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

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wickham

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3 Feb 2021
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701
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Knaphill
Stephen42 said:
Most units have had fairly extensive travels and it wouldn't have been at Long Marston if they thought it had a serious issue. The loco was scheduled to run around in that yard, it could be as simple as from the other end they couldn't get the brakes off. For the pathed speed it needs both the loco and unit brakes to be operational. Several moves have been cancelled after the loco got there so while uncommon it's not unusual.

Separately, a schedule change yesterday altered an existing GBRF path to go to Wimbledon Park Depot on Friday which might be another 701 delivery this time from Derby

Realtime Trains | 5Q68 1344 Derby Litchurch Lane to Wimbledon Park Depot Sdgs | 09/01/2026

Real-time train running information for 5Q68 1344 departure from Derby Litchurch Lane to Wimbledon Park Depot Sdgs on 09/01/2026. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.
www.realtimetrains.co.uk www.realtimetrains.co.uk
Click to expand...
5Q68 Derby to WPS appears to be in the system as an "as required" service which has NOT been livened up, so does not appear to be running.
Perhaps they will try again next week ?
 
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RailUK Forums

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WWTownEnth

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JCO1406 said:
Any new diagrams next week?
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I’d been given to understand that there would be something of a pause on new 701 diagrams, whilst a few more units were brought into service to assist with resilience.

After that pause (maybe late Jan or early Feb) I assume that the two 458/5 diagrams will move over to 701s followed by the 14 or so 450 diagrams currently on the suburban network.
 
boiledbeans2

boiledbeans2

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NSEWonderer said:
2nd carriage has the recess for the pantograph/ ac equipment. On 345s it's often noticeably dimmer too.
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I considered that too, but is that really the reason? The 2nd carriage pantograph recess / lowered interior ceiling height on the 701 is nearer to the 3rd carriage.

However, if I stand at the other end of the 2nd carriage, next to the doors, looking in the direction of the 1st carriage (i.e., 1st carriage interior fully visible, as well as gangway and part of 2nd carriage interior), the lights are still noticeably dimmer in the 2nd carriage compared to 1st.

This end of the 2nd carriage should be unaffected by the lower ceiling height.
 
DelW

DelW

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boiledbeans2 said:
Why are the interior lights on the 2nd carriage dimmer than those in the 1st and 3rd carriage?
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In time they'll possibly end up mixed anyway. I'm currently on board an SWR 450, and there are at least three different colour temperatures visible in the lights in my coach, as well as varying levels of brightness.
 
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Goldfish62

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DelW said:
In time they'll possibly end up mixed anyway. I'm currently on board an SWR 450, and there are at least three different colour temperatures visible in the lights in my coach, as well as varying levels of brightness.
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Surely that's because they're fluorescent tubes rather than LEDs.

Re the 701s, I've never noticed the difference in lighting level in coaches 2/9. I'll have to remember to look out specially next time!
 
Peter Mugridge

Peter Mugridge

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Goldfish62 said:
Re the 701s, I've never noticed the difference in lighting level in coaches 2/9. I'll have to remember to look out specially next time!
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It's noticeable when I see them going past my garden at night. Not a huge difference, but definitely a less dazzling level.
 
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Goldfish62

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Peter Mugridge said:
It's noticeable when I see them going past my garden at night. Not a huge difference, but definitely a less dazzling level.
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A less dazzling level can't be a bad thing. The 701s aren't as bad as some units, but the lighting could still do with toning down so there's not the feeling of sitting in a fridge. The 345s set the standard for Aventras in this respect.
 
NSEWonderer

NSEWonderer

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boiledbeans2 said:
I considered that too, but is that really the reason? The 2nd carriage pantograph recess / lowered interior ceiling height on the 701 is nearer to the 3rd carriage.

However, if I stand at the other end of the 2nd carriage, next to the doors, looking in the direction of the 1st carriage (i.e., 1st carriage interior fully visible, as well as gangway and part of 2nd carriage interior), the lights are still noticeably dimmer in the 2nd carriage compared to 1st.

This end of the 2nd carriage should be unaffected by the lower ceiling height.
Click to expand...
It will be, you'd have a mismatch of lighting in the carriage if one end is much brighter than the other, they've just equalised the lighting in this respect for the carriage.
 
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Peter Sarf

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Next delivery 5Q70 14:35 from Long Marston, Wimbledon Park CSD 20:42, Depot 20:57 on Wednesday 14/01/2026 :-

Realtime Trains | 5Q70 1435 Long Marston Gbrf to Wimbledon Park Depot Sdgs | 14/01/2026

Real-time train running information for 5Q70 1435 departure from Long Marston Gbrf to Wimbledon Park Depot Sdgs on 14/01/2026. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.
www.realtimetrains.co.uk www.realtimetrains.co.uk

Loco from Leicester 0V70 :-

Realtime Trains | 0V70 0851 Leicester L.I.P. to Long Marston Gbrf | 14/01/2026

Real-time train running information for 0V70 0851 departure from Leicester L.I.P. to Long Marston Gbrf on 14/01/2026. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.
www.realtimetrains.co.uk www.realtimetrains.co.uk
 
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Peter Sarf

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Peter Sarf said:
Next delivery 5Q70 14:35 from Long Marston, Wimbledon Park CSD 20:42, Depot 20:57 on Wednesday 14/01/2026 :-

Realtime Trains | 5Q70 1435 Long Marston Gbrf to Wimbledon Park Depot Sdgs | 14/01/2026

Real-time train running information for 5Q70 1435 departure from Long Marston Gbrf to Wimbledon Park Depot Sdgs on 14/01/2026. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.
www.realtimetrains.co.uk www.realtimetrains.co.uk

Loco from Leicester 0V70 :-

Realtime Trains | 0V70 0851 Leicester L.I.P. to Long Marston Gbrf | 14/01/2026

Real-time train running information for 0V70 0851 departure from Leicester L.I.P. to Long Marston Gbrf on 14/01/2026. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.
www.realtimetrains.co.uk www.realtimetrains.co.uk
Click to expand...
And another delivery.

Same again on Thursday, or is this one going to replace Wednesdays ?.

Realtime Trains | 5Q70 1435 Long Marston Gbrf to Wimbledon Park Depot Sdgs | 15/01/2026

Real-time train running information for 5Q70 1435 departure from Long Marston Gbrf to Wimbledon Park Depot Sdgs on 15/01/2026. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.
www.realtimetrains.co.uk www.realtimetrains.co.uk
 
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Stephen42

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Peter Sarf said:
And another delivery.

Same again on Thursday, or is this one going to replace Wednesdays ?.

Realtime Trains | 5Q70 1435 Long Marston Gbrf to Wimbledon Park Depot Sdgs | 15/01/2026

Real-time train running information for 5Q70 1435 departure from Long Marston Gbrf to Wimbledon Park Depot Sdgs on 15/01/2026. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.
www.realtimetrains.co.uk www.realtimetrains.co.uk
Click to expand...
It's probably one or the other, would need separate locos for one thing. After the drag the loco on each day is pathed to Wembley, the only GBRF path out currently is Friday morning which I'd suggest makes Thursday more likely.
 
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SeaKing

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Stephen42 said:
It's probably one or the other, would need separate locos for one thing. After the drag the loco on each day is pathed to Wembley, the only GBRF path out currently is Friday morning which I'd suggest makes Thursday more likely.
Click to expand...
Loco has left Leicester 57310
 
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Peter Sarf

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Stephen42 said:
It's probably one or the other, would need separate locos for one thing. After the drag the loco on each day is pathed to Wembley, the only GBRF path out currently is Friday morning which I'd suggest makes Thursday more likely.
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There was talk on the 455 thread of 458529 (or one or two 455s ?) MAYBE being dragged to Long Marston after the 701 delivery from Long Marston. That was for today (Wednesday 14/01/2026) iirc ?.
 
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W

WWTownEnth

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Peter Sarf said:
Confirmed by my Mk1 eyeballs as 701006 dragged by 57310 at Clapham Junction at 20:49.
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Thanks. Tomorrow‘s drag doesn’t seem to have been cancelled yet so fingers crossed another one will be heading south too.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: ==

Today’s drag seems to still be booked although not activated

Realtime Trains | 5Q70 1435 Long Marston Gbrf to Wimbledon Park Depot Sdgs | 15/01/2026

Real-time train running information for 5Q70 1435 departure from Long Marston Gbrf to Wimbledon Park Depot Sdgs on 15/01/2026. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.
www.realtimetrains.co.uk www.realtimetrains.co.uk

could we really get two out of storage in 24 hours?
 
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W

wickham

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3 Feb 2021
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701
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Knaphill
WWTownEnth said:
Thanks. Tomorrow‘s drag doesn’t seem to have been cancelled yet so fingers crossed another one will be heading south too.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: ==

Today’s drag seems to still be booked although not activated

Realtime Trains | 5Q70 1435 Long Marston Gbrf to Wimbledon Park Depot Sdgs | 15/01/2026

Real-time train running information for 5Q70 1435 departure from Long Marston Gbrf to Wimbledon Park Depot Sdgs on 15/01/2026. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.
www.realtimetrains.co.uk www.realtimetrains.co.uk

could we really get two out of storage in 24 hours?
Click to expand...
The loco for this does not appear to have run from Leicester to Long Marston - so looking doubtful.
 
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