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Class 701 'Aventra' trains for South Western Railway: progress updates
- Thread starter WWTownEnth
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WWTownEnth
Member
- Joined
- 21 Mar 2014
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- 240
You are correct.
mansonlo49
Member
046 in service before, but not today
Peter Mugridge
Veteran Member
701 046 is at Bournemouth depot - rumoured to be one of the GBR launch units.
That would seem likely considering this path is now in as STP
Realtime Trains | 5B96 2335 Bournemouth T&R.S.M.D to London Waterloo | 24/05/2025
Real-time train running information for 5B96 2335 departure from Bournemouth T&R.S.M.D to London Waterloo on 24/05/2025. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.
www.realtimetrains.co.uk
norbitonflyer
Established Member
And RTT has 701017 running 2v53 this evening, which will be the first 701 working via Brentford
Today's testing:
5T91 - Clapham Yard - Waterloo - goes to Twickenham (via Richmond), reverses and goes to Waterloo.
5T92 - Waterloo - Clapham Yard - does a Kingston loop via Richmond before heading back into the Yard.
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5T91 - Clapham Yard - Waterloo - goes to Twickenham (via Richmond), reverses and goes to Waterloo.
5T92 - Waterloo - Clapham Yard - does a Kingston loop via Richmond before heading back into the Yard.
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When 2R53 was a 701 last year, it went to Brentford, albeit the other way round the loop.
norbitonflyer
Established Member
I stand corrected. When was that? - i don't have it in my records. The only "R" coded working I have is 1R07 on November 2nd, which terminated at Hounslow to return whence it came as a Rugby special.
I first rode it on 2nd July (701039), can't remember if it ran on the 1st though.
mansonlo49
Member
I see thanks, that's why I didn't see the unit out on RTT
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any info on this movement today? Thanks
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Peter Mugridge
Veteran Member
I'd try the TOPS threads for that...?
alanc
Member
Reported elsewhere as 47739 +701512/517
HTH
mansonlo49
Member
Is already over the mid point of may, is it really end of the month will be no more 458/5? Thanks
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The remaining/5s will probably be around until they physically can't go on any longer (ie they all run out of miles). That likely won't be for a while yet
Today's testing:
5T91 - Clapham Yard - Waterloo - goes to Strawberry Hill (via Richmond), reverses and goes to Waterloo.
5T92 - Waterloo - Waterloo - goes to Epsom, reverses and goes back to Waterloo.
5T93 - Waterloo - Hampton Court - normal.
5T94 - Hampton Court - Clapham Yard - normal.
5T91 - Clapham Yard - Waterloo - goes to Strawberry Hill (via Richmond), reverses and goes to Waterloo.
5T92 - Waterloo - Waterloo - goes to Epsom, reverses and goes back to Waterloo.
5T93 - Waterloo - Hampton Court - normal.
5T94 - Hampton Court - Clapham Yard - normal.
lewisf
Member
Although that doesn’t sound like a lot, if there’s about 50 4 car 455s still in service you’d only need about 25 10 car 701s to replace them. Roughly quarter of the way there already.
OneTrackMinded
Member
They won't be needed until the end of the rollout, and probably only a few if they want to keep the post-covid timetable.
NSEWonderer
Established Member
It may be nice but it makes no operational sense whilst the 701/0s are still being phased in and trained on. 701/5 will benefit later on from the ground work training and understanding(i.e fault fixes etc) that will mean when it is rolled out, that will be quicker than the 10 cars.
At most it would be a mere day or two conversion course to deal with the differences indeed i.e coupling and uncoupling etc for an already trained up 701 Driver. Either way this won't be till 701 - 10 cars are fully in.
Fazaar1889
Member
Just saw 701 028(?) pass through Wimbledon 
Peter Mugridge
Veteran Member
Confirm - I saw it heading south at Epsom about 15 minutes ago, but it was a test or training run.Just saw 701 028(?) pass through Wimbledon
NSEWonderer
Established Member
Its the regular training school bus.
Snow1964
Established Member
When all the new train leases for nationalised SWR fleets were published last week (12 May) there was nothing for 458/5. Not sure if they have a special continuing deal, or are owned so not leased
The 701s were for all 60 10car and 30 5 car and spares and special tools for 5 years
Lease for Class 701 Rolling Stock [Award]
Direct award of a 5 year contract for the leasing of 60 x 10 car units and 30 x 5 car units of Class... A Contract Award Notice by South Western Railway. Value £494M.
OneTrackMinded
Member
There’s no deal for the /4 either mind youWhen all the new train leases for nationalised SWR fleets were published last week (12 May) there was nothing for 458/5. Not sure if they have a special continuing deal, or are owned so not leased
The 701s were for all 60 10car and 30 5 car and spares and special tools for 5 years
Lease for Class 701 Rolling Stock [Award]
Direct award of a 5 year contract for the leasing of 60 x 10 car units and 30 x 5 car units of Class... A Contract Award Notice by South Western Railway. Value £494M.bidstats.uk
The deal runs until 2027, although it doesn't specify if that is just the refurbished shortened /4s or the 5s too. I'd imagine porterbrook would happily take very short term payments for the remaining 5s given they will end up as scrap soon enough.
https://www.porterbrook.co.uk/news/porterbrook-awards-alstom-25m-fleet-upgrade-contract
OneTrackMinded
Member
The latest cover of Modern Railways magazine has a panel about the 701s, and a rather worrying bullet point that states "455 life extension plans"
This doesn't make much sense considering the positive news recently and the plan to get 30-ish in by Christmas, which would cover most of the 455s with the remaining being operated by 450s and 458s.
Has something else gone wrong?
This doesn't make much sense considering the positive news recently and the plan to get 30-ish in by Christmas, which would cover most of the 455s with the remaining being operated by 450s and 458s.
Has something else gone wrong?
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Fazaar1889
Member
Just saw a 701 on platform 1 in Guildford? 037(?) i think, I can't remember. Was this a test? I wouldn't have thought that they would be rolled out already
2 is a day is a nice achievement for me.
2 is a day is a nice achievement for me.
TT-ONR-NRN
Veteran Member
Guildford is on two 701 diagrams each day as of this recent timetable change, (interworking with Hampton Court), and indeed 037 is working the 1945 Waterloo via Epsom service.
Realtime Trains | 1945 Guildford to London Waterloo | 20/05/2025
Real-time train running information for 1945 departure from Guildford to London Waterloo on 20/05/2025. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.
www.realtimetrains.co.uk
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Interestingly enough though, that 701 formed the 18:09 from Waterloo to Guildford, and the booked 701 turn at 18:54 was a pair of 458/5s instead. The 19:54 is being subbed with 455s. Not all of the above will immediately become 701s, due to driver availability - it will be a gradual process over the next couple of weeks.
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D365
Veteran Member
- Joined
- 29 Jun 2012
- Messages
- 12,205
Indeed. As I’ve said before, there is no timeline yet for service introduction of 5 car units.