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

[OneTrackMinded]

The launch has arrived, promotional video attached

https://twitter.com/SW_Help/status/1862096602154066383

The website has also been updated

Arterio | Our Trains | South Western Railway

We’re introducing Arterio, our brand-new fleet of 90 trains that will transform every journey on our suburban network. We’ve invested a massive £1 billion in this new fleet of trains which will offer more capacity, quicker journey times and better reliability and punctuality for our customers.

www.southwesternrailway.com

Red carpet is out at Waterloo and the unit has been named “Nighthawk”.

The website also features a separate promotional video

 

[3141]

The launch has arrived, promotional video attached

https://twitter.com/SW_Help/status/1862096602154066383

The website has also been updated

Arterio | Our Trains | South Western Railway

We’re introducing Arterio, our brand-new fleet of 90 trains that will transform every journey on our suburban network. We’ve invested a massive £1 billion in this new fleet of trains which will offer more capacity, quicker journey times and better reliability and punctuality for our customers.

www.southwesternrailway.com

Red carpet is out at Waterloo and the unit has been named “Nighthawk”.

The website also features a separate promotional video

Interesting to observe (apparently) wrong line working in the final few seconds of the video.

 

[Socanxdis]

Interesting to observe (apparently) wrong line working in the final few seconds of the video.

they reversed the video .. top right you can see the road traffic moving backwards.

 

[43096]

they reversed the video .. top right you can see the road traffic moving backwards.

Rather apt - SWR going backwards.

 

[Goldfish62]

they reversed the video .. top right you can see the road traffic moving backwards.

Commonly done. Even Geoff Marshall does it.

 

[Mzzzs]

when to the booth in the concourse and spoke to the staff.
handed me this:

 

[OneTrackMinded]

when to the booth in the concourse and spoke to the staff.
handed me this

Extra points for the free chocolate

 

[Goldfish62]

The launch has arrived, promotional video attached

https://twitter.com/SW_Help/status/1862096602154066383

The website has also been updated

Arterio | Our Trains | South Western Railway

We’re introducing Arterio, our brand-new fleet of 90 trains that will transform every journey on our suburban network. We’ve invested a massive £1 billion in this new fleet of trains which will offer more capacity, quicker journey times and better reliability and punctuality for our customers.

www.southwesternrailway.com

Red carpet is out at Waterloo and the unit has been named “Nighthawk”.

The website also features a separate promotional video

I note it says in the website item that they look forward to sharing the rollout programme in due course. Yeah, probably sometime after May.

 

[Mzzzs]

Extra points for the free chocolate

rather nice chocolate too.

 

[800001]

I laughed watching the video where they describe the seats as plush and designed for comfort

Had to stop watching it due to the irritating voice over

 

[nctd2306]

In all fairness, having travelled on a few Arterios now, these seats are definitely much better than they look, yes they aren't Intercity standard but for a commuter train, I found their shape to surprisingly comfortable. Despite their appearance I wouldn't categorise them like the class 700 or 387 seats.

 

[Goldfish62]

In all fairness, having travelled on a few Arterios now, these seats are definitely much better than they look, yes they aren't Intercity standard but for a commuter train, I found their shape to surprisingly comfortable. Despite their appearance I wouldn't categorise them like the class 700 or 387 seats.

Agreed.

 

[Bigfoot]

Very little training was possible in the early stages of COVID because social distancing rules meant you clould not have two people in the cab.

The 701s weren't even capable of passing fault free running during COVID restrictions let alone suitably fit for crew training. COVID has nothing to do with the crew element. It does play a part in delivery/manufacturing delays, but only speed. Not quality.

 

[LUYMun]

What’s the number of the named unit?

 

[WWTownEnth]

There’s even an Arterio band playing now

 

[class444 fan]

What’s the number of the named unit?

701031

 

[Meerkat]

The 701s weren't even capable of passing fault free running during COVID restrictions let alone suitably fit for crew training. COVID has nothing to do with the crew element. It does play a part in delivery/manufacturing delays, but only speed. Not quality.

I thought it was Covid that meant they were chucking them out without quality control checking and then had to go back and fix them?
Why Stuart Broad? Famously Nottinghamshire and never played for Surrey. And a 701 isn’t an express delivery
btw any word on whether the fancy composting bogs are working to spec?

 

[swr444]

What’s the number of the named unit?

031

 

[Goldfish62]

So, my councillor friend attended today and specifically asked about the roll-out. He was told:

10 more units introduced next month.
All services converted by December 2025.

He's going to hold SWR to that.

So, either we're being unduly pessimistic on this thread or SWR are telling porkies (about next month specifically).

 

[wickham]

Perhaps I am being a bit "thick" but what on earth is the significance of the name "Nighthawk" ?

 

[Wolfie]

So, my councillor friend attended today and specifically asked about the roll-out. He was told:

10 more units introduced next month.
All services converted by December 2025.

He's going to hold SWR to that.

So, either we're being unduly pessimistic on this thread or SWR are telling porkies (about next month specifically).

Not being rude mate but the idea of a councillor holding anyone to account for anything (except perhaps local planning) had me chortling....

 

[Kite159]

Not being rude mate but the idea of a councillor holding anyone to account for anything (except perhaps local planning) had me chortling....

Don't worry, I'm sure he will be writing a letter to someone saying about how disappointed he is etc

 

[Goldfish62]

Not being rude mate but the idea of a councillor holding anyone to account for anything (except perhaps local planning) had me chortling....

Very true!

Anyway, my personal interest is not in that, but whether we're going to see this mass introduction next month. After five months of training it's a perfectly credible expectation based on other rolling stock introductions, but is contrary to the Intel on this thread that hardly any drivers have been trained (born out by the daily cancellations).

 

[SWT_USER]

I would be astounded if 10 more units were in service next month. They can't reliably deliver the handful of diagrams that are currently meant to run.

 

[800001]

I would be astounded if 10 more units were in service next month. They can't reliably deliver the handful of diagrams that are currently meant to run.

How many times have SWR over promised, and under delivered? At each launch of the fleet.
How many ‘launches’ are we up to now?

 

[hwl]

The 701s weren't even capable of passing fault free running during COVID restrictions let alone suitably fit for crew training. COVID has nothing to do with the crew element. It does play a part in delivery/manufacturing delays, but only speed. Not quality.

At one stage in 2020 DfT effectively instructed BT to deliver on schedule as Covid wasn't a valid reason for delay. They didn't say deliver them usable though...

 

[Wolfie]

At one stage in 2020 DfT effectively instructed BT to deliver on schedule as Covid wasn't a valid reason for delay. They didn't say deliver them usable though...

That could be politely described as "unhelpful".... Ruder versions, featuring "stupid" somewhere in there as well as one or more expletives, are available....

 

[norbitonflyer]

031

That one has been in passenger service, albeit only once (October 28th)

 

[TEW]

So, my councillor friend attended today and specifically asked about the roll-out. He was told:

10 more units introduced next month.
All services converted by December 2025.

He's going to hold SWR to that.

So, either we're being unduly pessimistic on this thread or SWR are telling porkies (about next month specifically).

10 more units next month certainly wasn't that plan very recently and just doesn't look achievable.

 

[Goldfish62]

I would be astounded if 10 more units were in service next month. They can't reliably deliver the handful of diagrams that are currently meant to run.

Indeed. We shall have to wait and see.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 28 Nov 2024 ==

At one stage in 2020 DfT effectively instructed BT to deliver on schedule as Covid wasn't a valid reason for delay. They didn't say deliver them usable though...

I imagine by then the DfT were getting pretty fed up with Bombardier due to their failure to fulfil deliveries prior to Covid. However, the decision had unforseen consequences....