Great Western Coffee Shop

Just seen on the news that SWT are running services at a reduced speed on the above  (Monday).

I've just looked at the GWR travel updates and they are warning of delays. This is not a complaint on my part although I am about to start on about 6 weeks of work involving train journeys. Just my luck! But safety comes first.

https://www.gwr.com/travel-updates/live-network-updates (https://www.gwr.com/travel-updates/live-network-updates)

I'm at TVP awaiting... well, whatever shows up. Cross Country's twitter feed is showing "All services between Bristol and Exeter suspended" but not every train is cancelled.. One of those days, I reckon.

Tree across the line at Bodmin earlier.

Pretty bad out there.

Disruption in many places across the GWR area.

Looking like if you don't need to travel to postpone your journey. Latest from GWR: We are advising customers not to travel between Cardiff, Bristol, Gloucester, Westbury and Taunton. https://www.gwr.com/travel-updates/live-network-updates - A lot of 'Red' on this page.

Ticket restriction on GWR have just been lifted. Passengers may use any GWR service today or tomorrow to get to their destination.

50 mph limit throughout the area, according to our TM. Now at WSM, having gambled and won for once.

Spoke too soon. Tree down at YAT, we are held at WSM. Nothing moving out of BRI just now.

All CrossCountry services have been suspended south of Bristol.


CORRECTION: XC services that run to Plymouth and beyond are still running. Currently diverting via Westbury. I am hoping to be on the 1744 BRI-TAU.

Fingers crossed.

I've been sent quite a few text updates by Great Western Railway about changes to train services at Nailsea & Backwell station today - some of them rather contradictory:


Hmm.  ::)  That 'additional' evening service is not 'in addition' to anything, actually: it's merely a replacement for the five cancelled ones.  ::)

It appears to have gone normal route, would I be right in assuming that if you are on the 17:44 BNM, that you would be the only person on their that would be disappointed there was no diversion?  :)

Yes, just arrived Taunton. Normal route but 40 late.

Something of a late dash out for personal reasons so I was glad we weren't diverted via Westbury. I was unfortunate to have just missed the earlier XC service from BRI following a delay of 20 minutes on the Severn Beach Line, although that earlier  XC was 60 late at Taunton.

I noted at least one cancellation today ... then an additional service an hour later from the same start point to the same end point.  Found myself wondering (a) is a cancellation 'cheaper' in performance terms than a 60 minute delay and (b) do passengers feel happier and have a higher satisfaction rating if an extra train is laid on because theirs had to be cancelled, rather than being on a train that's 60 minutes late?

Might it be that the software allows entry of cancelled and additional trains, but not reinstated ones? (Though you might ask why, if so.)

I ended up with bustitution from WSM. I had planned to be on the XC service from Plymouth to Glasgow Central, 1S51, originally due to join the train at TVP at 13.38. RTT came in extremely handy, and when I saw that it was slipping further and further behind the time on the PID, I decided we would hop on the 13.53 PGN to WSM, 2U20. We left 12 late, and because of the reduced line speed arrived at WSM 26 late. After 10 minutes or so on the platform, we were told there was now a tree on the line at Yatton, and that we were to be bustituted. There were 3 coaches waiting, two non-stop to BRI, one going around the houses.

On the direct bus, as we passed the Full Quart pub on the A370, I saw a XC train heading for Yatton, and thought I had lost the gamble. I had not - we arrived at BRI at 16.25, around 87 late.  1S51 came into BRI 146 late and was cancelled the rest of the way. What I had seen was 5Z46, XC empty coaching stock from EXD, which had clearly just got past Uphill Junction when the tree fell. It got to BRI at 16.14, 181 late, having lost 62 minutes between Uphill Junction and Worle Junction.

It was not a great day for our railways, but not their fault. The only positive was the speed with which substitute buses were provided at WSM.

As if the weather weren't enough of a challenge.......there's just been a person hit by a train near Slough, all lines blocked.

Another tragedy to add to a day of misfortune.

The 1820 from BRI was an additional service in the sense that its the 1630 PAD to Taunton which didn't run tonight. So (as I think happened an hour earlier) a set was used to provide a service south west of Bristol.  It was pretty lightly loaded, which surprised me, until I saw two coach loads of pax at NLS. Didn't ascertain whether they were headed south or north but if south they must have been pretty fed up to see an HST arrive and depart.  

A bit more than just being across the line. The Glasgow bound Voyager hit it.


https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10153614744018300&set=gm.10153792494337110&type=3&theater

Sorry for just a link, unsure how copyright works sharing a photo from Facebook.

Just in case anyone doesn't know what 'a tree across a railway line' looks like, The Cornishman (http://www.cornishman.co.uk/UPDATE-Fallen-tree-removed-track-Bodmin-Parkway/story-28693289-detail/story.html) has kindly published an illustrated news article:


  ::)

That photo doesn't look line the Cornish main line. The other track is well hidden.  Shouldn't this be in another thread http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=11558.0 (http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=11558.0)

Yes, I did consider putting it there, but decided to post it here, purely as a reply to richwarwicker's topical post about trying to find a 'copyright-unrestricted' image.  :)

That particular photo in The Cornishman is a stock photo credited to a Cindy Kitts. Many of her other photos on the stock photo website this one came from are of scenes in France. Some are in the USA. So this could possibly be a French railway line. Or an American one. Or anywhere...

... indeed, anywhere except Bodmin Parkway. Not even Taunton! ;) :D ;D

Anywhere but Knowle !.

Totterdown?

Oh yes  ;D.