2021 - TransWilts cancellation and amendment log

[whole diary]

[bobm]

Alterations to services between Trowbridge and Chippenham
Due to forecasted heavy snow between Trowbridge and Chippenham the line is closed.

Train services running through these stations have been suspended between Westbury and Chippenham. Disruption is expected until the end of the day.

Customer Advice
If you are travelling between Westbury, Trowbridge and Chippenham, you are advised to travel via Bath Spa.

If you are travelling to or from Melksham, we are currently sourcing replacement road transport.

[grahame]

Alterations to services between Trowbridge and Chippenham
Due to forecasted heavy snow between Trowbridge and Chippenham the line is closed.

Train services running through these stations have been suspended between Westbury and Chippenham. Disruption is expected until the end of the day.

Customer Advice
If you are travelling between Westbury, Trowbridge and Chippenham, you are advised to travel via Bath Spa.

If you are travelling to or from Melksham, we are currently sourcing replacement road transport.

"If you are travelling to or from Melksham, we are currently sourcing replacement road transport."
Shouldn't be a problem for once ... first train is a bus on Sundays anyway!

Looks like the problem is very localised - here's the GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) map of cancellations and short runs:


Click on map for a current update

Meanwhile, from Melksham, a new Captcha - "click on all the boxes that include a fir tree and snow" ...

[TaplowGreen]

Railway line closed by a weather forecast - but buses can run on the roads? 

[bobm]

Snow the other end of the line too...

[stuving]

Looks like the problem is very localised - here's the GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) map of cancellations and short runs:

It's spread a bit:

Alterations to services between Chippenham and Reading
Due to a speed restriction because of snow and ice between Chippenham and Reading:
Train services running to and from these stations have been suspended. Disruption is expected until 14:30 24/01.
Customer Advice
Planned engineering works is taking place between Chippenham and Reading, with replacement road transport operating between Chippenham, Swindon and Reading.
Replacement road transport services are conveying passengers between Chippenham and Reading in both directions until further notice. Replacement road transport is being delayed between Chippenham, Swindon and Reading due to poor road condtions through Wiltshire, causing delays to replacement road transport.
The M4 motorway is reduced to a single lane in both directions through Wiltshire due to snow, causing congestion and delays to replacement road transport.

I wonder what effect this has had on the engineering work (and on the crew working at Wokingham Junction as well) this weekend.

[JayMac]

Meanwhile, from Melksham, a new Captcha - "click on all the boxes that include a fir tree and snow" ...

Looks very much like this:

[bobm]

There has been a meeting....



Seriously though, the issue for the TransWilts is the points at Bradford Junction.  There is a concern should they fail - or stick in the wrong direction - because the Avon Valley line is being used by diverted South Wales services which are travelling via the Berks & Hants route and then to Bath because of the engineering work at Swindon.

Road replacement transport has been organised for Melksham but although now improving, the road conditions are not good either. 

The points will be inspected shortly and it is possible TW train services may resume this afternoon.

[bobm]

Update:   TransWilts service will now resume with the 13:56 from Chippenham to Westbury via Melksham.

[grahame]

Seriously though, the issue for the TransWilts is the points at Bradford Junction. ...

Yes, I suspected so. 

Every cloud has a silver lining though ... and it HAS given me the opportunity to test out the Melksham RUG^» (Rail User Group - about) live train departure system under data stress.



Yes - reasonably happy with that, especially benchmarked again the TransWilts App which fails to give reasons or a clue that there are road alternatives, though I will confess it looks far prettier.  (See edit below - 2.1.21)



EDIT - 2nd Feb 2021 - to add the following:

This post / message has been reported as including "disparaging comments about TransWilts" which I have been asked to remove. I have referred the matter on to the moderator team as I am so closely involved. They have concluded "All you were saying is that the TransWilts app does not give as comprehensive information as the MRUG^» (Melksham Rail User Group - site) site. They could always upgrade the app" and not found anything disparaging in what I said. Based on that, the post stays in place. But please let me explain a bit further ...

The comparison between the data provided between the TransWilts App and the MRUG web page highlights a different balance between what they have chosen to include in their feed and what I chose for MRUG. Some people will just want to know "cancelled", others will want to know why and what alternative is on offer. It is my personal view that a reason should be given - my Dad was very wise and I learned from him when "saying no" ...
- express regret
- give reason
- suggest alternative
... and the MRUG page does the 2nd and 3rd of those. Writing the page for MRUG, I have chosen not to add an apology; automated apologies can feel insincere - especially where it might be repeated many times, and it in the case of something designed for viewing on a phone eats up screen space that I judge better used for alternatives and an explanation of the reason. My call; TransWilts have made a different call on what to include. Good to offer customers / passengers a choice.

[bobm]

For the record the 13:01 shown as cancelled above is now running but around 15 minutes late. 

[grahame]

Update:   TransWilts service will now resume with the 13:56 from Chippenham to Westbury via Melksham.

Indeed - actually starts a train earlier:



or



Edit - 2nd February 2021 - to add

This post / message has been reported as including "disparaging comments about TransWilts" which I have been asked to remove. I have referred the matter on to the moderator team as I am so closely involved. They have concluded "a factual report on your justifiable complaint about their not correcting information on their site/app which was months out of date and causing you harassment and damaging your reputation.  If your complaints were sent to the wrong person they should have passed them on promptly" and not found anything disparaging in what I said.

I am choosing to remove the detail of the hurt and damage caused, for which I have received an apology from a director of TransWilts, from this public post. I am doing so in the interest of ongoing working relationships with the team at TransWilts, and the removal should be taken neither as any indication of incorrect posting on my part in the first place, nor as a precedent for future edits.

[grahame]

17:50 Gloucester to Southampton Central due 20:36 has been delayed at Swindon and is now 13 minutes late.
This is due to a fault on this train.

[bobm]

Was then delayed at Westbury and was 16 late.

[grahame]

11:03 Weymouth to Swindon due 13:24
11:03 Weymouth to Swindon due 13:24 will be cancelled.
This is due to engineering works not being finished on time.

[grahame]

11:03 Weymouth to Swindon due 13:24
11:03 Weymouth to Swindon due 13:24 will be reinstated.
It 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 engineering works not being finished on time.