Loadings, cancellations and other issues

[whole diary]

[bobm]

Sadly this afternoon the problems have continued.

The signalling is now working, but the 153 due to work the 14:14 from Westbury and return from Swindon at 15:14 is languishing in the sidings at Westbury with an engine fault.

[TeaStew]

Fun and games right now with signals and broken freight. Taxis en route! More on this later!

[Chris from Nailsea]

From First Great Western JourneyCheck:

Delays to services between Westbury and Bath Spa

Following a broken down train between Westbury and Bath Spa some Bath Spa bound lines have now reopened.

Train services running through these stations are returning to normal but some services may still be delayed. Disruption is expected until 23:30 25/11.

First Bus route 265: Bath (Bus Station) Bradford on Avon Trowbridge Westbury Warminster Salisbury are conveying passengers via any reasonable route until further notice.

Last Updated: 25/11/2014 22:26

[bobm]

Came too late to save the 20:12 Swindon to Westbury, which was cancelled.

[Network SouthEast]

A rail head treatment train failed between Bradford on Avon and Avoncliff.

The backlog of trains at Westbury was a sight to be seen.

[TeaStew]

Fun and games right now with signals and broken freight. Taxis en route! More on this later!

I will try to be brief as there is quite a bit of detail. The situation at Trowbridge at 18.30-19.00 was interesting though, bad things and good.

The 18.38 TRO^» (Trowbridge - next trains) - MKM^» (Melksham (Station code) - next trains) train arrived at about 18.43 having been delayed by late-running train to Cardiff. At that point it was announced that it wasn't stopping at MKM. I knew this a moment before as I was online [got my phone back!] but there was nothing until the annoucement as the train pulled in - being No.2 on the board until pretty much the same time meant no indication that it was going straight to CPM^» (Chippenham - next trains).

5 of us I think waiting at TRO to go to MKM asked the guard what was going on - she went to speak to the driver.. phonecalls later we knew that signal trouble meant the train had intended to go up via Bathampton etc but in the meantime a freight train had broken down on that line - so no MKM or anywhere else.

More phonecalls from the guard got us two taxis.. they arrived at about 19.35, into MKM at about 19.50. About 7 of us I think.

The really nice aspect was the response from the driver and guard who were fantastic. Driver got clearance to return to Westbury at about 19.15 but refused to leave until he knew the taxis had arrived as he didn't want to leave us at an unmanned station in the cold. Both members of staff were just brilliant, checking we were all okay, explaining what was happening etc. [Tried to notice name badges but hard to read, think the guard was Elaine..?]

Got home about 20.10, 70 minutes later than usual, cold and tired but not feeling bitter about the situation. Four of us going TRO-MKM are pretty regular MKM-BRI^» (Bristol Temple Meads - next trains) commuters and had unfortunately been hanging about on Monday morning too. Although not necessarily happy I think the care that was shown really improved the mood with the others compared with Monday.

[JayMac]

I'm sure if you write to FGW^▸ (First Great Western) with your praise of how the staff handled the situation, detailing the time and date of the service involved, the praise will filter down to the relevant staff.

[grahame]

And another one bites the dust ...

19:32 Westbury to Cheltenham Spa due 21:33
This train will be cancelled.
This is due to an earlier broken down train

[grahame]

And another two

07:32 Westbury to Swindon due 08:18
This train will be cancelled.
This is due to a member of train crew being unavailable.

08:49 Swindon to Westbury due 09:42
This train will be cancelled.
This is due to a member of train crew being unavailable.

Once again, the only two trains cancelled anywhere in FGW^▸ (First Great Western) territory.  Wouldn't you think it would be better to cancel one service on a much more frequently run service that one where there's over 2 hours to the next train?

[Lee]

Losing the 0732 should always be completely unacceptable except where it it is completely unavoidable.

People need to be able to rely on the key peak trains otherwise the overall outlook for the service is bleak - I hope a strongly worded complaint is winging its way to FGW^▸ (First Great Western), as the time has come for a "zero tolerance" approach to be adopted.

The current operational rational in these circumstances cannot be allowed to continue and must be challenged.

[grahame]

Losing the 0732 should always be completely unacceptable except where it it is completely unavoidable.

The current operational rational in these circumstances cannot be allowed to continue and must be challenged.

I have emailed a strong challenge ... and ...

12:47 Swindon to Westbury due 13:33
This train will be cancelled.
This is due to a member of train crew being unavailable.

 

[Trowres]

Losing the 0732 should always be completely unacceptable except where it it is completely unavoidable.

The current operational rational in these circumstances cannot be allowed to continue and must be challenged.

I have emailed a strong challenge ... and ...

12:47 Swindon to Westbury due 13:33
This train will be cancelled.
This is due to a member of train crew being unavailable.

 

Presumably the conductor missing as the train ran as ECS^▸ (Empty Coaching Stock)

[Lee]

Losing the 0732 should always be completely unacceptable except where it it is completely unavoidable.

The current operational rational in these circumstances cannot be allowed to continue and must be challenged.

I have emailed a strong challenge ... and ...

12:47 Swindon to Westbury due 13:33
This train will be cancelled.
This is due to a member of train crew being unavailable.

 

The 0733 Westbury-Swindon has gone again, signalling problems this time...

Same again please Graham in terms of complaint - one of very few cancellations today.

[grahame]

08:49 gone too

07:33 Westbury to Swindon due 08:19 This train will be cancelled.
This is due to signalling problems. Last Updated :17/12/2014 07:41

08:49 Swindon to Westbury due 09:42 This train will be cancelled.
This is due to signalling problems. Last Updated :17/12/2014 07:41

[Lee]

Can you let me know what the response to your earlier challenge was, as well as their response to the challenge you put in today is please - I need to assess whether this needs to go higher in order to be nipped in the bud.