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

[Big Jumby 74]

Not Kingston bay - the distance from buffer stops to fouling point is the same (8-car) length it always was

Quite so. That point I meant as a 'given'. My reference to other (possible recent) changes related to eg: Hounslow as one instant, Strawberry Hill (UP) platform 2, Virginia Water, Staines, all of which had restrictions in force one way or the other whereby 8 cars was the maximum when terminations (engineering work etc) came in to play. In these latter cases this was largely due the position of certain signals, but not being familiar with the finer detail of the recent resignalling based around the Feltham area, I can not comment as to if said restrictions have been relaxed with movement of signals or other mitigations?

 

[MotCO]

Looking at the Sunday timetable it appears to cater for the Kingston - Hounslow - Waterloo service using this arrangement. The issue will be Kingston - Shepperton shuttles during engineering works, which currently have convenient cross-platform interchange from Reading and Windsor services. In this case I guess a 450 would be used in the absence of 701/5s.

Does the Kingston - Hounslow link involve a reverse at Twickenham?

 

[NSEWonderer]

Does the Kingston - Hounslow link involve a reverse at Twickenham?

It does indeed. Fun little one to do.

Realtime Trains | 2R27 1235 Kingston to London Waterloo | 06/07/2025

Real-time train running information for 2R27 1235 departure from Kingston to London Waterloo on 06/07/2025. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

Realtime Trains | 2V35 1420 London Waterloo to Kingston | 06/07/2025

Real-time train running information for 2V35 1420 departure from London Waterloo to Kingston on 06/07/2025. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

 

[Snow1964]

Not Kingston bay - the distance from buffer stops to fouling point is the same (8-car) length it always was and, short of demolition of the station buildings or widening of the bridge over the Thames, always will be. The resignalling does now allow 10 car trains to reverse in platform 2 (the through platform on the opposite face to the bay) but this is only of practical use if there are no through trains (ie when the line towards Norbiton is closed)

Not 100% accurate on the bridges, Skerne Road Bridge has a third trackbed (a remnant of the sidings by the power station), the track to London bound platform could be slewed onto this, allowing platform 2 and the bay to be extended. Sopwith Way bridge already has 3 tracks and platforms. The reason why it wasn't done was the shortsighted decision to put substation transformers on the yard trackbed, thus blocking slewing and extending the bay

 

[OneTrackMinded]

Am I imagining it, or do 701s seem in better condition over the past week? Less rattling, better AC, etc. Maybe Wimbledon park is starting to work its magic.

The unit I was on this evening and the one earlier in the day both were a nice cool temperature and had considerably less rattle than a few weeks ago. The maps are still falling out of their slots, though.

 

[Invincible]

SWR did a publicity video for the RHS Hampton Court Flower show using a 701

78K views · 972 reactions | The King has arrived! Henry VIII traded his usual barge for one of our Arterio trains — the Red Rose — on his progress to @The_RHS Hampton Court Garden Festival. His Majesty's journey marked the flower show’s 35th anniv

The King has arrived! Henry VIII traded his usual barge for one of our Arterio trains — the Red Rose — on his progress to @The_RHS Hampton Court Garden Festival. His Majesty's journey marked...

www.facebook.com

 

[bnc2018]

Went on a 701 for the first time two days ago and overall it was very nice, but wow did the PIS look amateurish.

The passenger loading indicator uses a completely different set of colours and font to the rest of the slides, and on the tfl line status screen all the line names were different font sizes.

 

[wickham]

Out of interest, 701004, 701009 and one other were at Eastleigh Depot Airport Sidings yesterday (04.07.25):

 

[Siemens Staines]

If the allocation data to RTT is correct, 701018 should be new to passenger service today
2U15 0754 Clapham Junction to Windsor & Eton Riverside

Realtime Trains | 2U15 0754 Clapham Junction to Windsor & Eton Riverside | 06/07/2025

Real-time train running information for 2U15 0754 departure from Clapham Junction to Windsor & Eton Riverside on 06/07/2025. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

 

[Goldfish62]

Next weeks diagram looks to be this one

No.10: 701 Diagram
Starts at Waterloo – 2O03 → 2K07 → 2O15 → 2K19 → 2O27 → 2K31 → 2O39 → 2K43 → 2O51 → 2K55 → 2O63 → 2K67 → 5Y37 – Ends at Clapham Yard Sidings

I've lost track. Is this the 12th or 13th diagram of the 14 in the current carriage working notices?

 

[NSEWonderer]

If the allocation data to RTT is correct, 701018 should be new to passenger service today
2U15 0754 Clapham Junction to Windsor & Eton Riverside

Realtime Trains | 2U15 0754 Clapham Junction to Windsor & Eton Riverside | 06/07/2025

Real-time train running information for 2U15 0754 departure from Clapham Junction to Windsor & Eton Riverside on 06/07/2025. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

Very good, yeah I mentioned it would be one of the three next units. @bb21 confirmed it was ready for passenger service on the Tuesday gone.

701018 takes us up to 15 passenger service ready units

 

[Stephen42]

I've lost track. Is this the 12th or 13th diagram of the 14 in the current carriage working notices?

12 diagrams. One diagram starts doing diagram 1 and switches to the diagram 7 at 5Y82 onwards with the other parts of those diagrams covered by non-701s. Diagram 13 is the other missing one and some of the others finish earlier than in the long term plan carriage working notices with other units covering the remainder.

 

[Big Jumby 74]

I've lost track. Is this the 12th or 13th diagram of the 14 in the current carriage working notices?

We have discussed some matters PM wise in the past, but for others I will just say I am not surprised people outwith the immediate planning team get confused. In the original 10 car plan of 2014 (etc) there were even people within the team who 'lost track' as you put it.
The very nature of such a fast moving/evolving plan will only be fully understood by a very small number of people within planning circles, those who have to stay ahead of the game, and they will be relying on a larger number of people in operational positions (depots/signallers/training school, etc) to apply/adhere to the issued alterations in the relevant ACWN's issued from week to week. This is a good demonstration of the skill that the planners job entails, in relation to the week by week changes to stock and crew diagrams that have to take effect to ensure a successful end game of the project in question.

 

[Goldfish62]

12 diagrams. One diagram starts doing diagram 1 and switches to the diagram 7 at 5Y82 onwards with the other parts of those diagrams covered by non-701s. Diagram 13 is the other missing one and some of the others finish earlier than in the long term plan carriage working notices with other units covering the remainder.

Thanks.

 

[NSEWonderer]

Here is my very quick and far photo of the most recent addition, 701018. Couldn't get a closer shot as of where such a location for such a shot would require.

Few new train comments from those joining at Ashford None of that on the four car 458 I had to Reading.

 

[Ian Hardy]

Tonight's 2V71 2320 London Waterloo to Kingston (via Hounslow) https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:L52673/2025-07-06/detailed#allox_id=0 is allocated 701018 so it will have to use platform 2 at Kingston as it won't fit in the bay (Pt 1). 701018 then goes ECS to Strawberry Hill as 5V71 0031 Kingston to Strawberry Hill C.S.D. https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:L54064/2025-07-07/detailed.

 

[swtrains]

017 is down - problem with the train.

https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:L51692/2025-07-06/detailed

 

[Craig1122]

Went on a 701 for the first time two days ago and overall it was very nice, but wow did the PIS look amateurish.

The passenger loading indicator uses a completely different set of colours and font to the rest of the slides, and on the tfl line status screen all the line names were different font sizes.

The connection information isn't bespoke which is somewhat irritating. So you arrive at Clapham from Staines and it tells you to change for a Staines. London Overground doesn't have the same issue as the information appears to be linked to the route you're on so it is possible to do it better. You'd think it might be perfect given how long they've had to get it right...

 

[RealTrains07]

Here is my very quick and far photo of the most recent addition, 701018. Couldn't get a closer shot as of where such a location for such a shot would require.

Few new train comments from those joining at Ashford None of that on the four car 458 I had to Reading.
View attachment 183234
View attachment 183235

Its a shame the light blue panelling only features at the each end of the train. Would’ve been nice for that colour to be used elsewhere

 

[OneTrackMinded]

Its a shame the light blue panelling only features at the each end of the train. Would’ve been nice for that colour to be used elsewhere

I disagree. The grey panelling is very easy on the eye and makes the entire product seem higher end, similar to the effect on the 345s. This is in comparison to white panelling which is harsh. Light blue panelling would be even worse - very naff and cheap.

 

[Goldfish62]

I disagree. The grey panelling is very easy on the eye and makes the entire product seem higher end, similar to the effect on the 345s. This is in comparison to white panelling which is harsh. Light blue panelling would be even worse - very naff and cheap.

I agree. The interior looks very classy.

 

[Nimbus020]

Unit 034 didn’t make it to Epsom to work the 06:18 to W’loo this morning - had issues at Raynes Pk on its journey out from W’don depot - it was then switched to run to Chessington & returned towards W’don / London empty

 

[Tirov]

Todays visitors to Waterloo so far!

7/7 017 031 035 036 037 039 041 042 043 044 046 11

 

[Nimbus020]

Todays visitors to Waterloo so far!

7/7 017 031 035 036 037 039 041 042 043 044 046 11

Thanks - 046 picked up 034's diagram after the latter's failure early this morning?

 

[swtrains]

There seems to be several 701s being partially cancelled every so often because of an issue with the train crew. What's actually going on? Is the unit just broken and RTT is giving the wrong error? Usually the unit has done the majority of the route before being cancelled.

https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:L50696/2025-07-07/detailed

 

[43096]

There seems to be several 701s being partially cancelled every so often because of an issue with the train crew. What's actually going on? Is the unit just broken and RTT is giving the wrong error? Usually the unit has done the majority of the route before being cancelled.

Or as it says a crew issue e.g. relieving crew don't sign 701s?

 

[norbitonflyer]

Could be member of crew taken ill, or there was a scheduled crew change en route (quite likely at Wimbledon as there is a depot there) but no suitably trained crew was available to take over?

 

[Bigfoot]

Booked crew changes at Wimbledon are incredibly rare, the crew depot after all isn't at the station.

If there is a unit issue the problem is that there are still not quite enough crew trained overall to bring replacement stock out to replace the faulty unit once it comes out of service.

 

[NSEWonderer]

051 is moving from Clapham to Wimbledon Park, hoping at some point it will join 018 in passenger service soon.

Realtime Trains | 5Y95 2149 Clapham Yard Sidings to Wimbledon Park Depot Sdgs | 07/07/2025

Real-time train running information for 5Y95 2149 departure from Clapham Yard Sidings to Wimbledon Park Depot Sdgs on 07/07/2025. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

So far 051, 056 and 018 ive seen regularly being used for training and testing, id be expecting one of those to unless 028 is suddenly freed up and pushed into passeger service.

 

[TEW]

There seems to be several 701s being partially cancelled every so often because of an issue with the train crew. What's actually going on? Is the unit just broken and RTT is giving the wrong error? Usually the unit has done the majority of the route before being cancelled.

Likely no driver later on in the day, and it needed to be back at Wimbledon, and the only way to do that was at that point using the driver who would have taken it on to Waterloo.