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

[NSEWonderer]

Legoland livery 701060 has been seen. Taken a leaf from the Elizabeth line in what seems to be only the Driving motor cars having the special stuff.

 

[FRSZMZ56]

Legoland livery 701060 has been seen. Taken a leaf from the Elizabeth line in what seems to be only the Driving motor cars having the special stuff.

Appears to have been named the "Legoland Locomotive"

Credit to @OnTheTrainJames on twitter for the photo

 

[NSEWonderer]

Appears to have been named the "Legoland Locomotive"

Credit to @OnTheTrainJames on twitter for the photo

Seen the other half posted around I assume by James too

 

[LUYMun]

Appears to have been named the "Legoland Locomotive"

Miffs me slightly as the 701 is an EMU.

Also of note in the other picture is a Lego character crying “Aaaah!” That’s very apt for SWR.

 

[norbitonflyer]

Miffs me slightly as the 701 is an EMU.

In the original sense of the word, "locomotive engine" means an engine which can move itself. This definition would include a dmu (as it has engines that can move themselves, along with the vehicle they are attached to).
But (non battery) electric trains are not "locomotive" - the "engine" is whatever is generating the electricity.

 

[Goldfish62]

Miffs me slightly as the 701 is an EMU.

Also of note in the other picture is a Lego character crying “Aaaah!” That’s very apt for SWR.

View attachment 200438

 

[Cach17]

Appears to have been named the "Legoland Locomotive"

Credit to @OnTheTrainJames on twitter for the photo

The Lego City train logo (pictured below) is a nice touch!

 

[mansonlo49]

Any ideas is this 701 move? Thanks

Realtime Trains | 5Q01 0935 Wimbledon Park Depot Sdgs to Wimbledon Park Depot Sdgs | 17/03/2026

Real-time train running information for 5Q01 0935 departure from Wimbledon Park Depot Sdgs to Wimbledon Park Depot Sdgs on 17/03/2026. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

 

[Purple Train]

The Lego City train logo (pictured below) is a nice touch!

View attachment 200475

That's fantastic!

 

[59CosG95]

In the original sense of the word, "locomotive engine" means an engine which can move itself. This definition would include a dmu (as it has engines that can move themselves, along with the vehicle they are attached to).
But (non battery) electric trains are not "locomotive" - the "engine" is whatever is generating the electricity.

Of course, that detail seems to have been lost on Legoland's marketing department, who think a snappy alliterative name would be better for (park) ticket sales.

 

[Islineclear3_1]

I remember a Class 455 carrying Legoland vinyls many years ago pre-refurbishment - 5856?

 

[NSEWonderer]

Nice to see the unit running up and down the Windsor lines in service. Might have to have a go myself if lucky.

 

[ls2270]

I remember a Class 455 carrying Legoland vinyls many years ago pre-refurbishment - 5856?

It was indeed and in my opinion a rather better effort than the latest rather underwhelming one!

 

[JCO1406]

Any further progress on getting more units into passenger service? It’s all gone a bit quiet.

 

[Goldfish62]

Any further progress on getting more units into passenger service? It’s all gone a bit quiet.

It's only been 11 days since the last one entered service and that was the last of a few in quick succession.

 

[WWTownEnth]

It's only been 11 days since the last one entered service and that was the last of a few in quick succession.

Agree 100% although it does seem there is a handful of units that have been in the commissioning process for months now. SWR must be close to setting some kind of record with a few..

 

[Goldfish62]

It was indeed and in my opinion a rather better effort than the latest rather underwhelming one!

Clearly Legoland didn't want to fork out for a whole ten coaches - I doubt it would have been cheap!

 

[TEW]

It's only been 11 days since the last one entered service and that was the last of a few in quick succession.

I understand that some of those were ahead of schedule too which explains the current gap. There have been no issues covering diagrams recently either.

 

[sh24]

Of course, that detail seems to have been lost on Legoland's marketing department, who think a snappy alliterative name would be better for (park) ticket sales.

For marketing department the snapping alliteration IS better for the campaign. Railforum members aren’t their target customer

 

[NSEWonderer]

Clearly Legoland didn't want to fork out for a whole ten coaches - I doubt it would have been cheap!

Most tocs dont, more notably the class 345 equivalent never has had any advertisement past the DM coaches from what I remember

 

[Bigfoot]

Most tocs dont, more notably the class 345 equivalent never has had any advertisement past the DM coaches from what I remember

It takes a second to look through the endless photos of emu dmu freight etc to see that 90+% are of the leading coach or loco. It's the bit that people look at as a train aproaches.

 

[wickham]

Of course, that detail seems to have been lost on Legoland's marketing department, who think a snappy alliterative name would be better for (park) ticket sales.

The picture attached to the "name" does not depict a locomotive or an engine at all - it is more like a dodgem car, water splash car or some other kind of pleasure ground ride ! Which of course is probably the whole idea.

 

[NSEWonderer]

It takes a second to look through the endless photos of emu dmu freight etc to see that 90+% are of the leading coach or loco. It's the bit that people look at as a train aproaches.

Yep, quite expensive and arguably a waste on the rest of the carriages as the first and last carriages are often mostly focused on

 

[Invincible]

The picture attached to the "name" does not depict a locomotive or an engine at all - it is more like a dodgem car, water splash car or some other kind of pleasure ground ride ! Which of course is probably the whole idea.

There is a cartoon lego steam loco on the 701
Launch video from SWR

25K views · 265 reactions | Official LEGOLAND Windsor turns 30 today To celebrate, we've unveiled the LEGOLAND Locomotive - one of our new Arterio trains serving Windsor and the iconic resort. All aboard to Windsor... Awesome awaits! | South

Official LEGOLAND Windsor turns 30 today To celebrate, we've unveiled the LEGOLAND Locomotive - one of our new Arterio trains serving Windsor and the iconic resort. All aboard to Windsor......

www.facebook.com

 

[D7672]

Hello,I need help with the 701/5 sets seen at Clapham Junction yard and also the sets in roads 17 and 18 in the shed at Wimbledon park 17th March 2026 please.
Many thanks for your help

 

[mansonlo49]

57303 now heading down to collect 701（？）on the 5Q45

Realtime Trains | 0O45 0611 Leicester L.I.P. to Eastleigh Trsmd | 18/03/2026

Real-time train running information for 0O45 0611 departure from Leicester L.I.P. to Eastleigh Trsmd on 18/03/2026. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

 

[WWTownEnth]

57303 now heading down to collect 701（？）on the 5Q45

Realtime Trains | 0O45 0611 Leicester L.I.P. to Eastleigh Trsmd | 18/03/2026

Real-time train running information for 0O45 0611 departure from Leicester L.I.P. to Eastleigh Trsmd on 18/03/2026. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

Why would this be necessary? I thought they could move under their own power at Eastleigh……

 

[Ian Hardy]

Why would this be necessary? I thought they could move under their own power at Eastleigh……

The reasons were explained in the posts from this post onwards:
https://www.railforums.co.uk/thread...-railway-progress-updates.148717/post-7712733

 

[TEW]

Next week's new 701 diagram:
2C12 0609 Reading to London Waterloo
2S15 0752 London Waterloo to Weybridge
2S24 0933 Weybridge to London Waterloo
2C29 1120 London Waterloo to Reading
2C40 1309 Reading to London Waterloo
2C43 1450 London Waterloo to Reading
2C54 1639 Reading to London Waterloo
2C57 1820 London Waterloo to Reading
2C68 2009 Reading to London Waterloo
5Y32 2208 London Waterloo to Clapham Yard

2C79, 2350 London Waterloo to Reading also gets added to another diagram to balance this.

 

[WWTownEnth]

Next week's new 701 diagram:
2C12 0609 Reading to London Waterloo
2S15 0752 London Waterloo to Weybridge
2S24 0933 Weybridge to London Waterloo
2C29 1120 London Waterloo to Reading
2C40 1309 Reading to London Waterloo
2C43 1450 London Waterloo to Reading
2C54 1639 Reading to London Waterloo
2C57 1820 London Waterloo to Reading
2C68 2009 Reading to London Waterloo
5Y32 2208 London Waterloo to Clapham Yard

2C79, 2350 London Waterloo to Reading also gets added to another diagram to balance this.

Many thanks: it seems the Windsor side is now taking priority over the main line for new 701 diagrams. I wonder if a decision has been made to get the 458/4s out of service ASAP, given their reliability.