From Journey Check this morning ...



The Heart of Wessex line is one of four the was highlighted by GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) themselves (Mark Hopwood on 15th June to the Community Rail Conference) as performing significantly worse than most of the GWR network, and where additional attention would be given to the raising of performance to at least a similar level to other GWR services.  Being kind, this appears to remain "work in progress".  Issues such as the above, where the first train has been replaced by two buses should be very rare indeed.   I note that (on most trains) passenger's destinations from Frome and south thereof is beyond Westbury, and that a later arrival at Westbury by bus will mean they cannot connect into the train intended, which is still running north thereof.

Yesterday, I visited Weymouth on what was originally planned to be the young carer's day out, but which we aborted.  I noted:
10:43 arrival into Weymouth didn't get there until 11:44
11:45 arrival into Weymouth arrived 12:01
11:00 departure from Weymouth left at 12:04 and terminated short of destination
14:14 departure was a very busy 2 car train with inadequate seating for a long journey; standing from Frome
15:55 arrival into Weymouth has started short of its timetabled starting point
16:10 departure was terminated at Westbury due to shortage of crew to run it beyond.
23:07 arrival was cancelled ( train terminated at Westbury)
With just 5 arrivals and 5 departures scheduled, that's 70% of services noted for being below par ...

Consideration should be given to re-arranging the carer's day out during the autumn - with less crowds on the trains and Weymouth being quieter.  Many of the young people that plan to go on this trip are, of course, at school from Monday to Friday - but a Sunday trip during term time, with a shorter stay in Weymouth (mid rather than late afternoon return) might work even better for everyone than what we had originally planned.  As you say (Bignosemac), annual leave issues for everyone - staff and also stand-in carers - will be far less of a problem.

Grahame said:-

Yesterday, I visited Weymouth on what was originally planned to be the young carer's day out, but which we aborted.  I noted:
10:43 arrival into Weymouth didn't get there until 11:44
11:45 arrival into Weymouth arrived 12:01
11:00 departure from Weymouth left at 12:04 and terminated short of destination

I believe that the 10.43 arrival met a tree on the line which caused the delay. And of course there is often a short turnaround time at Weymouth so late in means late out! I can only agree that the performance (availability of trains and crew) are very poor.

The cancellation (and unusually a bus replacement arranged) of the first departure from Weymouth was due to the unit on the last down on Sunday being terminated at Westbury due to crewing issues!

The cancellation of the first train from Weymouth and replacement by a bus to Westbury was first signposted on Journeycheck late on Sunday afternoon so at least some advance warning was given.  The second bus from Yeovil was added overnight.

Don't GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) have any drivers based at Weymouth? I know they have guards based there.

Trying to think what the logic would be of having depots with guards and no drivers.  In the absence of DOO^▸ (Driver-Only Operation (that is, trains which operate without carrying a guard)), if you need one, you need the other.

They wouldn't be driving the 0533. 'Hidden' rules stipulate anyone doing safety critical work must have a 12 hour gap between shifts.

No idea on the lodging arrangements or whether the late arrival driver is taxied home.

In the past there was a BR^▸ (British Rail(ways)) hostel in Redland, Bristol, not far from Redland Railway Station where rail crew on an out and back turn would stay overnight and would be provided with an evening meal and breakfast, I know, I delivered the bread on my Saturday Job.