Class 701 'Aventra' trains for South Western Railway

[Dan G]

Not strictly correct as they agree an annual business plan with each operator and its deviation from the annual business plan that get DafTs staff involved in evaluating the change and agreeing to it.

In the 23/24 business plan the following is recorded for the 701's which would have involved SWR costing the task and resources to achieve the desired outcome and then DafT signing it off so SWR could get on with it.

View attachment 157328

Those quarterly reports would be a very interesting read!

 

[SWT_USER]

Not strictly correct as they agree an annual business plan with each operator and its deviation from the annual business plan that get DafTs staff involved in evaluating the change and agreeing to it.

In the 23/24 business plan the following is recorded for the 701's which would have involved SWR costing the task and resources to achieve the desired outcome and then DafT signing it off so SWR could get on with it.

View attachment 157328

Presumably the dates are all redacted to save further embarrassment on missed deadlines?

 

[swr444]

701037 is out on a test run? Madness

 

[PG]

Presumably the dates are all redacted to save further embarrassment on missed deadlines?

Cynical observers might wonder if the dates were even there to begin with!

 

[OneTrackMinded]

701037 is out on a test run? Madness

What’s surprising about that

 

[swr444]

What’s surprising about that

Why is it being sent out on 5Q runs on the mainline when it’s been used multiple times on the Windsor circuit

 

[Waterlemon]

Why is it being sent out on 5Q runs on the mainline when it’s been used multiple times on the Windsor circuit

Because 5Q's can be testing anything? Not just the unit

 

[TheHSRailFan]

701037 is out on a test run? Madness

What else is there to expect since I feel we won't hear about another diagram for some time...

This image probably provides one of the best comparisons of the 701 and 455. What a difference it is, which is to be expected when they're over 40 years apart.
I really like the look of the 701s, very sleek and modern

Hi, that my image from one of my Twitter accounts.
Please credit me next time.

 

[OneTrackMinded]

Hi, that my image from one of my Twitter accounts.
Please credit me next time.

Hi sorry someone sent this to me and I assumed it was their photo.. nobody payed any attention to the post anyway so hopefully no damage done. If I could delete it I would

Why is it being sent out on 5Q runs on the mainline when it’s been used multiple times on the Windsor circuit

No drivers for another diagram

 

[Dan G]

I enjoyed seeing that photo. Thank you for taking it @TheHSRailFan !

 

[Class15]

I enjoyed seeing that photo. Thank you for taking it @TheHSRailFan !

Indeed, excellent shot @TheHSRailFan

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

Hi, that my image from one of my Twitter accounts.
Please credit me next time.

I think you can see it was posted in good faith (and he even complimented it) It’s been included to demonstrate the differences between two trains, not to pass it off as his own photography.

Why is it being sent out on 5Q runs on the mainline when it’s been used multiple times on the Windsor circuit

Perhaps it might be seen a safer bet for a successful driver or staff training run seeing as it’s been running pretty unproblematically thus far

 

[OneTrackMinded]

I wonder why the 701s don't have buttons on the inside of the doors like the 710 does. It would make sense for a high capacity train such as this

 

[dragon814]

Another 701/5 unit fetched from store at Worksop today top and tailed by 47749 and 69009. No side numbers visible to ID the unit. Does anybody know which one?

 

[Terry Williams]

Quoted on WNXX as 701501
HTH

 

[OneTrackMinded]

This is the unit which had a pantograph and also these very odd looking numbers.

 

[D365]

Why is it being sent out on 5Q runs on the mainline when it’s been used multiple times on the Windsor circuit

That’s because 037 is not currently being operated on Windsor diagrams…

 

[PG]

This is the unit which had a pantograph and also these very odd looking numbers.

Looks like masking tape with the numbers hand written on it - very Blue Peter

 

[swr444]

That’s because 037 is not currently being operated on Windsor diagrams…

You don't say? it just seemed strange to me that it was being used on test runs when it has been used in passenger service multiple times. never mind.

 

[Waterlemon]

You don't say? it just seemed strange to me that it was being used on test runs when it has been used in passenger service multiple times. never mind.

Famously once a unit has been in passenger services it cannot be used for any sort of testing whatsoever. That GWR IET running into Waterloo a few months ago was actually brand new off the production line.

 

[swr444]

Famously once a unit has been in passenger services it cannot be used for any sort of testing whatsoever. That GWR IET running into Waterloo a few months ago was actually brand new off the production line.

the mainline test runs have been predominantly for fault free mile testing.

 

[nick parish]

I have a memory that when the 458s were being made ready, there was a time the Ascot to Guildford line was converted to bus in order to free up crew for training. Am I right? And could such be done again to speed up 701 entry to service?

 

[3973EXL]

701502

Realtime Trains | 5Q12 1255 Worksop Down Yard to Derby Litchurch Lane | 01/05/2024

Real-time train running information for 5Q12 1255 departure from Worksop Down Yard to Derby Litchurch Lane on 01/05/2024. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

 

[wickham]

Re. the photo in Post 9016 of 701501 and the comment regarding the pantograph - blowing the photo up it looks like there is still something in the pantograph well - has it still got the pantograph ?

 

[Sun Chariot]

Re. the photo in Post 9016 of 701501 and the comment regarding the pantograph - blowing the photo up it looks like there is still something in the pantograph well - has it still got the pantograph ?

Possibly an older photo, as the unit lacks any SWR / Arterio branding

 

[Clarence Yard]

Famously once a unit has been in passenger services it cannot be used for any sort of testing whatsoever. That GWR IET running into Waterloo a few months ago was actually brand new off the production line.

No, it wasn’t - it had been in passenger service for over 4 years!

 

[OneTrackMinded]

No, it wasn’t - it had been in passenger service for over 4 years!

I think you missed the sarcasm

 

[43066]

No, it wasn’t - it had been in passenger service for over 4 years!

I think you missed the sarcasm

I do think @swr444 ’s comment was perfectly reasonable in the circumstances, though, and didn’t really deserve any sarcasm!

 

[Carlisle]

I have a memory that when the 458s were being made ready, there was a time the Ascot to Guildford line was converted to bus in order to free up crew for training. Am I right? And could such be done again to speed up 701 entry to service?

If that happened it’ll have likely been primarily due to SWTs general driver shortage after allowing too many voluntary redundancies rather than training requirements.

 

[OneTrackMinded]

I do think @swr444 ’s comment was perfectly reasonable in the circumstances, though, and didn’t really deserve any sarcasm!

I'm not commenting on if it was appropriate or not, just explaining

Re. the photo in Post 9016 of 701501 and the comment regarding the pantograph - blowing the photo up it looks like there is still something in the pantograph well - has it still got the pantograph ?

Yes indeed it does, see this post of the movement earlier https://x.com/DSB3PHOTOGRAPHY/status/1785761440034410587