Emergency engineering work between Bath Spa-Swindon (05/10/2013)

[whole diary]

[Lee]

From JourneyCheck:

Owing to emergency engineering works between Bath Spa and Swindon all lines are affected.
 
Impact:
 
Train services running through these stations may be diverted at short notice. Disruption is expected until 14:00 05/10.
 
Customer Advice: 

Owing to emergency engineering work between Bath Spa and Chippenham train services are unable to operate directly between those points at present. We are seeking to operate a combination of replacement road transport and diverted train services to operate between Bath Spa - Chippenham - Swindon in both directions but this will take sometime to establish.

Could be fun for many passengers out and about this morning, including a higher than average number of forum members...

[grahame]

Indeed ... I'm just about heading off from Melksham.    I notice that the only train that calls here this morning is cancelled, there are then line problems from Chippenham to Bath and from Bridgewater to Taunton too.   

This is what is - I HOPE  - the very last occasion that I can stand up in front of the meeting in Taunton and say "I used my car ... I live in Melksham" and raise a sympathetic laugh rather than looks of disapproval.

[bobm]

Signalling returned to normal just after 10am but with some residual delays while services get back to normal.

[chuffed]

Tempted to call it 'the revenge of the rails' as if they KNEW there would be a higher percentage of forum members out and about this morning.

[ChrisB]

I went down on the 0730 PNZ this morning to TAU^» (Taunton - next trains) to listen to grahame :-)

Went via BPW^» (Bristol Parkway - next trains), fast to BRI^» (Bristol Temple Meads - next trains). late through RDG^‡(resolve) & DID^» (Didcot Parkway - next trains), running fast via BRI is quicker than via Bath, and arrived early at BRI.!

Now on a non-stop from TAU-RDG, that has come via BRI, Bath & Swindon without stopping. Thought we'd go via Berks & Hants...

Told at TAU that Network Rail caused the work by cutting through a major cable themselves overnight!

[trainer]

Polite reminder from someone who is not always up to speed with station codes - can we please use the names of stations the first time (with letter codes in brackets if needed), otherwise the meaning of the post becomes lost in the letters.  Hope this doesn't sound like a nag.  Thanks

[JayMac]

Not a nag, trainer. It is indeed a worthwhile reminder, particularly when you get your BRIs^» (Bristol Temple Meads - next trains) and BPWs^» (Bristol Parkway - next trains) mixed up. 

[Southern Stag]

I went down on the 0730 PNZ this morning to TAU^» (Taunton - next trains) to listen to grahame :-)

Went via BPW^» (Bristol Parkway - next trains), fast to BRI^» (Bristol Temple Meads - next trains). late through RDG^‡(resolve) & DID^» (Didcot Parkway - next trains), running fast via BRI is quicker than via Bath, and arrived early at BRI.!

Now on a non-stop from TAU-RDG, that has come via BRI, Bath & Swindon without stopping. Thought we'd go via Berks & Hants...

Told at TAU that Network Rail caused the work by cutting through a major cable themselves overnight!

Trains from Reading West are unable to access Reading direct at the moment at weekends. Stopping services from Basingstoke and Bedwyn are reversing at Tilehurst whilst long distance services from the South West are diverting, either via Melksham or Bristol.

[bobm]

Those trying to run a "seven days a week railway" have had their work cut out this weekend.

After yesterday's problems, engineering work between Bristol and Chippenham overran slightly this morning delaying the first Paddington service from Temple Meads.

There is a signalling problem between Bath and Trowbridge and work on the Kemble line has not finished on time due to problems with one of the engineering trains.

The usual South Wales route via Hullavington is closed for planned work so the first service from Cardiff, which would have gone via Kemble, is now going from Gloucester, round the Rhubarb Curve at Bristol and through Box Tunnel.

With two routes closed West to East it is amazing there is still the flexibility in parts of the network to run a service.

[grahame]

And again ...

Line problem: between Swindon and Chippenham. Owing to signalling problems between Swindon and Chippenham all lines are blocked.
Impact:
Train services running through these stations may be delayed by up to 30 mins or revised at short notice. An estimate for the resumption of normal services will be provided as soon as the problem has been fully assessed.
Customer Advice:
First Bristol services are conveying passengers between Bath Spa and Chippenham in both directions until further notice. Arrangements have been made for First Great Western rail tickets to be accepted for these journeys. On bus routes 231 and 232.

Don't believe customer advise totally - bus route 232 ceased to operate on 28th July