2023 - Train update and amendment log - Swindon <-> Westbury

[whole diary]

[grahame]

17:50 Gloucester to Salisbury due 20:06

17:50 Gloucester to Salisbury due 20:06 will be started from Westbury.
It will no longer call at Gloucester, Stonehouse, Stroud, Kemble, Swindon, Chippenham, Melksham and Trowbridge.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.

Last Updated:14/12/2023 10:08

[ChrisB]

Are we being reasonable in looking for a more reliable service from Swindon to Westbury? 

No, you're not - but you aren't 'giving credit' to GWRs^▸ (Great Western Railway) ability to do much abut it going forward? You & I both know that the screws have been put on all TOCs^▸ (Train Operating Company) to reduce costs, and unfortunately, that means 'branch' lines like yours (and others to maybe slightly lesser extent - cf the Cotswold Line) have been majorly affected.

So maybe work *with* GWR to put pressure on the Government by meeting/lobbying local MPs^▸ (Member of Parliament) etc? Simply groaning at GWR won't achieve very much?

[grahame]

Are we being reasonable in looking for a more reliable service from Swindon to Westbury? 

No, you're not ....

Wow!!!   Then I stand up and am proud to be Unreasonable.

- but you aren't 'giving credit' to GWRs^▸ (Great Western Railway) ability to do much abut it going forward? You & I both know that the screws have been put on all TOCs^▸ (Train Operating Company) to reduce costs, and unfortunately, that means 'branch' lines like yours (and others to maybe slightly lesser extent - cf the Cotswold Line) have been majorly affected.

So maybe work *with* GWR to put pressure on the Government by meeting/lobbying local MPs^▸ (Member of Parliament) etc? Simply groaning at GWR won't achieve very much?

Chris, I think you'll find if you read wider that [we or I] are admitting to al those things and we are working very much with all parties - partnership - but that has to be a partnership that includes the needs of the community which is served by the railway.  In the none-railway world, passenger are known as "customers" and a business needs to provide what the customers want. Which starts with a reliable product they can trust.

Behind the scenes, there is far more than just groaning at GWR and in many ways there are ongoing activities working with them - "what can we do to help" is asked, and followed up on.  And away from this rather niche logging thread, you'll find an awful lot of community support on social media looking to explain, suggest, promote, help.

[TaplowGreen]

17:50 Gloucester to Salisbury due 20:06
17:50 Gloucester to Salisbury due 20:06 will be reinstated.
It will be terminated at Swindon.
It will no longer call at Chippenham, Melksham, Trowbridge, Westbury, Dilton Marsh, Warminster and Salisbury.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.


20:06 Westbury to Cheltenham Spa due 22:05
20:06 Westbury to Cheltenham Spa due 22:05 will be started from Swindon.
It will no longer call at Westbury, Trowbridge, Melksham and Chippenham.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.

[brooklea]

12:17 Westbury to Swindon due 12:59 has been cancelled.
This is due to a fault with the signalling system.
13:15 Swindon to Westbury due 13:57 will be cancelled.
This is due to a fault with the signalling system.

Real time trains gives the cause as

This service was cancelled due to late arrival of crew from an inbound service (YJ).

So maybe the fault with the signalling system caused the late arrival of crew from an inbound service?

[IndustryInsider]

Real time trains gives the cause as

This service was cancelled due to late arrival of crew from an inbound service (YJ).

So maybe the fault with the signalling system caused the late arrival of crew from an inbound service?

Yeah, the train manager is booked to arrive at 11:55 on the 10:35 from Paddington.  22 minutes is tight even when the train is on time.  Today it didn't arrive until 12:38, so it would have been 12:45 at the earliest by the time it would have been available for departure.  I guess a 30 minute delay was seen as too much?

A good example of all the chopping and changing of crews I've been talking about screwing things up.  After that trip to Swindon, the TM^‡(resolve) has their break and then works the 14:40 to Bristol, before travelling back to their home depot at Exeter.

[brooklea]

14:19 Westbury to Swindon due 15:01 is being delayed at Trowbridge and is now expected to be 56 minutes late.
This is due to a fault on this train.

Left Westbury 56 minutes late….
Running it through to Swindon will presumably have a knock-on effect to the next round trip.

[brooklea]

17:50 Gloucester to Salisbury due 20:06
17:50 Gloucester to Salisbury due 20:06 will be reinstated.
It will be terminated at Swindon.
It will no longer call at Chippenham, Melksham, Trowbridge, Westbury, Dilton Marsh, Warminster and Salisbury.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.

Now showing cancelled throughout.

[bobm]

A good example of all the chopping and changing of crews I've been talking about screwing things up.  After that trip to Swindon, the TM^‡(resolve) has their break and then works the 14:40 to Bristol, before travelling back to their home depot at Exeter.

I was aware GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) was looking to increase the route knowledge of staff so more could cover TW services.  I assume in this case an Exeter guard has the knowledge primarily for the occasions when West of England services are diverted via Melksham.

[grahame]

15:14 Swindon to Westbury due 15:59

15:14 Swindon to Westbury due 15:59 is being delayed at Trowbridge and is now expected to be 57 minutes late.
This is due to a problem currently under investigation.

I'm loosing track today!

[grahame]

20:08 Westbury to Swindon due 20:54

20:08 Westbury to Swindon due 20:54 will be cancelled.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.

[grahame]

12:17 Westbury to Swindon due 12:59

12:17 Westbury to Swindon due 12:59 will be cancelled.
This is due to a points failure.

[bobm]

12:17 Westbury to Swindon due 12:59

12:17 Westbury to Swindon due 12:59 will be cancelled.
This is due to a points failure.

...at Newbury Racecourse.

[grahame]

12:17 Westbury to Swindon due 12:59

12:17 Westbury to Swindon due 12:59 will be cancelled.
This is due to a points failure.

...at Newbury Racecourse.

[grahame]

18:37 Westbury to Swindon due 19:21
20:13 Swindon to Westbury due 20:58

20:13 Swindon to Westbury due 20:58 will be cancelled.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.