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

swr444 · Wednesday at 00:05

norbitonflyer said:
I find sticky glue is the best sort of glue.

"sticky" is what I meant

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Siemens Staines · Wednesday at 07:35

I make it 46 701s in passenger service this morning with the seven outstanding diagrams being three 2*458/4 (2C03, 2U05 & 2U10), two 1*450 (2D03 & 2M03) and two cancelled (2U09/2U16 & 2J92).

WWTownEnth · Wednesday at 07:54

001
002
003
010
011
016
020
022
025
032
041
045

are the 12 not out this morning. Add 028 and 029 and that’s just 46/60 available for passengers today. Poor.

Andy1673 · Wednesday at 09:18

WWTownEnth said:
001
002
003
010
011
016
020
022
025
032
041
045

are the 12 not out this morning. Add 028 and 029 and that’s just 46/60 available for passengers today. Poor.

And what happens? Why so many 701s out of service?

Krystal · Wednesday at 10:38

Siemens Staines said:
two 1*450 (2D03 & 2M03)

These two units (450065 and 450127) will join up and form 2G25, with another 701 (701033) subbing in from what was 1D22. This does leave some gaps I can see on RTT about unallocated services, so I think we'll be seeing another 701 set enter service later today.

WWTownEnth · Wednesday at 11:20

Krystal said:
These two units (450065 and 450127) will join up and form 2G25, with another 701 (701033) subbing in from what was 1D22. This does leave some gaps I can see on RTT about unallocated services, so I think we'll be seeing another 701 set enter service later today.

701029 about to take a bow?

norbitonflyer · Wednesday at 12:36

WWTownEnth said:
701029 about to take a bow?

I think he meant one of those listed in post 18363, but we live in hope!

WrongRoad · Wednesday at 12:58

swr444 said:
It's a common problem, it's just stuck on with some sticky glue. very much done on the cheap

Pretty much sums up the 701 fleet. Try being in a cab and listen to all the rattling and creaking as you go along, also not forgetting the bolts that seemed to have come off and rolling around in the roof above the driver!!!

Siemens Staines · Thursday at 07:38

I make it 48 701s in passenger service this morning with the five outstanding diagrams being two 2*458/4 (2U07 & 2U08), one 2*450 (2M03) and two cancelled (2H87/2H94/2R15 & 2J92).

Snow1964 · Thursday at 07:48

Siemens Staines said:
I make it 48 701s in passenger service this morning with the five outstanding diagrams being two 2*458/4 (2U07 & 2U08), one 2*450 (2M03) and two cancelled (2H87/2H94/2R15 & 2J92).

Interesting that there are still 450s on standby.

I thought the 450s were all supposed to be back in mainline fleet from beginning of September (or is the periodic diagram change next week).

I am guessing this means some mainline diagrams are still 8car rather than back to 12car.

WWTownEnth · Thursday at 07:51

Today’s bearers of notes from matron

001
002
008
010
016
020
022
024
041
051

That’s ten out, plus two not yet in service, so 48/60 operating.

Siemens Staines · Thursday at 07:56

Snow1964 said:
Interesting that there are still 450s on standby.

I thought the 450s were all supposed to be back in mainline fleet from beginning of September (or is the periodic diagram change next week).

I am guessing this means some mainline diagrams are still 8car rather than back to 12car.

The next period commences 21.09.26 which coincides with the Autumn leaf fall timing alterations.

Nimbus020 · Thursday at 08:01

Siemens Staines said:
I make it 48 701s in passenger service this morning with the five outstanding diagrams being two 2*458/4 (2U07 & 2U08), one 2*450 (2M03) and two cancelled (2H87/2H94/2R15 & 2J92).

Thanks for this - yes, 2M03 seems quite a regular for substitution by 450s - not sure why (just a 4-car 450 y'day)

WWTownEnth · Thursday at 08:19

Snow1964 said:
Interesting that there are still 450s on standby.

I thought the 450s were all supposed to be back in mainline fleet from beginning of September (or is the periodic diagram change next week).

I am guessing this means some mainline diagrams are still 8car rather than back to 12car.

There are 10 pairs of 450s diagrammed on the Windsors, aren’t there?

Goldfish62 · Thursday at 09:23

Snow1964 said:
I thought the 450s were all supposed to be back in mainline fleet from beginning of September (or is the periodic diagram change next week).

There'll be a lot of cancellations on Reading/Windsor services if that's the case. Even assuming all 701s are diagrammed as planned around 40% of Reading/Weybridge services are 450-operated.

Are there even enough mainline services that need strengthening still? There's 20 450s to use up!

WWTownEnth · Thursday at 12:01

Goldfish62 said:
There'll be a lot of cancellations on Reading/Windsor services if that's the case. Even assuming all 701s are diagrammed as planned around 40% of Reading/Weybridge services are 450-operated.

Are there even enough mainline services that need strengthening still? There's 20 450s to use up!

I don't think its just a case of legthening some services from 8 to 12. There are still a few 444 diagrams running as single 5 cars and when they are paired up will need to be replaced with 2 or 3 450 diagrams.

adc82140 · Thursday at 12:43

WWTownEnth said:
I don't think its just a case of legthening some services from 8 to 12. There are still a few 444 diagrams running as single 5 cars and when they are paired up will need to be replaced with 2 or 3 450 diagrams.

SWT used to run 9 car 444/450 combinations, so it's possible there could be a return to that.

NSEWonderer · Thursday at 13:17

adc82140 said:
SWT used to run 9 car 444/450 combinations, so it's possible there could be a return to that.

There has been quite a few running about.

swr444 · Thursday at 19:11

Two 701/5s currently going to Wimbledon park from Clapham yard

WWTownEnth · Thursday at 19:27

swr444 said:
Two 701/5s currently going to Wimbledon park from Clapham yard

Maybe about to enter service? Is anyone trained to drive them with passengers on yet?

swr444 · Thursday at 20:02

WWTownEnth said:
Maybe about to enter service? Is anyone trained to drive them with passengers on yet?

I doubt it and no, from what I can tell no drivers have been trained on them. Probably just going to Wimbledon for mods / prep for use in passenger service

Snow1964 · Thursday at 21:49

swr444 said:
I doubt it and no, from what I can tell no drivers have been trained on them. Probably just going to Wimbledon for mods / prep for use in passenger service

Weren't the first few drivers trained on both 5car and 10car, they only did a few before it was decided to shorten the initial training and just do the 10car version.

I think it is in this thread somewhere (around late 2024), but not scanning through thousands of posts.

Flange Squeal · 2026-09-04T00:46:00+0100

wickham said:
According to RTT 5Q56 2000 Wimbledon Park to Farnham did run on 20.08.26 AND 27.08.26, presumably conveying 701/5s - confirmation would be greatly appreciated if anyone knows:
Regarding the "time line" for the two recent deliveries:
701507/511 Derby to Wimbledon 18.08.26 and seen at East Wimbledon 20.08.26 [Very likely formed 5Q56 later on 20.08.26]:
701505/514 Derby to Wimbledon 21.08.26 and seen at East Wimbledon 24.08.26 [Did these possibly go to Farnham 27.08.26 - or something else ?]
So it would appear that space has been made at Wimbledon for the next lot - await developments with interest !

There are currently ten 701/5s at Farnham:

506/518
507/511
513/523
516/530
521/527

NSEWonderer · 2026-09-04T00:47:58+0100

Snow1964 said:
Weren't the first few drivers trained on both 5car and 10car, they only did a few before it was decided to shorten the initial training and just do the 10car version.

I think it is in this thread somewhere (around late 2024), but not scanning through thousands of posts.

No drivers outside of those within the project have trained on the 5s, driver training does incorporate couping and uncoupling 5car 701s as logistically finding both two 701/0s avaliable let alone a road big enough to bang on and off 20 coaches wasnt possible.

WWTownEnth · 2026-09-04T06:32:26+0100

001
002
010
011
016
021
022
024
032
042
051

are all not in service this morning. Looks like we’re down to 47 diagrams today..,,,

Siemens Staines · 2026-09-04T07:36:31+0100

WWTownEnth said:
001
002
010
011
016
021
022
024
032
042
051

are all not in service this morning. Looks like we’re down to 47 diagrams today..,,,

I also make it 47 701s in passenger service this morning with the five outstanding diagrams of their 52(FO a.m) being two 2*458/4 (2C03 & 2U10), one 2*450 (1N92) and two cancelled (2G03/2D14 & 2G12). I have posted the 458 allocations to the 458 thread.

However, I think that 701021, 701032 & 701042 are in service(1D12, 2F84 & 2F02), but 701023, 701041, 701048 are not.

Meglos · 2026-09-04T14:46:33+0100

NSEWonderer said:
No drivers outside of those within the project have trained on the 5s, driver training does incorporate couping and uncoupling 5car 701s as logistically finding both two 701/0s avaliable let alone a road big enough to bang on and off 20 coaches wasnt possible.

A contact inside Wimbledon advised me that as of Mid-August the conversion course for the 701/5 units had not even been signed off. He estimates that once it's signed off they will get 5-6 drivers a week trained, it's likely to be a two day course. He said that in that case, he wouldn't expect there to be enough drivers to be trained to use the 701/5 in service until the December timetable comes into effect.

JonathanH · 2026-09-04T15:12:46+0100

norbitonflyer said:
701010 seems to be a bit of a rogue unit. Only eleven days in service since its first one a month ago. Three others have entered service more recentkly and racjked up twice as many days in service.

701010 seems to have been out of service for quite a while now, since 31 July (although rail-record implies it worked on the morning of 10 August). Is it sat broken somewhere?

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

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