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Class 701 'Aventra' trains for South Western Railway

Goldfish62

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I forgot to mention, but SWR still uses 450s on the Windsors, so perhaps these will cover the remaining 701s for a while.

Was it 4tph to Reading all day previously?
From start of service to around 10.00, then from 15.00 through to about 20.00. The plan was for 4tph all day, but that's obviously dead now.
 
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galwhv69

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Just seen a 701 on the first road inside the shed at Wimbledon Park Depot (Apologies for bad photo, was taken from a car on the bridge at Plough Lane)
 

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Meglos

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Just seen a 701 on the first road inside the shed at Wimbledon Park Depot (Apologies for bad photo, was taken from a car on the bridge at Plough Lane)

At 15:30
701011 was in the shed as per your picture, and 701006 on the track from Wimbledon into the depot stopped just short of the carriage washers. Just underneath the bridge you were on.

By 16:00
701006 has disappeared, presumably into the depot.
 

galwhv69

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At 15:30
701011 was in the shed as per your picture, and 701006 on the track from Wimbledon into the depot stopped just short of the carriage washers. Just underneath the bridge you were on.

By 16:00
701006 has disappeared, presumably into the depot.
Thanks for confirming :)
 

spark001uk

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Looks like a unit left Wimbledon pk depot this morning (5Q61), not sure which one, currently on its way to Eastleigh TRSMD.
 
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WWTownEnth

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I assume the news that the 458’s are now to be used elsewhere on SWR metals means someone will finally get their finger out and get the 701’s into service before the end of 2021.
Is there a forum chat thread on the redeployment of the 458s? Can’t find it if so......
 

trainmania100

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Are there still intentions of running these to Horsham for mileage accumulation or something ? I recall talk of them reaching Horsham for some reason
 

spark001uk

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Are there still intentions of running these to Horsham for mileage accumulation or something ? I recall talk of them reaching Horsham for some reason
I remember that, something about driver training, and there was some talk of 701001 being reserved for the job (don't know why).?

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Looks like there was a /5 movement (Thurs 8th), from LL to Worksop yard. 47739+56081 with 701506.
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12/04:
701005 off up to Widnes works, needs attention and Derby too busy apparently.
 
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Spirit555

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701005 having a nice jolly today. It's on it's way to Alstom Widnes on 5Q80 Eastleightvto Widnes, with 2 x barriers and 3 x wagons. Top and Tailed by 66748 and 66788.

Mark
 

Warrior2852

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Interestingly the Wikipedia page is saying a May 2021 introduction date, but with absolutely no sources to prove this so I'm taking that with the smallest grain of salt imaginable. Was this one of the numerous introduction dates earlier on before all the delays?

Based on what we do know of progress, what does seems like a plausible timeframe for first unit in service?
 
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spark001uk

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Interestingly the Wikipedia page is saying a May 2021 introduction date, but with absolutely no sources to prove this so I'm taking that with the smallest grain of salt imaginable. Was this an introduction date earlier on before delays?

Based on what we do know of progress, what does seems like a plausible timeframe for first unit in service?
A number of delays (and for different reasons) have occurred, they were originally meant to start entering service in summer 2019, with all units in service by Dec 2020.
As far as I'm aware they've still not handed a unit over to swr yet, let alone begun any crew training. If I had to guess - and this is a rough guess I might add, I'd say they could possibly push one or two to take pax in September-ish, but even as I write that it sounds optimistic. Almost certainly that will be on the Reading line first anyway.
 

TEW

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Still no crew training taking place so introduction is still some way off.
 

Goldfish62

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A number of delays (and for different reasons) have occurred, they were originally meant to start entering service in summer 2019, with all units in service by Dec 2020.
As far as I'm aware they've still not handed a unit over to swr yet, let alone begun any crew training. If I had to guess - and this is a rough guess I might add, I'd say they could possibly push one or two to take pax in September-ish, but even as I write that it sounds optimistic. Almost certainly that will be on the Reading line first anyway.
It's starting to look like it will be the most long and drawn-out of all the Aventra introductions for whatever reasons. And there was me thinking that experience with the 345, 710 and 720 may have sped things up.
 

Peter Sarf

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It's starting to look like it will be the most long and drawn-out of all the Aventra introductions for whatever reasons. And there was me thinking that experience with the 345, 710 and 720 may have sped things up.
I fear that experience (delays) with the earlier Aventras has slowed subsequent Aventra introductions down. Not being able to get on with subsequent builds because of a log jam with earlier builds. There is only so much space in the UK to safely store unproductive trains.

A number of delays (and for different reasons) have occurred, they were originally meant to start entering service in summer 2019, with all units in service by Dec 2020.
As far as I'm aware they've still not handed a unit over to swr yet, let alone begun any crew training. If I had to guess - and this is a rough guess I might add, I'd say they could possibly push one or two to take pax in September-ish, but even as I write that it sounds optimistic. Almost certainly that will be on the Reading line first anyway.
So that is two years late maybe. However I do wonder if Summer 2019 to December 2020 for all of them was ambitious anyway ?.
 

Goldfish62

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Interestingly the Wikipedia page is saying a May 2021 introduction date, but with absolutely no sources to prove this so I'm taking that with the smallest grain of salt imaginable. Was this one of the numerous introduction dates earlier on before all the delays?

Based on what we do know of progress, what does seems like a plausible timeframe for first unit in service?
Last official update from SWR was "early Summer. I'd take that to mean no later than early July.

But obviously that's very unlikely to happen.

I fear that experience (delays) with the earlier Aventras has slowed subsequent Aventra introductions down. Not being able to get on with subsequent builds because of a log jam with earlier builds. There is only so much space in the UK to safely store unproductive trains.
I'm talking more about the time from start of testing of the first unit to entry into service than the speed of the production line. Even based on current deliveries SWR would have enough units to convert most Windsor lines services by now if the introduction process had been going smoothly.
 

spark001uk

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Interesting a 5car has left LL works (701506) and moved to Worksop. I'm guessing it was one that was already built, don't think they've switched production to the /5 yet?
 
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Goldfish62

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Interesting a 5car has left LL works (701506) and moved to Worksop. I'm guessing it was one that was already built, don't think they've switched production to the /5 yet?
There were a couple already at Worksop and at least one was built a couple of years ago because Geoff Marshall rode on it on the Derby test track.
 

galwhv69

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This is in the system for tomorrow, notably as a 5Q in place of the usual 6X working. 701002 returning maybe?
Possible 47739 allocated.
Could this be related? (6X24 has the exact same times as 5Q10 on RTT on the same route (except at Derby itself))
 

spark001uk

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701508 has been moved from Derby LL to Worksop this morning (5Q24), between 66739 and 66744.
 

Snow1964

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701508 has been moved from Derby LL to Worksop this morning (5Q24), between 66739 and 66744.

Does that mean at least 8 of the 5car versions are now built (assuming they are built in numerical order)

What is the significance of Worksop, or is it simply that it has more unelectrified siding space than say Feltham depot, or something nearer like the military sidings near Andover
 

Goldfish62

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Does that mean at least 8 of the 5car versions are now built (assuming they are built in numerical order)

What is the significance of Worksop, or is it simply that it has more unelectrified siding space than say Feltham depot, or something nearer like the military sidings near Andover
I'm not sure if Feltham is available yet. Going past it for the first time for several months last week I was surprised at how unfinished it still looked.

Obviously security is the key with the storage.
 

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