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

[theageofthetra]

I was in a 700 once that had to reboot at a station. All lights went off, aircon off, doors locked. Computers are the future don't you know! :/

Out of interest what happens if a pax is in a toilet with electric doors during a reboot?

 

[spark001uk]

Out of interest what happens if a pax is in a toilet with electric doors during a reboot?

Don't quote me on it, but I think the accessible toilet door still has power during a reboot. As does the toilet lighting, one would hope!

 

[444045]

Can anyone help with which 701 unit is on 6X24 Derby to Eastleigh Depot 147 late start with 66752/66755 please ?

 

[spark001uk]

Can anyone help with which 701 unit is on 6X24 Derby to Eastleigh Depot 147 late start with 66752/66755 please ?

It's 701016.

 

[WWTownEnth]

Does anyone know where 001, 003, 009 and 010 are?

 

[444045]

It's 701016.

Many thanks @spark001uk for your help and swift reply.

 

[Domh245]

Does anyone know where 001, 003, 009 and 010 are?

Probably Worksop

 

[AverageTD]

Saw some pictures of 004 and 008 in a siding somewhere and noticed the brown wheels, I take it that it's not rusted already as that's quite and aesthetic choice

 

[fgwrich]

Saw some pictures of 004 and 008 in a siding somewhere and noticed the brown wheels, I take it that it's not rusted already as that's quite and aesthetic choice View attachment 88354

That is only surface rust on the brake pads and will easily clean off with use. It's quite a common thing with large brake disk's like this to start rusting after short periods of no use.

 

[Bald Rick]

Indeed. My car discs are the same if I drive it in the rain and then not again for more than a few days.

 

[spark001uk]

I see the cascade has started to allow room for the new fleet, 707003/4 debranded and gone to SE, another pair scheduled in for next Sat.
Are we soon to see 701s delivered to Feltham / Wimbledon then (aside from ones already there)? I assume they must be running out of space at Eastleigh by now.

 

[RealTrains07]

I see the cascade has started to allow room for the new fleet, 707003/4 debranded and gone to SE, another pair scheduled in for next Sat.
Are we soon to see 701s delivered to Feltham / Wimbledon then (aside from ones already there)? I assume they must be running out of space at Eastleigh by now.

Whats the capacity like at eastleigh? How many units can be stabled at once?

 

[GW43125]

With the 707s going off lease, are we likely to see a 701 service any time soon? Stock availability is nothing short of dire currently, with shortforms all over the shop on the Reading/Windsor lines.

 

[spark001uk]

With the 707s going off lease, are we likely to see a 701 service any time soon? Stock availability is nothing short of dire currently, with shortforms all over the shop on the Reading/Windsor lines.

By the looks of RTT more or less the whole SWR timetable has been put on week-by-week STP schedules, so my guess is this is the precursor to gradually thinning out the service again, as per government's latest announcements.
This will open up opportunity to transfer the 707s to SE. The hope then being that they have all the testing/training done and 701s ready to roll out by the time restrictions are lifted.

Either that or just a few 707s are going over initially for training purposes.

 

[TEW]

With the 707s going off lease, are we likely to see a 701 service any time soon? Stock availability is nothing short of dire currently, with shortforms all over the shop on the Reading/Windsor lines.

No. Training hasn't started. All practical driver training is currently suspended on SWR too.

 

[AverageTD]

By the looks of RTT more or less the whole SWR timetable has been put on week-by-week STP schedules, so my guess is this is the precursor to gradually thinning out the service again, as per government's latest announcements.
This will open up opportunity to transfer the 707s to SE. The hope then being that they have all the testing/training done and 701s ready to roll out by the time restrictions are lifted.

Either that or just a few 707s are going over initially for training purposes.

The 707s that have gone over for training only, no ETA on when the lot is going over but SWR have definitely reduced their usage since December.

 

[ComUtoR]

The 707s that have gone over for training only, no ETA on when the lot is going over but SWR have definitely reduced their usage since December.

Not just for training and all units have dates confirmed.

 

[Goldfish62]

By the looks of RTT more or less the whole SWR timetable has been put on week-by-week STP schedules, so my guess is this is the precursor to gradually thinning out the service again, as per government's latest announcements.
This will open up opportunity to transfer the 707s to SE. The hope then being that they have all the testing/training done and 701s ready to roll out by the time restrictions are lifted.

Either that or just a few 707s are going over initially for training purposes.

The revised timetables starting on Monday are on the SWR website.

 

[AverageTD]

Not just for training and all units have dates confirmed.

Oh wow, have you got the dates for the lot?

 

[swt_passenger]

Oh wow, have you got the dates for the lot?

The next 6 at least are shown in the 707 to Southeastern thread:

Class 707 to Southeastern Dates

Do Stagecoach Group have to be OK with them running around with their branding on for a different TOC? I assume they'd have granted SWR some kind of short term license to use it, so that they don't have to rush around repainting trains that are going for scrap, but does that extend to...

www.railforums.co.uk

...which is probably a far better place to discuss the actual 707 moves?

 

[spark001uk]

The revised timetables starting on Monday are on the SWR website.

Which is an absolute joke. Swr has published timetables, which seem in places to be at odds with their own journey planner. You couldn't make it up.

 

[Domh245]

Given the rapidly disappearing 707s, I guess that means the 458s have had somewhat of another stay of execution

 

[43096]

Given the rapidly disappearing 707s, I guess that means the 458s have had somewhat of another stay of execution

That’s one bit of good news as they are by far the best of the suburban units.

 

[spark001uk]

That’s one bit of good news as they are by far the best of the suburban units.

One of swr's mantras was always that they would strive to provide all toileted trains even in the suburban areas, of which the 458s are currently the only ones (plus 450s drafted in to cover). They are (458) somewhat unreliable toilets, but at least they're there.

 

[Goldfish62]

Which is an absolute joke. Swr has published timetables, which seem in places to be at odds with their own journey planner. You couldn't make it up.

What are the discrepancies?

 

[St. Paddy]

Shouldn’t the SWR timetable alterations be on a different thread?

 

[TEW]

What are the discrepancies?

A number of routes were being advertised as half hourly services, but are in fact only running hourly. Alton, Basingstoke stoppers, Hounslow Loop, Shepperton, Weybridge via Hounslow.

 

[spark001uk]

What are the discrepancies?

Eg: 2s80 shown as running on timetable downloaded from swr website, but using their very own journey planner it's not. RTT shows it as canned also.

 

[Goldfish62]

A number of routes were being advertised as half hourly services, but are in fact only running hourly. Alton, Basingstoke stoppers, Hounslow Loop, Shepperton, Weybridge via Hounslow.

Oops.

 

[trainmania100]

Seems to be another unit heading south today, does anyone know which ?
Also does anyone know when 701003 was delivered? Some gent advised me it was in a recent magazine but I can't find any record of a move on gen groups...

Today: https://live.rail-record.co.uk/train/?c=H01690&d=13/01/2021
Tops list reporting 66704/724.