First of South Western Railway’s new fleet of trains arrives

The first of South Western Railway’s near-£1bn new fleet of modern suburban trains has arrived on the network ahead of a full programme of testing beginning next month.

The 10-car Class 701 train is the first of the 90-strong fleet to arrive on SWR’s network travelling in and out of Waterloo.

Stabled at Eastleigh, they should be ready for full passenger usage later this year.

Next month, SWR’s full programme of testing is also expected to get under way.

SWR will assess new systems specifically designed for the Class 701 trains, including new communications systems, sensitive edge doors, regenerative braking and on-board features like Wi-Fi and at-seating charging points.