2018 cancellation and amendment log

[whole diary]

[grahame]

There were also problems caused by a passenger being taken ill at Chippenham and waiting for an ambulance

Indeed - not quite that simple either:

... there were the very unusual goings on a Chippenham, (mis?)reported initially as a train fault ...

[grahame]

Major problems - engineering work overruns and a swathe of cancellations this morning.  Unclear what GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) are doing to carry the passengers who are expecting  a train service this morning.   Engineering works overrunning are not new, so there will be a contingency plan, right??

[grahame]

@GWRHelp - Most trains cancelled from Trowbridge to Chippenham, and Melksham calls. What alternatives are you offering? Ticket acceptance via Bath and /or buses?

Alterations to services between Westbury and Pewsey
Due to engineering works not being finished on time between Westbury and Pewsey all lines are blocked.
Train services running through these stations may be diverted. Disruption is expected until 13:00 16/03.
Further Information
An update will follow within the next 2 hours.
Last Updated:16/03/2018 05:27

Noting not a word  about disruption between Westbury and Swindon.   However, today's cancellations listed:

07:33 Westbury to Swindon due 08:19
08:49 Swindon to Westbury due 09:42
09:48 Westbury to Swindon due 10:33
09:56 Cardiff Central to London Paddington due 12:00
10:47 Swindon to Westbury due 11:31
11:47 Westbury to Swindon due 12:34
12:30 London Paddington to Bristol Temple Meads due 14:07
12:47 Swindon to Frome due 13:41

Sample full entry

08:49 Swindon to Westbury due 09:42
08:49 Swindon to Westbury due 09:42 will be cancelled.
This is due to engineering works not being finished on time.
Last Updated:16/03/2018 04:24

As I'm writing ... reply to my tweet

Hi there. Swindon to Melksham services will be cancelled. Up & Down services diverted via Melksham to call additionally at Swindon. We have mini buses on standby to run from Melksham when required. Rachel

No answer on ticket acceptance via Bath Spa / on what people to / from Trowbridge should do.  But then Twitter has its limits and I'm sure that Rachel has rather a lot on her plate today.

[martyjon]

.... Rachel has rather a lot on her plate today.

A Cornish Cream Tea by any chance

[bobm]

Points have been damaged at Heywood Road effectively shutting the Berks & Hants line at the Westbury end.

[martyjon]

Points have been damaged at Heywood Road effectively shutting the Berks & Hants line at the Westbury end.

Quick off the mark there Bobm, I've been waiting for you to post piccys of the modified Mk3's delivered to Laira earlier this week and was thinking you're slow off the mark on that event.

[grahame]

.... Rachel has rather a lot on her plate today.

A Cornish Cream Tea by any chance

No, but now that you've reminded me I'll stop for a Wiltshire Buttered Breakfast!

[martyjon]

Chiltern Railways and Virgin West Coast are accepting tickets by any reasonable route.

That is a familiar message posted when disruptions occur at other locations on the GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) network.

As there is no other operator in this neck of the woods that could provide a reasonable alternative route at a time of disruption I as a holder of a ticket via Melksham would travel via Bath and if I was asked to pay an excess I would refuse and would argue my case in court citing the duty of the rail operator to get me to my destination in times of disruption as set out in the T & C's.

[grahame]

Chiltern Railways and Virgin West Coast are accepting tickets by any reasonable route.

That is a familiar message posted when disruptions occur at other locations on the GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) network.

As there is no other operator in this neck of the woods that could provide a reasonable alternative route at a time of disruption I as a holder of a ticket via Melksham would travel via Bath and if I was asked to pay an excess I would refuse and would argue my case in court citing the duty of the rail operator to get me to my destination in times of disruption as set out in the T & C's.

Not sure where that message came from - I took a look and couldn't see it.

Having been on the periphery of customer information provision, I can appreciate the issues the team has to get correct information and complete information out quickly - indeed you'll find me sometimes posting here to at least says something, and then editing to refine.  I suspect the GWR team do the same - though they will have far more tools at their hand to do i quicker and more accurately than we could.

In total agreement that TOCs^▸ (Train Operating Company) should be required to get you there during interruptions - either "on the day" stuff or during planned engineering - with reasonable efficiency and without charging you more for their failure to provide normally timetabled service.

[TaplowGreen]

Major problems - engineering work overruns and a swathe of cancellations this morning.  Unclear what GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) are doing to carry the passengers who are expecting  a train service this morning.   Engineering works overrunning are not new, so there will be a contingency plan, right??

If theres nothing arranged & you need to be somewhere jump in a cab and send in a claim to GWR.....remember they can't hide behind not paying for consequential losses any more.

[grahame]

Major problems - engineering work overruns and a swathe of cancellations this morning.  Unclear what GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) are doing to carry the passengers who are expecting  a train service this morning.   Engineering works overrunning are not new, so there will be a contingency plan, right??

If theres nothing arranged & you need to be somewhere jump in a cab and send in a claim to GWR.....remember they can't hide behind not paying for consequential losses any more.

My emphasis - I think you need to take reasonable steps to check that nothing HAS been arranged.   You also need to limit your extra costs / be prudent in spending GWR's money.

[TaplowGreen]

Major problems - engineering work overruns and a swathe of cancellations this morning.  Unclear what GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) are doing to carry the passengers who are expecting  a train service this morning.   Engineering works overrunning are not new, so there will be a contingency plan, right??

If theres nothing arranged & you need to be somewhere jump in a cab and send in a claim to GWR.....remember they can't hide behind not paying for consequential losses any more.

My emphasis - I think you need to take reasonable steps to check that nothing HAS been arranged.   You also need to limit your extra costs / be prudent in spending GWR's money.

Taking into account that I, and hundreds of thousands of others, make a pretty chunky contribution to "GWRs money" ourselves, I think it's fair that I/we will be able to be more prudent in spending it if and when GWR become more prudent in wasting our and our Businesses time hanging around for cancelled trains & the contingencies thereon.

Taking into account the amount of "GWR money" that is wasted on vanity projects and pointless advertising, you may find it more fruitful to challenge them on that particular issue.

[grahame]

And another! ... looks like the over-run is over-running.  Was to be back by 05:00. then 13:00 now says "delays until 14:00" but this cancellation takes it until after 15:00.    I wonder if the 15:18 Swindon to Westbury will run?

14:04 Frome to Swindon due 15:03
14:04 Frome to Swindon due 15:03 will be cancelled.
This is due to engineering works not being finished on time.

Taking into account that I, and hundreds of thousands of others, make a pretty chunky contribution to "GWRs^▸ (Great Western Railway) money" ourselves, I think it's fair that I/we will be able to be more prudent in spending it if and when GWR become more prudent in wasting our and our Businesses time hanging around for cancelled trains & the contingencies thereon.

Taking into account the amount of "GWR money" that is wasted on vanity projects and pointless advertising, you may find it more fruitful to challenge them on that particular issue.

My suggestion of being prudent was not on any moral grounds, but rather on the grounds of helping you make a clear-cut case for claiming back.

[grahame]

I wonder if the 15:18 Swindon to Westbury will run?

Nope ...

15:18 Swindon to Westbury due 16:01
15:18 Swindon to Westbury due 16:01 will be cancelled.
This is due to engineering works not being finished on time.

I think last train was 06:10 from Swindon (may have been a return trip at lunch time though?).

Hope it's worthwhile.   Please remind me what benefits the Newbury blockades and their overruns bring the TransWilts 

[Phantom]

The 08:41 from Weston to Cardiff has done well this week
Cancelled 4 out of 5 days - apparently shortage of rolling stock due to a higher number than expected number of trains requiring repairs