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

[norbitonflyer]

At Vauxhall I just heard a train announced as a “South Western Railway Arterio service”

I think it was 2U56 1751 Windsor & Eton Riverside to London Waterloo

They've been doing that ever since 701s entered service in January.
I assume it WAS Arterio?

 

[Bayum]

Post from Linkedin showing 3 Class 701s at the old Waterloo International Terminus on the 19th. From Left to right the units are: 701044, 701034 and 701036.

View attachment 165891

I believe of the 3 units(Only 1 has been in passenger use), 701034 and 701044 have not ran any of the soft launch services and each are driver training only ready units. The two were delivered before unit 036(034 arricing first followed by 044).

701034 - Arrived on the network on the: 29 December 2021

701036 - Arrived on the network on the: 15 August 2023

701044 - Arrived on the network on the: 8 April 2022

They do look very smart with their sloping ends.

 

[NSEWonderer]

They do look very smart with their sloping ends.

In my opinion the best looking Aventra class out of the family.

 

[mansonlo49]

In my opinion the best looking Aventra class out of the family.

this is what I think too, I agree

 

[OneTrackMinded]

In my opinion the best looking Aventra class out of the family.

Yes without a doubt

 

[hwl]

Because standards have significantly changed, especially within the last 10 years. The benchmark should actually be GA who rolled out DCO in some very remote areas, however they already had DOO in some areas.

Southern knew they had to get the lighting sorted as part of the platform lengthening 15-17 years ago for 10 car DOO metro - they knew they had to do it and got on and did it as part works. Ditto SE and Anglia, why was it such a big surprise very late in the day for SWR?

 

[Goldfish62]

Southern knew they had to get the lighting sorted as part of the platform lengthening 15-17 years ago for 10 car DOO metro - they knew they had to do it and got on and did it as part works. Ditto SE and Anglia, why was it such a big surprise very late in the day for SWR?

Indeed. Standards in all areas will no doubt have changed over the last 10 years so I find it hard to accept that SWR haven't messed up.

 

[DMckduck]

Every station as of right now on the sheppy route via Wimbledon has failed DCO checks.

So it's safe to say currently there's not a single Windsor or suburban route that could possibly see DCO for a while.

And are the DFT/Gov going to sign off all this. If signal glare is causing issues with DCO how much red tape and funding is needed to start moving signals around?

 

[Peter Sarf]

Every station as of right now on the sheppy route via Wimbledon has failed DCO checks.

So it's safe to say currently there's not a single Windsor or suburban route that could possibly see DCO for a while.

And are the DFT/Gov going to sign off all this. If signal glare is causing issues with DCO how much red tape and funding is needed to start moving signals around?

That is terribly and consistently bad !.

Why am I not surprised. But....

Perhaps we should ask for confirmation and/or a source.

 

[OneTrackMinded]

Every station as of right now on the sheppy route via Wimbledon has failed DCO checks.

So it's safe to say currently there's not a single Windsor or suburban route that could possibly see DCO for a while.

And are the DFT/Gov going to sign off all this. If signal glare is causing issues with DCO how much red tape and funding is needed to start moving signals around?

The great news continues..

 

[DMckduck]

That is terribly and consistently bad !.

Why am I not surprised. But....

Perhaps we should ask for confirmation and/or a source.

Internal documents, but the proof will be in the pudding when the Sheppy service runs.

 

[Peter Sarf]

Internal documents, but the proof will be in the pudding when the Sheppy service runs.

Oh well. At least we can see more of the 701s getting used - maybe........

 

[Goldfish62]

So it's safe to say currently there's not a single Windsor or suburban route that could possibly see DCO for a while.

The Windsor service I was on the other day used DCO at at least Ashford, Feltham, Whitton, Twickenham and Richmond.

 

[Bigfoot]

The Windsor service I was on the other day used DCO at at least Ashford, Feltham, Whitton, Twickenham and Richmond.

I believe it's driver open and guard close on the way to windsor and dco on the way back to London currently.

 

[Snow1964]

Not sure if this video has been posted, it shows a 5 car 730 leaving Long Marston, but in background can see a 458 and at least 13 different 701s (11 x 10 car and 2 x 5 car)

roughly one sixth of the 701 fleet can be seen

 

[TEW]

I believe it's driver open and guard close on the way to windsor and dco on the way back to London currently.

Yes, although the guard will dispatch at Staines, Twickenham, Putney, Clapham Junction and Vauxhall on the up too.

The Shepperton services will be guard dispatch throughout apart from at Waterloo where the platform staff dispatch.

 

[Goldfish62]

I believe it's driver open and guard close on the way to windsor and dco on the way back to London currently.

Yes, I was heading towards Waterloo.

 

[XCTurbostar]

At this rate, they will need to send them for repaints before they get used!
Anyone know how driver training is going?

 

[swr444]

At this rate, they will need to send them for repaints before they get used!
Anyone know how driver training is going?

well they've got an all day diagram on the windsor circuit and a new sheppy diagram from tomorrow so it can't be going terribly.

 

[Forestboy]

At this rate, they will need to send them for repaints before they get used!
Anyone know how driver training is going?

A new group gets trained every week in a staggered system. 4 drivers per group.Drivers from Waterloo,Strawberry Hill,Feltham and Staines depots are the main focus at the moment.

 

[OneTrackMinded]

A new group gets trained every week in a staggered system. 4 drivers per group.Drivers from Waterloo,Strawberry Hill,Feltham and Staines depots are the main focus at the moment.

That's a big reduction from the previously discussed 10 per course
At that rate it's surely going to take longer than 2 years to train them all

 

[swr444]

That's a big reduction from the previously discussed 10 per course
At that rate it's surely going to take longer than 2 years to train them all

More than the 2 that it started with. Probably not very easy to do 10 in each group if they all need practical handling

 

[Forestboy]

That's a big reduction from the previously discussed 10 per course
At that rate it's surely going to take longer than 2 years to train them all

Maybe as time goes on they may slightly increase the numbers in a course group but I haven't heard otherwise.The problem they have as you probably aware of is that they haven't got enough units running in service to increase the numbers.Once the training has been completed,every driver has to drive for at least 75 minutes with at least a minimum of 10 stops in order to be passed competent on the traction.Also if you haven't driven the traction within 12 weeks of being passed competent you need a refresher.They'll be a few teething problems ahead I think

 

[Bigfoot]

The company in general is struggling for drivers to run the service as it is, without adding in taking them out of the available pool of drivers to train them on a new stock. There are cancellations due to crew availablity regularly at the moment.

 

[OneTrackMinded]

The company in general is struggling for drivers to run the service as it is, without adding in taking them out of the available pool of drivers to train them on a new stock. There are cancellations due to crew availablity regularly at the moment.

Yes but at this rate it'll take something like 3 or 4 years to train all the 700 drivers - something must be done

 

[NSEWonderer]

Yes but at this rate it'll take something like 3 or 4 years to train all the 700 drivers - something must be done

It won't be 4 drivers for that long?? It will ramp up at a suitable point, especially once most of the instructors including new ones have been trained on it. Also have the fact that during that time the 701s will eventually roll out which would mean the 455s would start to drop out. I believe it may be the case that the 455 traction have or will cease to be trained to new drivers(qualified or trainee) joining SWR from now, unless I'm wrong and someone more in the know can confirm?

If true then that will mean one less traction for instructors to be occupied by.

 

[Goldfish62]

The company in general is struggling for drivers to run the service as it is, without adding in taking them out of the available pool of drivers to train them on a new stock. There are cancellations due to crew availablity regularly at the moment.

Doesn't seem anything like the level of cancellations due to short staffing as elsewhere though. SWR is the one company where I usually don't experience such issues to a significant degree.

 

[OneTrackMinded]

It won't be 4 drivers for that long??

Maybe as time goes on they may slightly increase the numbers in a course group but I haven't heard otherwise.The problem they have as you probably aware of is that they haven't got enough units running in service to increase the numbers.Once the training has been completed,every driver has to drive for at least 75 minutes with at least a minimum of 10 stops in order to be passed competent on the traction.Also if you haven't driven the traction within 12 weeks of being passed competent you need a refresher.They'll be a few teething problems ahead I think

 

[NSEWonderer]

That doesn't however assume a time frame of another 3 or so years based on a training rate that is very dynamic.

 

[Bigfoot]

Doesn't seem anything like the level of cancellations due to short staffing as elsewhere though. SWR is the one company where I usually don't experience such issues to a significant degree.

It's weekends and evenings that have been suffering the most recently.