2022 - TransWilts cancellations and amendments log

[whole diary]

[grahame]

07:52 London Paddington to Penzance due 13:40

07:52 London Paddington to Penzance due 13:40 will be cancelled.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.

Huh?  TransWilts.  Yep - the 08:44 Swindon to Westbury (at 09:17).  Skips Chippenham, Melksham, and even the county town of Trowbridge!

[TaplowGreen]

17:44 Swindon to Salisbury due 18:55
17:44 Swindon to Salisbury due 18:55 will be cancelled.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.

18:24 Frome to Swindon due 19:17
18:24 Frome to Swindon due 19:17 will be cancelled.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.

[grahame]

16:43 Frome to Swindon due 17:34

16:43 Frome to Swindon due 17:34 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.

17:44 Swindon to Salisbury due 18:55

17:44 Swindon to Salisbury due 18:55 will be cancelled.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.

There has been, understandably, a lot of criticism of the trade unions for calling strike action that will cause disruption just at a time when the railways should be rebuilding.  It has also been pointed out that the train operators have already done far more to damage their rebuilding and reliability by making inadequate provision to run the trains in their timetables, even after services such as Bradford-on-Avon to Waterloo and Bradford-on-Avon to Brighton have been culled, and planned services such as the four per hour Bristol to Paddington have not materialised - just two per hour running.

The train off Swindon to Westbury at around 17:45 each day is a "key" one - should only be cancelled as a last resort.   Except that today is Sunday, and Sundays don't count "up there" to those who work out these things.

17:44 Swindon to Salisbury due 18:55
17:44 Swindon to Salisbury due 18:55 will be cancelled.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.

18:24 Frome to Swindon due 19:17
18:24 Frome to Swindon due 19:17 will be cancelled.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.

Hadn't even noticed that latter one ...

[TaplowGreen]

16:43 Frome to Swindon due 17:34

16:43 Frome to Swindon due 17:34 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.

17:44 Swindon to Salisbury due 18:55

17:44 Swindon to Salisbury due 18:55 will be cancelled.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.

There has been, understandably, a lot of criticism of the trade unions for calling strike action that will cause disruption just at a time when the railways should be rebuilding.  It has also been pointed out that the train operators have already done far more to damage their rebuilding and reliability by making inadequate provision to run the trains in their timetables, even after services such as Bradford-on-Avon to Waterloo and Bradford-on-Avon to Brighton have been culled, and planned services such as the four per hour Bristol to Paddington have not materialised - just two per hour running.

The train off Swindon to Westbury at around 17:45 each day is a "key" one - should only be cancelled as a last resort.   Except that today is Sunday, and Sundays don't count "up there" to those who work out these things.

17:44 Swindon to Salisbury due 18:55
17:44 Swindon to Salisbury due 18:55 will be cancelled.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.

18:24 Frome to Swindon due 19:17
18:24 Frome to Swindon due 19:17 will be cancelled.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.

Hadn't even noticed that latter one ...

19:29 Swindon to Westbury due 20:11
19:29 Swindon to Westbury due 20:11 will be cancelled.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.

20:35 Westbury to Swindon due 21:17
20:35 Westbury to Swindon due 21:17 will be cancelled.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.

21:25 Swindon to Westbury due 22:05
21:25 Swindon to Westbury due 22:05 will be cancelled.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.

[grahame]

Staff shortage due to not enough volunteering to work on Father's Day, perhaps?  Or am I being unduly cynical?   

Noting that Cardiff / Portsmouth issues are predominantly shorter trains that they should be today, but TransWilts get-you-home services look to be eliminated - first train calling at Melksham at 11:06, just 3 trains each way with final one at 16:06 as far as I can tell.

[grahame]

Staff shortage due to not enough volunteering to work on Father's Day, perhaps?  Or am I being unduly cynical?   

Noting that Cardiff / Portsmouth issues are predominantly shorter trains that they should be today, but TransWilts get-you-home services look to be eliminated - first train calling at Melksham at 11:06, just 3 trains each way with final one at 16:06 as far as I can tell.

I do note we are not alone ... systemic issue ...

Indeed - some Falmouth services yesterday were reminiscent of urban rush-hour services. However, the tale of woe that greeted anyone trying to use branch line services to Gunnislake or Looe yesterday suggests that the first goal needs to be ensuring that resources are there to ensure / guarantee that the existing advertised service actually runs ...

Totally agree, Sulis John, and both of these lines have cancellations today too.  Remind me how many years First have had to get this right?

[bobm]

I can certainly agree about the Falmouth Line yesterday.  The numbers travelling were swelled by the Sea Shanty festival.  The situation wasn't helped by late running and cancellations on the mainline.  The service I travelled on was carrying people from the advertised main line connection but also the one before which missed the earlier branch line service.

As to Graham's point re today's cancellations, I have no evidence but perhaps GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) are withdrawing the opportunity for overtime ahead of next week's strikes?

[grahame]

As to Graham's point re today's cancellations, I have no evidence but perhaps GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) are withdrawing the opportunity for overtime ahead of next week's strikes?

If that were the case, it would show a gross disrespect for their customers.   I somehow doubt that would be willingly done by the GWR managers and directors I know, but if they were instructed to not make opportunities available from "higher", they would be put between a rock and a hard place.  Situations of them being put between a rock and a hard place in the recent past are not hard to find.

[IndustryInsider]

No change in overtime or rest day working agreements ahead of the strike.

[TaplowGreen]

No change in overtime or rest day working agreements ahead of the strike.

........just a regular Sunday on GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway).......still, good practice for the coming week!   

[grahame]

Cancellation Log ... (times at Melksham) ... the following trains have been removed from the timetable

Tuesday 21st June
All services

Wednesday 22nd June
05:33 to Swindon
06:36 to Southampton
07:20 to Cheltenham Spa

Thursday 23rd June
All services

Friday 24th July
05:33 to Swindon
06:36 to Southampton
07:20 to Cheltenham Spa

Saturday 25th June
All services

No rail replacement transport being provided

No ticket acceptance on buses

GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) will refund your ticket if you decide not to travel, or the difference in fares if you start your journey by road to Chippenham or Trowbridge.

[grahame]

20:45 Swindon to Westbury due 21:26

20:45 Swindon to Westbury due 21:26 will be starting late from Swindon.
This is due to train crew being delayed by service disruption.

[TaplowGreen]

13:41 Swindon to Weymouth due 15:51

26/06/22 13:41 Swindon to Weymouth due 15:51 will be terminated at Westbury.

It will no longer call at Frome, Bruton, Castle Cary, Yeovil Pen Mill, Thornford, Yetminster, Chetnole, Maiden Newton, Dorchester West, Upwey and Weymouth.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.

[TaplowGreen]

07:37 Westbury to Swindon due 08:19
07:37 Westbury to Swindon due 08:19 will be cancelled.
This is due to a broken down train.

08:45 Swindon to Westbury due 09:26
08:45 Swindon to Westbury due 09:26 will be cancelled.
This is due to a broken down train.

[bradshaw]

The broken down train seems to be the Whatley Quarry to Tarmac service, near Bedwyn. So main line services being diverted via Melksham