2018 cancellation and amendment log

[whole diary]

[grahame]

Saturday afternoon service already thinned out from the norm due to engineering ... now further thinned out leaving a four hour gap.  Always strikes me as really un-bright to cancel trips on already-sparse services!

14:05 Westbury to Chippenham due 14:30
14:05 Westbury to Chippenham due 14:30 will be cancelled.
This is due to a shortage of train guards.

14:42 Chippenham to Westbury due 15:08
14:42 Chippenham to Westbury due 15:08 will be cancelled.
This is due to a shortage of train guards.
Last Updated:26/05/2018 06:49

[grahame]

Saturday afternoon service already thinned out from the norm due to engineering ... now further thinned out leaving a four hour gap.  Always strikes me as really un-bright to cancel trips on already-sparse services!

The compounded effect of engineering and crew shortage cuts ...

"Normal" Saturday - if they still exist. 
I want to go to Swindon ... can get to Melksham Station by 13:00. Train at 13:48, gets to Swindon at 14:20

Today.
I want to go to Swindon ... can get to Melksham Station by 13:00. Train to Chippenham at 16:20 get there 16:30.  Bus at 17:07, scheduled to arrive at Swindon at 17:47.

Amazing how it can take me three and a half hours longer on a 25 minute local transit!

[grahame]

09:46 Westbury to Swindon due 10:32
09:46 Westbury to Swindon due 10:32 will be cancelled.
This is due to a fault with the signalling system.

10:47 Swindon to Westbury due 11:28
10:47 Swindon to Westbury due 11:28 will be cancelled.
This is due to a fault with the signalling system.

[grahame]

It's day 151 of 2018 ... and I note that this thread already has 243 posts on the subject of "2018 cancellations and amendments".   

How sad for our little line that basically has one train shuttling up and down with a couple of other trains that pass through in the early morning and early evening.  Four hour gaps in services both ways again today, notified 30 minutes after the final northbound train before the suspension until lunch time had left.   Forget all this "T minus 12" stuff - it's "T plus" today!

[grahame]

Another one bites the dust ...

I would expect the 08:53 service from Swindon to be diverted via Bathampton to avoid the single line. 

Ah yes ...

08:53 Swindon to Westbury due 09:41
08:53 Swindon to Westbury due 09:41 will be diverted between Chippenham and Trowbridge.
It will no longer call at Melksham.
This is due to a fault with the signalling system.
Last Updated:31/05/2018 07:58

That's a gap from 06:36 to 13:14 at Melksham, with both the 09:18 and 11:12 not calling

[bobm]

Problems on the Berks & Hants - West of England services being diverted via Swindon and Melksham.

[SandTEngineer]

Reported as total loss of signalling between Southcote Junction and Thatcham

[bobm]

.. which has the added complication of a number of level crossings along that stretch.

[grahame]

And this makes 4 trains fully or partly cancelled out of 18 today ....

17:41 Cheltenham Spa to Southampton Central due 20:44
17:41 Cheltenham Spa to Southampton Central due 20:44 will no longer call at Chippenham, Melksham and Trowbridge.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.

Presumably has a driver but no Train Manager?

[phile]

And this makes 4 trains fully or partly cancelled out of 18 today ....

17:41 Cheltenham Spa to Southampton Central due 20:44
17:41 Cheltenham Spa to Southampton Central due 20:44 will no longer call at Chippenham, Melksham and Trowbridge.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.

Presumably has a driver but no Train Manager?

Ran ECS^▸ (Empty Coaching Stock) so looks like shortage at the back end

[grahame]

18:32 Westbury to Swindon due 19:21
18:32 Westbury to Swindon due 19:21 will be terminated at Chippenham.
It will no longer call at Swindon.
This is due to congestion.

20:08 Swindon to Westbury due 20:49
20:08 Swindon to Westbury due 20:49 will be started from Chippenham.
It will no longer call at Swindon.
This is due to congestion.
Last Updated:01/06/2018 17:32

As long as there's a good connection, this might be a sensible move.   Certainly not a major problem ....

[bobm]

I got a text at 19:22 to say the 18:32 would be run through to Swindon.  RTT^» (Real Time Trains - website) says the train departed Chippenham 19 minutes late, so obviously a late decision.

20:08 also re-instated.

[grahame]

07:21 Westbury to Swindon due 08:05
07:21 Westbury to Swindon due 08:05 will be cancelled.
This is due to more trains than usual needing repairs at the same time.
Further Information
Passengers for Chippenham and Swindon are requested to circulate via Bath Spa. Passengers at Westbury and Trowbridge for Melksham please speak to a member of staff.
Passengers at Melksham will be provided with replacement road transport.

08:28 Swindon to Westbury due 09:14
08:28 Swindon to Westbury due 09:14 will be cancelled.
This is due to more trains than usual needing repairs at the same time.
Last Updated:04/06/2018 06:08

Looks like they have enough trains to run everything else in the area, of course!



Following trains already cancelled this week to hand the line over to daytime freight and expresses ... at least we've had a bit of notice

Talk about "T-12" being the ideal ... this was T-0.0074 and really messes people about!

[grahame]

05:17 Gloucester to Southampton Central due 08:09
05:17 Gloucester to Southampton Central due 08:09 is being delayed between Swindon and Chippenham and is now expected to be 1 minute late.
This is due to a problem currently under investigation.
Last Updated:04/06/2018 06:18

Shock, horror   

[CMRail]

Sent off my letter demanding apology for the 1 minute delay this morning. Despicable company.