I'm so very long out of things, I couldn't comment on their comms in today's world, but in this day and age, the world and more has access to all such info, so to try hide reasons for this and that in a smoke and mirrors sense is utterly pointless to my mind!
Made worse with no easements put in place to allow someone with an offpeak ticket to use the previous 'peak' service.
My guess is they are trainee guards doing route learning, it’s a pretty common sight to see on the network. Stepping off the train and seeing the platform, train accommodation etc. It’s something I’ve done myself whilst training.
They've got to test the trains somewhere!
Might be a smart decision technically, but the PR around the implementation had been an object lesson in how not to do things and to lose all good will. It's appalling - deliberately keeping it low key in the hope that no one would notice, then only revealing the withdrawn services and the real reasons behind it all when there's the inevitable kick-back. It really could not have been handled any more poorly at precisely the time that SWR, as the flagship of the government's policy, needs to demonstrate that it really is transparent and accountable as we were told the nationalised railway would be.
Given we're more less seeing a weekly diagram go over currently I'd expect something more than that!
Sixrteen in passenger service today - a record. 025 being the only exception
By comparison, might anyone know how many pairs of 455s are in service?
It doesn’t quite answer your question but the info is probably contained in this excellent thread somewhere
www.railforums.co.uk
Haha, the ironic thing is that I made that threadIt doesn’t quite answer your question but the info is probably contained in this excellent thread somewhere
SWR outgoing Metro fleet withdrawals (complete)
Thread to keep track of the withdrawals of South Western Railway suburban stock, as part of the replacement by Class 701 trains. As of September 2026, all 455/456/458-5 and 707 have gone from the network. There are no more booked workings for 458-4.
I think there are about 32 pairs yet to go the knacker’s yard
but thanksAhhhh…….sorry!Haha, the ironic thing is that I made that thread
I mean in service specifically today
I think so. Post #14066 lists the full diagram, which started on Monday.
I see, thank you. Good to see there's been steady progress as of recent.
I can’t seem to find any. Maybe @TEW knows more
This is still Thursday, there is still time for an STP issue to go live for next week (just) but it will take time to go through the relevant processes.
STP's are posted on Wednesday. There is nothing on the Carriage working notices or crew diagrams showing a new 701 diagram next week
There's a certain irony that this (hopefully very temporary) hiatus coincides with the timetable reductions aimed at speeding up introduction.
At Waterloo there’s only around 3-4 drivers being trained per week currently. It was around 10 until a few weeks back. Shows just how constrained they are with annual leave and ad hoc leave being taken.There's a certain irony that this (hopefully very temporary) hiatus coincides with the timetable reductions aimed at speeding up introduction.
I did think keeping up the one new diagram per week for much longer was too much to expect given all the previous problems introducing the trains. Oh well. Wonder long this latest hiatus will last.
it's not a hiatus? drivers are still being trained...
Hiatus in introduction of the trains. After all, that's the ultimate aim.
Just oddly enough got on this GA 720 and on using the non wheelchair toilet which has a physical rotating latch it makes the exact same 3 beeps as on the 701 universal toilets which confirms it would be due to some requirement on the Aventras to have one.
So really what you're saying (and granted SWR have changed their story more than once) is that SWR were going to be short of drivers anyway and rather than risk cancellations (and the prospect of customers being able to claim compensation) they simply cut the timetable?