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

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DMckduck

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26 Jul 2020
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422
Goldfish62 said:
Not in the realms of speculation at all. The Engineering Director in the interview with Richard Bowker about 450s or 701s being fitted with batteries stated that the number of 701s ordered were based on pre-Covid demand so there is a surplus of units that are not required. Plus of course the full introduction of 701s on the current timetable increases capacity by over 20% anyway. Commuting is never going to increase to pre-pandemic levels and certainly not the extent of exceeding the additional capacity of the 701s. I would love the pre-Covid timetable to return - it would make my life easier - but it's gone for good.

Wondering how many 701s are required for the current timetable really is not off-topic at all. So if anyone can answer that would be great. :)
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The closest we may get to pre covid levels would be on Tuesday through Thursday.

Anyone using SWR on Monday and Friday will notice footfall just isn't there and it's often possible to get a seat on most peak time trains.

Maybe a possibility of the pre covid timetable on Tue - Thu?
 
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RailUK Forums

T

TEW

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6,068
Goldfish62 said:
Wondering how many 701s are required for the current timetable really is not off-topic at all. So if anyone can answer that would be great. :)
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I understand it's slightly more than the 60 10-cars that are required, around 65.
 
I

Invincible

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DMckduck97 said:
The closest we may get to pre covid levels would be on Tuesday through Thursday.

Anyone using SWR on Monday and Friday will notice footfall just isn't there and it's often possible to get a seat on most peak time trains.

Maybe a possibility of the pre covid timetable on Tue - Thu?
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Think it was some of the 30 5 car trains would often work as 10 car.
There is pressure from employers to get all workers back to 5 day working from offices.
www.theguardian.com

In no great rush to get back to the office? UK home workers may not have a choice

Supermarket chain Asda has joined the growing number of firms demanding staff return to the workplace. Does this signal the end for remote working or is it a new battle line?
www.theguardian.com www.theguardian.com
This will also have a knock on effect for say cafe workers.
Also there is Christmas shopping and tourism.
Should also bring in more ticket revenue so the DfT subsidy should reduce.
So hard to predict.
 
G

Goldfish62

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11,880
Meerkat said:
Unless AI rapidly kills off office work wont general economic and population growth inevitably take commuting back to pre pandemic levels?
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Hybrid working is now embedded. Commuter numbers on SWR were already in slow long term decline before Covid (and the guards dispute) despite economic and population growth. Sure, there are isolated sectors and some companies which are trying to force a return to work, but reportedly they're being hit with resignations as people move move to other jobs which offer hybrid working.

TfL is on course to make an unbudgeted loss this year because of passenger growth unexpectedly flatling.

To quote TfL's Chief Finance Officer:

“The evidence we have got, and it is hard to measure office attendance directly, is that that growth has decelerated at a faster rate than we had assumed,” he said. “We could be at an equilibrium.”
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www.standard.co.uk

Has the post-pandemic return to the office stalled?

Passenger numbers only 1% higher than a year ago
www.standard.co.uk www.standard.co.uk

So don't expect all the 701s to ever be needed on all the services for which they were originally intended. That ship sailed some years ago.

It's leisure and business travel which are the growth areas now.
 
S

swr444

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Goldfish62 said:
Hybrid working is now embedded. Commuter numbers on SWR were already in slow long term decline before Covid (and the guards dispute) despite economic and population growth. Sure, there are isolated sectors and some companies which are trying to force a return to work, but reportedly they're being hit with resignations as people move move to other jobs which offer hybrid working.

TfL is on course to make an unbudgeted loss this year because of passenger growth unexpectedly flatling.

To quote TfL's Chief Finance Officer:


www.standard.co.uk

Has the post-pandemic return to the office stalled?

Passenger numbers only 1% higher than a year ago
www.standard.co.uk www.standard.co.uk

So don't expect all the 701s to ever be needed on all the services for which they were originally intended. That ship sailed some years ago.

It's leisure and business travel which are the growth areas now.
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The areas which need extra capacity are the suburban and Windsor routes. I think the big decline has been on the outer routes to Portsmouth etc. They need a pre Covid timetable brought back as trains are bursting in the AM peak through Wimbledon and Putney etc, With loads of new housing going up around Wandsworth town, the station is getting busier and busier
 
M

Meerkat

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9,276
Goldfish62 said:
Hybrid working is now embedded. Commuter numbers on SWR were already in slow long term decline before Covid (and the guards dispute) despite economic and population growth. Sure, there are isolated sectors and some companies which are trying to force a return to work, but reportedly they're being hit with resignations as people move move to other jobs which offer hybrid working.
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Wont hybrid working reductions to longer distance SWR commuting be counteracted to some extent by an increase due to hybrid working - not having to go in so often makes it more attractive to live further away. Plus the significant residential developments going in around those stations.
 
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Gag Halfrunt

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SWR invited vlogger Jago Hazzard to the launch event. His blurb for the video is "The shock of the new-ish."

 
B

Bikeman78

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Stephen42 said:
With 5 units introduced in first five months, 10 in next ~6 months there is a small rate increase. While there are 82 class 455s, roughly need 30-35 10-car class 701s in service to displace those depending on other fleet changes. The next 10 gets a third of the way there, it's likely a further rate increase in the second half of next year and any remaining gap might be coverable by other stock/formation reductions while a few more diagrams await going over to 701s.
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Given the stock shortage, the first few class 701s will only free up units so that the booked formations actually run. If class 455s are still going to Kilmarnock for repairs, that suggests they will keep going for a while longer. Are any of them getting close to C6 overhaul dates? That will almost certainly be terminal.
 
43096

43096

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23 Nov 2015
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16,929
OneTrackMinded said:
Lease is up at the end of 2025. They're not going on any longer than that
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Why? It’s not like there is any new user signed up or even in prospect. If they still have mileage left to C4 and time left to C6, there is no reason why leases could not be extende.
 
S

ScotGG

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3 Apr 2013
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If we look at passenger recovery and numbers on TfL it's the rail modes that are doing best. Elizabeth line going gangbusters, London Overground already back to 2019 levels and the tube not far off.

Buses some way back and were long in decline. DLR recovered well until problems with new train introduction and constant closures and short forms have hampered the network over the past year (sound familiar?).

That doesn't mean SWR will flatline if they get their act together.
 
N

norbitonflyer

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Just the usual suspects out this morning - no new diagrams.

2H08 was not a 701 this morning after all. A 5-car 458 instead.

And the Surbiton peakbuster did not run due to a fault.
 
G

Goldfish62

Veteran Member
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14 Feb 2010
Messages
11,880
norbitonflyer said:
Just the usual suspects out this morning - no new diagrams.

2H08 was not a 701 this morning after all. A 5-car 458 instead.

And the Surbiton peakbuster did not run due to a fault.
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I guess the same single 458 that was on Reading services all day yesterday.
 
nctd2306

nctd2306

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norbitonflyer said:
Just the usual suspects out this morning - no new diagrams.

2H08 was not a 701 this morning after all. A 5-car 458 instead.

And the Surbiton peakbuster did not run due to a fault.
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A fault with the 701?
If so it's really not encouraging is it, the same 4 out each day and any others they try to use break down pretty much straight away
I know 017 was out last week but still wasn't used on any all day diagrams, so hasn't really broken the 036/037/039/043 oligopoly.
 
S

swr444

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26 Aug 2008
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705
Location
London
norbitonflyer said:
Just the usual suspects out this morning - no new diagrams.

2H08 was not a 701 this morning after all. A 5-car 458 instead.

And the Surbiton peakbuster did not run due to a fault.
Click to expand...
2H08 isn’t “booked” a 701 until the dec 15 timetable change
 
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