-
Our booking engine at tickets.railforums.co.uk (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
2009 Stock Train 1 & 2 Mystery Was briefly discussed on there
TrainBoy98
Member
Just seen a pair of 701s pass through Southampton Central, didn't catch the numbers, would anyone know which ones they likely were?
OneTrackMinded
Member
Just noticed, 701s have new, specific wheelchair ramps. I wonder what the difference is? 
swt_passenger
Veteran Member
- Joined
- 7 Apr 2010
- Messages
- 31,498
Usually it’s a specific to class “tab and slot” to secure it into the doorway. Probably one of many items that’s due standardisation…
Invincible
Member
From RTT might be 5Q52 test from Staines back to Eastleigh building up mileage? but no unit numbers shown on RTT?
Realtime Trains | 5Q52 1724 Staines Up Loop to Eastleigh | 26/02/2024
Real-time train running information for 5Q52 1724 departure from Staines Up Loop to Eastleigh on 26/02/2024. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.
www.realtimetrains.co.uk
brownandrew15
Member
Saw them earlier - 701508 was one of them but couldn't read the other unit's number as they passedFrom RTT might be 5Q52 test from Staines back to Eastleigh building up mileage? but no unit numbers shown on RTT?
Realtime Trains | 5Q52 1724 Staines Up Loop to Eastleigh | 26/02/2024
Real-time train running information for 5Q52 1724 departure from Staines Up Loop to Eastleigh on 26/02/2024. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.
Standardisation is a very long way off - those Stadlers ran by GA and TfW are a massive thorn in the side of accessibility, as they require five different unique ramp designs depending on how high/low off the platforms they are, compared to three or four standard ramp heights. Voyagers and Pendolinos are also pretty bad, but at least with AWC they're pretty captive in terms of where they go.
Off topic - I've always disliked those Stadler units for trying to break away from the norm. Means that it's now even harder to increase standard platform heights to meet current stock.
As for the 701s, assuming they're anything like the Class 345s, those ramps aren't compatible with any of SWR's current stock, and use tabs on either side of the ramp at the far end, whereas I believe 450s use lugs, and 455s use tabs further inboard on the ramps. Don't quote me on this!
CarrotPie
Member
What's wrong with making platform heights the same (at least where FLIRTs go)?
norbitonflyer
Established Member
Quite - most SWR platforms now have an impressive array of ramps stacked up - 455, 444/450, 458, 707 and now 701. (And 159 at any station likely to see them). I recall a few years back a wheelchair user being transferred at Waterloo from a 455 to a 707 because the former had just had a non-stop order to his destination. (Fortunately on opposite faces of the same platform) Finding two sets of ramps and getting him moved across negated any time saving the non-stop order would have gained.
Peter Mugridge
Veteran Member
701 037 on the Windsor run today; details are showing on RTT again now.
OneTrackMinded
Member
Finally a unit other than 701 043
OneTrackMinded
Member
No news about it although I’d assume not
Goldfish62
Established Member
- Joined
- 14 Feb 2010
- Messages
- 10,132
Eh? Training started in January according to SWR. For what other reason is there a train "shadow running" daily?
OneTrackMinded
Member
I’ve been told those are all driver managers
norbitonflyer
Established Member
037 was on yesterday as well, according to RTT
Goldfish62
Established Member
- Joined
- 14 Feb 2010
- Messages
- 10,132
What exactly is the point of running the trains if that's the case?
If training really hasn't started surely SWR need to be threatened with contract termination. The trains are desperately needed in service.
I'm heartily sick of hearing excuses from all parties involved for not getting on and introducing the trains.
Wasn’t the launch train driven by a Wimbledon Park driving instructor? So clearly it’s not just managers…..
Goldfish62
Established Member
- Joined
- 14 Feb 2010
- Messages
- 10,132
And we were told on this thread that depot driver training hadn't yet started several months after it had actually started.
43096
On Moderation
- Joined
- 23 Nov 2015
- Messages
- 15,364
Well said. Just for once, it would be good if the clowns running the show could actually think about the service they are (not) delivering and actually get on with fixing the issues.
MCR247
Established Member
- Joined
- 7 Nov 2008
- Messages
- 9,616
But these days TOCs are just doing what the DfT tell them to do. Terminating the contract won’t introduce the trains any quicker
Goldfish62
Established Member
- Joined
- 14 Feb 2010
- Messages
- 10,132
If that were the case then First would never have lost the TPE contract.
SWR appears to be an incompetent operation and if it really is true that training hasn't yet started it's time to let someone else get on with the job as every other TOC seems to be able to manage.
GW43125
Established Member
- Joined
- 8 Dec 2014
- Messages
- 2,051
I'll do you a swap, one of the key peak readings was 4-455 yesterday and 5-458 this morning....
Big Jumby 74
Member
Not going to get in to any heated discussion here, having been out the picture for so long, but the DM's and DI's will all need to gain experience on any new type in passenger service environment, before the training of day to day drivers commences en-mass, I would think.
DelW
Established Member
- Joined
- 15 Jan 2015
- Messages
- 3,903
Especially as yesterday GWR was in disarray because of the lineside problems towards Paddington, so even 10-458s were leaving Reading crush-loaded.
They are all being driven by drivers, but it's the same small pool of drivers from day one. SWRs position was that they would use the experience gained from the soft launch to develop and agree the training programme.
Big Jumby 74
Member
Exactly, albeit a bit late in the day. Will PM you.
OneTrackMinded
Member
That creaking sound does not sound healthy. Another problem with the suspension on these units.. also notice how much it's shaking