SOUTH WESTERN Railway has finally seen the long-awaited introduction of its 90-strong Class 701 third rail electric multiple unit fleet into passenger service, with 701037 being used on the inaugural 10.25 London Waterloo to Windsor & Eton Riverside service on January 9.
The train worked one return journey – also forming the 11.30 return working from Windsor & Eton Riverside – throughout the rest of the first week, with 701037/039 both seeing passenger service as SWR carried out a soft launch of the new trains. It was planned that a second working would be introduced for the Class 701s from the second week. SWR is now advancing its driving training programme for the new trains after agreements were reached between the operator and unions in the lead up to Christmas. It is expected that the trains will now undergo a phased entry into service on routes across the SWR network.
The trains are part of Alstom’s Aventra family but are marketed by SWR as Arterio, have been built by Alstom at Derby, and were originally expected to enter service with SWR during 2019. However, a series of problems with the trains saw their target for entry into passenger use repeatedly delayed. Construction of the fleet is now nearing an end at Derby, with a large number of the completed trains in store at various locations.
SWR will eventually have 90 Class 701s– 60 10-coach Class 701/0s (701001-060) and 30 five-coach Class 701/5s (701501-530) – in use on its network, which are expected to form the backbone of SWR’s suburban services operating out of London Waterloo.
Originally intended to allow the withdrawal or cascade of a number of other fleets, the Class 701s were planned to replace the Class 442s, 455s, 456s, 458s and 707s which have been in service with SWR. Of these, the Class 442s, a few Class 455s and the 456s have already been withdrawn and scrapped, while the majority of the Class 707s have been transferred to Southeastern, with just two of the units currently remaining in use with SWR. The Class 458s are now being reconfigured and are to be retained by SWR.
SWR managing director Claire Mann said: “I’m really pleased and proud to be here to see our first Arterio train in service. It’s an amazing moment for us on South Weste
