Westbury - engineering works from 24th December 2024 for 30 days

[whole diary]

[Chris from Nailsea]

Thanks for that update, Timmer. 

[grahame]

That Melksham DOES have a train service throughout the period of the work at Westbury albeit one service in each direction at peak times.

That rail tickets are also valid on the 271/272/273 Melksham to Bath bus services.

Two changes which are small, but very much appreciated.  Other issues and questions  - far bigger ones - relating to the works and alternatives have not been answered in such a positive way; some reasons given, some concerns not addressed.  Engineering works need to be done but, oh my goodness, much of this doesn't come across as the end user customer - the passenger - being king.

[John D]

Although the thread is specifically on Westbury area works, it appears that Cardiff-Portsmouth is disrupted for about half of next 4 months

Yesterday Southampton area, diverted via Eastleigh
Today suspended Bath-Westbury, diverted via Eastleigh
Tomorrow-Thursday suspended Bath -Bristol
2 Nov suspended Warminster - Salisbury
3 Nov suspended Warminster - Southampton
9 Nov Southampton area, diverted via Eastleigh
10 Nov suspended Southampton - Portsmouth
23 - 24 Nov Southampton area, diverted via Eastleigh
15 Dec suspended Westbury - Warminster
25 - 26 Dec no service
27 Dec - 23 Jan suspended Trowbridge - Salisbury
1 - 16 Feb suspended Fareham - Portsmouth

Not actually that many days in next 4 months where this service operates normally.  How many passengers will this lose ?

[grahame]

Although the thread is specifically on Westbury area works, it appears that Cardiff-Portsmouth is disrupted for about half of next 4 months

[snip]

Not actually that many days in next 4 months where this service operates normally.  How many passengers will this lose ?

John, you ask a fascinating question that brings together so many thoughts.  I fear I may drown you with a flood of data if I don't control myself.   But initial thoughts:

1.  Unlike many main lines, the end to end through traffic is minuscule - Cardiff Central to Portsmouth Harbour ticket sales in the 2022/23 year were just 3,654 journeys (see (here)) and - provided the train runs to more or less normal times from (say) Trowbridge to Filton Abbey Wood, you are not going to lose too many customers if it's stopping short at Bristol Parkway for a tunnel closure, or is diverted via Eastleigh

2. I am - LIVID - that the month long closure of Westbury is the whole station for so long, with such limited replacement services, and with track work being done we don't even get the bonus of the 4th platform which Network Rail have acknowledged as being a priority not being done.  It strikes me as planning for the work to be done at minimum cost not minimum inconvenience, and with marketing hype which ... well, to me, 23rd January is NOT still part of the quieter festive season!

3. I am / do prefer cancellation notice ahead and well informed rather than cancellations on the day such as we see today, which are even more disruptive to customers.

[grahame]

From the White Horse News, 7th November 2024

[Trowres]

Today, Sunday 10th September, the trains are running Southampton-Cardiff and vv., due to engineering blocking the Portsmouth end of the route. There is also work at Westbury in connection with the renewals work (see above). All trains today are having to use platform 1.

Fancy that! Platform 0 would have come in very handy this afternoon, as 1F23 (the 14:25 Cardiff-Southampton) arrived in Westbury at 16:05 and sat in platform 1... and sat. (Perhaps someone here knows why - crew not available?)

Anyway, coming in the opposite direction was 1F24, (the 14:57 Southampton-Cardiff). Already 20 minutes late, it waited outside Westbury for a while before joining 1F23 in platform 1 around 16:44. Its 4 coaches (a pair of 158s) squeezing in with the 5 coach turbo already there.

Meanwhile, since about 16:27, the Swindon-Westbury (yes! one that ran today!) had been sitting outside Westbury waiting for the platform

The next few minutes must have been interesting, as the passengers were swopped between the two trains at platform 1, enabling  passenger to continue their journeys without the sets having to be shunted to pass each other.

The northbound train departed at 16:56 (56 minutes late); the southbound at 16:57 (51 late)

Finally, the Swindon train pulled in at 17:00 (35 late).

I wonder how the delay will be attributed to that series of events (described on Journeycheck as "congestion").

[grahame]

Meanwhile, since about 16:27, the Swindon-Westbury (yes! one that ran today!) had been sitting outside Westbury waiting for the platform

The northbound train departed at 16:56 (56 minutes late); the southbound at 16:57 (51 late)

Finally, the Swindon train pulled in at 17:00 (35 late).

A crass example of not maintaining connections ... people from Swindon, Chippehnam and Melkshan often travel to Warminster, Salisbury and Southampton.  Too much to ask that once the Cardiff train had left the train from Swindon could have been brought in before the Southampton had left.

Yes - yet ANOTHER example of why the 4th platform is needed!

[John D]

GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) have published info for 1st & 2nd Feb

Track renewal work will affect trains between Westbury and Bath Spa, Chippenham, Frome or Warminster.

Replacement buses are planned via Westbury between:

Bath Spa and Frome
Bath Spa and Warminster
Chippenham and Frome

So basically going to reopen Westbury for 8 days (24-31 Jan) then close it again.   Wonder why didn't just add 2 days to the long closure rather than interrupting the restored service 9 days later.

Then following three Sundays, 9, 16, 23 February
Line via Frome is closed

Replacement buses are planned between Westbury and Frome/Castle Cary, between Castle Cary and Taunton, plus between Pewsey and Swindon.

Trains between London and the south west will use an alternative route between Reading and Taunton via Bristol Temple Meads.

[bobm]

So basically going to reopen Westbury for 8 days (24-31 Jan) then close it again.   Wonder why didn't just add 2 days to the long closure rather than interrupting the restored service 9 days later.

Don’t know if it is stlll the case but it used to be the situation that newly laid track needed a period of use to help it settle before final adjustments were made and any temporary speed restrictions lifted. 

[Mark A]

With the majority of Melksham rail services bustituted for a month, it'll be curious to see the result for the (currently suppresssed) passenger numbers should the reliability of the rail replacement bus services greatly outclass Melksham's trains.

Mark

[Timmer]

Lots more detail from Network Rail about the work taking place along with various publications regarding this and services operating during the closures at Westbury and between Warminster and Salisbury:

https://www.networkrail.co.uk/running-the-railway/our-routes/western/westbury-area-track-and-signalling-upgrades/

[grahame]

Now that the works are under way, allow extra time for your journeys.

Looking at bus journey times and comparing them to regular trains time shows us just how important the trains are!

[TaplowGreen]

Now that the works are under way, allow extra time for your journeys.

Looking at bus journey times and comparing them to regular trains time shows us just how important the trains are!

The reliability stats will be interesting too ie buses cancelled vs trains cancelled recently.

[John D]

It appears that Cardiff-Portsmouth will not have a disrupted weekend in 2025 until at least March

Westbury closure to Thur 23rd Jan
Severn Tunnel closure 25-26 Jan
Westbury 1-2 Feb
Portsmouth area 8-9 Feb and 15 to Fri 21 Feb
Salisbury 22-23 Feb

There might be more dates, but seems a very long disruption period, and indicates weekend leisure usage would appear to be apparently low priority

[grahame]

There might be more dates, but seems a very long disruption period, and indicates weekend leisure usage would appear to be apparently low priority

To some extent, yes ... though I am conscious that we had three sets of weekday withdrawal of local train services on the Westbury - Trowbridge - Melksham - Chippenham line in the latter part of last year.

Modern health and safety largely precludes staff from working on lines that are open - it is not considered a good idea to rebuilt bridges between trains ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Staplehurst_rail_crash ) nor to have rail workers required to get out of the way of trains as the approach or pass on neighbouring lines.   So when (for example) work is being done on a track near Pewsey, instead of single line working on the other track, the line is totally closed though there and trains get diverted via Melksham, with the nomal service there culled.   I understand that Melksham IS now added to the IET^▸ (Intercity Express Train) database so the expresses can call but to get that to happen has been an uphill struggle, and rather ike climing a mountain just you thing you have breasted the summit you find a further climb ahead.  I understand that they now have to check the train stop boards (the current ones / positions should be fine for  5 doors to open) and a risk assessment needs to be done. Let's hope that there are not further things to do once those two items have been dealt with.   Note to rail industry people - probaby cheaper for you to stop the IETs as they come through that to pay for rail replacement buses 

Now - back to the Cardiff - Portsmouths. It's a "funny" service with very few end to end passengers. So that (for example) the Portsmouth area engineering which could mean that trains turn back at Fareham will have effect a very limited number of Cardiff - Newport - Bristol - Bath - Trowbridge - Westbury - Warminster passengers.