Diversions - future service during engineering works, etc

[whole diary]

[grahame]

From this morning, a good example of a case where the TransWilts is in use for diversions, and where a diverted train could also take the local business in the future in these circumstances.

07:06    07:06    London Paddington
07:33    07:33    Reading
07:48    Not Stopping    Newbury
08:07    Not Stopping    Pewsey
08:00    Swindon
08:25    08:42    Westbury
09:02    09:20    Taunton
09:15    09:32    Tiverton Parkway
09:32    09:49    Exeter St Davids
09:56    10:13    Newton Abbot
10:05    10:22    Torre
10:09    10:26    Torquay
10:19    10:36    Paignton

I'm noting 42 minutes Swindon to Westbury.  The theoretic time is usually 40 minutes including Chippenham, Melksham and Trowbridge stops - all of which an HST^▸ (High Speed Train) on the route has to slow for / near - so the extra stops are practical.

Actually, a regular 07:06 from Paddington via that TransWilts (giving a direct business arrival of 08:25 in Melksham and 08:35 at Trowbridge) would be rather nice 

[anthony215]

That would be a good idea perhaps also a hst stopping at Swindon around 17:35  as well.

[JayMac]

Actually, a regular 07:06 from Paddington via that TransWilts (giving a direct business arrival of 08:25 in Melksham and 08:35 at Trowbridge) would be rather nice 

Torbay and Plymouth are already fighting over that service!

[grahame]

Actually, a regular 07:06 from Paddington via that TransWilts (giving a direct business arrival of 08:25 in Melksham and 08:35 at Trowbridge) would be rather nice 

Torbay and Plymouth are already fighting over that service!

Wouldn't expect that to be diverted of the Berks and Hants on a regular basis - though stranger things may happen in a major recast.  The TransWilts case that's been so heavily worked through took a possible timetable that knitted in well with existing services on neighbouring lines, requires no capital investment in rail infrastructure, could start "tomorrow" 

In the "down" direction for business visitors to Melksham and Trowbridge there are connections off the 06:30 from Paddington with an arrival at Melksham at 08:01 and Trowbridge at 08:11, and off the 07:45 from Paddington, with arrivals at Melksham at 09:18 and Trowbridge at 09:32.   Here's the full London to Melksham and Trowbridge summary for Mondays to Fridays:

06:18 (23:30 / SWI^» (Swindon - next trains)) 06:43, 06:53
07:36 (06:30 / SWI) 08:01, 08:11
08:52 (07:45 / SWI) 09:18, 09:32
10:35 (09:30 / CPM^» (Chippenham - next trains)) 11:01, 11:10
12:36 (11:30 / CPM) 13:01, 13:11
14:43 (13:45 / SWI) 15:08, 15:18
15:27 (14:15 / SWI) 15:52, 16:02
17:35 (16:30 / CPM) 18:00, 18:10
18:19 (17:00 / SWI) 18:44, 18:58
18:52 (17:45 / SWI) 19:19, 19:33
22:07 (20:45 / SWI) 22:32, 22:44

1st column - time off Swindon
2nd column - time of connection from Paddington, and where to change
3rd column - time at Melksham
4th column - time at Trowbridge

This meets an awful lot of travel flows / criteria for visitors into the area, as well as commuter traffic.  At the other end of the business visitor's day out in Wiltshire, return services with connections at Swindon for London in the test timetable leave Trowbridge at 14:41, 16:41, 17:30, 19:39 and 21:06, 10 minutes later from Melksham.