2021 - TransWilts cancellation and amendment log

[whole diary]

[Phil]

I was caught up in all this. 45 minute delay on the 16:25 Westbury to Swindon (or in my case, Melksham) train, which in the end only went as far as Chippenham - a wise decision on behalf of the operators I felt. The delay getting into Trowbridge meant that a large number of apparently illiterate young ladies got on and expressed considerable surprise once it was past the junction that it wasn't actually heading for Bath, but hey ho - all being well they got into Chippenham in time to catch the 17:45 train to Bath.

[grahame]

Surely anyone on the train from London would be better changing at Chippenham for Melksham/Trowbridge/Westbury in any event, to avoid the hike from platform 4 to platform 2 at Swindon? I know I would, even at the cost of a few minutes longer sat on an IET^▸ (Intercity Express Train) seat 

In the "micro" case of this particular train, yes. And I took a look and it's what the journey planner gives too.

However ...

For occasional travellers using different trains at different times of day, simplest advice is "Get the first train that calls at Swindon and change there".  That means that people can take Cardiff / Swansea / Carmarthen / Cheltenham Spa train from London, as well as Bristol / Weston / Taunton via Bristol services from London and have a consistent change they always use.  In the opposite direction , advice from Melksham is always "change at Swindon" - a choice of many more onward services (especially good if there is disruption) , and also a consistency of changes in both directions.

[grahame]

15:03 Westbury to Swindon due 15:49
15:03 Westbury to Swindon due 15:49 has been previously delayed, is being further delayed at Chippenham and is now expected to be 26 minutes late.
This is due to overcrowding because an earlier train had fewer coaches than normal.

16:03 Swindon to Westbury due 16:45
16:03 Swindon to Westbury due 16:45 will be starting late from Swindon.
This is due to overcrowding because an earlier train had fewer coaches than normal

.

[bobm]

I was caught up in this.  The 15:03 from Westbury was delayed waiting for a Cardiff Portsmouth service to arrive and detach two of its six coaches. These had been borrowed to strengthen the South Wales service because of the Championship play off final involving Swansea.

This arrived nearly 15 minutes late.  The rear two then formed the Swindon service leaving 25 minutes late.  It was then delayed at Bradford Junction waiting for a southbound train to clear the single line.

We arrived into Chippenham nearly half an hour late.  It was only as the train pulled in the decision was made to terminate it there.

Its cause wasn’t helped by the fact the unit (158 749) was only running on one engine.

[bobm]

158 749 limping back to Westbury with the 16:18 from Chippenham

[grahame]

11:03 Weymouth to Swindon due 13:27
Facilities on the 11:03 Weymouth to Swindon due 13:27.
Will be formed of 3 coaches instead of 5.

13:41 Swindon to Weymouth due 15:51
Facilities on the 13:41 Swindon to Weymouth due 15:51.
Will be formed of 3 coaches instead of 5.

Also the 09:07 Westbury to Weymouth and the 16:10 Weymouth to Bristol Temple Meads. These latter two are not the peak Weymouth trains - they are the trains that arrive in Weymouth from Bristol at 11:55, and return from Weymouth at 17:53.   The engineering poster at Melksham, yesterday, still showed trains replaced by buses today from Yeovil to Weymouth; I suspect that particular poster only reaches a few people, but the message was a lot wider at one time (on the platform at Yeovil on a special poster last weekend, for example) so it may have had a quelling effect on demand.

[Timmer]

Another factor in quelling demand would be no train to Weymouth from Bristol TM^‡(resolve) in the morning this summer.

You either have to make your own way to Bath to catch the 9.17 to Westbury where you have a 40 minute wait for the 10.21, or the 8.34 from Bristol Parkway to Swindon where again you have a 40 minute wait for the train to Weymouth.

Both options hardly satisfactory with a car probably being involved to get you to either Bath or Parkway at that time of day, in which case you might as well drive to Weymouth especially if you have kids in tow.

[grahame]

17:50 Gloucester to Southampton Central due 20:36
17:50 Gloucester to Southampton Central due 20:36 will be terminated at Westbury.
It will no longer call at Dilton Marsh, Warminster, Salisbury, Romsey and Southampton Central.
This is due to a member of on-train staff being taken ill.

[grahame]

06:34 Salisbury to Cheltenham Spa due 09:03
Facilities on the 06:34 Salisbury to Cheltenham Spa due 09:03.
Will be formed of 2 coaches instead of 3.

Half term week - so should not be a problem (loads very heavily for the school run from Swindon)

[grahame]

18:39 Westbury to Swindon due 19:21
20:47 Swindon to Westbury due 21:28
Facilities on the 20:47 Swindon to Westbury due 21:28.
Toilet facilities are not available. Disabled toilet facilities are not available.

[grahame]

Two cancellations today ... Melksham calls:

14:32   Swindon   On time   -
13:40   Westbury      a shortage of train crew
12:33   Swindon      a shortage of train crew
11:30   Westbury   On time   -

I was at the station to pick up a visitor from the arrival at 11:30 and return him for the 14:32

Quite busy - I counted 14 on the platform just before the 11:30 arrived, and at least 5 people got off.
Exactly the same on the platform - 14 people - prior to the train arriving, and three got off.

Good to see it getting busier again - and these are trains that are not typically the busy ones, with numbers counted at an intermediate station.

[grahame]

15:14 Swindon to Westbury due 15:55
15:14 Swindon to Westbury due 15:55 is being delayed between Melksham and Westbury.
This is due to trespassers on the railway.

[grahame]

17:36 Swindon to Westbury due 18:17
17:36 Swindon to Westbury due 18:17 will be cancelled.
This is due to a fault on this train.
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

[grahame]

18:39 Westbury to Swindon due 19:21
20:47 Swindon to Westbury due 21:28
20:47 Swindon to Westbury due 21:28 will be cancelled.
This is due to a fault on this train.
Additional Information
If you are travelling from an unstaffed station please use the Customer Help Point or contact National Rail Enquiries on 03457 484 950 detailing the total number of passengers in your party and your intended destination. This will enable us to get suitable replacement transport to you as quickly as possible.

[grahame]

14:47 Westbury to Swindon due 15:29
14:47 Westbury to Swindon due 15:29 will be cancelled.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.
Additional Information
Replacement road transport has been arranged to run in lieu of this train service. Please check station signs and wait for the replacement road transport at the designated stop. The replacement road transport may run later than the advertised train times owing to the additional time taken by road between stations and the time required for loading and unloading at each stop.

also

15:41 Swindon to Frome due 16:31
16:41 Frome to Swindon due 17:35
17:45 Swindon to Westbury due 18:26

See also http://www.passenger.chat/25131 - looking deeper at this for our regular contributing members.