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

[norbitonflyer]

I think it's six units now? Although only four produce regularly?

See post 10651

701028 had three outings in February but has not been seen since.
701031 had a single outing last month.

701036/37/39/43 are out nearly every weekday, including today.

 

[Goldfish62]

With the stakeholder launch event next week there'll be a high expectation that roll-out is going to ramp up significantly. If it's as glacial as suggested here then there's going to be a bit of comeback.

 

[SWT_USER]

With the stakeholder launch event next week there'll be a high expectation that roll-out is going to ramp up significantly. If it's as glacial as suggested here then there's going to be a bit of comeback.

I hope for better too... but I wonder how much First/ SWR actually care?

Their entire tenure has had the feel of managed decline and they know they are on their way out. Is there much incentive to get things moving - presumably they are collecting their management fee anyway, and any targets regarding 701 introduction must have been long since missed.

 

[norbitonflyer]

450073 and 701043 both shown as running 2H59 Waterloo to Shepperton!

 

[Goldfish62]

I hope for better too... but I wonder how much First/ SWR actually care?

Their entire tenure has had the feel of managed decline and they know they are on their way out. Is there much incentive to get things moving - presumably they are collecting their management fee anyway, and any targets regarding 701 introduction must have been long since missed.

They've got just 6 months left on their contract. I'd have thought the senior SWR management would want to show that they're worth retaining by the DfT and head up the OLR-run SWR, but who knows?

 

[norbitonflyer]

450073 and 701043 both shown as running 2H59 Waterloo to Shepperton!

Now showing as just 450073

 

[swr444]

Now showing as just 450073

it's 450073 and 450040, Units work 2R51 then move over to 2Hxx. RTT isn't correct

 

[Stephen42]

Thanks. Why a two month break between further new diagrams? Seems a bit extreme…..

As well as Christmas getting in the way if adding two further diagrams that will usually need twice as much training. It looks difficult on paper to increase one diagram at a time after the next two on the current routes. All of the below is from looking at the schedules and programmatically combining them based on associations/platform allocations so is educated guess work.

For an additional Windsor there's a diagram starting and ending at Feltham Depot, the other two Windsors then swap between Staines CHS and Windsor itself which even if could switch to Feltham Depot instead of Staines CHS would be awkward.

At the timetable change the Shepperton currently run by 458/5s changes to start and finish at Strawberry Hill CSD. If it does that could be 701 operated and drop the number of 458/5 diagrams which presumably will be required soon anyway after the final 458/5 goes for conversion leaving just the extras.

After that there would be a pair of Sheppertons which with some tweaking switch between Strawberry Hill CSD and Wimbledon Park which could go over as pair. The diagram is different on Fridays and at that point it will get increasingly difficult to avoid running 701s at weekends.

With the stakeholder launch event next week there'll be a high expectation that roll-out is going to ramp up significantly. If it's as glacial as suggested here then there's going to be a bit of comeback.

Surely the point of stakeholder engagement is to get ahead of the narrative and set expectations you can meet. Not all stakeholders will be aware of current progress and providing certainty is often appreciated even if the timelines are longer than ideal.

 

[DelW]

Steve Montgomery of First Rail said a couple of months ago that his aim was to get all the 701s into service before SWR hand back the keys in May. That's clearly not going to happen, or even come close.

That must be pretty much a 100% record for SWR, of failure to meet deadlines or to deliver on their promises.

They've got just 6 months left on their contract. I'd have thought the senior SWR management would want to show that they're worth retaining by the DfT and head up the OLR-run SWR, but who knows?

I cannot imagine why anyone would think SWR's "management" was worth retaining. They took a fairly well run and successful TOC over from SWT and made a complete shambles of it. No doubt the empty suits at the top will try to blame covid, but they were heading down the pan well before then.

 

[Goldfish62]

That must be pretty much a 100% record for SWR, of failure to meet deadlines or to deliver on their promises.

I cannot imagine why anyone would think SWR's "management" was worth retaining. They took a fairly well run and successful TOC over from SWT and made a complete shambles of it. No doubt the empty suits at the top will try to blame covid, but they were heading down the pan well before then.

I completely agree.

 

[43096]

That must be pretty much a 100% record for SWR, of failure to meet deadlines or to deliver on their promises.

I cannot imagine why anyone would think SWR's "management" was worth retaining. They took a fairly well run and successful TOC over from SWT and made a complete shambles of it. No doubt the empty suits at the top will try to blame covid, but they were heading down the pan well before then.

Fully agree. As a (former) daily user, they have been appalling.

 

[swtrains]

Today's testing (701025):

5T90 - Clapham Yard - Guildford U.C.H.S - Goes to Waterloo, then heads to Guildford via Cobham, reverses into Pl 5 at Guildford and into the sidings.
5T91 - Guildford U.C.H.S - Clapham Yard - Leaves the siding and reverses into Pl 6, 8 then 2 at Guildford before heading back via Cobham.
This testing will finish at around 1AM.

https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:Q00398/2024-11-18/detailed#allox_id=0

https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:Q00396/2024-11-18/detailed#allox_id=0

Today's Shepperton 2H93 and 2H60 have been cancelled.

 

[Bigfoot]

If it's 10 starting training course each week, then it will take a year to get 500 trained, I wonder how many still need training

700+ to train up. There definitely isn't 200 trained...

 

[Nicholas Lewis]

I cannot imagine why anyone would think SWR's "management" was worth retaining. They took a fairly well run and successful TOC over from SWT and made a complete shambles of it. No doubt the empty suits at the top will try to blame covid, but they were heading down the pan well before then.

This is on the DfT who never forgave Stagecoach over the Virgin trains fiasco first time round so wanted rid of them.

 

[OneTrackMinded]

Steve Montgomery of First Rail said a couple of months ago that his aim was to get all the 701s into service before SWR hand back the keys in May. That's clearly not going to happen, or even come close.

First Group outright lying to its investors. The rollout was always set to take 2 years.

 

[swtrains]

Today's testing (701025):

5T90 - Clapham Yard - Waterloo - Goes to Guildford via Epsom, then heads back to Waterloo via Epsom.
5T91 - Waterloo - Clapham Yard - Goes to Epsom, then goes to Epsom Sidings and reverses between Epsom 3 times, then heads back to Clapham.
Testing finishes at 1AM.

https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:Q00397/2024-11-19/detailed#allox_id=0

https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:Q00395/2024-11-19/detailed

Final Shepperton service appears to be cancelled (2H77).

 

[OneTrackMinded]

With the stakeholder launch event next week there'll be a high expectation that roll-out is going to ramp up significantly. If it's as glacial as suggested here then there's going to be a bit of comeback.

Hightly doubt it. According to many on this thread it’s going to remain slow and steady for a while to come. The event is to make it look like they’re doing something, they’ve done a few for the 701s in the past and I doubt this will be any different

 

[swr444]

Today's testing (701025):

5T90 - Clapham Yard - Waterloo - Goes to Guildford via Epsom, then heads back to Waterloo via Epsom.
5T91 - Waterloo - Clapham Yard - Goes to Epsom, then goes to Epsom Sidings and reverses between Epsom 3 times, then heads back to Clapham.
Testing finishes at 1AM.




Final Shepperton service appears to be cancelled (2H77).

the Shepperton seems to be a lack of a strawberry hill driver most days.

 

[NSEWonderer]

Saw 701042 at Platform 23 Waterloo not long ago. Seemed to be doing testing. Not long after, 701028 pulled in. 042 I assume is yet to do a passenger run?

 

[Nogoohwell]

A lot of testing on the Epsom branch, specifically entering and exiting the sidings.
Doe this suggest an imminent re-instatement of the peak Epsom - Waterloo service?

 

[Goldfish62]

Hightly doubt it. According to many on this thread it’s going to remain slow and steady for a while to come. The event is to make it look like they’re doing something, they’ve done a few for the 701s in the past and I doubt this will be any different

Assuming then it keeps at the current pace the introduction will take several years. Perhaps not inconceivable given that it took 3 years from passenger service entry to fully introduce the 30 458/0s.

A far cry from the rapid introduction of the 450s and 444s.

 

[PG]

A lot of testing on the Epsom branch, specifically entering and exiting the sidings.
Doe this suggest an imminent re-instatement of the peak Epsom - Waterloo service?

The cynical viewpoint - to have somewhere to park a failed unit

 

[Bumpkin]

A lot of testing on the Epsom branch, specifically entering and exiting the sidings.
Doe this suggest an imminent re-instatement of the peak Epsom - Waterloo service?

I would imagine its because the last 707 circuit used the Up siding to reverse before starting 2D90. It must be high up on the list for moving to 701s

 

[wickham]

Visible at Eastleigh Airport Sidings at 1200 today (19.11.24): 701008, 030, 047 and 049. 701045 was parked at the side of the diesel depot, while 701007 turned up on the Waterloo-Poole "mileage run" an hour later.

 

[DMckduck]

A lot of testing on the Epsom branch, specifically entering and exiting the sidings.
Doe this suggest an imminent re-instatement of the peak Epsom - Waterloo service?

Woking crew as recent as this year added Dorking to their route card so there must be some correlation.

 

[TEW]

A lot of testing on the Epsom branch, specifically entering and exiting the sidings.
Doe this suggest an imminent re-instatement of the peak Epsom - Waterloo service?

Definitely not imminently. PTI testing is required on all 701 routes prior to the trains being introduced, it's just currently being done on the Epsom line. The sidings are likely just a convenient place to reverse and get out of the way of other trains.

 

[norbitonflyer]

Diagram starting 2U07 cancelled this morning due to "problem with brakes". Looks to be 701043, as the other three regulars are all out and about (and 043 was the unit that ended at Feltham last night so would normally be the one expected to take that diagram up)

 

[03_179]

Sorry for the some what daft Question.

Do 701s venture out on the Shepperton branch on a Saturday at all ?

 

[SWT_USER]

Sorry for the some what daft Question.

Do 701s venture out on the Shepperton branch on a Saturday at all ?

No weekend services at all with 701's currently, with the exception of a few rugby specials.

 

[03_179]

No weekend services at all with 701's currently, with the exception of a few rugby specials.

Fair Enough.

Thanks