Short trip on 701043 this evening Clapham Junction to Staines, first since the January tests and first when it has been properly full of passengers - according to the PIS it certainly was that. Quite pleasant, even with a full train, and I had no issues with the seats. The PIS seems to have an annoying jitter when scrolling through the stations and quite annoying being fairly close to it. Sound from Celia (I think they still have her) was fine but when the guard came on his microphone was pretty distorted. The extra vertical rails in the exit area I found very useful when waiting to get off.
-
Our new ticketing site is now live! Using either this or the original site (both powered by TrainSplit) helps support the running of the forum with every ticket purchase! Find out more and ask any questions/give us feedback in this thread!
Class 701 'Aventra' trains for South Western Railway
- Thread starter WWTownEnth
- Start date
Sponsor Post - registered members do not see these adverts; click here to register, or click here to log in
R
RailUK Forums
The space between 701 seats aren't much, if anything it's like a 3+2 but without the 3rd seat. The 444s are a good example of adequate spacing for a 2+2 layout.
Mikey C
Established Member
- Joined
- 11 Feb 2013
- Messages
- 7,305
I wasn't aware that the Desiro Cities had a space between the seats and the wall anyway.
From https://units-library.weebly.com/class-707.html
From https://units-library.weebly.com/class-707.html
I can't imagine anyone going to an urban commuter unit, expecting to be able to plug in a laptop. But being able to give your gadget a quick boost is useful, hence so many places having USB sockets for charging purposes. Yes USB A is an old technology, but it is still the main standard - I carry a C to A cable in my bag.
Good thing these units are running 30 minutes to Hampton Court and not 3 hours to Weymouth. Most passengers just want to get on, yet alone get a seat on these sorts of services.
Given these have been fully kitted out with toilets and WiFi, I'm raising my bar of judgement ever so slight. Also bear in mind these units are bound to run on the Reading line, 1h25m end-to-end.
Unsure if this was intentional, but it's a good thing the 701 window ledge acts as an armrest for the window seater.
Goldfish62
Veteran Member
- Joined
- 14 Feb 2010
- Messages
- 11,370
As can clearly be seen the base cushions butt up against each other. There's no spacer. The backs are slightly narrower hence need a spacer. On the 701s the slightly wider back takes up this space.I wasn't aware that the Desiro Cities had a space between the seats and the wall anyway.
From https://units-library.weebly.com/class-707.html
This design has been in use since the 700s were introduced. The way we're going on in this thread anyone would think it was a new concept with the 701s!
43096
On Moderation
- Joined
- 23 Nov 2015
- Messages
- 16,341
It isn't new, but it is a flawed design that keeps being perpetuated, once again the showing the railway's inability to learn. See also continued use of flat cloth and "Astroturf" seat covers.
Goldfish62
Veteran Member
- Joined
- 14 Feb 2010
- Messages
- 11,370
Doesn't help that there are 455s covering 450 duties on Reading services. Almost feels like the planners have forgotten about these, otherwise they'd have swapped them around.
aftv
Member
On 701043 working 1R07 to Hounslow. It's coping very well with the crowds for Twickenham.
norbitonflyer
Established Member
The 1240 is 1R19. All three worked by 701043 today
Today's testing:
5T90 - Clapham Yard - Guildford U.C.H.S - Goes to Waterloo, then heads down to Guildford via Cobham, then reverses into Pl 3 Guildford and goes to the siding.
5T91 - Guildford U.C.H.S - Clapham Yard - Goes to Guildford and reverses twice into different platforms before heading back via Cobham.
Seems PTI Testing was intended between HYW and CSD.
Anyone know what the fault was on 2H93? 2H60 proceeded to run fast from Upper Halliford directly to Waterloo.
5T90 - Clapham Yard - Guildford U.C.H.S - Goes to Waterloo, then heads down to Guildford via Cobham, then reverses into Pl 3 Guildford and goes to the siding.
5T91 - Guildford U.C.H.S - Clapham Yard - Goes to Guildford and reverses twice into different platforms before heading back via Cobham.
Seems PTI Testing was intended between HYW and CSD.
Anyone know what the fault was on 2H93? 2H60 proceeded to run fast from Upper Halliford directly to Waterloo.
norbitonflyer
Established Member
and again today
It’s down to staffing issues
It arrived at Shepperton after 2H51/2H98 when it should have arrived before. Ran fast back to Waterloo to make right time departure on 2H59
Today's testing:
5T89 - Clapham Yard - Waterloo - Goes to Epsom Down Sidings and reverses, then heads to Dorking, goes to Epsom, then back to Dorking, then back to Epsom heading towards Waterloo.
5T90 - Waterloo - Clapham Yard - Goes to Chessington South, and then heads back to the Clapham Yard.
Testing finishes after 1AM today.
5T89 - Clapham Yard - Waterloo - Goes to Epsom Down Sidings and reverses, then heads to Dorking, goes to Epsom, then back to Dorking, then back to Epsom heading towards Waterloo.
5T90 - Waterloo - Clapham Yard - Goes to Chessington South, and then heads back to the Clapham Yard.
Testing finishes after 1AM today.
norbitonflyer
Established Member
Not showing on RTT at all today. Has it been axed?
Cancelled due to lack of crew.
Appears in RTT when CAN is selected. Cancelled due to an issue with the train crew (TG).
SWT_USER
Member
8 cancellations on journey check at the moment due to lack of staff, 4 of which on the already poorly served Weybridge/ Hounslow services. You'd like to think this was because they are all busy on 701 training courses...
Goldfish62
Veteran Member
- Joined
- 14 Feb 2010
- Messages
- 11,370
Of course training would have a bearing on staff availability. It always does.
I've just had a look at Journeycheck expecting carnage, but it's no worse a day than usual.
norbitonflyer
Established Member
Indeed - it ran the 2H90/2h96 Shepperton diagarn this morning but then insterad of going to depot as suggested in prevkous posts it ran a Windsor diagram starting with 2u19, 2U26,
Checking RTT, the same thing has been happening since at least last Wednesday
2U45 didn't happen tpoday, but 2U55 is still expected to run.
Ah i see, thanks.
43096
On Moderation
- Joined
- 23 Nov 2015
- Messages
- 16,341
Not if you plan ahead…
OneTrackMinded
Member
Unheard of in this day and age of the industry
Goldfish62
Veteran Member
- Joined
- 14 Feb 2010
- Messages
- 11,370
If you've got a finite number of staff and you need to take some out of circulation for training that affects availability.
Elorith
Member
Well there are effectively three areas of interest in this problem. You need to provide sufficient crew to cover all the existing services which aren't 701 operated, sufficient crew to cover the new services which are, and then provide a steady release of staff for training purposes.
SWR should know what their attendance at each depot is likely to be at different weeks of the year based on the historical data and they should know what number of crew who at each depot are likely to be 701 competent for each day.
If they can't forecast how many crew they will need to with a reasonable margin of error to account for issues like setbacks to training to the point that diagrams are being uncovered on a daily basis, that suggests that the people in charge of the training program don't know what they're doing!
SWR should know what their attendance at each depot is likely to be at different weeks of the year based on the historical data and they should know what number of crew who at each depot are likely to be 701 competent for each day.
If they can't forecast how many crew they will need to with a reasonable margin of error to account for issues like setbacks to training to the point that diagrams are being uncovered on a daily basis, that suggests that the people in charge of the training program don't know what they're doing!