Severn Beach Line - services and incidents (merged posts)

[whole diary]

[Red Squirrel]

Just spotted another new TVM^▸ (Ticket Vending Machine), this time at Lawrence Hill:

[johnneyw]

With the new ticket machine at Redland Station still operating in "out of service" mode, I decided to go to nearby Montpelier Station to get a ticket on their new improved "in service" version.
Return tickets to Temple Meads were easy enough to order, including adding a railcard.  In fact the whole operation seemed straightforward and intuitive.
I noticed that you are able to collect prepaid tickets as well, which could be useful if it works.  My previous two attempts at collecting from the machines at Parkway and Temple Meads were total failures so I had to get them from the ticket offices as a result.
Anyway, here's a close up of the Montpelier machine.

[IndustryInsider]

Anyone know why the Severn Beach line is only running approximately hourly tomorrow with no second train to/from Avonmouth and the Weston to Severn Beach service split into two separate trains at Bristol rather than a through service?

[IndustryInsider]

Ignore me...bit of a blonde moment.  Obviously the strike action today is reducing the service for the whole of tomorrow, not just early doors.

[ChrisB]

I don’t see why it should affect all day tomorrow. All otger lines appear to be running properly late morning

[johnneyw]

A quick heads up.  There are reports on a Severn Beach Line Facebook page that there has been a problem with a level crossing between Avonmouth and SB^▸ (Signal Box) today resulting in all services going no further than Avonmouth.  That's all I've heard but if you are thinking of going to Severn Beach today you might want to check first before packing your bucket and spade! 
 

[GBM]

A quick heads up.  There are reports on a Severn Beach Line Facebook page that there has been a problem with a level crossing between Avonmouth and SB^▸ (Signal Box) today resulting in all services going no further than Avonmouth.  That's all I've heard but if you are thinking of going to Severn Beach today you might want to check first before packing your bucket and spade! 
 

On Journeycheck

Alterations to services between Avonmouth and Severn Beach
Due to a fault with barriers at a level crossing between Avonmouth and Severn Beach the line is blocked.
Train services running to and from these stations will be terminated at Avonmouth. Severn Beach and St Andrews Road will not be served. Disruption is expected until the end of the day.
Customer Advice
We are sorry for the delay to your journey this morning.

One of the barriers on the level crossing at St Andrews Road has been damaged by strong winds overnight. As the barriers cannot be lowered, we are not able to run any trains over the level crossing.

The busy nature of the road, that gives access to Avonmouth Docks, means it is not possible to close the road to allow trains to run. Network Rail are still working to source parts to repair the barrier, but the repair will be done overnight.

For the rest of the day services between Bristol Temple Meads and Severn Beach will terminate at Avonmouth and start back there towards Bristol Temple Meads.

[grahame]

From Bristol Post

Great Western Railway has announced that trains between Avonmouth, Bristol and Seven Beach will be impacted due to a line closure. The disruptions come after reports of a fault with the signalling system between the stations

Train services running to and from these stations will be terminated at and started back from Avonmouth. On GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway)'s live network updates website, it said disruption is expected until the end of the today (December 29).

Looks like it was the same yesterday and the day before - in fact last departures from Severn Beach appear to have been at 13:00 and 15:00 on 24th December!

How long does it take to fix a signalling fault?  Can't things like pilot(wo)men be used to keep the service running?

[ChrisB]

Industrial action....

[grahame]

Alterations to services between Avonmouth and Severn Beach

Due to a fault with the signalling system between Avonmouth and Severn Beach the line is closed.

Train services running to and from these stations will be terminated at and started back from Avonmouth. Disruption is expected until the end of the day.

[snip]

Further Information

An update will follow within the next 2 hours.

Last Updated:30/12/2022 07:05

Taxis running, leaving Avonmouth when the train arrives and Severn Beach ten minutes BEFORE the train would normally leave.

Service on "The Beach" seem to be running hourly between Temple Meads and Avonmouth, passing each other at Clifton Down.   Flagged as "VVR" on Real Time Trains - not a code I have seen before.

[stuving]

Flagged as "VVR" on Real Time Trains - not a code I have seen before.

It's not that new, but has got far more common. Officially:

VST - STP schedule under VSTP arrangements
VVR - VAR schedule under VSTP arrangements, note that this does not discriminate between a VST that has received a variation, a WTT^▸ (Working Time-Table) that has received a VAR. You can also get stacks of VARs on top of each other in VSTP world. Or indeed a totally new schedule that has come through as a VAR.
VCN - schedule CANcelled under VSTP arrangements, sometimes they come with the nightly service plan agreement for the next day's services which appear as a PG cancel too, but sometimes not.

But with the added note "VSTP is a mess.".

I think this is all part of the current practice of recasting much if not all of the timetable the night before. That's both a change (from the WTT), and also the basis from which changes are defined (so the TOCs^▸ (Train Operating Company) can redefine cancellation).

[grahame]

Flagged as "VVR" on Real Time Trains - not a code I have seen before.

It's not that new, but has got far more common. Officially:

Have you a link to that page, or a full list of all the codes you can copy here ... please ...? Thanks!

[IndustryInsider]

How long does it take to fix a signalling fault? 

Apparently, buried cable troughs and a high ground water level are hampering finding out where the fault is, let along repairs.  Plus of course it's very much a secondary line.

[GBM]

This from Tom on RTT^» (Real Time Trains - website) website 8th June 2021 https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/realtimetrains-website.189152/page-28
To tidy this off:

VST - STP schedule under VSTP arrangements
VVR - VAR schedule under VSTP arrangements, note that this does not discriminate between a VST that has received a variation, a WTT^▸ (Working Time-Table) that has received a VAR. You can also get stacks of VARs on top of each other in VSTP world. Or indeed a totally new schedule that has come through as a VAR.
VCN - schedule CANcelled under VSTP arrangements, sometimes they come with the nightly service plan agreement for the next day's services which appear as a PG cancel too, but sometimes not.

tl;dr VSTP is a mess

(Way over my head!)

[grahame]

(Way over my head!)

Mine too ... I have tried to come up with a complete list in "English":

As it is planned to be:
WTT^▸ (Working Time-Table) - Working Timetable

Variations:
VAR - Varied from the working timetable well ahead of time
STP - Short term varied
VST(P) - Very short term varied
VVR - varied and then varied again

Cancellations:
CAN - Cancelled well ahead
VC(A)N - Varied and then cancelled