Class 701 'Aventra' trains for South Western Railway: progress updates

[Mordac]

As highlighted a few posts back Alstom have made more units available to SWR for passenger use but ASLEF apparently disagree. Seems like the industrial relations problems surrounding these trains still haven't been resolved.

Alt text: A photo of the late Canadian comedian Norm MacDonald, with his famous quote superimposed "Now, this might strike some viewers as harsh, but I believe everyone involved in this story should die"

Not so harsh, but everyone involved with these trains' introduction looks at best ridiculous.

 

[D365]

So the trains that Alstom have made available to SWR but aren't being used differ from the ones that are already being driven by SWR drivers?

Yes - Alstom isn’t responsible for the final round of ”entry into service” mods.

 

[Goldfish62]

Yes - Alstom isn’t responsible for the final round of ”entry into service” mods.

Thanks.

 

[3973EXL]

VSTP 5Q74 vice Caped 5Q74 08/01

701003

Realtime Trains | 5Q74 0942 Long Marston Gbrf to Derby Litchurch Lane | 09/01/2025

Real-time train running information for 5Q74 0942 departure from Long Marston Gbrf to Derby Litchurch Lane on 09/01/2025. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

 

[PG]

Yes - Alstom isn’t responsible for the final round of ”entry into service” mods.

Do you know who is responsible?

 

[OneTrackMinded]

Do you know who is responsible?

Well if it’s not Alstom I’d assume it’s Wimbledon

 

[norbitonflyer]

No Windsor diagram today because the line is closed for maintenance, but there are two Shepperton/Kingston roundabout diagrams - albiet one started late because of a fault on the unit (017)

 

[73128]

701036 is on a Windsor diagram today but the 0903 down from Waterloo was cancelled (staffing issues RTT said) along with return but i took it out on the 1133 (2U29) (having got 458403 meanwhile).

 

[markle]

deleted

 

[OxtedSignaller]

SWR were going for full driver self dispatch apart from at Waterloo and Reading, so didn't require any additional CD/RA equipment installed.

Had they gone for platform staff dispatch at more locations they probably would have had more success. Given they had committed to guards remaining on every train even without dispatch responsibilities though that would likely have meant the project actually caused staffing costs to increase. It already has at Waterloo with additional dispatch staff employed to dispatch using the CD/RA equipment.

So even if DCO is successfully introduced it has cost a very large percentage pay increase for drivers, a reduction in the working week for guards and subsequent headcount increase, additional dispatch staff at Waterloo plus money spent on infrastructure upgrades to sign platforms off for driver self dispatch.

Exactly the same happened at GTR Southern. Its cost them huge amounts of money and ongoing expense as they've had to do significant upgrades to the on train cameras, Station lighting, employed additional platform staff at significant cost to facilitate dispatch and the On Board Supervisors are paid more than conductors and that's without the drivers pay rise. It just shows really that the whole move to DCO and Doo was about ideology more than practicality.

 

[norbitonflyer]

2J92 (Surbiton > Waterloo PIXC buster) was cancelled today due to an issue with train crew

No Shepperton via Richmond diagram (2H90, 2H89, 2H96) either

 

[73128]

So far I’ve rides on seven 10 car sets 701017/28/31, 701036/37/39/43. (28 on 6 February last) Have any others been in traffic recently please?

(Corrected after referring back to paper notes)

 

[Towers]

Exactly the same happened at GTR Southern. Its cost them huge amounts of money and ongoing expense as they've had to do significant upgrades to the on train cameras, Station lighting, employed additional platform staff at significant cost to facilitate dispatch and the On Board Supervisors are paid more than conductors and that's without the drivers pay rise. It just shows really that the whole move to DCO and Doo was about ideology more than practicality.

A difference, perhaps, was that there was a general expectation in many quarters that Southern’s plans might ultimately have seen the end of the on board grades - thankfully it didn’t - whereas there was never likely to be any withdrawal of guards at SWR, the goal being performance. That goal became irrelevant with Covid, which left abandonment of the propsals as clearly the best option.

 

[WarrenTManager]

So far I’ve rides on eight 10 car sets 701017/24/28/31, 701036/37/39/43. (24/28 on 6 February last) Have any others been in traffic recently please?

On 6/2 701039 was the service unit and 701043 was the backup. 24 isn’t on my list of service units.

 

[norbitonflyer]

On 6/2 701039 was the service unit and 701043 was the backup. 24 isn’t on my list of service units.

RTT had 701028 running in service on 6th, 7th and 9th February, with 701043 on the 8th.

No record of 701024 ruunning in passenger serviuce

Anyone know what's on 2H93 this evening?

 

[swr444]

RTT had 701028 running in service on 6th, 7th and 9th February, with 701043 on the 8th.

No record of 701024 ruunning in passenger serviuce

Anyone know what's on 2H93 this evening?

701017

 

[Malcolmffc]

Nasty surprise at Surbiton this morning - the 0752 is back to a clapped out 455

 

[norbitonflyer]

Nasty surprise at Surbiton this morning - the 0752 is back to a clapped out 455

RTT says its the one in retro livery.

 

[w11_supremecy]

Unit 039 running as 2H15 was delayed at Waterloo due to a fault with the doors (who would have guessed). Left 18 minutes late.

Unit 039 running as 2H15 was delayed at Waterloo due to a fault with the doors (who would have guessed). Left 18 minutes late.

Correction - 17 minutes.

 

[mansonlo49]

Realtime Trains | 5Q87 0920 Eastleigh Trsmd to Long Marston | 14/01/2025

Real-time train running information for 5Q87 0920 departure from Eastleigh Trsmd to Long Marston on 14/01/2025. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

another going off to storage today

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Realtime Trains | 5Q87 0920 Eastleigh Trsmd to Long Marston | 14/01/2025

Real-time train running information for 5Q87 0920 departure from Eastleigh Trsmd to Long Marston on 14/01/2025. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

another going off to storage today

701 050 I understand?

 

[DMckduck]

Unit 039 running as 2H15 was delayed at Waterloo due to a fault with the doors (who would have guessed). Left 18 minutes late.


Correction - 17 minutes.

The ASDO fault is still alive and well it seems!

 

[mansonlo49]

701 050 I understand?

yes seen from Facebook

 

[OneTrackMinded]

The ASDO fault is still alive and well it seems!

Is that what causes the door problems?

 

[nctd2306]

Which unit is on 5T91 this evening? Seen it at Bracknell to my surprise (but couldn't see the the number).

 

[pompeyfan]

The ASDO fault is still alive and well it seems!

Believe it’s gone down as train crew error now.

 

[WarrenTManager]

Which unit is on 5T91 this evening? Seen it at Bracknell to my surprise (but couldn't see the the number).

701042.

 

[Class 317]

Which unit is on 5T91 this evening? Seen it at Bracknell to my surprise (but couldn't see the the number).

701 042, Saw it at Wokingham looking nice under the station lights

 

[nctd2306]

Thanks all, I certainly do look forward to eventually commuting on these having suffered two trips today on a 455 without working heating!

 

[wickham]

Stange that 701050 has gone back to Long Marston today as it came FROM Long Marston to Wimbledon on 31.10.24: Just WHAT is going on ?
Is somebody carrying out some mods somewhere, perhaps ?