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

[Nimbus020]

Those services look to be 701 worked for today, the diagram goes on to form 2D15 which is usually a 701 diagram. 2D15 is usually run by the diagram starting 2D90, today only that comes from Guildford and is 455 operated. Those 455s swap onto 2F15 which the 2M03 diagram usually does. The rest of the week the swap doesn't take place so probably related to the engineering work over the weekend.

Many thanks

 

[NSEWonderer]

Does it feel as though the acceleration is quicker?
How do you rate the brakes compared to older stock 455, 450, 444? Here in Anglia, drivers felt the 720 brakes far superior to anything they had ever driven. The stopping distance from 100mph was far shorter.

Way more quicker than a Desiro from a standing start. Benchmark for me is leaving Feltham on the up in a 701 you can get to 60 before the end of Feltham Depot Building on the right, but in a desiro it at that point is just around the 50 mark. Easily could get 70 on the 701 before the 60mph psr for Feltham junction(but there is no point) where as Desiro can't.

Braking is very good more instant than Desiro intially(minus some units having the brake anchoring on the last 5-10ft before stopping) and allows you to use emergency brakes so long as you dont come to a stop with them other than an emergency.

Desiro however still has the more powerful brakes by percentage demand as you rarely need to go over 35-40% in a Desiro where as a 701 demands an intial brake close to 50% and doesn't give much brake feel below 25%. Thats with most Aventras I hear.

 

[brooklynbound]

I've just been on 037 doing a Kingston loop turn. Got on at Richmond heading for Barnes and realised that at every station the long list of stations the train would be stopping at omitted Vauxhall. The guard didn't correct it and I've double checked on RTT, the service called at Vauxhall as scheduled. I also checked the platform indicator at Barnes, it included Vauxhall. I was suprised as I know there are stoppers that skip Queenstown Road but Vauxhall? Is there a fault in the inputed data on all 701's?

 

[johnnym24]

I've just been on 037 doing a Kingston loop turn. Got on at Richmond heading for Barnes and realised that at every station the long list of stations the train would be stopping at omitted Vauxhall. The guard didn't correct it and I've double checked on RTT, the service called at Vauxhall as scheduled. I also checked the platform indicator at Barnes, it included Vauxhall. I was suprised as I know there are stoppers that skip Queenstown Road but Vauxhall? Is there a fault in the inputed data on all 701's?

Got on the 1800 from Waterloo - this one - https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:L51675/2025-09-08/detailed and the PIS had completely lost the plot. It kept saying it was at St Margerets and it seemed to confuse a lot of people. At one point it sounded like someone reset it - yet it still seemed to think it was in the wrong place.

 

[OneTrackMinded]

Does anyone know why 701s don’t seem to be able to make up time when they’re late? 707s were able to do this quite easily thanks to improved acceleration/braking + door speeds, and the 701s are even faster than those so in theory they should be able to do it even better, yet they don’t. Is there some sort of restriction in place while the trains continue to enter service?

 

[Goldfish62]

Does anyone know why 701s don’t seem to be able to make up time when they’re late? 707s were able to do this quite easily thanks to improved acceleration/braking + door speeds, and the 701s are even faster than those so in theory they should be able to do it even better, yet they don’t. Is there some sort of restriction in place while the trains continue to enter service?

Ones I've been on have made up time when 450s find it impossible to do.

 

[NSEWonderer]

Does anyone know why 701s don’t seem to be able to make up time when they’re late? 707s were able to do this quite easily thanks to improved acceleration/braking + door speeds, and the 701s are even faster than those so in theory they should be able to do it even better, yet they don’t. Is there some sort of restriction in place while the trains continue to enter service?

Again would depend on signalling, you wont be going full beans towards restricted signalling or starting off a restricted. Might have a training or slower Guard, or wheelchair etc. Today's been pretty poor with disruption for one.

701s on the SWR area definitely make up enough lost time when its safe and reasonable to be able to.

For example this one during morning peak made up 4mins: https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:L52281/2025-09-04/detailed#allox_id=0

Desiros would not make up such time in a similar scenario and loading nor a 458 if it has a traction motor out. 707s were quick but not as quick as 701s and again they themselves werent performing miracles in disruption, under restrictive signalling or wheelchair etc.

701s by far at the moment pull back more time than all the other stock, today for example with all the disruption around Ashford the 701s whilst having lost considerable time due to the object on the track at Ashford, still managed regions of 4-5 mins of delay recovery.

Desiros just flat out lost more and more time or in some cases managed 2mins back, 458s werent massively any better either or the 455s and id put the 707 acceleration in between a good traction 455 and a 701, slightly on the 455 side of the scale.

 

[talldave]

Got on the 1800 from Waterloo - this one - https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:L51675/2025-09-08/detailed and the PIS had completely lost the plot. It kept saying it was at St Margerets and it seemed to confuse a lot of people. At one point it sounded like someone reset it - yet it still seemed to think it was in the wrong place.

Snap! It's utterly ludicrous. Especially as half the people on board were "off course" having been over carried to Waterloo on a delayed inward service and just wanted to get back to Clapham Junction.

If it doesn't work, just switch it off. Why it doesn't work on a new train is more worrying.

 

[Goldfish62]

If it doesn't work, just switch it off. Why it doesn't work on a new train is more worrying.

Worrying?! I think you're exaggerating the issue somewhat! I've been on loads of new trains in the past where the PIS hasn't been working properly.

It's been reported elsewhere that there's to be a major upgrade of the PIS early next year. Sensibly the rollout of the class is taking precedence over resolving the foibles of the system right now.

 

[Railperf]

Way more quicker than a Desiro from a standing start. Benchmark for me is leaving Feltham on the up in a 701 you can get to 60 before the end of Feltham Depot Building on the right, but in a desiro it at that point is just around the 50 mark. Easily could get 70 on the 701 before the 60mph psr for Feltham junction(but there is no point) where as Desiro can't.

Braking is very good more instant than Desiro intially(minus some units having the brake anchoring on the last 5-10ft before stopping) and allows you to use emergency brakes so long as you dont come to a stop with them other than an emergency.

Desiro however still has the more powerful brakes by percentage demand as you rarely need to go over 35-40% in a Desiro where as a 701 demands an intial brake close to 50% and doesn't give much brake feel below 25%. Thats with most Aventras I hear.

Thanks for the info. I haven't yet been on a 701 that seemed to have a driver giving it the full beans from a start and / or having a clear road to do so. I'm not sure the route via Wimbledon to Kingston or Hampton Court is the best for this?
I did Sample a Reading to Waterloo service as far as Egham but that was driven cautiously.
Is the opening closing door procedure any quicker than other stock?

 

[43096]

It's been reported elsewhere that there's to be a major upgrade of the PIS early next year. Sensibly the rollout of the class is taking precedence over resolving the foibles of the system right now.

Does that include fixing the ZX81-style screen scrolling?

 

[DMckduck]

Worrying?! I think you're exaggerating the issue somewhat! I've been on loads of new trains in the past where the PIS hasn't been working properly.

It's been reported elsewhere that there's to be a major upgrade of the PIS early next year. Sensibly the rollout of the class is taking precedence over resolving the foibles of the system right now.

What is reported to be in this update early next year?

 

[Goldfish62]

What is reported to be in this update early next year?

It was on the SWR Enthusiasts private FB group. Improved stability and better use of the screens by the doors were mentioned. The poster didn't know the full details.

 

[NSEWonderer]

Thanks for the info. I haven't yet been on a 701 that seemed to have a driver giving it the full beans from a start and / or having a clear road to do so. I'm not sure the route via Wimbledon to Kingston or Hampton Court is the best for this?
I did Sample a Reading to Waterloo service as far as Egham but that was driven cautiously.
Is the opening closing door procedure any quicker than other stock?

Leaving Feltham on the up, so long as its a green then most times that would be full beans to 60. There's quite a few places aswell for a 701 doing a woking bay stopper in both directions to open up if conditions permit.

Full power on a 701 won't always throw one back in their seat, if anything it builds up quite smoothly compared to others. For example the desiros pretty much ramp acceleration hard for the first 15mph then teeter off due to the software traction limitation before picking abit again around 30.

701 isnt as aggressive as a desiro below 15mph id say it feels about 80-85% of a Desiro leaving on full power up to 15mph, but the difference is it keeps that power range without major software limitation all the way up to top speed without the limiting factor being based on tractive effort etc.

 

[OneTrackMinded]

I’ve noticed this week that the 701 AC seems to be significantly more effective than before, despite the lower external temperature. After travelling on multiple units with the same result, I’m convinced there has been a software upgrade which has improved the threshold at which it activates. Has anyone else noticed this?

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 9 Sep 2025 ==

Way more quicker than a Desiro from a standing start. Benchmark for me is leaving Feltham on the up in a 701 you can get to 60 before the end of Feltham Depot Building on the right, but in a desiro it at that point is just around the 50 mark. Easily could get 70 on the 701 before the 60mph psr for Feltham junction(but there is no point) where as Desiro can't.

A 10mph difference is very significant, especially at that speed. If it’s 10mph for a 450, the difference between a 455 must be huge.

 

[bb21]

Got on the 1800 from Waterloo - this one - https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:L51675/2025-09-08/detailed and the PIS had completely lost the plot. It kept saying it was at St Margerets and it seemed to confuse a lot of people. At one point it sounded like someone reset it - yet it still seemed to think it was in the wrong place.

057 does have a recurring issue with the PIS but it should only affect selected coaches rather than the whole train. The guard also has the option of making manual announcements and the train would not be taken out of service for that reason, with replacements offering far inferior ride environments.

 

[talldave]

Worrying?! I think you're exaggerating the issue somewhat! I've been on loads of new trains in the past where the PIS hasn't been working properly.

Yes, worrying. If the PIS has been so poorly designed/implemented/tested, it doesn't inspire confidence that safety critical systems are any better.

 

[Goldfish62]

Yes, worrying. If the PIS has been so poorly designed/implemented/tested, it doesn't inspire confidence that safety critical systems are any better.

Oh come on!

 

[Tester]

Yes, worrying. If the PIS has been so poorly designed/implemented/tested, it doesn't inspire confidence that safety critical systems are any better.

We do our little best to make sure that is not the case.

 

[OneTrackMinded]

We do our little best to make sure that is not the case.

Wow, it’s literally the (software) Tester himself.

 

[Tester]

Wow, it’s literally the (software) Tester himself.

I'm signalling - but the principle is the same!

 

[Peter Sarf]

A 701 (from Derby to Wimbledon) ?.

Realtime Trains | 5Q45 1247 Derby Litchurch Lane to Wimbledon Park Depot Sdgs | 10/09/2025

Real-time train running information for 5Q45 1247 departure from Derby Litchurch Lane to Wimbledon Park Depot Sdgs on 10/09/2025. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

If it is then which one (or two) ?.

 

[OneTrackMinded]

A 701 (from Derby to Wimbledon) ?.

Realtime Trains | 5Q45 1247 Derby Litchurch Lane to Wimbledon Park Depot Sdgs | 10/09/2025

Real-time train running information for 5Q45 1247 departure from Derby Litchurch Lane to Wimbledon Park Depot Sdgs on 10/09/2025. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

If it is then which one (or two) ?.

I’ve heard it’s 001, but it was just a post on Facebook so I’d take it with a grain of salt. Although if it’s from Derby, it could only be 003 or 001.

 

[pompeyfan]

It should be 1001

 

[mansonlo49]

It should be 1001

Whether is it 001 or 003, 69009 is heading in now

 

[800001]

Whether is it 001 or 003, 69009 is heading in now

Isn't there also a 701/5 there?

 

[Peter Sarf]

Isn't there also a 701/5 there?

A few 701/5s are at Derby.

I may have missed a move BUT my records show for Derby and nearby :-
701001 Worksop
701003 Derby LL
701501 Old Dalby
701502 Derby LL
701508 Derby LL (was from SWR territory 20/08/2025 so why go back ????)
701524 Derby LL

A further option is for the move to be cancelled (again) despite the light loco having arrived .

 

[800001]

A few 701/5s are at Derby.

I may have missed a move BUT my records show for Derby and nearby :-
701001 Worksop
701003 Derby LL
701501 Old Dalby
701502 Derby LL
701508 Derby LL (was from SWR territory 20/08/2025 so why go back ????)
701524 Derby LL

A further option is for the move to be cancelled (again) despite the light loco having arrived .

Confirmed as 701001 moving today.

 

[Peter Sarf]

Confirmed as 701001 moving today.

Thanks. And on its way 2 minutes early.

Is this a bit of a milestone ?.
First in class, so presumably the most tinkered with, going to the customer.

 

[OneTrackMinded]

Any new diagrams stating next week? One would hope so considering there weren’t any this week.