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

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ls2270

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spark001uk said:
701060 is making a trip well outside its usual ground today (under its own power at least)

Realtime Trains | 5Q39 1035 Wimbledon Park Depot Sdgs to Bournemouth T&R.S.M.D | 06/03/2026

Real-time train running information for 5Q39 1035 departure from Wimbledon Park Depot Sdgs to Bournemouth T&R.S.M.D on 06/03/2026. 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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Going for some kind of Lego advertising livery I believe.
 
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wickham

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Clapham Yard at 1500 today (06.03.26):
701528 (and it's pair) in the usual spot, main line side of the cleaning shed:
Across the yard: 701024 701002 701028 701015 701520 (and pair), 701008, 701023, 701504 (and pair):
Unable to identify the second unit behind each 701/5: It will be noted that 701520 (and pair) are new arrivals in Clapham Yard.
 
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Ian Hardy

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wickham said:
Clapham Yard at 1500 today (06.03.26):
701528 (and it's pair) in the usual spot, main line side of the cleaning shed:
Across the yard: 701024 701002 701028 701015 701520 (and pair), 701008, 701023, 701504 (and pair):
Unable to identify the second unit behind each 701/5: It will be noted that 701520 (and pair) are new arrivals in Clapham Yard.
Click to expand...
701023 was out on test earlier today on the 5Q20 0959 Clapham Yard Sidings to London Waterloo & 5Q21 1142 London Waterloo to London Waterloo
 
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GeoffS

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wickham said:
Clapham Yard at 1500 today (06.03.26):
701528 (and it's pair) in the usual spot, main line side of the cleaning shed:
Across the yard: 701024 701002 701028 701015 701520 (and pair), 701008, 701023, 701504 (and pair):
Unable to identify the second unit behind each 701/5: It will be noted that 701520 (and pair) are new arrivals in Clapham Yard.
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528 + 529: 520 + 522: 504 + 503
 
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Stephen42

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nctd2306 said:
There are far more 701s in service than they have diagrams now so yes, I think one can be spared at this moment in time :)
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I'd suspect anyone who's been on a 4-car peak time service over the last few weeks would prefer more diagrams than one in a special livery. 38 is perhaps doable even with one away though.

Am curious what would be the current limiting factor. SWRs social media team recently posted over 500 drivers have been Arterio trained, the FOI a while back had the establishment of 701 depots at 680 odd. Previous postings have been a couple weeks stale numbers and would expect SWR to be below establishment levels even so maybe 100+ drivers still to go. Other possibilities might be not being able to use freed up 450s on the previously planned diagrams for 458 work. Alternatively might just be going slow and steady rather than maximising diagrams. If they can keep going one new diagram a week the short forms will still disappear relatively quickly.

Interestingly the new diagram is two 458/4 diagrams rather than an existing Feltham to Feltham 458/4 diagram. That's caused a third 458/4 pair of diagrams to alter as well. That's either trying to maximise capacity on the right services or crew related reasons. Crew related reasons could be minimising 701 diagrams or keeping 458 work for certain depots. Will be interesting to see what the next 701 diagram ends up being.
wickham said:
Clapham Yard at 1500 today (06.03.26):
701528 (and it's pair) in the usual spot, main line side of the cleaning shed:
Across the yard: 701024 701002 701028 701015 701520 (and pair), 701008, 701023, 701504 (and pair):
Unable to identify the second unit behind each 701/5: It will be noted that 701520 (and pair) are new arrivals in Clapham Yard.
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There's continuing to be a lot of activity. 701049 joined Clapham yesterday and something else unallocated came back to Wimbledon. The not in service 701/0 contingent in London is getting smaller.
 
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Peter Sarf

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Stephen42 said:
I'd suspect anyone who's been on a 4-car peak time service over the last few weeks would prefer more diagrams than one in a special livery. 38 is perhaps doable even with one away though.

Am curious what would be the current limiting factor. SWRs social media team recently posted over 500 drivers have been Arterio trained, the FOI a while back had the establishment of 701 depots at 680 odd. Previous postings have been a couple weeks stale numbers and would expect SWR to be below establishment levels even so maybe 100+ drivers still to go. Other possibilities might be not being able to use freed up 450s on the previously planned diagrams for 458 work. Alternatively might just be going slow and steady rather than maximising diagrams. If they can keep going one new diagram a week the short forms will still disappear relatively quickly.

Interestingly the new diagram is two 458/4 diagrams rather than an existing Feltham to Feltham 458/4 diagram. That's caused a third 458/4 pair of diagrams to alter as well. That's either trying to maximise capacity on the right services or crew related reasons. Crew related reasons could be minimising 701 diagrams or keeping 458 work for certain depots. Will be interesting to see what the next 701 diagram ends up being.

There's continuing to be a lot of activity. 701049 joined Clapham yesterday and something else unallocated came back to Wimbledon. The not in service 701/0 contingent in London is getting smaller.
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If 701003 is as ready as alluded to up thread then that will be next arrival after the last 701s (701/5 pair) expected to leave Long Marston next week. Then perhaps we might see the four 701/0s down at Eastleigh head to Wimbledon ?.
That is unless SWR will switch to 701/5s from Bicester ?.
 
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wickham

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Peter Sarf said:
If 701003 is as ready as alluded to up thread then that will be next arrival after the last 701s (701/5 pair) expected to leave Long Marston next week. Then perhaps we might see the four 701/0s down at Eastleigh head to Wimbledon ?.
That is unless SWR will switch to 701/5s from Bicester ?.
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The 4 at Eastleigh have interesting histories:
701027 came from Bicester to Eastleigh 26.08.25, 701014 from Marchwood 30.10.25, 701016 from Marchwood 13.11.25 while 701055 has flitted about a bit, Bicester to Wimbledon 20.05.25, own power to Eastleigh at unrecorded date, Eastleigh to Long Marston 11.06.25 and Long Marston back to Eastleigh 03.10.25: So, possibly 701055 might well be the "best of the bunch", but we will see !
 
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Peter Sarf

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wickham said:
The 4 at Eastleigh have interesting histories:
701027 came from Bicester to Eastleigh 26.08.25, 701014 from Marchwood 30.10.25, 701016 from Marchwood 13.11.25 while 701055 has flitted about a bit, Bicester to Wimbledon 20.05.25, own power to Eastleigh at unrecorded date, Eastleigh to Long Marston 11.06.25 and Long Marston back to Eastleigh 03.10.25: So, possibly 701055 might well be the "best of the bunch", but we will see !
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Yes it is a little puzzling how some of those four have not made it into service yet. Possibly no pressure to free up space at Eastleigh and I assume they are on the juice ?.
 
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wickham

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Peter Sarf said:
Yes it is a little puzzling how some of those four have not made it into service yet. Possibly no pressure to free up space at Eastleigh and I assume they are on the juice ?.
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Yes, they are stabled "on the juice" so can be cut in at any time and "pumped up". Sometimes when viewing the units at Eastleigh their tail lights or headlights are lit, but when viewing on 04.03.26 this did not seem to be the case.
 
spark001uk

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Have to say, I've travelled on a worrying proportion of these that have had one or both toilets out of use. Not very encouraging for a brand new unit.
 
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Goldfish62

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spark001uk said:
Have to say, I've travelled on a worrying proportion of these that have had one or both toilets out of use. Not very encouraging for a brand new unit.
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So much for the bio reactor toilets that only need replenishing every 30 days. SBB seem to have issues with the same toilets on their Bombardier Twindexx units.

Having said that it's not uncommon for all four toilets on a pair of 458s to be out of use and I've noticed what seems to be an increasing number of toilets on the 450s out of order. Possibly SWR are cutting back their toilet maintenance.

While we're on the toilets the sink water tap is in a ridiculous position at the front of the bowl, thus the floor gets quickly soaked in water (assuming it is water...). It's impossible to rinse your hands and not get water on the floor.
 
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NSEWonderer

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Snow1964 said:
Wonder if the cctv recorded it all.

Then just needs lots of sleuthing by BTP to identify, and charge culprits, so SWR can raise a financial claim against them to recover the cost. Hope they can and get it all reimbursed.
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Definitely will have recorded anyone out of turn.
 
NSEWonderer

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Peter Mugridge said:
Was it the inner or the outer panes broken?
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Was outer, had it been inner from the direction of the impact the windows would all be gone.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: ==

TEW said:
Next week's new 701 diagram;

5U05 0550 Feltham Depot to Staines
2U05 0609 Staines to Windsor & Eton Riverside
2U12 0656 Windsor & Eton Riverside to London Waterloo
2U15 0803 London Waterloo to Windsor & Eton Riverside
2U22 0923 Windsor & Eton Riverside to London Waterloo
2U25 1033 London Waterloo to Windsor & Eton Riverside
2U32 1153 Windsor & Eton Riverside to London Waterloo
2U35 1303 London Waterloo to Windsor & Eton Riverside
2U42 1423 Windsor & Eton Riverside to London Waterloo
2S49 1622 London Waterloo to Weybridge
2S58 1810 Weybridge to London Waterloo
2V59 1937 London Waterloo to Hounslow
5V59 2022 Hounslow to Feltham Depot


On paper the pair of 458/4s this frees up are then used on the single remaining 458/5 diagram. The 458/5s then have no booked work next week. What happens in reality with the 458/4 availability issues is another matter.
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701036 doing the honors first today.

5R90 Feltham to Hounslow also with a stock change(believe today only) from 458/4 to a 701 being 701017.
 
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w11_supremecy

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NSEWonderer said:
Was outer, had it been inner from the direction of the impact the windows would all be gone.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: ==


701036 doing the honors first today.

5R90 Feltham to Hounslow also with a stock change(believe today only) from 458/4 to a 701 being 701017.
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I’ve had a look, and actually 5R90 (which is part of the morning diagram that consists of 5R90 Feltham Depot to Hounslow, 2R90 Hounslow to London Waterloo via Brentford, 2S09 06:22 London Waterloo to Weybridge via Hounslow, 2S18 08:02 Weybridge to London Waterloo via Hounslow and 5Y84 09:37 London Waterloo to Wimbledon Park Depot) was a 701 from 27th February to the 3rd March, and then again last Saturday 7th March. It was a 8-car 458/4 last Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday (4th, 5th and 6th March). It is booked to be a 458/4, but it was being covered by a 701 because of the ongoing reliability and availability issues with the 458s, which as you mention is continuing today as well. 2S18 in particular is a very, very busy service from Hounslow onwards (in my experience working those services) so hopefully that diagram is earmarked to become a 701 permanently sooner rather than later. With an 8-car 458/4 many people are unable to board and are being left behind from Barnes or Putney onwards.
 
NSEWonderer

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w11_supremecy said:
I’ve had a look, and actually 5R90 (which is part of the morning diagram that consists of 5R90 Feltham Depot to Hounslow, 2R90 Hounslow to London Waterloo via Brentford, 2S09 06:22 London Waterloo to Weybridge via Hounslow, 2S18 08:02 Weybridge to London Waterloo via Hounslow and 5Y84 09:37 London Waterloo to Wimbledon Park Depot) was a 701 from 27th February to the 3rd March, and then again last Saturday 7th March. It was a 8-car 458/4 last Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday (4th, 5th and 6th March). It is booked to be a 458/4, but it was being covered by a 701 because of the ongoing reliability and availability issues with the 458s, which as you mention is continuing today as well. 2S18 in particular is a very, very busy service from Hounslow onwards (in my experience working those services) so hopefully that diagram is earmarked to become a 701 permanently sooner rather than later. With an 8-car 458/4 many people are unable to board and are being left behind from Barnes or Putney onwards.
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Indeed 2S18 is quite busy, school drop off, syon lane for the various buisness etc. Cheers
 
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Peter Sarf

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The next (last) delivery from Long Marston looks to be postponed.

The light loco move 0V10 from Leicester has been cancelled "due to a request by the train operator (FL)".
 
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