2019 - TransWilts cancellation and amendments log

[whole diary]

[bobm]

Signalling has failed on the single line.  Pilotman now travelling aboard each train between Trowbridge and Chippenham.

[RA]

The 12:20 Westbury to Swindon service will divert via Bathampton Junction. Congestion on the line now compounded by 1A79, which has reversed at Heywood Road Junction and is diverting via Melksham because of a cow being struck by a train at Urchfont. 6M40 freight is waiting to follow 1A79 (which is waiting for 2M08 to clear the single line) with 2M10 and 7B12 waiting to follow those up the single line as well.

It might have been sensible to send 1A79 up to Bathampton to keep the single line flowing. It would probably been quicker for 1A79 as well. Trains are now stacked from Bradford Junction back towards Westbury.

[grahame]

12:20 Westbury to Swindon due 13:02
12:20 Westbury to Swindon due 13:02 will no longer call at Melksham.
This is due to animals on the railway earlier today.
Further Information

If you hold a valid single, return, or weekly ticket, you will be able to claim compensation for delays of 15 minutes or more. Please keep your ticket and visit GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway).com/DelayRepay
Last Updated:06/06/2019 12:03

So that's the third cancellation of the day so far at Melksham ... seeing other post made in parallel and the animal on the line isn't even on the TransWilts.   Needs to have a significant capacity increase as it's become a pinch point.

[RA]

Needs to have a significant capacity increase as it's become a pinch point.

I couldn't agree more. There are already times of the day when the line is worked to capacity. There are only limited margins to accommodate short notice diversions. As well as being an important route in its own right, it is also the key diversionary route for main line trains (passenger and freight) when there are problems anywhere between Westbury and Reading. The current capacity issues see the local service being made to give way in order to accommodate main line services, either being cancelled or sent via Bathampton.

[grahame]

19:32 Westbury to Cheltenham Spa due 21:33
19:32 Westbury to Cheltenham Spa due 21:33 is being delayed at Swindon.
This is due to the train departing late to maintain customer connections.

Excellent ... approve of this one!

[9 minutes late off Swindon]

[grahame]

The 12:20 Westbury to Swindon service will divert via Bathampton Junction. Congestion on the line now compounded by 1A79, which has reversed at Heywood Road Junction and is diverting via Melksham because of a cow being struck by a train at Urchfont. 6M40 freight is waiting to follow 1A79 (which is waiting for 2M08 to clear the single line) with 2M10 and 7B12 waiting to follow those up the single line as well.

It might have been sensible to send 1A79 up to Bathampton to keep the single line flowing. It would probably been quicker for 1A79 as well. Trains are now stacked from Bradford Junction back towards Westbury.

Or as described in Cornwall Live ...


"A South West train service due to pass through the South West" .... love it!

A South West train service due to pass through the South West has been damaged after striking a cow on the line.

Delays of up to an hour are expected.

The incident happened to the 10.03 Paddington to Penzance train. It was between Pewsey and Westbury when it struck the animal.

It has left train lines blocked between Newbury and Westbury, with delays of at least an hour anticipated for services passing through those areas.

Some stations on that route will not be serviced at all.

Diversions are in place between Reading and Taunton.

[bobm]

I despair for the generation of journalists that followed me. 

[Timmer]

I despair for the generation of journalists that followed me. 

I think you are being a little generous calling them journalists...more like click bait merchants.

[grahame]

19:32 Westbury to Cheltenham Spa due 21:33
19:32 Westbury to Cheltenham Spa due 21:33 is being delayed at Swindon.
This is due to the train departing late to maintain customer connections.

Excellent ... approve of this one!

[9 minutes late off Swindon]

Instructive to see what can be done:

9 late off Swindon. 6 late into Gloucester ... and just 1 late into Cheltenham Spa.
60 minutes (exactly) taken rather than 68 (scheduled) - saving around 13%

I am not advocating slashing timetable schedules - I would far rather have trains running to time than shaving a few minutes in theory and having the whole thing becoming a bit ropey in practise. Indeed, we are seeing decent performance on the current timetable from the IETs^▸ (Intercity Express Train) and I hope that quicker schedules from December won't result in a drop in performance against timetable.

Also to consider / comment on - on schedules, the timetable cannot know on a day by day basis which trains and at which stations passenger loading / unloading will take longer than usual.

[grahame]

06:07 Swindon to Southampton Central due 08:09
06:07 Swindon to Southampton Central due 08:09 will be terminated at Westbury.
It will no longer call at Dilton Marsh, Warminster, Salisbury, Romsey and Southampton Central.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.

07:01 gone from Westbury ... next train Westbury to Warminster and Saliisbury - 07:40, or 08:05 to Romsey and Southampton Central.

07:36 Salisbury to Southampton gone - next train 07:50.

LONG gap at Dilton Marsh

[martyjon]

Grahame, was the customer, note the singular use of the word, you ?

[grahame]

Grahame, was the customer, note the singular use of the word, you ?

I'm looking for the context of the question ... are you looking at the hold at Swindon last night?    No, not me, I was simply reporting on a feed. 

I suspect the singular word was really for multiple customers, as in a shortening of "customer flow".  There are usually quite a number of people connecting off London expresses to the local trains on the Stroud Valley line and I would expect the connection would have been held for dozens of people.  Swindon actually has an authorised "delay train to make connection" list telling staff how long they can hold each Gloucester / Cheltenham Spa local to wait for passengers from London / Reading / Didcot.

[bobm]

Not good

08:11 Warminster to Swindon due 09:04

08:11 Warminster to Swindon due 09:04 will be terminated at Westbury.
It will no longer call at Trowbridge, Melksham, Chippenham and Swindon.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.

09:22 Swindon to Westbury due 10:02

09:22 Swindon to Westbury due 10:02 will be cancelled.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.

10:30 Westbury to Swindon due 11:14

10:30 Westbury to Swindon due 11:14 will be cancelled.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.

11:28 Swindon to Westbury due 12:08

11:28 Swindon to Westbury due 12:08 will be cancelled.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.

[grahame]

08:11 Warminster to Swindon due 09:04
08:11 Warminster to Swindon due 09:04 will be terminated at Westbury.
It will no longer call at Trowbridge, Melksham, Chippenham and Swindon.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.

GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) seem to have real trouble providing this train for a variety of reasons ... and it's one that people have come to rely on ... looks like Billy and me will be driving to the Great Global Greyhound Walk in Monkton Park, just a few hundred yards from Chippenham Station.  Pity really - both myself and the organiser of the local walk (and our hounds) are keen users of the TransWilts trains, as are our hounds ...

Noting Bobm posted in parallel to me ... and that three more services have been added to the list. Special treatment for the TransWilts again at the moment - nothing else showing cancelled across GWR land ...

[bobm]

Not that it matters much to those left without a train - but the cause of all four cancellations was down to the lack of a driver rather than a guard.