Great Western Coffee Shop

[Sharing for GWR to help get the message out.]

* Newcomers start here
* For a specific route, follow links in next section
* regular members looking for current discussion - look at http://www.passenger.chat/24934

Official GWR web site at https://www.gwr.com

This post is being updated to summarise alternative arrangements.

11.5.2021 Almost all of the GWR High Speed Train fleet is out of service at present.
14.5.2021 Great Western Railway is pleased to announce that it expects to be able to operate 99% of its planned timetable from Monday after the re-introduction of the majority of its long-distance fleet.
15.5.2021 Swansea, Plymouth, some Bristol service running.  Others have local shuttles

Local and regional services mostly running as normal but liable to heavy crowding with long distance travellers in places

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Saturday 15 May - at 05:00

"A number of Class 800 series Hitachi trains in use by several train companies, including GWR, were withdrawn from service earlier this week as a precaution. After completing rigorous safety checks, we will begin reintroducing train services. Trains on some routes will be less frequent than usual, and your journey might take longer than it normally would. "

"We're running a reduced timetable as we reintroduce services after safety checks. Trains might be busier than normal. Check your journey before you travel."

Local and regional trains are not affected and will continue to run as normal.
 
There are no through services between London Paddington & Cheltenham Spa.
 
A shuttle service will operate between Swindon and Gloucester only where onward connections are available.


The direct train which normally runs between London Paddington, Reading, and Oxford for stations via Evesham to Worcester, Great Malvern and Hereford has been withdrawn. A revised service will run along the Oxford - Evesham - Worcester route.

An hourly service will operate between London Paddington and Bristol Temple Meads.
 
Extra shuttle trains will run between Swindon, Didcot Parkway, Reading, and London Paddington.

Most GWR long distance services between London Paddington and Penzance via Exeter St Davids & Plymouth are expected to operate.

Most GWR long distance services between London Paddington and Swansea via Bristol Parkway & Cardiff Central are expected to operate.

[All trains from Paddington appear to be cancelled on JourneyCheck - summary of alternatives not listed this morning]

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Friday 14 May

* An hourly service will run between London Paddington and Swansea.

* Trains between London Paddington - Reading - Swindon - Gloucester - Cheltenham Spa will run as a shuttle service between Swindon and Gloucester only.

* An hourly service will run between London Paddington and Plymouth.

* Customers travelling to/from London Paddington [to Chippenham, Bath Spa and Bristol] will need to change trains at Swindon.  A shuttle service will run between Swindon and Bristol Temple Meads. This is being operated by both GWR and CrossCountry Trains. Your GWR ticket is valid on these trains.

* Extra shuttle trains will run between Swindon, Didcot Parkway, Reading, and London Paddington.

* The direct train which normally runs between London Paddington, Reading, and Oxford for stations via Evesham to Worcester, Great Malvern and Hereford has been withdrawn. A revised service will run along the Oxford - Evesham - Worcester route.

* Train services between Bedwyn and London Paddington, will require a change of train at both Newbury and Reading.
 
Local trains in Devon and Cornwall are not affected and will continue to run as normal.

CrossCountry trains between Bristol Parkway, Bristol Temple Meads, Taunton, Exeter St Davids, Plymouth, and Penzance will continue to run as normal. GWR customers can use these services.

.
South Western Railway (SWR) run trains to/from Exeter St Davids and London Waterloo station which GWR customers can use.

Replacement road transport services are conveying passengers between Pewsey and Newbury in both directions until further notice.

South Western Railway are conveying passengers between London Waterloo and Exeter St Davids in both directions until further notice.

London Underground are conveying passengers between London Paddington and London Waterloo in both directions until further notice. Arrangements have been made for Great Western Railway rail tickets to be accepted for these journeys.

Transport For Wales are conveying passengers between Cheltenham Spa and Swansea via Newport South Wales and Cardiff Central in both directions until further notice.

GWR customers will be able to travel between Gloucester and Cheltenham Spa using CrossCountry Trains and Transport for Wales services

CrossCountry trains can be used by GWR customers between Reading and Oxford, these train services will be busier than normal.

Customers from the London area who need to travel to stations in the Worcester area, or destinations via Great Malvern to Hereford, can use Avanti West Coast trains from London Euston to Birmingham New Street and change there for West Midlands trains to Worcester, Great Malvern, and Hereford.

London Underground will accept GWR tickets for travel between London train terminals.

Avanti West Coast are conveying passengers between London Euston and Birmingham New Street in both directions until further notice.

Chiltern Railways are conveying passengers between London Marylebone and Oxford in both directions until further notice.

West Midlands Railway are conveying passengers between London Euston and Hereford via Birmingham New Street in both directions until further notice.

Transport For Wales are conveying passengers between Newport South Wales and Hereford in both directions until further notice.

London Underground are conveying passengers between London Paddington and London Euston via London Marylebone in both directions until further notice.

CrossCountry are conveying passengers between Worcestershire Parkway Ll and Birmingham New Street in both directions until further notice.

Transport for London are conveying passengers between London Paddington and Reading in both directions until further notice.

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Thursday 13th May 2021 - Journey check - now reporting disruption to the end of Sunday:


No surprise  - in fact it would be surprising if services are not disrupted for longer.

see details (just below) for Tuesday 11th May which describes services for today (13th May) and probably tomorrow.

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Update - from Wednesday 12th May 2021 - from GWR this morning.

A number of Class 800 series Hitachi trains in use by several train companies, including GWR, have been withdrawn from service for precautionary safety checks.

Once they have been checked by Hitachi and cleared, we hope to bring them back into service as soon as possible. We will keep you up to date here. 

We have had to cancel many of our long-distance services and expect disruption to journeys to continue for the next few days.

Please see just below for the service changes that were in place yesterday and continue today (12th) and probably tomorrow (13th) May 2021

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Update - from Tuesday 11th May 2021

I have summarised the GWR services for each route from today (11th May 2021) - quoting from JourneyCheck - as follows:

London to Bath and Bristol - http://www.passenger.chat/24980
London to Taunton, Devon and Cornwall - http://www.passenger.chat/24981
London to Cardiff and Swansea - http://www.passenger.chat/24982
London to Stroud, Gloucester and Cheltenham Spa - http://www.passenger.chat/24983
London to Oxford, Worcester and Hereford - http://www.passenger.chat/24984
London to Newbury and Bedwyn - http://www.passenger.chat/24985

Overview is that passengers are using local services with a series of connections where they are running. Gaps are being filled with additional shuttles where practical.

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Update - for Monday 10th May 2021 - from Mark Hopwood of GWR

An update on the situation with our long distance trains.  Hitachi investigations continue and they are working hard to put remedial plans in place.  For now however, it is clear that we will need to operate without the vast majority of our Intercity Express Trains tomorrow.
 
Our advice therefore remains not to travel on our long distance routes.  Refunds can be claimed through our website www.gwr.com, or tickets can be used for travel on services later this week or at the weekend. Local, branch and regional services are unaffected.
 
We are working on options that will help us to operate a limited long distance timetable.  It will be much reduced, but we are looking at every option to see what can be done to keep customers moving. This includes looking at trains that might be available and can be moved from other parts of the country, including Charter trains, using buses for some journeys, agreeing ticket acceptance on other train services and making the best use of our other fleets including extending the use of our Thames Valley electric fleet to Swindon.
 
Details of the revised timetable will be entered into journey planners by Network Rail and should be in place from midnight tonight, we will also provide updates on our website www.gwr.com  We have brought more staff into stations and onto our social media platforms to help with advice and we will do our best to keep everyone informed.

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Update - Sunday 9th May 2021 - Very few LONG DISTANCE trains running; Local and regional services running as normal.  Some adjustments being made to existing services and a few extras running, but a shortage of available trains limits what can be done.   Please postpone your long distance journey if you can.   And if travelling, please remember that the staff member you come across will be doing his / her level best to help ....

For Sunday 9th May:

There will be a three return services available on the London Paddington - Swindon - Bristol Parkway - Newport - Cardiff Central - Swansea route.

An extremely restricted service of two return services (only one of which will serve Cornwall) will operate on the London Paddington - Reading - Taunton - Exeter St Davids - Plymouth - Penzance route.

The train service that would normally operate over the London Paddington - Reading - Swindon - Bath Spa - Bristol Temple Meads route will only be operating as a limited shuttle service between Swindon and Bristol Temple Meads.

A revised train service will operate along the Reading - Oxford - Evesham - Worcester route using alternative carriages.

London Paddington - Reading - Swindon - Gloucester - Cheltenham Spa will operate as a shuttle service between Swindon and Gloucester / Cheltenham Spa using alternative carriages.

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Great Western Railway (and other operators) withdrew their long distance trains this morning (8th May 2021) for precautionary checks after hairline cracks were found on a component on one of them. It's turned out that most of the fleets are affected, and it'll take a while to get them all back in service.

So ... massive cancellations to long distance trains today, with more tomorrow (Sunday) and most likely beyond.  Regional and local trains are not really affected, but you may find some changes over the next few days - for example trains that are normally used on regional services may be switched onto long distance routes to provide at least some services.

Customer advice is - for the moment - to only travel if you have to. The situation is likely to turn into "allow longer for your journey" ... and in any case, as we come out of the Coronavirus business, there's a lot to be said by restarting on some shorter train journeys.

There's a whole long thread on our forum at http://www.passenger.chat/24934

Official GWR web site at https://www.gwr.com

(http://www.wellho.net/pix/iet_wop_202105.jpg)

Here's what GWR's journey check says (as at 20:40 on 8th May 2021)

Update from the BBC (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-57042384), 22:00, Saturday 8th, 22:00


Slight error in the BBC report - a very few service DID run on Saturday, but less than a dozen out of 78 IET trains in service.