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

[Goldfish62]

There does not appear to be any 450 alterations today, but 701041 is covering for 2*458/4 which I assume otherwise would have been working 2J92 instead of the 455s.

A 701 is covering the diagram that includes the 0809 from Reading today. Since this changed from 458/5 to a pair of 458/4s last week it's hardly operated as such!

 

[swr444]

701049 out on a 5Q20 run, wonder if it's almost ready for passenger service

 

[WWTownEnth]

701049 out on a 5Q20 run, wonder if it's almost ready for passenger service

701049 out on a 5Q20 run, wonder if it's almost ready for passenger service

It only arrived back from LM three weeks ago. Would that be a record for out of storage and into service?

 

[Peter Sarf]

Just to say I can confirm last nights delivery was 57306 + 701517 + 701519 - seen at Wimbledon station.

That just leaves twenty 701s left to arrive on SWR.
15 x 701/5 from Bicester,
4 x 701/5 + 701003 from Derby.
(I am counting the four 701/0s at Eastleigh as being on SWR)

Feels like we are getting near to the end at last.

 

[LambicHedgehog]

It only arrived back from LM three weeks ago. Would that be a record for out of storage and into service?

Potentially. I think the fastest so far might be 701048, which came back from LM on 16/10/25 and entered service 23 days later on 8/11/25.

 

[nctd2306]

Any updates on when 060 might re-emerge in it's Legoland wrap?

 

[NSEWonderer]

5732 + 5712 have been allocated this morning’s run from Surbiton. Would I be right in guessing that both 701 and 450’s are tied up with covering for faulty 458/4’s to bring this about?

Wow not much of a peak buster as a 455

 

[Bigfoot]

Any updates on when 060 might re-emerge in it's Legoland wrap?

My prediction is it will come up to Wimbledon on the 16th to be ready for 2Uxx's on the 17th when legoland Windsor turns 30.

 

[Covshire1]

There is a 5Q45 1300 Eastleigh Trsmd to Wimbledon Park Depot Sdgs drag on Wednesday 18th March. Loco works in as 0O45 0611 Leicester L.I.P. to Eastleigh Trsmd.

 

[mansonlo49]

There is a 5Q45 1300 Eastleigh Trsmd to Wimbledon Park Depot Sdgs drag on Wednesday 18th March. Loco works in as 0O45 0611 Leicester L.I.P. to Eastleigh Trsmd.

Could it be one of these
(014/016/027/055)

 

[Invincible]

There is a 5Q45 1300 Eastleigh Trsmd to Wimbledon Park Depot Sdgs drag on Wednesday 18th March. Loco works in as 0O45 0611 Leicester L.I.P. to Eastleigh Trsmd.

Why use a diesel when the 701s could use 3rd rail?

Kind of good news for SWR from the Times that London’s workers are returning to the office faster than their European counterparts, according to data derived from the capital’s lifts.

 

[Peter Sarf]

There is a 5Q45 1300 Eastleigh Trsmd to Wimbledon Park Depot Sdgs drag on Wednesday 18th March. Loco works in as 0O45 0611 Leicester L.I.P. to Eastleigh Trsmd.

That suggests the four 701/0s at Eastleigh are more stored than might have been expected - as in not even commissioned enough to get to Wimbledon under their own steam. Even though they were presumably sat on the third rail ?. So must be easier to drag them to Wimbledon than for engineers to go visit them there.

For completeness the 701/0s at Eastleigh are :-
701014 came from Marchwood on 30/10/2025,
701016 came from Marchwood on 13/11/2025,
701027 came from Bicester on 26/08/2025 &
701055 came from Long Marston on 03/10/2025.

 

[CR165022]

Why use a diesel when the 701s could use 3rd rail?

I don't think all of the sidings at Eastleigh where those 701s are have third rail.

 

[Snow1964]

The delivery of 517 & 519 means half the 5car units now with SWR
(but none yet in service)

So now have 550 vehicles (10car) and 75 vehicles (5car) out of 750
Although only around 430 of 750 in service

 

[wickham]

The delivery of 517 & 519 means half the 5car units now with SWR
(but none yet in service)

So now have 550 vehicles (10car) and 75 vehicles (5car) out of 750
Although only around 430 of 750 in service

I don't think you figures are quite right:
I have 4 x 701/5s at Derby, 15 at Bicester and 11 on SWT = 30
But I stand to be corrected !!
Of these, all except 501/502 have been on SWT at some time and mostly sent away again for store. 501/502 have never been delivered, and there does not appear to be any urgency to do so !

 

[wokspotter]

Could it be one of these
(014/016/027/055)

Yes,it could be.

 

[Stephen42]

My prediction is it will come up to Wimbledon on the 16th to be ready for 2Uxx's on the 17th when legoland Windsor turns 30.

That's a good shout, based on that I've spotted:

• The 5Y51 1432 Bournemouth on 16th is diverted to Clapham Yard instead of Wimbledon Park that day only
• The next day 5U24 0906 leaves there for Waterloo arriving 0926
• It then spends an hour in the platform presumably for formalities and for any press who don't want to bother going to Windsor
• Platform allocations have it working the 2U25 1033 to Windsor
• The usual previous 701 working 2U22 leaves as 5Y20 to Clapham Yard

That suggests the four 701/0s at Eastleigh are more stored than might have been expected - as in not even commissioned enough to get to Wimbledon under their own steam. Even though they were presumably sat on the third rail ?. So must be easier to drag them to Wimbledon than for engineers to go visit them there.

For completeness the 701/0s at Eastleigh are :-
701014 came from Marchwood on 30/10/2025,
701016 came from Marchwood on 13/11/2025,
701027 came from Bicester on 26/08/2025 &
701055 came from Long Marston on 03/10/2025.

It's not necessarily the case that the drag means units are unable to go on their own power. Previously a loco even headed to Eastleigh before a SW operated move of unit under own power from Eastleigh to Wimbledon. Those moves require multiple SW drivers and there may be further restrictions on who can drive pre-commissioned stock too. I wouldn't expect much to have happened at Eastleigh beyond shoe gear lowering and any storage procedures (tyre turning, occasionally powering on etc). The experience will be at Wimbledon and that part of Eastleigh doesn't look setup to do significant maintenance on third rail stock from the 2023 imagery at least.

 

[Big Jumby 74]

Those moves require multiple SW drivers and there may be further restrictions on who can drive pre-commissioned stock too.

Such moves in my day were often the domain of Porterbrook drivers, or DM's rather than regular drivers.

 

[43096]

Such moves in my day were often the domain of Porterbrook drivers, or DM's rather than regular drivers.

Porterbrook drivers?

 

[WarrenTManager]

Porterbrook drivers?

SWR driver paid for by Porterbrook. The shift basically is timed so they take 5B39 and bring 5Y51 back as an example.

 

[wickham]

SWR driver paid for by Porterbrook. The shift basically is timed so they take 5B39 and bring 5Y51 back as an example.

Most if not all of the mileage accumilation runs with the 701s were preformed by Eastleigh based Freightliner drivers and I wonder if they have also done things like the Wimbledon-Eastleigh and Eastleigh-Wimbledon transfer moves. One presumes that SWR drivers do the Wimbledon-Farnham moves. Some months ago there were also Farnham-Eastleigh moves, so did SWR drivers also work these? These things are not clear cut !

 

[WrongRoad]

Most if not all of the mileage accumilation runs with the 701s were preformed by Eastleigh based Freightliner drivers and I wonder if they have also done things like the Wimbledon-Eastleigh and Eastleigh-Wimbledon transfer moves. One presumes that SWR drivers do the Wimbledon-Farnham moves. Some months ago there were also Farnham-Eastleigh moves, so did SWR drivers also work these? These things are not clear cut !

Definitely it will be the few Wimbledon Park drivers that do the Porterbrook stock moves that is 5B39, 5Y51 & 5X95 back and forth to Bournemouth Depot.Very probable they would do the Farnham to Wimbledon moves and a possibility of Wimbledon Park Porterbrook drivers moving stock from Eastleigh to Wimbledon Depot

 

[nctd2306]

It seems that the much mentioned PIS update has unfortunately been rolled out in full as every Arterio I've seen since Friday (and I've seen a large number of them) seem to be displaying the ridiculous "Lon W'loo" instead of the full name (despite it fitting entirely, I know it's necessary on the Desiros) and "Car XYZ" Instead of "Coach XYZ".

At least on my line, this update presumably means that I'll also be subjected to the "This is BTP" and "our trains are patrolled by..." announcements at almost every stop on all 701 journeys from now on as this seemed to be standard the the few units that had already been updated

 

[Goldfish62]

It seems that the much mentioned PIS update has unfortunately been rolled out in full as every Arterio I've seen since Friday (and I've seen a large number of them) seem to be displaying the ridiculous "Lon W'loo" instead of the full name (despite it fitting entirely, I know it's necessary on the Desiros) and "Car XYZ" Instead of "Coach XYZ".

At least on my line, this update presumably means that I'll also be subjected to the "This is BTP" and "our trains are patrolled by..." announcements at almost every stop on all 701 journeys from now on as this seemed to be standard the the few units that had already been updated

What are the interior displays like? These were going to be changed completely.

Is the complete station stopping list still announced after departure from every station?

 

[swr444]

What are the interior displays like? These were going to be changed completely.

Is the complete station stopping list still announced after departure from every station?

Displays are the same and yes, still doing the complete stopping pattern, with the "this is btp!" and "please treat our teams with kindness" announcement playing at almost every other station. It's even worse than before

 

[nctd2306]

That's a good shout, based on that I've spotted:

• The 5Y51 1432 Bournemouth on 16th is diverted to Clapham Yard instead of Wimbledon Park that day only
• The next day 5U24 0906 leaves there for Waterloo arriving 0926
• It then spends an hour in the platform presumably for formalities and for any press who don't want to bother going to Windsor
• Platform allocations have it working the 2U25 1033 to Windsor
• The usual previous 701 working 2U22 leaves as 5Y20 to Clapham Yard

Ding Ding Ding, we have a winner!
5Y51 does indeed have 701060 allocated to it today!

 

[Goldfish62]

Displays are the same and yes, still doing the complete stopping pattern, with the "this is btp!" and "please treat our teams with kindness" announcement playing at almost every other station. It's even worse than before

Oh dear!

 

[SeaKing]

0Z86 Leicester LIP to Eastleigh light loco has departed.

 

[Driver@swt]

Most if not all of the mileage accumilation runs with the 701s were preformed by Eastleigh based Freightliner drivers and I wonder if they have also done things like the Wimbledon-Eastleigh and Eastleigh-Wimbledon transfer moves. One presumes that SWR drivers do the Wimbledon-Farnham moves. Some months ago there were also Farnham-Eastleigh moves, so did SWR drivers also work these? These things are not clear cut !

GBRF did all the class 701 FFR

 

[nctd2306]

Displays are the same and yes, still doing the complete stopping pattern, with the "this is btp!" and "please treat our teams with kindness" announcement playing at almost every other station. It's even worse than before

Another point to add, the "updated" internal displays still tell you that that there's a good service (or otherwise) on TFL Rail! How many years has it not been called that now!?