Easter Closure of Bristol Temple Meads

[whole diary]

[grahame]

Couple of silly questions

1. how will GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) handle things without access to St Phillip's Marsh? Thoughts of trains being trapped in or running out of fuel as they can't get back to base

A clue here?

07:38 London Paddington to Swansea due 10:45
Facilities on the 07:38 London Paddington to Swansea due 10:45.
Will be formed of 5 coaches instead of 10.

No reason given on journey check.   Following 3 trains on the same diagram also 5 cars not 10, so I suggest it's not a crew shortage issue.

[martyjon]

Couple of silly questions

1. how will GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) handle things without access to St Phillip's Marsh? Thoughts of trains being trapped in or running out of fuel as they can't get back to base

Stable a couple of re-fuelled HST^▸ (High Speed Train) sets at Stoke Gifford with a temporary shore supply provided from a hired in generator from Aggecko. Likewise on the Up Loop and Platform 4 lines at Parkway.
Stable the last down service to Taunton at Taunton like they did when Whiteball Tunnel was closed a few years ago.

There's more that on way of skinning a cat, it just needs a bit of thinking.

[grahame]

There's more that on way of skinning a cat, it just needs a bit of thinking.

And I'm sure that thought has gone into it ... whether in the way you suggest or in another way.

[martyjon]

Wonder how many ticket buffs will be out over this period buying a Patchway to Parkway return for a keepsake.

[martyjon]

Gives plenty of time to catch up with all those sets parked up at SPM^▸ (St Philip's Marsh (Bristol depot)) 'NOT TO BE MOVED' due to more trains than usual needing repairs at the same time and repair them ready for next Tuesday. Oh dear that means GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) will have to concoct a new excuse for services being cancelled from next Tuesday.

[grahame]

... and repair them ready for next Tuesday ...

For next WEDNESDAY ... Bristol Temple Meads remains shut on Tuesday.

[martyjon]

... and repair them ready for next Tuesday ...

For next WEDNESDAY ... Bristol Temple Meads remains shut on Tuesday.

That'll be a relief for GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) management then, not having to pay the fitters double time for a Bank Holiday working day, I did read that if the work overruns then BTM^▸ (Bristol Temple Meads (strictly, it should be BRI)) will remain shut on the Wednesday until the work is complete.

[simonw]

Well, time to vent ...

This morning I had the the choice of getting First Bristol or GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) bus. Like a fool I chose GWR bus replacement service.

I assumed a replacement bus service would provide services that start at Bristol Parkway, and try and provide service that pass through as best as possible. More fool I! The bus replacement service can be described as Ad Hoc, not replacement.

The only busy service at Bristol Parkway this morning where taxis.

This evening at Bristol Temple Meads, bus services were in adequate. An accident on the M5 did not help, nor did Bristol's traffic.

At least this should happen one working day only!

[Phantom]

Looking at the replacement bus service it seems all buses from Taunton to Bristol Parkway will go via Bristol Temple Meads.  I'm surprised they are not running anything direct to Parkway since going via Temple Meads will take considerably longer due to Bristol's traffic, relatively poor road access from the south and the time taken in dropping off and picking up passengers at Temple Meads.  This is one reason I believe why when the line is closed west of Exeter buses run direct from Tiverton Parkway to avoid Exeter's traffic so I did expect something similar to be done here.  I guess it would require more buses and therefore cost more though if a direct service was run from Taunton (or even Tiverton Parkway to avoid Taunton's traffic) to Bristol Parkway.

Interesting that from WSM they seemed to be offering three alternatives
   -  Stopping service at all stations to BTM^▸ (Bristol Temple Meads (strictly, it should be BRI))
   -  Fast to BTM and then onto BPW^» (Bristol Parkway - next trains)
   -  Fast to BPW

[Bob_Blakey]

Cross Country were running an hourly service between Taunton & Bristol Parkway direct. Published journey time was 90 minutes. On Good Friday the driver of the 1000 TAU^» (Taunton - next trains)-BPW^» (Bristol Parkway - next trains) service which I used got lost in Filton and the journey took 110 minutes. My return that evening only took 60 minutes.

[eightf48544]

If both Cross Country and GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) were running replacement  buses were tickets interchangeable?

[Bob_Blakey]

AIUI^▸ (as I understand it) the TAU^» (Taunton - next trains)><BPW^» (Bristol Parkway - next trains) bus service was entirely the work of Cross Country so difficult to know. However I can say that on my two Good Friday bus trips at no point were I or fellow passengers asked to produce a ticket.

[simonw]

The two buses I used on Tuesday,

• Bristol Parkway -> Bristol Temple Meads
• Bristol Temple Meads -> Filton Abbey Wood* -> Bristol Parkway

did not require any tickets, just told the GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) helper where I was due to go, and told which bus to board.

Interestingly, the return bus from Bristol Temple Meads to Bristol Parkway was supposed to be direct, but decided to go to Filton Abbey Wood to wait five minutes, as you do!