norbitonflyer
Established Member
Today sees a fourth unit - 701036 - acheive 100 days in service.
-
Our new ticketing site is now live! Using either this or the original site (both 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: progress updates
- 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
Was the last big roll out the 800 programme? I know it was across multiple TOCs, but I don't recall it taking as long as the 701 roll-out.
3973EXL
Established Member
- Joined
- 2 Feb 2017
- Messages
- 2,726
39 late start47727
701033
Realtime Trains | 5Q87 0920 Eastleigh Trsmd to Long Marston | 22/01/2025
Real-time train running information for 5Q87 0920 departure from Eastleigh Trsmd to Long Marston on 22/01/2025. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.www.realtimetrains.co.uk
701058
Realtime Trains | 5Q87 1234 Long Marston Gbrf to Wimbledon Park Depot Sdgs | 23/01/2025
Real-time train running information for 5Q87 1234 departure from Long Marston Gbrf to Wimbledon Park Depot Sdgs on 23/01/2025. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.
www.realtimetrains.co.uk
Last edited:
That's because Hitachi wasn't tasked with designing and delivering one variant that was completely different to all the other variants produced at the same time, plus Hitachi have to have so many units available every day for work, a very different case for Bombardier/Alstom 701s. Hitachi built a train to be reliable because it mattered to their future income. There are issues with every new stock but the 701s have been flawed on many aspects since their design.
Snow1964
Established Member
Both the 701 and Hitachi 810s have run into problems because they tried to bodge too many changes into the standard design.
Not modular changes like fitting a different size fuel tank, or leaving out a row of seats. Completely different things that needed redesign to fit in because weren't expected to change. But of course if original design was optimised to fit everything in, then a redesign is going to be poorer, or a bodged compromise.
OneTrackMinded
Member
Isn’t the only difference on the 701 the cab design? I’m under the impression that the electronics, structure, and software are all the same (apparently the 701 was first delivered with the system believing it had 3 doors on each carriage like a 345…)
No middle cabs on a 10-car which is actually 2 5 cars semi-permanently coupled. That seemed to cause a lot of issues.
OneTrackMinded
Member
Oh that’s interesting. I guess that’s to do with depot space.. possibly they would have had to order more 5 cars otherwise
norbitonflyer
Established Member
No - the revised cab design was to make 2x5 car take up the same length as 1x10car, primarily so door positions were the same relative to platforms rather than because overall length would be an issue. Gtr Anglia resolved the isue more pragmatically by changing the order of class 720s to be all 5-car
OneTrackMinded
Member
I think you misunderstood - the poster I was replying to is referring to the middle of a fixed 10 car rather than the cabs
Goldfish62
Veteran Member
- Joined
- 14 Feb 2010
- Messages
- 11,661
Not particularly unusual though. It's widespread on Underground stock and I think the Class 700s are the same.
It was exactly for depot space. The wheel lathe at Wimbledon can't take anything longer than a 5-car.
OneTrackMinded
Member
Though the point is that this was a new addition to the Aventra design, hence issues
Today's testing (did not run again):
5T91 - Clapham Yard - Waterloo - normal.
5T92 - Waterloo - Waterloo - goes via Richmond, and Wimbledon.
5T93 - Waterloo - Chessington South - normal.
5T94 - Chessington South - Waterloo - normal.
5T95 - Waterloo - Clapham Yard - normal.
Tonight's Shepperton (2H77) is going to Surbiton again - this time as a 455, although yesterday it ran normally to Shepperton (as a 701).
5T91 - Clapham Yard - Waterloo - normal.
5T92 - Waterloo - Waterloo - goes via Richmond, and Wimbledon.
5T93 - Waterloo - Chessington South - normal.
5T94 - Chessington South - Waterloo - normal.
5T95 - Waterloo - Clapham Yard - normal.
Tonight's Shepperton (2H77) is going to Surbiton again - this time as a 455, although yesterday it ran normally to Shepperton (as a 701).
It’s 701058.
OneTrackMinded
Member
From Facebook, bringing in 701058
Almost due for a midlife refurb !
OneTrackMinded
Member
Any news about training resuming yet? Looks like they might have to push back on those February diagrams at this rate…
Goldfish62
Veteran Member
- Joined
- 14 Feb 2010
- Messages
- 11,661
A recent post here suggested that training never stopped apart from a few cancellations over Christmas.
OneTrackMinded
Member
And another post very much insisted that the training had stopped after the union disagreement with the new course (#11,738)
Snow1964
Established Member
Although that post didn't really explain what was now disagreed, as the shortened course was described as a subset of the agreed course.
Unless I am mistaken it was described as same course format, but without the modules relating to driver door closing / departure checking (which is not happening imminently) as for now it will be guard close.
There hasn't been any training since before Christmas.
OneTrackMinded
Member
Surely if this goes on any longer there will have to be some sort of intervention because it'll look really bad for Labour if the first nationalised franchise under their plan can't introduce new trains after already 4/5 years of delays
Last edited:
DelW
Established Member
- Joined
- 15 Jan 2015
- Messages
- 4,687
There was a fairly recent post from WarrenTManager on one of the SWR-related threads, basically saying (iirc) that the entire 455 fleet is going to run out of miles or hours or both before the end of next year, unless major overhauls are done (which is very unlikely).
So unless fingers are pulled out soon on the 701s, the SWR metro timetable will pretty much collapse, which wouldn't be a good look for the newly-nationalised operator ....
Nicholas Lewis
Established Member
They will be happy for it to go bad as FSWR wont receive any bonus payments and they can then shout from the roof tops when they sort it of the benefits of nationalisation.
Goldfish62
Veteran Member
- Joined
- 14 Feb 2010
- Messages
- 11,661
Utterly pathetic, basically. Bunch of "adults" who should hang their heads in shame.