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

[wickham]

On Tuesday 04.08.26 there is a 5H71 1041 Derby RCD to Bicester MOD booked to run: Almost certainly barrier wagons again for another reluctant 701/5, but I can't see any outward path yet for Wednesday or Thursday. Something of interest to keep an eye on !

 

[Peter Sarf]

On Tuesday 04.08.26 there is a 5H71 1041 Derby RCD to Bicester MOD booked to run: Almost certainly barrier wagons again for another reluctant 701/5, but I can't see any outward path yet for Wednesday or Thursday. Something of interest to keep an eye on !

Keep an eye out for any of Tuesday to Friday.

Last week it was a 0H71 on Monday (without Barriers aiui) from Drby RTC to Bicester. With the 5Q87 on Tuesday cancelled.
Then a 5H71 (with barriers) ran on Wednesday and then 0H71 (I swear it was 5Q87 ?) without barriers ran to Wimbledon on Thursday.
Then 7Q87 to Wimbledon WITH the barriers ran on Friday.

 

[Siemens Staines]

A new high achieved this morning with 51 701s in passenger service. The remaining two diagrams are pairs of 458/4, details are on the 458 thread.

 

[Goldfish62]

A new high achieved this morning with 51 701s in passenger service. The remaining two diagrams are pairs of 458/4, details are on the 458 thread.

Thanks for pointing towards the 458 thread, given that your post there has been masked by the ridiculous auto-merge.

 

[WWTownEnth]

So what’s the plan for the 10 pairs of 450s now diagrammed on the Windsors?

Will any of these switch over to 701s in the next few months? Or are we done with diagram changes until the 701/5s start entering passenger service?

 

[JCO1406]

So what’s the plan for the 10 pairs of 450s now diagrammed on the Windsors?

Will any of these switch over to 701s in the next few months? Or are we done with diagram changes until the 701/5s start entering passenger service?

I believe there are about 53 701 diagrams now, and that the plan was to have around about 56, so we’ll probably see 3 more switched over.

Please correct me if im wrong.

 

[moley]

These six units are presumably what provide the stock for the additional mainline services in the December 26 timetable (on the basis that no 701/5s are in service by then).

 

[Goldfish62]

These six units are presumably what provide the stock for the additional mainline services in the December 26 timetable (on the basis that no 701/5s are in service by then).

Something will have gone very wrong if there are no 701/5s in service by December. Only a couple of months ago the MD during his media rounds said that his aim was to get them all into service by the end of the year.

 

[WWTownEnth]

Something will have gone very wrong if there are no 701/5s in service by December. Only a couple of months ago the MD during his media rounds said that his aim was to get them all into service by the end of the year.

Interesting, thanks. If rumours on here were to be believed then the 701/5s were such a pile of junk that even the best of them wouldn't be ready until Jan 27 at the earliest!

 

[Covshire1]

On Tuesday 04.08.26 there is a 5H71 1041 Derby RCD to Bicester MOD booked to run: Almost certainly barrier wagons again for another reluctant 701/5, but I can't see any outward path yet for Wednesday or Thursday. Something of interest to keep an eye on !

Wednesday
5Q87 0942 Bicester Mod Gbrf to Wimbledon Park Depot Sdgs

https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:K00089/2026-08-05/detailed

 

[swr444]

Something will have gone very wrong if there are no 701/5s in service by December. Only a couple of months ago the MD during his media rounds said that his aim was to get them all into service by the end of the year.

Today it was mentioned in one of our internal newsletters that they won't be in service until 2027! So who knows anymore

 

[moley]

Is it more to do with needing additional train crew to run additional services? Can’t run more services without additional crew.

No point running 2x701/5 if a 701/0 is available. Doesn’t mean that they can’t be cleared for service in the meantime, even if not then in service.

 

[Peter Sarf]

Is it more to do with needing additional train crew to run additional services? Can’t run more services without additional crew.

No point running 2x701/5 if a 701/0 is available. Doesn’t mean that they can’t be cleared for service in the meantime, even if not then in service.

Any 701/0s and 701/5s that are replacing 450s which then go to strengthen existing longer distance services will not require any more crews.

It is arguably only when we see extra services that we will expect number of crew to figure. Of course when training ceases that will free up some crew and units.

 

[talldave]

So what’s the plan for the 10 pairs of 450s now diagrammed on the Windsors?

Will any of these switch over to 701s in the next few months? Or are we done with diagram changes until the 701/5s start entering passenger service?

What about Reading services? I haven't been on a 701 in ages and most 450s appear to have crap or non-existent aircon. Why can't they swap them around so the pain is shared equally amongst all passengers?

 

[Peter Sarf]

Wednesday
5Q87 0942 Bicester Mod Gbrf to Wimbledon Park Depot Sdgs

https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:K00089/2026-08-05/detailed

Interesting. I was expecting a 7Q87 given the barriers are apparently going to Bicester on Tuesday (04/08/2026).

Maybe the barriers are "insurance" and wont get used unless really needed.

There is no second delivery path in yet for later in the week but there is a path 0H71 for the locos to return from Wimbledon to Bicester.

 

[Farnborough]

Three observations...

• 5Q56 ran from Wimbledon Park Depot Sidings to Farnham CSD last evening
• 701035 (which arrived as 1N95/5N95 last evening) formed 5C08/2C08 - AFAIK/BICBW the first time a 701 has run this service
• 5N90/1N90 has switched to 2x450s

 

[davews]

Last Tuesday (only) and today the diagram starting with 2C11 has been 701s, not sure if this will continue Tuesday's only? As for air conditioning the 701 I took on the return journey was pretty stuffy, it does seem to vary a lot.

 

[Bobcp]

Interesting. I was expecting a 7Q87 given the barriers are apparently going to Bicester on Tuesday (04/08/2026).

Maybe the barriers are "insurance" and wont get used unless really needed.

There is no second delivery path in yet for later in the week but there is a path 0H71 for the locos to return from Wimbledon to Bicester.

I suspect that they already know which unit requires the use of barriers.
Given that the path from Bicester to Wimbledon is 5Q87 and the return is 0H71 suggests to me that barriers are not required for tomorrows scheduled move so only a single loco will be required.
I believe that movement of 701516 has been attempted, using a single loco, on several occasions without success so likely that will be the move using barriers.

 

[swr444]

701509 is out on a test run as 5T80 currently

 

[Farnborough]

Last Tuesday (only) and today the diagram starting with 2C11 has been 701s, not sure if this will continue Tuesday's only? As for air conditioning the 701 I took on the return journey was pretty stuffy, it does seem to vary a lot.

2C11 is the outbound/return of 2C08

Must have missed it last week!

 

[wickham]

I suspect that they already know which unit requires the use of barriers.
Given that the path from Bicester to Wimbledon is 5Q87 and the return is 0H71 suggests to me that barriers are not required for tomorrows scheduled move so only a single loco will be required.
I believe that movement of 701516 has been attempted, using a single loco, on several occasions without success so likely that will be the move using barriers.

I totally agree with your thoughts here Bob. There are two units left at Bicester so it my guess that 701526 is the one planned to come on 5Q87 tomorrow and we can expect a 7Q87 for the reluctant 701516 on Friday (but I stress only my guess !!):
The interesting thing here is that when 701515 + 701516 were originally planned to move 30.04.26 and 01.05.26 both of which were cancelled due to problems with the train, they were booked to go to Derby not Wimbledon, so might 701516's destination actually be Derby ? Time will tell !
(701515 has of course already come to Wimbledon).

 

[Peter Sarf]

Last Tuesday (only) and today the diagram starting with 2C11 has been 701s, not sure if this will continue Tuesday's only? As for air conditioning the 701 I took on the return journey was pretty stuffy, it does seem to vary a lot.

I travelled on a 701 from Waterloo last week just before departure and ! was really struck with how much cooler the carriages were towards the front.

What I did not notice was how many doors were open along the length. I am wondering if the doors towards the rear of the train (barrier end) were open a lot more. This could be as most passengers will get on the forst easy to get in coach and walk through inside, the train was not very busy.

It would make sense that a lot more cool air (or hot air in summer) will be lost out of such large doorways when they are open. Obviously I expect the auto close will be reasonably soon after opening so when loading at Waterloo I can imagine the doors toward the front of a not very busy service will be almost permanently shut.

I suspect that they already know which unit requires the use of barriers.
Given that the path from Bicester to Wimbledon is 5Q87 and the return is 0H71 suggests to me that barriers are not required for tomorrows scheduled move so only a single loco will be required.
I believe that movement of 701516 has been attempted, using a single loco, on several occasions without success so likely that will be the move using barriers.

Yes 701516 rings a bell with me as well. 701526 for Wednesday it is then !.
EDIT wrong ! /EDIT

I totally agree with your thoughts here Bob. There are two units left at Bicester so it my guess that 701526 is the one planned to come on 5Q87 tomorrow and we can expect a 7Q87 for the reluctant 701516 on Friday (but I stress only my guess !!):
The interesting thing here is that when 701515 + 701516 were originally planned to move 30.04.26 and 01.05.26 both of which were cancelled due to problems with the train, they were booked to go to Derby not Wimbledon, so might 701516's destination actually be Derby ? Time will tell !
(701515 has of course already come to Wimbledon).

This is what I recall. Yes that pair (701515 & 701516) dragged their heels until they gave up trying to deliver two !.
Oh the cost.

Good call about 701516 going to Derby. It will not be the first recent return of a 701/5 to Derby (701510 + foliage from Wimbledon) and is perhaps to be expected of units stored for so long.

EDIT And so it was that 701516 proved us wrong, leaving 710526 behind ! /EDIT
Either way, dare I say it, by end of this week Bicester might well be emptied of 701s !.

 

[Goldfish62]

What about Reading services? I haven't been on a 701 in ages and most 450s appear to have crap or non-existent aircon. Why can't they swap them around so the pain is shared equally amongst all passengers?

Reading services have interworked with Weybridge services since May (upon arrival at Waterloo most Reading services become Weybridge services and vice versa) so the pain is spread - at least a little bit. I suspect though it's a wider issue with the 450s.

 

[Driver@swt]

Interesting, thanks. If rumours on here were to be believed then the 701/5s were such a pile of junk that even the best of them wouldn't be ready until Jan 27 at the earliest!

That rumour is BS

 

[Goldfish62]

Interesting, thanks. If rumours on here were to be believed then the 701/5s were such a pile of junk that even the best of them wouldn't be ready until Jan 27 at the earliest!

If most rumours and "facts" on these forums were to be believed no trains would ever run anywhere!

 

[moley]

That rumour is BS

Is it, given…?

Today it was mentioned in one of our internal newsletters that they won't be in service until 2027! So who knows anymore

Whether they are a pile of junk is subjective, but not in service until 2027 is seeming accurate.

 

[dodger]

701509 is out on a test run as 5T80 currently

Arrived at Waterloo 7 min early. Quite good!

Dodger

 

[Peter Sarf]

Is it, given…?

Whether they are a pile of junk is subjective, but not in service until 2027 is seeming accurate.

Maybe there will not be enough trained crew until 2027 ?.

It is only a small conversion course but still.....

Common sense says the 701/5s, some at least, will be easy to un store. They should be easier than 701/0s as maintenance have been up the learning curve already.

There will always be a struggle with the last of each sub class but that is not the majority.

 

[Farnborough]

Is it, given…?

Whether they are a pile of junk is subjective, but not in service until 2027 is seeming accurate.

2027 is only five months away...

 

[NSEWonderer]

A tree decided to rest itself ontop of a 701 at Wraysbury which has had a few trains divert to ascot ecs after dropping pax at Staines. Was a few hours ago. Probably sorted now