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

[OneTrackMinded]

Thanks for the info. Any idea on how many drivers can be trained in parallel?

I also wonder with the reduced length (6 days), will there be an increase in diagrams that can be introduced each month?

 

[Siemens Staines]

Fair assumptions and just likely next weeks cancellations have not been "decided" yet.

The same timetable alterations are now in for next week.

 

[Goldfish62]

I also wonder with the reduced length (6 days), will there be an increase in diagrams that can be introduced each month?

I would certainly hope so. The previously planned rollout unveiled late last year was ridiculously slow.

 

[Ian Hardy]

SWR have completely abandoned any pretrence of running a service from Kingston this weekend, as we only discovered after waiting half an hour early yesterday morning for a 0734 train promised by the PIS (the 0719 having been cancelled) - it was only when I checked on Open Train Times maps to see why, according to the PIS, its ETA was getting delayed by one minute per minute (suggesting it wasn't moving and was sitting at Fulwell) that it became apparent that it was now at Twickenham, having turned left instead of right. Of course, no-one from SWR Towers had bothered to tell the waiting passengers - or indeed the staff who were still merrily directing passengers to Platform 3 when we left the station to make a dash for a bus to Surbiton.

[update - it appears the problem was a broken rail at New Malden, preventing trains from the Kingston branch from joining the main line: fair enough: but it should have been obvious that nothing would be leaving Platfom 3 at Kingston for several hours - at the time of writing it now looks like it will be 48 - so why was the PIS allowed to continue promising a train within the next few minutes, instead of advising people to start making alternative arrangements?

It is also questionable as to why trains were not allowed to run clockwise round the loop, as they would not have been affected by the broken rail: it would at least mean that those who had got to London were not faced with similar problems getting back again - that is one advantage of a circular service over a shuttle: a problem in one direction need not prevent a service running in the other.

The other issue was that the line between Twickenham and Barnes via Richmond was also closed for planned engineering work this weekend. Therefore the Shepperton services that were operating were going via the normal route from Shepperton to Fulwell, then direct to Strawberry Hill and onto Twickenham, then reverse in Twickenham and then via the Hounslow Spur and the Hounslow Loop to Barnes and Clapham Junction to eventually get to Waterloo.

As the service was so mucked up, they would have taken the 701s off ASAP so that any 701 crewing issues didn't make the service even worse than it already was.

 

[swtrains]

Today's testing (701028):

5T91 - Clapham Yard - Reading - goes to Reading, reverses, goes to Ascot, then heads back to Reading.
5T92 - Reading - Clapham Yard - normal.

https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:Q38890/2025-04-14/detailed

https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:Q38888/2025-04-14/detailed

 

[Cowley]

Just a reminder (and certainly not the first ) that this thread is for discussing progress updates on SWR’s class 701s.

So anything speculative and/or political in nature belongs elsewhere please.

Thanks

 

[markle]

2H67 (21:42 Waterloo- Shepperton), which is usually operated by a 701, is just cancelled today.

Not even showing on the departure boards at Waterloo as a cancelled service - just missing.

RRT says Planned cancellation (was not planned to operate) (PD).

Seems to be the same all week. Leaving an hour's gap in the service seems exceptionally poor, even worse to hide it from departure screens and journeycheck.

Edit: Same applies to 2H93 (17:43), 2H59 (19:42), 2H77 (23:57) and the respective trips back from Shepperton.

2H77 is the last train of the day. No replacement bus offered. No mention on Journeycheck or engineering work posters.

 

[swtrains]

2H67 (21:42 Waterloo- Shepperton), which is usually operated by a 701, is just cancelled today.

Not even showing on the departure boards at Waterloo as a cancelled service - just missing.

RRT says Planned cancellation (was not planned to operate) (PD).

Seems to be the same all week. Leaving an hour's gap in the service seems exceptionally poor, even worse to hide it from departure screens and journeycheck.

Edit: Same applies to 2H93 (17:43), 2H59 (19:42), 2H77 (23:57) and the respective trips back from Shepperton.

2H77 is the last train of the day. No replacement bus offered. No mention on Journeycheck or engineering work posters.

I agree, it's very dishonest. Not sure why, guessing because there's no 701 crew to run it.
However, it does say it on their website.

 

[Goldfish62]

I agree, it's very dishonest. Not sure why, guessing because there's no 701 crew to run it.
However, it does say it on their website.

View attachment 178357

Maybe it's due to training resuming, taking drivers away from driving and that such cuts will be spread across routes varying from week to week.

 

[swtrains]

Today’s testing:

5T91 – Clapham Yard – Guildford – goes via Richmond and Woking to Farnham, reverses, and goes to Guildford, reverses and goes onto platform 3.
5T92 - Guildford – Clapham Yard – Reverses and goes onto platform 5, goes to Aldershot, reverses and heads back the same way.

https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:Q38870/2025-04-15/detailed

https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:Q38869/2025-04-15/detailed

 

[OneTrackMinded]

Maybe it's due to training resuming, taking drivers away from driving and that such cuts will be spread across routes varying from week to week.

Driver training hasn’t restarted yet - stated to be after Easter so I assume next Monday but not sure entirely, would be appreciated if someone could clarify that

 

[LambicHedgehog]

Just saw three 701/5s powered up and parked in prominent spots on the SWML side of Wimbledon depot. Is this any indicator of progress either with testing or training? First time I've seen a 701/5 powered up for a while.

(Units were 701503 on its own and 701509/701512 coupled up)

 

[norbitonflyer]

Driver training hasn’t restarted yet - stated to be after Easter so I assume next Monday but not sure entirely, would be appreciated if someone could clarify that

Probably Tuesday at the earliest - Monday is a bank Holiday

 

[swtrains]

Today’s testing:

5T91 – Clapham Yard – Guildford – goes via Richmond and Woking down to Farnham, reverses, goes back to Woking, reverses and goes to Guildford.
5T92 – Guildford – Clapham Yard – goes back via mainline.

https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:Q38891/2025-04-16/detailed

https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:Q38889/2025-04-16/detailed

 

[swr444]

“All Traincrew shifts booking on after 00:01 on 27th April 2025, the Method of Work for Class 701s will be Driver Open Guard Close (DOGC).”

So it’s finally been agreed

 

[OneTrackMinded]

“All Traincrew shifts booking on after 00:01 on 27th April 2025, the Method of Work for Class 701s will be Driver Open Guard Close (DOGC).”

So it’s finally been agreed

This would suggest driver training will start on the Monday proceeding, so the 28th

 

[swr444]

This would suggest driver training will start on the Monday proceeding, so the 28th

Could start before, maybe in time for the first drivers to pass out on the 27th

 

[43066]

Good to see. Hopefully there will now be a fairly rapid ramp up training and entry into service of the rest of the fleet.

 

[The_Train]

Hopefully there will now be a fairly rapid ramp up training and entry into service of the rest of the fleet.

Volume 471

 

[OneTrackMinded]

Good to see. Hopefully there will now be a fairly rapid ramp up training and entry into service of the rest of the fleet.

We've heard that a million times before.. mind you I am a bit more hopeful this time as most of the obstacles seem to be overcome

 

[Juniper Driver]

Thanks for the info. Any idea on how many drivers can be trained in parallel?

Looks like after the failed attempt at attending an RCTS branch a few months ago, Drury is now planning to go to the Basingstoke & District Railway Society in May
Captioned "Talk: The Class 701 'Arterio' Units, presented by Neil Drury @ The Wote Street Club, New Road, Basingstoke" Wednesday 14th (May), 7:45pm
View attachment 178216
Whether or not he'll show up to this one is anyone's guess

I don't know, but on some other courses it has been 4…Basically.
(159/450/444/707) and 158 afterwards conversion I think.
Don't remember the others 455/456/458/442/482/487/ Slam doors.

 

[swtrains]

Only a single 701 running today (034).

 

[OneTrackMinded]

Only a single 701 running today (034).

Hopefully this will be one of the last times we see this with training restarting very soon

 

[norbitonflyer]

Only a single 701 running today (034).

Shepperton/rounder services only running to Hampton Wick, with special timetable (and therefore rostering). (Unless there is a reason why 701s can't use the crossover on Kingston Bridge)

 

[Lockwood]

Perhaps they are only cleared to use that crossover when there are two or fewer vowels in the name of day?

 

[Big Jumby 74]

Shepperton/rounder services only running to Hampton Wick, with special timetable (and therefore rostering). (Unless there is a reason why 701s can't use the crossover on Kingston Bridge)

Possibly due to rules in Hampton Wick/Kingston area, in that when terminations were necessary, the limit of shunt rules restricted all such shunts to a maximum of 4 (as was) or 5 (as now) cars, as such shunts had to be made via Kingston bay platform.

 

[norbitonflyer]

Possibly due to rules in Hampton Wick/Kingston area, in that when terminations were necessary, the limit of shunt rules restricted all such shunts to a maximum of 4 (as was) or 5 (as now) cars, as such shunts had to be made via Kingston bay platform.

The bay will take eight, but it faces the wrong way for today's operation. Trains are reversing in platform 1 at Hampton Wick. They are 8-car.

 

[Big Jumby 74]

The bay will take eight, but it faces the wrong way for today's operation. Trains are reversing in platform 1 at Hampton Wick. They are 8-car.

Fair point, but I know what the bay will take, and that is unlikely to change anytime soon for obvious reasons to those who know Kingston. But terminations from Norbiton direction (at Hampton Wick) in the format you mention was not something that was done in my time (AFAIR)? Terminations were as a rule done at Kingston, with the associated shunt that restricted us to 8 cars due to LOS, as mentioned. A good reason for old fxxts such as myself to not get involved in such discussions about todays circumstances perhaps - things may well have changed? - albeit I may be seeing one of of those directly involved for drinks in the not too distant, so if I remember to ask, I will do!

 

[Bigfoot]

Fair point, but I know what the bay will take, and that is unlikely to change anytime soon for obvious reasons to those who know Kingston. But terminations from Norbiton direction (at Hampton Wick) in the format you mention was not something that was done in my time (AFAIR)? Terminations were as a rule done at Kingston, with the associated shunt that restricted us to 8 cars due to LOS, as mentioned. A good reason for old fxxts such as myself to not get involved in such discussions about todays circumstances perhaps - things may well have changed? - albeit I may be seeing one of of those directly involved for drinks in the not too distant, so if I remember to ask, I will do!

Things changed when it was resignalled from Feltham to Basingstoke. The 'shunt' now goes as far as Hampton Wick which is a fully signalled main aspect controlled move

 

[Big Jumby 74]

Things changed when it was resignalled from Feltham to Basingstoke.

Thank you. I shall bow out gracefully...!