Part of the Desiro City family like the Class 700, the Class 707 were built for services out of London Waterloo along the Windsor and Reading corridors [1].
SWR 707 014 at Clapham Junction
Information
Number built:
150 (30 5-car sets)
Built:
2015-17
Builder:
Siemens Transportation
Engine:
Siemens Traction System (750v DC third rail)
Power:
1, 600 hp (1, 200 kW)
Formation:
Driving Motor Standard Open (DMSO)+Trailer Standard Open
(TSO)+TSO+TSO+DMSO
The fleet was ordered by South West Trains to increase capacity especially for peak-hour serices out of London Waterloo. The first 707s were delivered at the end of 2016 with an entry into service in the late Summer of 2017. Then events overtook them.
SWT's franchise was taken over by South Western Railway who decided that the 707s were unsuitable for their planned service improvements. SWR ordered Class 701 Aventra family EMUs instead [2]. The Class 707s will be replaced by 701s from 2019.
As yet the future of the 707s is undecided. In theory they could be scrapped though this is unlikely of course as they are virtually brand new and they will most likely be found somewhere else on the British network to operate. They were built as dual voltage EMUs though only a couple have been fitted with pantographs for testing on 25kV AC overhead lines, the rest have DC third rail shoes fitted only.
SWR 707 002 at Clapjam Junction
Aboard 707 005
SWR 707 023 at Woking
SWR 707 028 at Clapham Junction
SWR 707 026 at Virginia Water
[1] Colin J. Marsden, Rail Guide 2016 (Ian Allan, 2016) p. 123 [2] "South Western Railway: the masterplan and its challenges", Modern Railway (January 2018) p. 51
