In the beginning, Electrostars also did not work. It takes a while for a new rolling stock product to mature. Some fleets take longer than others. Quite why the 701s are the worst example when they should have been one of the simpler ones I'm not sure though.
No seat tables on the majority of the coaches they replace though. I'll take a toilet over a table.
Yes, you're right there. The bathtub curve of reliability as Roger Ford says.
But compared to a similarly kitted out Desiro it is a bit of a disappointing omission. Certainly a continual dumbing down of quality on certain routes (the Junipers as built had seatback tables and were, QC and reliability aside, not bad units inside and perfect on the Reading route).
Agreed, but both even better. I do a lot of work on the train, often while munching on lunch at the same time, and on the 450s and 458s either sit at the full table in 1st Class or if not available an airline seat with folding table.
The 3+2 is certainly a bit daft in light of the pandemic, but I feel like the difference between the 720s and 701s will be quite stark. Granted the 720s will be doing slightly longer distance services but in terms of journey time, there's not a lot in it, so arguably it doesn't really matter. The 730s will put both to shame but they are admittedly doing longer distance than either. To me, the 701s are basically like if Bombardier were given the spec for the 700s (minus the first class). Even the colour scheme is almost the same.
The 450 doesn’t have the small table between the bays that 701s have though, and as a local to the SWR network who often travels in groups, I will appreciate those for sure.
That'll certainly be good, but it does make the omission of seat back tables even odder.
Quite, it’s like an inversion of the issue!
710/720's ive been on weren't an issue and GA happy to put 2 or more into traffic every week currently so given 701's are built in the same factory things don't add up.
There was a post explaining why there was the difference a while back on this thread.
be good if Alstom gave their side of the story.
GA seem to be content though with three new ones put into traffic last week.
Argh didn't realise that part of Eastleigh wasn't an SWR stabling facility so thanks for that clarity.
May I ask which ones please? I’m trying to keep up with which are in service.
Not here surely, there's a thread for that!
My apologies, indeed I had thought this was the Class 720 thread.
The majority of the Eastleigh units are being stored in the Arriva TMD (and where the test runs are being operated from), the units being worked on by Alstom will be in the Arlington operated works. I can imagine storage at neither site will be particularly cheap, and I'm surprised that after close to 2 years Arriva hasn't asked them to move on yet.
Given the enormous delay to the 701 programme, it's very likely that lawyers are actively involved in the situation. Anything Alstom says about the matter, no matter how insignificant it may be, may be seen by the opposing party's legal team as an admission of guilt or liability which they will then use against Alstom. Perhaps in an attempt to get out of the contract or to get more compensation for damages.
The GA 720s have a different cab layout I believe - not to mention 133 units for them have been in construction since 2017/18, and knock-on effects of the TfL order delays have caused a huge backlog…
Unless Arriva have a different customer who will pay more to use the site why would they want to ask them to leave? The longer they sit the more money they earn and operational costs are covered.
Photos of the respective cabs are difficult to distinguish. The driver's desks look virtually identical.
037 down, 030 back to Eastleigh.
Thanks @FOCTOC for your help.
I was more thinking that, as Eastleigh TMD is the main depot for the XC Fleet in the South, Arriva might want some of their roads back. That said, that's unlikely while the naff hourly covid timetable remains in place and the sets continue to run doubled up.
My point still stands, unless Arriva want to rent out space that they need for their own stock to shoot themselves in the foot? Or is it their job to know how much space that they need and how much they can make money from through use by someone else.
