More new Class 707s begin South Western duties

More Class 707s entered traffic with South Western Railway on December 11, as new duties were introduced for the new electric multiple units.

The ‘707s’ were ordered by South West Trains in 2014, as part of High Level Output Specification plans to boost capacity from London Waterloo by increasing train lengths from eight-car to tencar formations.

The five-car EMUs, built by Siemens in Krefeld (Germany), started in traffic in August and have been slowly introduced on more duties in the build-up to the timetable change. Of the EMUs so far delivered to the UK, all but 707001/002 had carried passengers by December 5.

SWR said an internal cascade created by the ‘707s’ means that from December 11, an extra 5,000 seats would be available during peak periods.

Primarily SWR will use the ‘707s’ on Waterloo-Windsor/Weybridge and Hounslow routes, with the EMUs on those services (Class 450 and ‘458s’) transferring to the Reading route, enabling other EMUs to be used on suburban and main line routes.

SWR Managing Director Andy Mellors said: “Introducing these trains means we can make use of existing stock in the best possible way and implement real improvements in time for the new timetable this December. Between now and early 2018, passengers will really notice the difference, especially during peak hours.”

Thirty Class 707s are on order, with 707001-014/023/025-029 in the UK, and 707015-022/024/030 to be delivered.

Despite being ordered in 2014 and only entering squadron service this year, the trains are scheduled to be withdrawn following the introduction of Bombardier Class 701 Aventras in 2020 ( RAIL 824).