New 'Platform Hoovers' Every Week Promised

South Western Railways says it is accelerating rollout of Arterios

Stuart Broad at the launch of a new train last November. Picture: SWR

July 22, 2025

South Western Railway (SWR) has pledged that it will be accelerating the roll out of new trains on its network with more of the new stock arriving every week.

£1billion has been invested in the Arterio trains but the fleet has been plagued with a host of problems meaning with only 14 of the 90 trains are currently operating including some on the Hounslow Loop serving stations such as Chiswick and Brentford.

SWR passed into public ownership in May and the Transport Secretary described the handover situation as an “abject mess” left by the private operator, prompting urgency over resolving Arterio delays

There was hope that they would significantly reduce overcrowding on the network due to the 50% boost in capacity they provide, leading them to be described as ‘platform hoovers’. The air-conditioned trains also feature wi-fi, charging points at every seat, real-time information and accessible toilets.

Putney MP Fleur Anderson told the Evening Standard this Tuesday (22 July), “I have raised [the problem of] extreme overcrowding on the stations.

“As the Waterloo line gets in closer to London it’s more full. By the time it gets to Putney, it is quite overcrowded but Wandsworth Town is really bad. Lots of people just can’t get on the train.

“These new trains, which are great, have been announced several times. They’re coming.

“The layout inside the carriage means they fit a lot more people on. They've been described as ‘platform hoovers’ - which everyone in Wandsworth Town will love to hear about.

“The rollout has been really, really slow... But, I’ve met with the Chief Executive and he is now going to consistently roll out more every week. It is really, really late but it is finally good to have them coming.”

The trains—built by Bombardier (now Alstom) at Derby—were ordered in 2017 and due in service by mid 2019. However, major issues emerged with the train control management system (TCMS), including inconsistent alarms and other software glitches, leading to repeated redesigns and validation delays. Units delivered had a host of faults, such as door obstacle detection, windscreen wiper and cab door issues, traction converter overheating, and malfunctioning loading counters. One train reportedly had over 90 separate faults, delaying its entry into service.

Even after technical clearance, driver training lagged. SWR struggled to release drivers from regular duties to attend the mandatory eight day conversion course—leading to minimal staffing to operate the new stock. By early 2025, only around 100 of the planned 750 drivers had been trained.

To support Driver-Operated Doors (opening and closing by the driver—DODC), SWR must install CCTV cameras and in-cab displays that give visibility of all doors across 10 car trains. But many of the 98 stations on the routes date from the Victorian era, making it technically hard to install adequate systems under all lighting conditions.

Unions (ASLEF and RMT) raised safety concerns over driver-only operation at poorly equipped stations. The resulting compromise requires drivers to open doors and guards to close them (DOGC), which requires a shorter training regime—but still affected the original DODC rollout plan.

SWR is carrying out platform modifications and camera/CCTV installations to support future driver only operations (DODC), once safety and lighting issues are resolved.

A spokesperson for SWR said, “We've introduced eight more trains in the past two months and, as of today, we are running 14 Arterios on more than 160 services every weekday, on routes to Dorking, Guildford, Hampton Court, Kingston, Reading, Shepperton, Twickenham and Windsor & Eton Riverside.

“We’re looking forward to many more customers enjoying the increased capacity and comfort the Arterios bring to journeys as we introduce more trains into service over the coming weeks.”