SWR Class 701 Aventra Delivery Notes
The first South Western Railway class 701 train was delivered to Eastleigh Works on 10th June, 2020. The new “Aventra” family of electric multiple units are being built by Bombardier at Derby Litchurch Lane and will be maintained at their home depots of Wimbledon and Feltham depots (Feltham still in construction as of June 2020).
The new units are set to replace a wide range of SWR rolling stock from the south west London metro area, this includes replacing:
- Class 455s
- Class 456s (taken over from Southern in 2014)
- Class 458 (reconstructed from Gatwick Express 460s and the previous 458 fleet)
- Class 707, which are planned to move to Southeastern
There are two sub class designations in the numbering system of the Aventra class 701 EMUs. These are:
- Class 701/0 – the 10 car fixed formation. 60 being constructed.
- Class 701/5 – 5 car fixed formation. 30 being constructed.
Due to work on the Reading, Windsor and South West London services, they were originally due to enter service Mid 2020, however COVID19 halted their construction for several months, so it is therefore likely this entry date is no longer confirmed.
The units are being delivered to Eastleigh Works at present. Before entry into service the new class 701s will work mileage accumulation runs, even as far as Horsham.
This list will keep a log of the delivery dates of the SWR class 701 units, along with their delivery location after coming from Derby, and the locomotives that hauled it. They are delivered from Derby Litchurch Lane by GBRf and the headcodes are usually 6X24.
Class 701 Delivery Log
Due to numerous moves between Derby Litchurch Lane and Worksop storage, we can’t guarantee that the units at Worksop is 100% correct at all times.
701001 701002 - Arrived Eastleigh 10/06/20 (66740/66745), moved back North 701003 701004 - Arrived Wimbledon 30/06/20 (66775/66745) 701005 - Arrived Eastleigh 20/07/20 (66770/66742) 701006 - Arrived Eastleigh 31/07/20 (66783/66787) 701007 - Arrived Eastleigh 14/08/20 (66721/66723) 701008 - Arrived Eastleigh 01/09/20 (66710/66750) 701009 - Moved Worksop 27/11/20 (66725/66716), later returned to Derby (04/02/21) 701010 701011 - Arrived Eastleigh 12/10/20 (66738/66780) 701012 - Arrived Eastleigh 18/09/20 (66721/66737) 701013 - Arrived Eastleigh 05/11/20 (66702/66727) 701014 - Arrived Eastleigh 04/12/20 (66709/66703) 701015 - Arrived Eastleigh 16/12/20 (66745/66739) 701016 - Arrived Eastleigh 07/01/21 (66755/66752) 701017 - Moved Worksop 08/10/20 (66777/66782), returned Eastleigh 05/01/22 (47727) 701018 - Arrived Eastleigh 13/01/21 (66704/66724) 701019 - Arrived Eastleigh 12/08/21 (47727) 701020 701021 - Moved to Worksop 09/02/21 (66726/66791) 701022 - Moved to Worksop 15/02/21 (56081/47739), returned Eastleigh 20/05/21 (47749) 701023 - Arrived Eastleigh 29/03/21 (66752) 701024 701025 - Arrived Eastleigh 17/03/21 (66737) 701026 701027 - Moved to Worksop 04/02/21 (56081/47727) 701028 - Arrived Eastleigh 28/04/21 (47727) 701029 - Arrived Eastleigh 18/05/21 (47749) 701030 701031 - Arrived Eastleigh 07/05/21 (47749) 701032 - Arrived Eastleigh 28/05/21 (47739) 701033 - Moved to Worksop 20/07/21 (50007/50049) 701034 701035 701036 701037 701038 701039 701040 701041 - Arrived Eastleigh 11/3/22 701042 701043 - Arrived Eastleigh 30/03/22 (56096) 701044 701045 701046 701047 701048 701049 701050 701051 701052 701053 701054 701055 701056 701057 701058 701059 701060 701501 701502 701503 701504 701505 - moved to Worksop 26/03/21 (47739 + 56081) 701506 701507 701508 701509 701510 701511 701512 701513 701514 701515 701516 701517 701518 701519 701520 701521 701522 701523 701524 701525 701526 701527 701528 701529 701530
Author: matt
Owner of Rail Record
701007 went to Eastleigh today top and tailed by 66723 and 66721.
According to Rail Magazine this week, 701002 has been moved from Eastleigh to storage at HNRC Worksop. 701017 & 701019 are also stated to be at Worksop. The Railway Magazine says the same thing. Your log refers to 701009 being at Worksop, with 701009 not delivered. A discrepancy?
Sorry been very busy lately, I have updated the article to reflect your suggestions
Kind regards
Thanks for the up-dated Delivery Log. According to The Railway Magazine (Jan 2021 issue – Track Record Stock Update on page 83m complied by Ashley Butlin) Class 701 No: 701003 is stated to be stored/stopped at Wimbledon (with 701004). As far as I am aware, 701003 is one of those units which have still to be delivered, so I don’t know where they got that info from, unless it has been “slipped in” unnoticed, which I think is unlikely, as someone would have spotted it!
701029 is missing from the delivery notes list
Hi Matt, re Class 701/5, you say above: “Presumably the lack of train end gangways means they can’t work in multiple?”
Why not? Numerous classes work in multiple despite not having end gangways, including Classes 707 and 456, two of the classes being displaced by these new trains.
Hello Dave, not sure why that was in there. I have removed it.Thanks Have a good week ahead.
Rail magazine reports 701501/502 are at RIDC Old Dalby Test Track facility. 701505 moved to Worksop. First 701/5 to go there.
701504 was seen at Derby
what is the best station to go to see the class 701. but I need to use my Zipcard
Hi, at this time I do not think that there are any class 701s in passenger service. I know that some are stored at Wimbledon whilst others are stored at Eastleigh, however i’m not sure how visible these are. I think that this service later today may be a class 701 on test, but I am not certain. You’d need to ask around https://live.rail-record.co.uk/train/?c=K04749&d=26/04/2021
class 701011 is at Wimbledon depot. There is one more there as well but I do not now the number.
Should be 701004 at WD. May 2021 Railway Magazine reports 701005 moved to Widnes and 701506/8 moved to Worksop.
The 458s are staying with SWR now as they withdrew their Class 442s.
Apparently 701031 was seen passing Basingstoke being hauled by 47749, although there nothing on here to say it was delivered does anyone know if this was delivered to Eastleigh Trmsd or not?
701031 was delivered to Eastleigh behind 47749. Same loco as hauled 701029.
701029 on delivery run from Old Dalby to Eastleigh TRSMD behind GBRf 47749 (5Q10) today.
701033 is at Worksop it was with 50049 from Derby to Worksop yesterday.
701037 has been delivered to Eastleigh from Worksop with 47727 a few days ago.
701041 arrived at Easleigh at 5pm on Friday 11th March 2022
701043 has been seen delivering with 56096 working 5Q37 from Derby LL to Eastleigh Arlington. 30/3/22
701050 was seen at Eastleigh being towed by 47739 dated 17th August 2022.
701 035 is now at shacklegate junction
701049 just went through Southampton central 24/11/22 15:11 so I assume it’s on its way to Eastleigh? Looked like it had a load of white fabric seat covers and the like on it.