The 16:00 BRI» never got dispatched and was cancelled. It was then turned into the 16:30 and then every commuter under the sun decided to get on that one train. TM‡ Refused to take it on safety grounds.
Not to call order issued for RDG‡ (but it did stop there).
All platforms all over the place, trains all over the place.
The 16:00 now 16:30 left at around 17:10.
Loads of westbury people tried to get on assuming that because every other day of the week it goes from platform 8, it would today. READ THE SCREENS this is a Bristol train, no its not the westbury train.
When I arrived at Paddington at about 16:55 I saw that train in Platform 8 thinking it might be the 17:06 but I did read the screens!
Yes it was very full but I've seen worse, I don't know exactly why the TM refused to take it? However by that time the 17:00 to BRI was on the screens so maybe people had transferred to it. (indeed if my memory serves me right it actually left before the 16:30!)
One other example of the chaos - the 17:15 to Swansea departed from Platform 10 and went on the relief line to Acton where my 17:06 overtook it on the main. (and then no doubt the 17:15 was further delayed whilst the 17:06 called at Twyford!)