Swindon - facilities, improvements, signalling, events and incidents, including GWR history - merged posts

[whole diary]

[Chris from Nailsea]

From the BTP^▸ (British Transport Police) press release:

British Transport Police (BTP) detectives are appealing for witnesses after a woman was assaulted and knocked unconscious by a man in the subway tunnel at Swindon rail station.

Officers are urging anyone with information about the incident which took place at 10.30pm on Saturday, 8 May to come forward.

After the incident a 43-year-old man from Swindon was arrested, and has been released on police bail until 8 June 2010.

Detective Constable Richard Day, the investigating officer, said the incident began when the offender first attacked a man in the subway underpass at Swindon rail station. "The victim sustained cuts and bruises to his face. The offender then turned on two women, who were trying to walk past, and set upon them in a completely unprovoked attack.^

Both women were punched in the face, with one, a 33-year-old from Swindon, being left unconscious and requiring emergency medical treatment.

DC^▸ (Direct Current) Day added: ^This attack was a completely unacceptable and violent incident, and I would urge anyone who witnessed it to come forward.^

[Chris from Nailsea]

From the Swindon Advertiser:

Consumer campaigners are calling on Swindon^s travelling public to deliver the message ^ our train fares are too high.

The pressure group Fair Fares was leafleting commuters and drawing up a petition outside the railway station on Friday night, as part of its bid to force train operators to lower their fares.

Around 150 commuters signed the petition, which will be sent to Philip Hammond, the secretary of state for transport.

The campaigners are angered by the disproportionately high fares between Swindon and London, which sees commuters in the town pay more than train users in Bath ^ despite being around 40 miles closer to the capital.

Fair Fare campaign founder Chris Watts, of Dunsford Close, Old Town, said high fares are discouraging businesses from moving to the town. ^Swindon is in a situation where it^s disadvantaged when it comes to the cost of rail fares,^ said the 44-year-old. ^There^s no reason for it in this day and age. There should be a level playing field. The council has actually stated companies have come to look at relocating to Swindon, but while they might save on rent and rates, they still have to do business in London.^

In response to Mr Watts^s criticism, a spokseman for First Group, which runs the bulk of trains on the Great Western line, said: ^Compared with other means of transport, train travel offers very good value for money.^

They also stated that fares from the Swindon were being kept as low as possible and some had been frozen.

[ellendune]

Some progress on this project

http://www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/news/9206795.It___s_all_change_for_Swindon_railway_station/

[ellendune]

Some more news today

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-wiltshire-14727900

http://www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/news/9223326.Taxi_drivers_are_concerned_by_changes_at_train_station/

[bobm]

From the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page)

A "substantial" number of train services have been cancelled or diverted because of a total signal failure near Swindon.

Train operator First Great Western said most services from Wales and Bristol towards London were affected.

Services from Bath and Chippenham have been replaced by buses, while services from Bristol Parkway are travelling via Gloucester.

Network Rail said it did not know how long it would take to fix the problem.

The train operator added that services to and from Bristol Temple Meads were being diverted via the Berkshire and Hampshire line.

I was on the 10:00 London Paddington to Paignton service.  We were held outside Swindon for about 10 minutes before being brought into Platform 1 where I got off.  The preceding service to Swansea was on platform 4.  According to live departures the Paignton train stayed there for nearly an hour before being diverted and missing all other stops until Taunton - I assumed it was diverted via Melksham but I saw later it never made Paignton.

[Louis94]

I was on the 10:00 London Paddington to Paignton service.  We were held outside Swindon for about 10 minutes before being brought into Platform 1 where I got off.  The preceding service to Swansea was on platform 4.  According to live departures the Paignton train stayed there for nearly an hour before being diverted and missing all other stops until Taunton - I assumed it was diverted via Melksham but I saw later it never made Paignton.

Went back to Didcot, and around the Reading West Curve and via the B/H to Cogload.

Failure was all lines West of Swindon (Excluding to Cheltenham Spa), so was not possible to divert Via Melksham at first. Complete loss of signalling between Swindon and Hullvington/Thingley Junction.

Swansea services started going via Gloucester, with Pilot working commencing for Bristol services, with them going via B/H until this was setup.

Normal Working has now resumed

[bobm]

Went back to Didcot, and around the Reading West Curve and via the B/H to Cogload.

That will be one set in "reverse formation" then!   

[Super Guard]

Went back to Didcot, and around the Reading West Curve and via the B/H to Cogload.

That will be one set in "reverse formation" then!   

Cancelled at Newton Abbot, and was 31 late off Exeter on the return working.

[bigdaz]

  currently stuck on train (1138 off Rdg to btm) outside swindon due to single line working AND signal failure believed to be using human lineside signallers!!

[ellendune]

It also happened on 18th December http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=9996.0

Is this going to continue for the next two years until Swindon is resignalled?

[dog box]

  currently stuck on train (1138 off Rdg to btm) outside swindon due to single line working AND signal failure believed to be using human lineside signallers!!

otherwise know as Pilotman Working!

[bobm]

From the Swindon Advertiser

Interesting quote about split tickets and the contigency to re-arrange trains if the match goes to penalties.

A RAIL firm has laid on extra trains to take Swindon Town^s large travelling support for the Wembley final next month following an outcry by fans in the Adver.
 
First Great Western has announced they will run five extra train services from Swindon to Paddington on March 25, the day the Robins take on Chesterfield in the Johnstone Paint Trophy.
 
But the company said there will still be no discounts available for fans travelling in large groups.
 
It comes after the Adver revealed Group Save tickets previously available to First Great Western customers were withdrawn on Sunday, March 25, meaning groups of fans travelling from Swindon to Paddington will not be able to get the usual discount.
 
Three services will run, with 8.56am, 9.45am and 10.16am services, while two extra trains will depart from Paddington at 6pm and either 5pm or 7pm depending on whether the game goes to extra time or penalties.
 
Dan Panes, a spokesman for First Great Western, said: ^We are not charging any premiums for the trains, but GroupSave tickets will not be available.
 
^The important thing to stress is there have been a number of people trying to get split tickets.
 
^It is worth pointing out we are not responsible if they do not hit their connections, whereas with a full ticket we are. We did not have any complaints ^ I think our regular travellers are aware of the GroupSave policy.^

Swindon South MP^▸ (Member of Parliament) Rob Buckland lobbied the firm to provide additional services and extra GroupSave tickets.
 
He said: ^We^ve now got more trains, but I am disappointed that they cannot offer group concessions.
 
^I still think it would be an excellent initiative for them to do this on what is a special day for the town.^
 
Nigel Bennett, spokesman for the Swindon Town Supporters Club, said it was good for fans to have alternatives and and pointed out that coaches were still available.
 
He said: ^Any alternative option for fans to get to the match is always welcome and I understand it may have sprung from a suggestion by the football club that they lay on additional facilities.^
 

[soupowl]

Having put up with many months of work on the front of swindon station, things look like they might finally be nearing completion.  I am wondering if the bus stop is likely to be reinstated?  When you arrive in Swindon late at night it has been very unpleasant having to walk to the town bus stops, because of all the undesirables who hang out in the pedestrianised shopping cente, which the bus stops look down on - and they look up to!  I find it especially scary because I have a dog with me, and they have their lovely "bullie" type dogs with them.

Does anyone know?

[bobm]

The latest on the Thamesdown Transport website says the Station stops are closed until "Summer 2012" which indicates to me that they will return at the end of the work.  The bigger problem for me is that a lot of services don't serve the Station in any case and expect you to walk from the Bus Station or Flemming Way anyway which as you say can have its problems.  Unless I have anything heavy to carry I tend to end up walking home throught the Railway Village.

[JayMac]

There are alternative stops down the road from Swindon station opposite Gloucester Street or up the road on Corporation Street.