0553 Weymouth to Bristol Parkway

[whole diary]

[bradshaw]

Cancelled today, train fault; terminated at Bath yesterday and it was cancelled twice last week. Is this an unlucky service or being sacrificed for the later one?
Surely there should not be as many failures on one service.

[WSW Frome]

One might start to think conspiracy on some of these cancellations. I was heading to WEY last Tuesday (10/07) on the 09.42 FRO^» (Frome - next trains) which was duly cancelled beyond WSB^» (Westbury - next trains) due to train fault. I was not prepared to wait and drove instead and possibly acquired a speeding ticket on the way, due to road closures around Sherborne forcing a different route! I did get an immediate rail ticket refund which would not have happened in BR^▸ (British Rail(ways)) days!

Checking on RTT^» (Real Time Trains - website) later I expected the 11.08 WEY to be cancelled but it ran. The 05.33 had also been cancelled due to train fault, but presumably revived later on. So was the down train cancelled "to avoid too many units at WEY?"

[grahame]

I think I have seen " a failure of the train for this service" explicitly stated at times. 

There is a hierarchy - if a unit failure leaves a shortage of trains at a particular location, sets may be swapped around and the onward diagram cancelled isn't necessarily the one on which the failed set was originally running. Not sure how it is now, but the 07:15 Paddington to Cardiff used to be the first to go if there was one working train less than needed at Paddington in the early morning.

And of course there are folks out there who can fix certain faults on trains so diagrams can resume middle of day.

[bradshaw]

Thursday 19th July
The 0644 Weymouth to Parkway was cancelled beyond Yeovil Pen Mill due to an issue with the train crew. It ran ecs at 1043. The 0735 from Yeovil to Weymouth left at 1043.

Journey Check reported an investigation of the line between Yeovil and Maiden Newton at this time. I would presume the two events are linked.

[bobm]

This morning’s 05:53 is running as a one coach train rather than three.

It won’t be calling at Oldfield Park or Keynsham.

[bradshaw]

Worked the last train down last night. There is a cancellation notice for the 1227 Southampton to Gt Malvern service, now running as Class 9 so presumably it is working that one.

[grahame]

Worked the last train down last night. There is a cancellation notice for the 1227 Southampton to Gt Malvern service, now running as Class 9 so presumably it is working that one.

Does that suggest it's a 153 that has escaped from Devon rather than something else with a carriage locked out for some reason?

[bradshaw]

Yes, that seems most likely; it seems to work back from Parkway, the Warminster and back before going to Southampton for the Malvern, working as Class 9 for platforming at Southampton.

[phile]

Yes, that seems most likely; it seems to work back from Parkway, the Warminster and back before going to Southampton for the Malvern, working as Class 9 for platforming at Southampton.

Isn't the restriction through Platform 3 at Salisbury ?

[Phantom]

This morning’s 05:53 is running as a one coach train rather than three.

It won’t be calling at Oldfield Park or Keynsham.

As I arrived at Temple Meads I heard an apology announcement about a service going to Westbury (about 0900) only being one carraige - not good during school holidays

[bradshaw]

Cancelled from Weymouth to Westbury again today (17 Sept)
RTT^» (Real Time Trains - website) reason
This service was cancelled between Weymouth and Westbury due to the planned train being replaced with a slower train (MS).

Journey Check reason
05:33 Weymouth to Filton Abbey Wood due 08:21 will be started from Westbury.
It will no longer call at Weymouth, Upwey, Dorchester West, Maiden Newton, Chetnole, Yetminster, Thornford, Yeovil Pen Mill, Castle Cary, Bruton and Frome.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.

!!!!!!!!

[froome]

Hoe can that train get any slower?!!

[grahame]

Hoe can that train get any slower?!!

Turn the line into a heritage one / light rail / 25 mph speed limit?    Not really appropriate for this line, or for more or less anything that remains on the main network which was trimmed far more than it should have been 50 years ago.

[bradshaw]

I am presuming it had lost two of the three engines so could not tackle the banks easily. There being no ecs work it must have been attached to the following service from Weymouth.

However I find it difficult to reconcile the two reasons given. The above being the most likely as it came down yesterday.

[Phantom]

Hoe can that train get any slower?!!