It was build largely in the same era. If other areas could modernize working practices it should be possible in SWR area too. I mean physically and technologically possible, politics might be another matter...

It looks like class 701 introduction will be missed opportunity in that regard. But then the whole process is such debacle it is hardly surprising...

At this stage folks will be desperate to see at least a few more of them in service this year...

 

[73128]

Could we have an update please on which sets have now been in public service (or a reference to an older but still current post)?

 

[class701]

I am convinced it now takes longer to get from Worcester Park to Waterloo than it did in the steam era. I was in Orpington the other day and took a nonstop train to London Bridge which took 15 minutes. You can double that on SWR for a much shorter distance.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Could we have an update please on which sets have now been in public service (or a reference to an older but still current post)?

701 028
701 031
701 036
701 037
701 039
701 043

 

[OneTrackMinded]

701 028
701 031
701 036
701 037
701 039
701 043

And 701017

 

[shakermaker_86]

I am convinced it now takes longer to get from Worcester Park to Waterloo than it did in the steam era. I was in Orpington the other day and took a nonstop train to London Bridge which took 15 minutes. You can double that on SWR for a much shorter distance.

You're correct, I'm sure my Middleton press Wimbledon to Epsom book mentions Worcester Park had non stop trains to Waterloo which took about 17 minutes back in the steam age, so similar to the Surbiton to Waterloo non stop trains now.

 

[NSEWonderer]

Realtime Trains | 5Q45 1513 London Waterloo to Clapham Yard Sidings | 10/02/2025

Real-time train running information for 5Q45 1513 departure from London Waterloo to Clapham Yard Sidings on 10/02/2025. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

701044 stretching its legs it seems, last seen Sept 24 at Waterloo.

701025 of the training trains, i believe is the most utilised unit that has yet to do a passenger run.

 

[norbitonflyer]

Could we have an update please on which sets have now been in public service (or a reference to an older but still current post)?

701 operation

Now that 701s have been in service for a whole year (well, one of them has.........) I thought it timely to transfer the record of which units have run, and when, to a new thread instead of having it hidden halfway down the 701 thread in the "traction" area. I little thought when I started...

www.railforums.co.uk

 

[The_Train]

Bring back slam door stock!!

Approved!

 

[wickham]

We have had the 701s used in passenger service listed a few times (see above), but what about those used for training - are these regular units or do they change over with those in store/stabled at the likes of Farnham ? If anyone can list those used it would be useful.

 

[87electric]

Realtime Trains | 5Q45 1513 London Waterloo to Clapham Yard Sidings | 10/02/2025

Real-time train running information for 5Q45 1513 departure from London Waterloo to Clapham Yard Sidings on 10/02/2025. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

701044 stretching its legs it seems, last seen Sept 24 at Waterloo.

701025 of the training trains, i believe is the most utilised unit that has yet to do a passenger run.

701044 worked the 5Q45 last week on the 5th.

 

[NSEWonderer]

701044 worked the 5Q45 last week on the 5th.

Oh lovely assumed it was unit 025

 

[WWTownEnth]

Any news on the additional February diagrams yet?

 

[DMckduck]

Any news on the additional February diagrams yet?

Nothing there was a PA that went live on some crew diagrams this morning, if it was coming in for February surely it would have been today.

 

[Highview]

Until the DfT are taken out of the decision making process with the 701 “introduction”, no management is going to be able to reset working relationships. It has been a litany of interference, change of tack, interference, and repeat.

If I was a cynic, when they take over they change a director or two, make a few minor changes to the plan and then claim it as a major change but they will still be calling the shots. The only difference is that, not having to pay fees, there might be a bit more money to do things.

Labour Ministers now run the DfT, do we know if have they have had any impact on the 701 introduction to date? And will they likely have any when SWR is taken over shortly?

 

[317362]

025 according to RealTime Trains currently on an empty/training trip to Reading

Realtime Trains | 5T91 1645 Clapham Yard Sidings to Reading | 10/02/2025

Real-time train running information for 5T91 1645 departure from Clapham Yard Sidings to Reading on 10/02/2025. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

Not seem one this way for a while but had also stopped bothering to check

 

[adc82140]

Forgive the daft question, but if training has stopped, who are these training runs training?

 

[Elecman]

How about having no doors. Seems to work in India.

My thoughts exactly

 

[Peter Wilde]

A bit of history in response to one or two titbits on the last couple of pages:

Yes, it was fairly common for journey times from various outer suburban places to Waterloo to be faster in BR times (e.g Horsley to Waterloo used to be 39 to 40 minutes on the best trains; now takes 45 to 50 or so, depending on time of day). Reasons include: less congested network, allowing more such trains to run fast after Surbiton; more padding/recovery time now added in timetables, to reduce delay payments and complaints, presumably; and that slam-door stock loaded and unloaded faster.

Many commuters actually preferred slam doors. The added injury risk was judged to be worth it, for the benefits of passengers being in control and able to get off as soon as the train stopped; and having the service provided by simple, faster, reliable trains. Where people complained, this was more likely to be about cold draughts from the doors than anything else.

Of course we are in a different era now with society having less tolerance of risk, greater expectations of comfort, and more litigation. Not possible to turn the clocks back.

 

[NSEWonderer]

Forgive the daft question, but if training has stopped, who are these training runs training?

Existing Trained Drivers, Trainers themselves etc. A 5T however is usually a test train for route testing of the unit or pti etc

We have had the 701s used in passenger service listed a few times (see above), but what about those used for training - are these regular units or do they change over with those in store/stabled at the likes of Farnham ? If anyone can list those used it would be useful.

701025
701035
701044

Are the three training/ test units in regular use(That I can remember off the top of my head, would need to check at base) with 025 being the most frequently used.

 

[MotCO]

A bit of history in response to one or two titbits on the last couple of pages:

Yes, it was fairly common for journey times from various outer suburban places to Waterloo to be faster in BR times (e.g Horsley to Waterloo used to be 39 to 40 minutes on the best trains; now takes 45 to 50 or so, depending on time of day). Reasons include: less congested network, allowing more such trains to run fast after Surbiton; more padding/recovery time now added in timetables, to reduce delay payments and complaints, presumably; and that slam-door stock loaded and unloaded faster.

Many commuters actually preferred slam doors. The added injury risk was judged to be worth it, for the benefits of passengers being in control and able to get off as soon as the train stopped; and having the service provided by simple, faster, reliable trains. Where people complained, this was more likely to be about cold draughts from the doors than anything else.

Of course we are in a different era now with society having less tolerance of risk, greater expectations of comfort, and more litigation. Not possible to turn the clocks back.

Is it simply that with slam doors there were more doors in each carriage passengers could alight from, meaning dwell times were much shorter?

 

[DelW]

Is it simply that with slam doors there were more doors in each carriage passengers could alight from, meaning dwell times were much shorter?

And the doors would be opened while the train was still at walking (or even running) pace, with several passengers per door already on the platform by the time the train stopped.

 

[NSEWonderer]

Is it simply that with slam doors there were more doors in each carriage passengers could alight from, meaning dwell times were much shorter?

Indeed, like the old routemasters, you'd have passengers already getting off the train before its come to a full complete stop, usually about 1-3mph on video you'd see passengers already alighting. Some cases by the time the train fully stops at a terminus at least half of the train would have alighted

 

[swtrains]

Today's testing (701025):

5T91 - Clapham Yard - Reading - normal.
5T92 - Reading - Clapham Yard - normal.

https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:Q31611/2025-02-10/detailed#allox_id=0

https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:Q31609/2025-02-10/detailed#allox_id=0

 

[MontyP]

Is it simply that with slam doors there were more doors in each carriage passengers could alight from, meaning dwell times were much shorter?

The big timetable recast in 2004(?) added extra dwell time at most stations on the suburban lines, to improve reliability. Also removed some of the faster / skip stop trains such as the Dorkings that ran fast from Wimbledon to Worcester Park.

 

[TEW]

Forgive the daft question, but if training has stopped, who are these training runs training?

These runs are platform train interface test runs.

The training runs are the ones on the Hounslow Loop. I'm not sure if they have still been running but guards training has continued so they may well be.

 

[Clarence Yard]

Labour Ministers now run the DfT, do we know if have they have had any impact on the 701 introduction to date? And will they likely have any when SWR is taken over shortly?

Probably not. The civil servants usually keep the politicians well away from operational decisions.

 

[Tester]

Indeed, like the old routemasters, you'd have passengers already getting off the train before its come to a full complete stop, usually about 1-3mph on video you'd see passengers already alighting. Some cases by the time the train fully stops at a terminus at least half of the train would have alighted

Non-interlocked sliding doors would also do the trick.

Here's one I was on on Sunday.....
Photo of train with non-interlocked sliding doors

 

[NSEWonderer]

Non-interlocked sliding doors would also do the trick.

Here's one I was on on Sunday.....View attachment 174393
Photo of train with non-interlocked sliding doors

Current londoners on their phones cannot be trusted with these

 

[Peter Mugridge]

And 701017

Forgot that one!!!