What I mean is the 07:28 from Clapham Junction is never a 701, and neither of my regular return journeys are 701s either. So unless I miss a train, I'm stuck on the old crap week after week. Why can't we mix it up a bit? I know why, because it's easier for someone to copy/paste day after day after day....
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Class 701 'Aventra' trains for South Western Railway: progress updates
- Thread starter WWTownEnth
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Judging by your post, you don’t appear to know why. It’s called diagramming, and is fundamental to railway operations.
Because people aren’t paid to alter diagrams for you personally. They are done to what’s operationally feasible.
Peter Sarf
Established Member
Yes. If control varied it every day it would introduce risk. Right crew, right train later in the day, which is due to visit a depot for an exam etc etc.
It is a lot more complicated rostering trains, staff and maintenance windows for a days workings than people realise unfortunately.
Any spare or flexibility has been used up in the name of saving money and making the most of a limited budget for so many years.
Fully understood, I just wanted to clarify to @Goldfish62 that the pain isn't shared!
On a positive note, although the older stock has crap/no aircon, the SWR aural bombardment of BTP/fare dodging warnings is slightly more spaced out!
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Good point. I am curious as to why Readings switched to platform 5 at CLJ for a few weeks though?
Peter Sarf
Established Member
Probably to give you variety
(can't say i know why 5 got favoured except a vague brain cell mentions a problem point or signal).
Anyway hopefully it will not be much longer before there will be enough 701s in service that you miss the 450s (and 458s).
On a separate note has the loo servicing got better recently ?.
I see no complaints.
w11_supremecy
Member
There currently are platform works at Wandsworth Town to install new lifts for step-free access. This meant WNT P3 Down Windsor Fast Line) - which is the normal platform for the stopping services - was out of use, so stopping services were put onto Clapham Junction P6 so that they could still stop at WNT P1 (which is the Down Windsor Slow Line, the typical platform the Readings and Windsors fly through). This explains why Reading and Windsor services were for a couple of months running from P5 at Clapham, as they could run fast through WNT P3 with no issue, which allows for stopping services to still call at Wandsworth Town)
Works on WNT P3 have finished though (they’ve commenced lift works on P2 - UWF Line) so everything is back to normal now.
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It has gotten a lot better in recent weeks yes, particularly since the water browser has been more intensively used on Waterloo P1-6. In my experience I rarely see both toilets on the same unit locked out of use these days. So at least there has been some improvement there, and it certainly is much more noticeable amongst passengers now.
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JacobB2004
Member
701 012 at Esher Station last night (3/8/26).
Seen this unit on the late night runs a few times before between Woking & Waterloo.
Seen this unit on the late night runs a few times before between Woking & Waterloo.
norbitonflyer
Established Member
The Down platforms at Wandsworth town are Platforms 1 and 2, not 1 and 3. Not sure of the official designations of fast and slow on that stretch, but the slow trains generally use the centre tracks (platforms 2 and 3). And why would separate lift works be needed for the two faces of an island platform?
Slow trains use 2 and 4, normally. For a while stopping trains were using 1 instead of 2, I presume because of the amount of construction related stuff on platform 2 limiting the amount of space for people to stand behind the yellow line. This last week service seems to have reverted to the normal platform 2.
And back to a 450 today....
Peter Sarf
Established Member
Delivery today 5Q87 has not left yet (25l). It is not unusual for it to be late but then just as likely to get cancelled.
EDIT now departed 30m late, will probably end up on time. /EDIT
Given the barrier coaches are there available perhaps a 7Q87 will appear with them in use. However I am not sure but battier coaches seem to dictate another loco on the rear, is there a second loco kicking its heels at Bicester ?.
Appears to have been manually activated 7h and 1m before departure which is generally a good sign that it was still planned to run.
EDIT now departed 30m late, will probably end up on time. /EDIT
Given the barrier coaches are there available perhaps a 7Q87 will appear with them in use. However I am not sure but battier coaches seem to dictate another loco on the rear, is there a second loco kicking its heels at Bicester ?.
Appears to have been manually activated 7h and 1m before departure which is generally a good sign that it was still planned to run.
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WWTownEnth
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looks like it’s on the way
NSEWonderer
Established Member
Probably covering for the 701 a tree fell on at Wraysbury, yesterday.
w11_supremecy
Member
You are correct, I got mixed up with the platform numbers… P2 is the Down island platform, P3 is the Up island platform.
No idea why that was the case regarding your last point, but that is just how it has been organised. No trains will stop on P3 on the Up until the autumn.
TT-ONR-NRN
Veteran Member
I get so confused when people refer to modern units with old 80s style numbering. For the benefit of other members, this post is about 701028.
Peter Mugridge
Veteran Member
Thank you. It took me a while to work out as well...
Goldfish62
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Same here!
WombleGuard
Member
Ahhhh, that might explain why some idiot has been vandalising 701 cabs by removing the '70'
For a second I wondered why SWR had hired in a Hastings unit
traji00
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(My 2C33 working got delayed by this at Clapham, though we later overtook it at Barnes.)
This is probably a stupid question, but could the 701/5 units not be doubled up on delivery/stock moves given their length?
TT-ONR-NRN
Veteran Member
I think it’s the 1 that confuses people. I looked at it, and actually thought it was a headcode or service at first.
028 is out again, is obviously about 701028.
1028 is out again, is confusing. Especially as you then said 5C90. At first I thought it was a 701/5 on the 1028 service from A to B at first glance
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That’s so embarrassing for them. Imagine being that sad.
They did try double movements but quite often it didn't work for one reason or another, so single unit movements appear to be more reliable. Don't forget, these are not just haulage - the loco couples direct to the unit and in effect works in multiple with it, so if there are two units the loco has to "talk" to the unit it is coupled to and that one has to "talk" to the second unit, which seems to have been the problem - they were not on "talking terms" !
WWTownEnth
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That would make sense. Can’t see many more conversion courses being required now.
Yes, 701028 observed ECS on the Windsor side this morning (05/08) and in addition the supposed "rouge" 701029 ran ECS from Clapham yard (probably to Wimbledon) at about 1130 with a banging noise coming from the middle of the train - possibly wheel flats - but this does confirm that it can indeed move on it's own. So, if it has been robbed for parts as suggested it has not had anything to stop it moving removed. Might it be on it's way to Wimbledon for final preperation at last ?I think it’s the 1 that confuses people. I looked at it, and actually thought it was a headcode or service at first.
028 is out again, is obviously about 701028.
1028 is out again, is confusing. Especially as you then said 5C90. At first I thought it was a 701/5 on the 1028 service from A to B at first glance
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That’s so embarrassing for them. Imagine being that sad.
Peter Sarf
Established Member
Yes, took me by surprise at Clapham Junction after we all thought that was becoming the most reluctant 701 to leave Bicester !.
At first I thought - oh a Western, yippee... Quickly overridden by common sense. So disappointing.
A few moves were as pairs of 701/5s at first but that seemed more problematic than just moving one at a time. I suspect that with these units having been stored for so long getting them to talk with the locomotive is best kept to the lowest challenge level (one unit at a time). Most of the moves have been as braked stock controlled by the locomotive, not as un-braked stock with translator wagons/vans at each end and using two locomotives.
I make that :-
Bicester only having one left
701526
Which has been there since February 2024 !.
Derby having nine left
701501
701502 *
701505
701507
701508
701510
701511
701514
701524
* Earliest arrival having arrived in December 2024 from where I do not know BUT was built in 2023 iirc.
But others returned from elsewhere over the ensuing 20 months or so.
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WWTownEnth
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We re now up to 20 at SWR, 9 at Derby and poor old lonely 526 at Bicester