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

[WWTownEnth]

I wonder if the 701/5s that were suppose to be on the last drag will be the ones on this Mondays drag.

I very much imagine it will be the last 701 10 car remaining at LM

 

[mansonlo49]

Paths are now up for the next delivery on Monday from Long Marston:

Realtime Trains | 0V70 0849 Leicester L.I.P. to Long Marston Gbrf | 02/03/2026

Real-time train running information for 0V70 0849 departure from Leicester L.I.P. to Long Marston Gbrf on 02/03/2026. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

Realtime Trains | 5Q70 1442 Long Marston Gbrf to Wimbledon Park Depot Sdgs | 02/03/2026

Real-time train running information for 5Q70 1442 departure from Long Marston Gbrf to Wimbledon Park Depot Sdgs on 02/03/2026. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

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69009 will be doing today drag（if it doesn't cancel）

 

[SeaKing]

69009 will be doing today drag（if it doesn't cancel）

Has left 35 Early.

 

[mansonlo49]

Has left 35 Early.

Good hope the stock movement can leave on time also

 

[Siemens Staines]

701001 is currently allocated

2O53 1800 London Waterloo to London Waterloo
2K57 1927 London Waterloo to London Waterloo
2O65 2100 London Waterloo to London Waterloo
2K69 2227 London Waterloo to London Waterloo

 

[NSEWonderer]

701001 is currently allocated

2O53 1800 London Waterloo to London Waterloo
2K57 1927 London Waterloo to London Waterloo
2O65 2100 London Waterloo to London Waterloo
2K69 2227 London Waterloo to London Waterloo

Bond 701 and now 001. What a decent few weeks. I shall be getting my hands on it soon.

 

[WWTownEnth]

That IS good news. Momentum seems to be picking up again. That will be 41 units in passenger service, covering 36 (or is it 37 as of today?) diagrams.

Looks like Jan saw them build some resilience.

Hopefully we can now get back to a new diagram a week and see the 458/5s gone, strengthening on the main line and - dare I say it - even some of the more troublesome 458/4s put to grass.

 

[Bobcp]

I very much imagine it will be the last 701 10 car remaining at LM

Assuming it runs then it will be 69009 + 701517 + 701519

 

[Siemens Staines]

That IS good news. Momentum seems to be picking up again. That will be 41 units in passenger service, covering 36 (or is it 37 as of today?) diagrams.

36 diagrams as of today, although 38 were in service this morning due to 701048 & 701054 covering for absentee 458/4s

 

[NSEWonderer]

Assuming it runs then it will be 69009 + 701517 + 701519

Thanks, did think it was the 701/5s that hadn't left last time round.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 2 Mar 2026 ==

Drag running behind schedule.

 

[mansonlo49]

Assuming it runs then it will be 69009 + 701517 + 701519

Still not 045 yet? This unit have some problem? As it got cancelled several attempts previously already

 

[NSEWonderer]

Drag is cancelled

 

[SeaKing]

Thanks, did think it was the 701/5s that hadn't left last time round.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 2 Mar 2026 ==

Drag running behind schedule.

Now cancelled.

 

[mansonlo49]

Now cancelled.

Seems they got cancel quite frequent, strange

 

[Peter Sarf]

Seems they got cancel quite frequent, strange

I think coupling up is not straight forward with the need for a working brake connection. Perhaps these remaining units have been a problem before and we are now at the stage where there is no alternative unit to drag out later the same day ?.

 

[SeaKing]

I think coupling up is not straight forward with the need for a working brake connection. Perhaps these remaining units have been a problem before and we are now at the stage where there is no alternative unit to drag out later the same day ?.

I also think its the first time a 69 been used.

 

[NSEWonderer]

If things go the way it seems then both 701060 and 701001 should actually appear side by side at Waterloo around 17:26pm on both platforms 19 and 18 respectively. 701001 comes in from Wimbledon as 5O53 and 701060 as 2S50

 

[Peter Sarf]

I also think its the first time a 69 been used.

The 69s were used sometime last year. I recall on 05/08/2025 admiring 69009 "Western Consort" on a delivery as it passed through Ealing Broadway with 701040, 69013 + 701024 on 08/07/2025 was Acton Yard, amongst other dates. If I remember correctly it was then 47727 for quite a while, then recently the 57s.

EDIT - afterthought.
Of course there is nothing to say that the actual driver has done it before. Or whatever staff member is involved.
But my best guess is that the remaining few units have dug their heels in before !.

 

[mansonlo49]

I think coupling up is not straight forward with the need for a working brake connection. Perhaps these remaining units have been a problem before and we are now at the stage where there is no alternative unit to drag out later the same day ?.

Strange they didn’t take two locos in today, like the previous drags

 

[Peter Sarf]

Strange they didn’t take two locos in today, like the previous drags

I think that only happened a few times and with 57s so recently. Seemed one loco was dropped at Worcester at point of service/drag reversal. Maybe the other loco was needed near Worcester for other work anyway ?.

 

[NSEWonderer]

MK1 blurry photo by a friendly Guard mate of mine as 001 Races into Waterloo.

Edit: 701001 was a tad late so 701060 has left both passng each other at the home signal into Waterloo haha

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 2 Mar 2026 ==


Taken by a top mate of mine on platform 18. Mission failed, will get em next time.

 

[Stephen42]

I think coupling up is not straight forward with the need for a working brake connection. Perhaps these remaining units have been a problem before and we are now at the stage where there is no alternative unit to drag out later the same day ?.

At a location like Long Marston it's going to be awkward to pick an alternative unit. After some time trying to couple, the resident shunter would have to attach, take the original unit back into the main site, uncouple, go to the sidings, couple with the alternative, drag that to the handover point, uncouple and then the GBRF loco couple with the new one. The schedules have 2 hours for that entire process and the freight driver may be required to take their break during that period as well. That's assuming both candidates have already been thoroughly checked in advance as well.

The loco from todays move will head to Leicester tomorrow. There are paths available on Wednesday which have a lot more time at Long Marston:

Realtime Trains | 0V70 0850 Leicester L.I.P. to Long Marston Gbrf | 04/03/2026

Real-time train running information for 0V70 0850 departure from Leicester L.I.P. to Long Marston Gbrf on 04/03/2026. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

Realtime Trains | 5Q70 1542 Long Marston Gbrf to Wimbledon Park Depot Sdgs | 04/03/2026

Real-time train running information for 5Q70 1542 departure from Long Marston Gbrf to Wimbledon Park Depot Sdgs on 04/03/2026. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

 

[Peter Sarf]

At a location like Long Marston it's going to be awkward to pick an alternative unit. After some time trying to couple, the resident shunter would have to attach, take the original unit back into the main site, uncouple, go to the sidings, couple with the alternative, drag that to the handover point, uncouple and then the GBRF loco couple with the new one. The schedules have 2 hours for that entire process and the freight driver may be required to take their break during that period as well. That's assuming both candidates have already been thoroughly checked in advance as well.

The loco from todays move will head to Leicester tomorrow. There are paths available on Wednesday which have a lot more time at Long Marston:

Realtime Trains | 0V70 0850 Leicester L.I.P. to Long Marston Gbrf | 04/03/2026

Real-time train running information for 0V70 0850 departure from Leicester L.I.P. to Long Marston Gbrf on 04/03/2026. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

Realtime Trains | 5Q70 1542 Long Marston Gbrf to Wimbledon Park Depot Sdgs | 04/03/2026

Real-time train running information for 5Q70 1542 departure from Long Marston Gbrf to Wimbledon Park Depot Sdgs on 04/03/2026. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

Yes, I noted departure an hour later and passing Clapham Junction being 90 minutes later (but, be warned, it sometimes gets to SWR territory early).

Have not seen a path for todays loco to go back to Leicester ?.

 

[norbitonflyer]

36 diagrams as of today, although 38 were in service this morning due to 701048 & 701054 covering for absentee 458/4s

I make it 39 in service today - 701033 and 701058 being the only absentees.

The diagram starting 2S45 that was a 701 a couple of times last week was a pair of 455s today

 

[SeaKing]

Yes, I noted departure an hour later and passing Clapham Junction being 90 minutes later (but, be warned, it sometimes gets to SWR territory early).

Have not seen a path for todays loco to go back to Leicester ?.

0Z69 from Honeybourne Sidings 9.30. 69009

 

[Peter Sarf]

0Z69 from Honeybourne Sidings 9.30. 69009

Thanks.

How did 69009 get from "Long Marston" to Honebourne sidings" ?. I guess it is all lost within the complex ?.

 

[Snow1964]

Thanks.

How did 69009 get from "Long Marston" to Honebourne sidings" ?. I guess it is all lost within the complex ?.

The former main line is now a single track that is effectively one train operation and drive upto stop boards for local instruction. So anything using it doesn't show as trundling along on signalling maps.

 

[Peter Sarf]

The former main line is now a single track that is effectively one train operation and drive to stop boards for local instruction. So anything using it doesn't show as trundling along on signalling maps.

So really worth checking at Honybourne North Junction I suppose ?.
(anything else being within)

 

[Nimbus020]

I make it 39 in service today - 701033 and 701058 being the only absentees.

The diagram starting 2S45 that was a 701 a couple of times last week was a pair of 455s today

Thanks for this - the diagram that starts with 5M03 was back to 2*450s this morning (vice usual 701)

 

[Stephen42]

So really worth checking at Honybourne North Junction I suppose ?.
(anything else being within)

The other option is to check "Honeybourne Staff Hut" which is a timing point schedules for the Sidings, Long Marston Gbrf and Long Marston all look to have without everything passing the junction.

Another set of schedules for a Long Marston delivery have appeared. The loco can't do both tomorrow and Thursday so might be an either or situation.

Realtime Trains | 0V70 0849 Leicester L.I.P. to Long Marston Gbrf | 05/03/2026

Real-time train running information for 0V70 0849 departure from Leicester L.I.P. to Long Marston Gbrf on 05/03/2026. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

Realtime Trains | 5Q70 1442 Long Marston Gbrf to Wimbledon Park Depot Sdgs | 05/03/2026

Real-time train running information for 5Q70 1442 departure from Long Marston Gbrf to Wimbledon Park Depot Sdgs on 05/03/2026. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk