Great Western Coffee Shop

It just doesn't stop does it.  >:( >:( >:(

What happened this morning? went for the 07.58 ex Trowbridge having cycled in the deluge then having to wait for the delayed 07.36 which arrived at something like 08.20. Fortunately 4 car 158 + 143 (fun) and luckily holiday time, you can only guess what mayhem would have ensued at any other time of year. (158 with reversing problems again at Warminster?)

Service got slowly later and later with no announcement from on-board staff for the reason for the delay so just sat and fumed. Finally arrived BTM 09.15ish, had given up looking at the clock by this time. Took a guess that it might be a good idea to see if what was happening and poked my head out of the door only to be asked if this was the Swindon train, said no I hoped it was the Cardiff one, so asked a local what was going on who said the train was dividing and the section we were in was indeed not going to Cardiff, I suggested he inform the rest of the passengers on-board who still thought it was.

Decanted to the front two coaches (158) and waited till a driver was found 20 minutes later.

Arrived Filton 09.40 or there abouts.

Here is the view from Oldfield Park

This morning I arrived at Oldfeild Park at 08:00 to catch the 08:03 to Filton ABW.  This did not arrive until 08:45.  The booth operator did request that an HST stop to take soaking passengers to Bristol, but the request was turned down (appently due to the HST having fuel problems).  The HST sailed by at 08:30....  :-(



Upon arrival at Bristol TM, passengers expecting to go to Filton were told to vacate the train as it was terminating then goiing to a different location altogether.  We were told by FGW staff to go to platform 1 for the 09:18 train....



At 09:18 FGW staff boarded the train and told passengers to go to platform 5 for the Cardiff train as there was no guard available for the 09:18....



At platform 5 there was a Virgin train obviously not going to Cardiff. The departures board was updated and trains for Cardiff/Filton were said to be leaving from platforms 13 and 15 at 09:30 (ish), while the 09:18 from platform 1 was still showing as being delayed.  It was now 09:30....



A crowd of us rushed from plaform 5 to 13/15 only to see a single train pull out of the station with no other trains available.  A member of FGW staff was asked if any trains were going to Filton and she said that if we ran we could catch the delayed 09:18 from platform 1 which now had a guard.  I started to politely complain to her about being given the run around at the station and she said that if I didn't run to plaform 1 then I'd miss that too.  She seemed to take great joy in that.  I didn't catch her name, but she was on platform 15 at 09:33 and had just below shoulder length blonde bob.



We ran towards platform 1 from 15, only to find out half way along the concourse that the train had pulled out of the station...



An anouncement was eventually made to say that a train to Filton was leaving platform 15 at 09:45.  This did.  I arrived at Filton ABW at 09:55 (1 hour and 24 mintues later than normal).

Well,from my point of view, got to Trowbridge 0620, for Salisbury (on to Waterloo) and left on the Gloucs - Westbury at 0657, got to Westbury IN TIME for the 0705, but went down the pan, later found out it was on the back of the 0628 Pompey (from TRO), left 68 late, the Weymouth from Westbury left 70 late, Chelt left 30 late and to your point, the 0738 from TRO was STILL IN THE SIDINGS at 0730, without having been to Warminster

I got to Waterloo 90 late in the end!