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

[WWTownEnth]

019 will be moved from Wimbledon to Clapham Yard on 5Q52, potentially in passenger service for tommorow

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 1 Apr 2026 ==

Ignore last message, reading old information and will be tested on rounders today instead

Thanks. would it be fair to say it’s close to entering service? Maybe next week?

 

[Dx1998]

Thanks. would it be fair to say it’s close to entering service? Maybe next week?

It's a good sign that it is on the tracks.
To say more would be pure speculation on my part, as I don't work in the depots.
Would be nice to see it in service soon, but only time will tell, I'll be keeping my fingers crossed and as soon as I have any information (even if it seems insignificant) I'll post it here

 

[Siemens Staines]

I do not know where this fits in to the bigger picture of 701 introductions, but 701032 moved from Bournemouth to Wimbledon Park today

Realtime Trains | 5Q50 1232 Bournemouth T&R.S.M.D to Wimbledon Park Depot Sdgs | 01/04/2026

Real-time train running information for 5Q50 1232 departure from Bournemouth T&R.S.M.D to Wimbledon Park Depot Sdgs on 01/04/2026. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

 

[WWTownEnth]

I do not know where this fits in to the bigger picture of 701 introductions, but 701032 moved from Bournemouth to Wimbledon Park today

Realtime Trains | 5Q50 1232 Bournemouth T&R.S.M.D to Wimbledon Park Depot Sdgs | 01/04/2026

Real-time train running information for 5Q50 1232 departure from Bournemouth T&R.S.M.D to Wimbledon Park Depot Sdgs on 01/04/2026. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

What was it doing in Bournemouth? GBR Logo?

 

[NSEWonderer]

32 is the remaining unit of the 30s before they're complete. Still believe the 40s will be all marked off the Bingo card first.

 

[norbitonflyer]

32 is the remaining unit of the 30s before they're complete. Still believe the 40s will be all marked off the Bingo card first.

The 50s are only one short as well.

There are now two blocks of nine - 005-013 and 046 to 054

There are still three gaps of three - 002-004, 014-016, and (debatably) 027-029

 

[Stephen42]

I'm not sure the attitude comes from whether the company is nationalised or not. It's more to do with whether those at the top of the company actually care about such things. Clearly in SWR's case they don't. For the same reason TfL Rail is still shown on the service status screens on the 701s.

Sometimes there will be a prioritised list of issues to resolve. Most passengers as well as the operator care more about reliability than perfection on the displays. While not terrible there are still a fair few 701 failures happening, including a cancellation this evening due to more trains than usual needing repairs. If any of those are resolvable via software changes that's worth exploring.

What was it doing in Bournemouth? GBR Logo?

Expect it to be similar to 701019. It's the other unit that arrived late last year to get skipped over, no public allocations and end up returning from Bournemouth. Might be as simple as stabling over the Christmas period and now there's a gap to reinsert it into the commissioning pipeline. 023 came back from Farnham this week as well after spending a week there.

32 is the remaining unit of the 30s before they're complete. Still believe the 40s will be all marked off the Bingo card first.

Has 040 left Farnham yet? Think it might have been since November from the public allocations at least.

 

[Goldfish62]

Sometimes there will be a prioritised list of issues to resolve. Most passengers as well as the operator care more about reliability than perfection on the displays. While not terrible there are still a fair few 701 failures happening, including a cancellation this evening due to more trains than usual needing repairs. If any of those are resolvable via software changes that's worth exploring.

But then that suggests that SWR is incapable of multitasking, ie sorting out reliability issues while at the same time improving the PIS. However, that's clearly not true as SWR has consciously made the PIS worse through what's already been discussed plus numerous "This is BTP..." announcements.

 

[wickham]

But then that suggests that SWR is incapable of multitasking, ie sorting out reliability issues while at the same time improving the PIS. However, that's clearly not true as SWR has consciously made the PIS worse through what's already been discussed plus numerous "This is BTP..." announcements.

The "This is BTP" announcementss are utterly ridiculous - of course it is NOT - it is the same female voice as all the other announcements - it makes me cringe !
On the subject of destination blinds - nobody has mentioned the utterly stupid destination now shown on 701s for Chessington South - "Ches'ton Sth" (or something very similar) - surely there is room for the whole name, but if not "Chessington S" would be much better or indeed just "Chessington" - don't they want people to know where the trains are going or is it a closely guarded secret ?

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 1 Apr 2026 ==

Thanks. would it be fair to say it’s close to entering service? Maybe next week?

701019 was on Windsor side 5Qxx "shakedown" trips this morning (Wed 01/04) - ending at Clapham Yard early afternoon.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 1 Apr 2026 ==

Clapham Yard at 1100 today (Wed 01.04.26):
701528+701529 in their usual place beside the cleaning shed - as I watched the brakes released and 701528 moved about a yard towards London - obviously being used for coupling/uncoupling training: Across the yard: 701024 701002 701015 701045 701028 701503 (on it's own) 701522 coupled to another (presumably 701520):
701019 showed up at about 1115 on the up Windsor (platform 3) ECS with banners at the doors to stop access.
At Wimbledon Park/East Wimbledon about 1300: "Top Yard" = 701023 701512 701510 (the two /5 seperate in 8 car roads): Inside the shed visible through a door 701057,
New Sidings (alongside the main line) 701013, 701517 coupled to another (presumably 519) - stangely on the toilet discharge road: Visible through the open doors on 9 and 10 shed roads 701025 & 701042: The door was closed on the road where the commissioning takes plave so unable to see what (if anything) was in there: Sidings round the back by the wheel lathe shed: 701021 & 701007 keeping 458401/002/535 company.

 

[800001]

But then that suggests that SWR is incapable of multitasking, ie sorting out reliability issues while at the same time improving the PIS. However, that's clearly not true as SWR has consciously made the PIS worse through what's already been discussed plus numerous "This is BTP..." announcements.

Such a contrast travelling on a GWR class 387, a simple 'this is the service to XX, the next stop is XX'.

The 701 announcements did my head in after one trip.

 

[Farnborough]

Slightly thrown, as 701051 passed through Aldershot this evening, ECSing from Guildford to Farnham CSD

OTT shows this as 5F51 (ex 2D51) but that doesn't show up on RTT

 

[swr444]

Slightly thrown, as 701051 passed through Aldershot this evening, ECSing from Guildford to Farnham CSD

OTT shows this as 5F51 (ex 2D51) but that doesn't show up on RTT

That's a normal thing, the unit goes to Farnham to work a morning 1N service up to waterloo via Camberley

 

[mansonlo49]

The 50s are only one short as well.

There are now two blocks of nine - 005-013 and 046 to 054

There are still three gaps of three - 002-004, 014-016, and (debatably) 027-029

second half（031–060）just four left

 

[Big Jumby 74]

Slightly thrown, as 701051 passed through Aldershot this evening, ECSing from Guildford to Farnham CSD

As swr444 has confirmed, just part of the (701) long term plan coming together. If you remember the 458's in their original guise, they worked the peak time 1Nxx services between Farnham/Aldershot and Waterloo via Ascot, with (IIRC) 3 x 8 car sets stabled at Farnham each night. Good to hear the plan is gradually coming together.

 

[Goldfish62]

Such a contrast travelling on a GWR class 387, a simple 'this is the service to XX, the next stop is XX'.

Yes, the Electrostar announcements always have been the simplest and best.

 

[TEW]

As swr444 has confirmed, just part of the (701) long term plan coming together. If you remember the 458's in their original guise, they worked the peak time 1Nxx services between Farnham/Aldershot and Waterloo via Ascot, with (IIRC) 3 x 8 car sets stabled at Farnham each night. Good to hear the plan is gradually coming together.

Well, it's actually an STP fudge to another issue. The unit off 1N95 should go empty to Farnham Depot from Aldershot, with the unit off 2D51 going empty to Clapham Yard. They should swap back round in May when the issue is resolved.

 

[WWTownEnth]

Any sign of a new 701 diagram next week? Given it‘s Easter I doubt it but we didn’t get one this week so I thought maybe, just maybe…….

 

[D7672]

701008 in traffic now

 

[Siemens Staines]

Any sign of a new 701 diagram next week? Given it‘s Easter I doubt it but we didn’t get one this week so I thought maybe, just maybe…….

Worth noting that next week sees the start of a new LTP (Long Term Plan) period, so there are liable to be some changes even if the number of diagrams do not change.

 

[WWTownEnth]

Worth noting that next week sees the start of a new LTP (Long Term Plan) period, so there are liable to be some changes even if the number of diagrams do not change.

Thanks. How long does this LTP last? Are we likely to see details of all diagrams up to the magic 50 in the summer?

 

[swr444]

Thanks. How long does this LTP last? Are we likely to see details of all diagrams up to the magic 50 in the summer?

Until the May TT change

 

[Snow1964]

Thanks. How long does this LTP last? Are we likely to see details of all diagrams up to the magic 50 in the summer?

Just to new timetable in May, the L for long is almost being misused in this instance, because STP short term plans have been as long as this previously.

 

[nctd2306]

For those (rightly) moaning about the automated announcements, I noticed a quirk onboard 701052 yesterday: despite having the visual PIS update (Lon W'loo etc) I didn't hear any BTP announcements on either of the journeys I did on this unit! It also generally seemed to make fewer auto announcements, so those seeking a quieter journey in the metro area, look out for unit 52!

(Each journey I made was almost an hour long, plenty of time for the announcements to have played as they do on other units)

 

[800001]

For those (rightly) moaning about the automated announcements, I noticed a quirk onboard 701052 yesterday: despite having the visual PIS update (Lon W'loo etc) I didn't hear any BTP announcements on either of the journeys I did on this unit! It also generally seemed to make fewer auto announcements, so those seeking a quieter journey in the metro area, look out for unit 52!

(Each journey I made was almost an hour long, plenty of time for the announcements to have played as they do on other units)

Can the guards mute the announcements on the trains?

I know for example on the 80X fleet it can be turned off .

 

[Dx1998]

Yes, they can be disabled, however it disables the entire system and all announcements would need to be made manually.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

701 008 has been taken off diagram and is being sent to Wimbledon depot.

Guessing it's burst?

Diagram is being covered by 701 012.

 

[TEW]

Any sign of a new 701 diagram next week? Given it‘s Easter I doubt it but we didn’t get one this week so I thought maybe, just maybe…….

There is a new diagram next week. It's a bit confusing though as part of the diagram has been 701 this week, with part of what was previously a 701 diagram being a 450 this week instead. Both diagrams are 701 from next week. It's a main Suburban diagram.

 

[lxfe_mxtterz]

Can the guards mute the announcements on the trains?

I know for example on the 80X fleet it can be turned off .

Yes, they can be disabled, however it disables the entire system and all announcements would need to be made manually.

The button the yellow arrow is pointing to in the image you have attached would not mute announcements throughout the train, only in the cab.

The "Disable PIS" button on the Saloon menu next to it would mute all announcements, however this menu is only accessible to the driver.

At present, there's no (official) way for the guard to mute announcements, although there is a bug (or quirk?) I have discovered which allows us to mute announcements if required, which obviously I'm not going to share publicly on here!

 

[Farnborough]

As swr444 has confirmed, just part of the (701) long term plan coming together. If you remember the 458's in their original guise, they worked the peak time 1Nxx services between Farnham/Aldershot and Waterloo via Ascot, with (IIRC) 3 x 8 car sets stabled at Farnham each night. Good to hear the plan is gradually coming together.

Looking at the diagrams, 1N91 and 1N95 are scheduled to be 701 operated, stabling at Farnham... then 5C08 (to Ascot, then 1C08 to Waterloo) and 1N92 are 701 operated in the morning.

1N92 is 701 operated, but (as per comments above) it's 5F51 (ex-2D51) that's come to Farnham - IN91 and 1N95 (and 5C08) still being 450 operated.

 

[Ian Hardy]

I have just heard this announcement at Isleworth:
"The doors on this coach will not open, please move forward one carriage"
What is it:
a coach or a carriage
Why isn't same word used?