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

[WarrenTManager]

Some alien technology after removal at Wimbledon

 

[Townsend Hook]

I believe on Flickr there was 701502 paired with 720544 at Asfordby business park back in 2021 which I didn't know both could couple up. Then again I'm thinking about the manual couplers of the 345 when saying that.

I would have thought SWR eould keep at least 3 of those units either the Dual voltage capability incase of special needs, agreed not to sure what lines they'd ever use them on outside of a very very unlike Paddington diversion from Reading if it were possible.

701501

In the unlikely event that SWR ever needed dual voltage units, they’d probably need more than three. I can’t see why they’d ever need to divert to Paddington from Reading - it would be far easier just to arrange ticket acceptance with GWR and Crossrail.

 

[pompeyfan]

Aren’t the 3rd rail platforms at Reading separated from the overhead platforms anyway? In which case you’d either need to be self propelled via the link or go via Olympia?

 

[NSEWonderer]

That is true

 

[Big Jumby 74]

Am I mistaken? IIRC I saw a 707 in Wimbledon, before they enetered service, still with a panto fitted.

Humble pie has been consumed....!

 

[nlogax]

Some alien technology after removal at Wimbledon

Nice! Maybe these will be shipped off to somewhere else that could use 'em? I'm sure GTR or TfL wouldn't say no at the moment..

 

[DelW]

Aren’t the 3rd rail platforms at Reading separated from the overhead platforms anyway? In which case you’d either need to be self propelled via the link or go via Olympia?

There are two link lines between Southern and Western lines at Reading, at surface level on the down side of the main line, and the diveunder connecting to the relief lines.

According to Quail, you're quite right, neither link is electrified on either system.

 

[Goldfish62]

There are two link lines between Southern and Western lines at Reading, at surface level on the down side of the main line, and the diveunder connecting to the relief lines.

According to Quail, you're quite right, neither link is electrified on either system.

That's correct. Neither is electrified.

 

[03_179]

Hi all,
Passed Eastleigh earlier.
i managed to see 3 cl.701s there can anyone ID them please ?

 

[The_Train]

701502 last several times I’ve seen it, is dumped at the rear of Derby Litchurch Lane.

When did you last see it there?

 

[800001]

When did you last see it there?

Can’t remember the date, but 701502 currently resides at Worksop. It moved from Derby to Worksop on 15/08/23.

 

[Snow1964]

So what happens now, are staff being trained, are units being made ready for service, or have we got weeks/months of this token usage of 701s

All rather feels since the preview, any roll out has gone into hibernation for now.

Doe anyone have any idea when another working might convert

 

[D365]

So what happens now, are staff being trained, are units being made ready for service, or have we got weeks/months of this token usage of 701s

All of the above.

 

[Goldfish62]

So what happens now, are staff being trained, are units being made ready for service, or have we got weeks/months of this token usage of 701s

All rather feels since the preview, any roll out has gone into hibernation for now.

Doe anyone have any idea when another working might convert

Bearing in mind the proviso that SWR seem singularly inept at introducing rolling stock I assume the next step will be filtering in 701s on weekday diagrams on the Windsor services.

However, that can't occur until sufficient staff are trained to enable all-day and all-week coverage. That'll obviously take a few weeks / months.

 

[moley]

When the 450s were introduced, the CWNs were rewritten / diagrams tweaked almost monthly to fit new units into service alongside knowledge of when training was finished. I believe there is not the staffing at HQ to be doing that for this introduction so training has to get a lot further before introduction can happen without the risk of a new train/untrained staff mismatch.

 

[Goldfish62]

When the 450s were introduced, the CWNs were rewritten / diagrams tweaked almost monthly to fit new units into service alongside knowledge of when training was finished. I believe there is not the staffing at HQ to be doing that for this introduction so training has to get a lot further before introduction can happen without the risk of a new train/untrained staff mismatch.

So SWR have had over six years to prepare for the introduction yet the HQ staffing requirement to make it happen has taken them by surprise?

 

[Mordac]

So SWR have had over six years to prepare for the introduction yet the HQ staffing requirement to make it happen has taken them by surprise?

Most of that was wasted in a willie waving contest with ASLEF.

 

[Goldfish62]

Most of that was wasted in a willie waving contest with ASLEF.

 

[norbitonflyer]

Apart from three 701s, has anything else (of any class) entered service in 2024 yet? (If there's already a thread for this I can't find it)

701037 January 9th, 11th, 18th
701039 January 10th, 12th, 17th, 23rd, 26th, 31st, (1st)
701043 January 16th, 19th, 22nd, 24th, 25th, 29th

(assuming RTT is correct)

EDIT - updated - RTT data missing for 25th, 26th, 29th, so relying on eyewitness. Did not run on strike day (30th). 701039 allocated for Feb 1st, but cancelled because of service disruption.

 

[03_179]

The Allox are on my blog

Part Time Spotter Team

Allocations, Articles & Reports

partimespotter.wordpress.com

 

[Peter Sarf]

Most of that was wasted in a willie waving contest with ASLEF.

 

[Waterlemon]

When the 450s were introduced, the CWNs were rewritten / diagrams tweaked almost monthly to fit new units into service alongside knowledge of when training was finished. I believe there is not the staffing at HQ to be doing that for this introduction so training has to get a lot further before introduction can happen without the risk of a new train/untrained staff mismatch.

Incredibly brave outing yourself as not having a single clue what's going on with 701 introduction

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

Incredibly brave outing yourself as not having a single clue what's going on with 701 introduction

I respect it. Before New Year there was all sorts of “this will happen” “actually this will happen” and “no this will happen” from staff.

 

[D365]

I respect it. Before New Year there was all sorts of “this will happen” “actually this will happen” and “no this will happen” from staff.

As a second party observer, it strikes me that not even the staff who need to know were fully in the know…

 

[stadler]

I just realised that a 701 ran on Monday this week. The first two weeks it was Tuesday to Friday only. Is it now Monday to Friday permanently? Or was the 701 on Monday it a one off for this week only?

 

[swr444]

I just realised that a 701 ran on Monday this week. The first two weeks it was Tuesday to Friday only. Is it now Monday to Friday permanently? Or was the 701 on Monday it a one off for this week only?

If you read back it wasn’t ran last Monday due to engineering works from staines to Windsor.

 

[pompeyfan]

I respect it. Before New Year there was all sorts of “this will happen” “actually this will happen” and “no this will happen” from staff.

Staff could just stop posting on the site in general if that’s what you’d prefer?

As I’ve said before, people contribute information on RailUK Forums with best intentions, but unfortunately the railway runs on tea and rumours. This means someone may post on here fully believing something that turns out to not be true.

You also get information lag and “Chinese whispers” (I’m not sure if there’s a more politically correct term for that phrase) so factual information is disseminated to a handful of people at Waterloo, and by the time that information makes it to (for example) a driver or guard at Weymouth the information is either out of date or distorted.

The forum has a policy on quoting your sources which is fair enough, however I believe it’s also fair enough that members are not expected name drop where that information has come from. Members who are staff in my opinion should however use their initiative to work out how timely the information is. For example Monty stating their head LDC rep at their guards depot had told them something is probably reasonably accurate, however depot messroom chat (and it happens in a lot of industries) is usually more fiction than fact.

 

[CarrotPie]

“Chinese whispers” (I’m not sure if there’s a more politically correct term for that phrase)

"Broken telephone", I believe.

 

[norbitonflyer]

Runningb today - RTT shows it has already left Wimbledon park depot at 0937, 16 minutes early, but RTT is being secretive about the unit. And curiously it says First & Second Class....... Could they be sneaking a 458/4 in?

 

[73128]

701043 (the named set) out yesterday (when I took a ride to Staines and back) and also today.