I don't actually believe it. For a high frequency metro service you need trains of identical performance. That was the main reason for replacing the mish-mash of 455, 450 and 458 on such services in the first place and will form the basis of the forthcoming timetable recast.
Apparently "On 22 May SWR will celebrate one year anniversary of public ownership by holding a GBR branded event." so an assumption could be made that 701006 is currently having full GBR livery applied like the GTR 387 172
I would hazard a guess that one unit from each TOC that has been brought into public ownership will be done.
Not really, the trains keep to time pretty much, if anything its a minor tweak
Indeed tho unlike those other trains they pretty much give you near identical supply as demanded by the Driver where as whilst some 701s do this, quite a few even at 100% demand will crawl before either releasing it all in one go or gradually gaining up which wasnt the case an update before.
Thanks for the insight. Sounds like another Aventra qwerk - and not ideal!
Anyone got any Apollo seat harnesses going spare?..
The TMS software has nothing to do with braking or acceleration….
I do hate that tautology - what's wrong with "First anniversary"?
One whole year and managed to repaint one unit, ..... only about 290 units to go on SWR
What is the point of wasting money?
Ironically, this is the first time in 30+ years that the entire SWR electric fleet has had the same livery! And now they are about to change it!
They haven't repainted any units. It will be vinyls.
Have all the 450s been done now?
They have been for a while!
Not so sure about this, early re-liveries were done with vinals, but they show strips where the sheets join, attract dirt into the joins and look terrible - some of the early 159 re-liveries look awful. Can't say for certain, but the 444s and 450s now have very clean lines and I suspect that they are real paint jobs - can anyone say for certain ?
Apart from the early 159s all of SWRs trains are painted. The early 159 are also due to be repainted. Looking up close it's dead easy to tell the difference between paint and vinyl. Paint looks like paint while a vinyl livery looks like a patchwork of plastic sheets (which is what it is) and is really only suitable for short-term liveries such as adverts.
The 444s and 450s were painted. But the original message was in the context of SWR re-liverying into GBR colours on a 701. That will be using vinyl.
Its been testing for a bit now so I'd be wagering so
www.realtimetrains.co.uk
That's what the paint shop at Bournemouth West is for. As many commented in the past about the high standard of workmanship applied to the 455's, which formed part of the reason for the paint shop being authorised in the first place.
CancelledCould this be 701027 being dragged to Wimbledon ?
(It is ECS hauled by 57306 which came from Reading and the original light loco path from Leicester was cancelled)
Realtime Trains | 5Z50 1302 Eastleigh Trsmd to Wimbledon Park Depot Sdgs | 21/05/2026
Real-time train running information for 5Z50 1302 departure from Eastleigh Trsmd to Wimbledon Park Depot Sdgs on 21/05/2026. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.
EDIT
Now 40 minutes late and still not left so it must be a 701 drag !.
Confirmed as 701027 on Urgent TOPS thread.
(being a 701 and late there is a danger it will be cancelled as these drags are a er drag)
It came from Bicester as recent as last August so you would think it should be more drag-able than many of the 701s are ?.
Watch out for the same time tomorrow (is my guess).......
As was 5Q57 Bicester MOD to Derby Litchurch Lane.
Yes, but when 701027 came from Bicester to EH it would have been coupled to the loco at the other end - I wonder if that is significant !Could this be 701027 being dragged to Wimbledon ?
(It is ECS hauled by 57306 which came from Reading and the original light loco path from Leicester was cancelled)
Realtime Trains | 5Z50 1302 Eastleigh Trsmd to Wimbledon Park Depot Sdgs | 21/05/2026
Real-time train running information for 5Z50 1302 departure from Eastleigh Trsmd to Wimbledon Park Depot Sdgs on 21/05/2026. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.
EDIT
Now 40 minutes late and still not left so it must be a 701 drag !.
Confirmed as 701027 on Urgent TOPS thread.
(being a 701 and late there is a danger it will be cancelled as these drags are a er drag)
It came from Bicester as recent as last August so you would think it should be more drag-able than many of the 701s are ?.
Do you mean the one right next to platform 7?
Thanks that’s the one, it was yesterday I was there.
