Great Western Coffee Shop

Thought I'd report on today's problems on the Weymouth line:-

0535 Weymouth Cardiff cancelled from Weymouth to Westbury - no driver. Train still ran from Westbury at 0717 but as a single car 153. I believe that no alternative transport was provided from what I hear, so passengers had to wait for the 0644 Weymouth Cardiff. This too, was delayed by 45 minutes due to technical problems in coupling up the 2 units.
0647 Frome Cardiff was held back to depart Frome at 0652 vice the cancelled Weymouth, but was pathed as the Weymouth so ended up behind the Exeter Padd; then held at Westbury South for a platform, and finally departed Westbury 17 minutes late after the SWT 0640 Salisbury Bristol. Missed all its connections for Swindon, Paddington and Southampton.
1600 Cardiff Weymouth was terminated at Westbury (despite being the shiny refurb 158761) - no driver to take train forward. No alternative transport provided so passengers told to wait for the following 1748 Bristol TM Weymouth. Naturally lots of grumbles at a lengthy journey home not just for us commuters but also day trippers who may think twice about travelling by train in future.

Interestingly, I checked the FGW departure board at 1645, and there was no mention of the Weymouth being terminated mid-journey. However, there were 21 other service alterations reported including the 1630 Cardiff Portsmouth starting from Bristol TM and 1730 Cardiff Portsmouth terminating at Bristol TM. Even the 1700 Bristol TM Padd was formed of a 5-car Adalante instead of the usual HST.

According to an article in the last issue of Rail Magazine, Andrew Haines says that intends to put passengers before government targets. On the strength of today's evidence and of recent episodes on this and other services in the area, that does not appear to be happening.

Still, everyday's an adventure when travelling on FGW!

Its been a rough few weeks on the Western rails for FGW passengers with the almost daily long list of cancellations and short formed services with different trains and routes taking it in turn to suffer. Yesterday a number of morning peak services were short formed which is concerning though FGW did stop HSTs to pick up passengers between Bath and Bristol to cover short formed stock coming from the Westbury area.

Lee, did you have any problems getting back to Portsmouth yesterday evening as a number of evening services on this route appeared as cancelled or terminating short of their destination?

Staff sickness and rolling stock away for refurbishment with no spare stock to cover for broken down trains seem to be the main problems and Andrew Haines isnt going to be able to do much about this even though this is two of FGW biggest problems, staffing and rolling stock...the very things you need to run a railway!

1. Coupling Fault, the unit in question however worked to Weymouth later on, infact it is working the 0642from Weymouth today
2. Good move and bad move, I think it was the right decison though
3. Driver was taken ill earlier in the day on a I belive
4. 21 service alterations!!!!!!!!!!!
5. I agree

Today (24/10) the 0540 from Weymouth is canned, as the unit was used to work the1958 from Weymouth to Westbury

Put it this way - At least they didn't cancel the trains they replaced with 180s!

We were all taken off the 1922 Bristol - Portsmouth service at Westbury due to "a fault that cannot be rectified." However , we were then transferred to a refurbished Class 158 unit , and very nice it was too!

Lighting fault, no interior or exterior lighting!

Excellent result. Glad to hear you arrived back into Portsmouth in style.