2023 - Train update and amendment log - Swindon <-> Westbury

[whole diary]

[TaplowGreen]

............sounds like a fair few people are going to have to "sit on their haunches" waiting for road transport to arrive.

Cancellations to services between Swindon and Westbury via Melksham

Due to a shortage of train crew between Westbury and Swindon all lines are closed. Disruption is expected until the end of the day.

Train services between Swindon and Westbury via Melksham have been cancelled.

Customer Advice
Due to a shortage of train crew, train services between Westbury and Swindon via Melksham have been cancelled.

Road transport has been ordered to cover intermediate stations, however customers are advised to travel to Bath and change where possible.

Melksham is being served by road transport.

Additional Information
Due to a shortage of train crew, train services between Westbury and Swindon via Melksham have been cancelled.
Road transport has been ordered to cover intermediate stations, however customers are advised to travel to Bath and change where possible.

[bobm]

https://www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/news/23596403.swindon-great-western-railway-trains-hit-staff-issues/

A shortage of train staff has meant rail passengers have been severely disrupted for hours with some services cancelled.

Great Western Railway (GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway)) has said all lines between Swindon and Westbury will be closed throughout Saturday evening (June 17).

A shortage of train crew has caused this disruption, the train operator has confirmed.

A GWR statement released just before 5.30pm said: "Due to a shortage of train crew between Westbury and Swindon, all lines are closed.

[ChrisB]

Do we know how many passenger train crew sign this route?

[grahame]

Wellllll ... I will on the 19:40 Weymouth to Swindon. NOT showing as disrupted at the moment. Dozens of passengers this morning from Melksham and loads more from Swindon and Chippenham to all sort of stations south of Melksham - most but not all to Weymouth.  The train is NOT flagged up on Jouneychac as a none-runner.   

As I write, enjoying a pint and food in a pub in Weymouth.  Watch this space to see if it turns out
1. That the train runs - happy days
2. That the train does NOT run and I turn into a malleable drunk
3. I get stroppy, pointing out that GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) should have enough staff to routinely run the contracted timetable.

[TaplowGreen]

Wellllll ... I will on the 19:40 Weymouth to Swindon. NOT showing as disrupted at the moment. Dozens of passengers this morning from Melksham and loads more from Swindon and Chippenham to all sort of stations south of Melksham - most but not all to Weymouth.  The train is NOT flagged up on Jouneychac as a none-runner.   

As I write, enjoying a pint and food in a pub in Weymouth.  Watch this space to see if it turns out
1. That the train runs - happy days
2. That the train does NOT run and I turn into a malleable drunk
3. I get stroppy, pointing out that GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) should have enough staff to routinely run the contracted timetable.

Good luck Graham - Twitter is saying all lines closed between Swindon and Westbury but hopefully Option 1 works out for you.

[ChrisB]

You may well get to Westbury, but.....

Cancellations to services between Swindon and Westbury via Melksham
Due to a shortage of train crew between Westbury and Swindon all lines are closed. Disruption is expected until the end of the day.
Train services between Swindon and Westbury via Melksham have been cancelled.
Customer Advice
Due to a shortage of train crew, train services between Westbury and Swindon via Melksham have been cancelled.
Road transport has been ordered to cover intermediate stations, however customers are advised to travel to Bath and change where possible.
Melksham is being served by road transport.
Replacement road transport services are conveying passengers between Westbury and Swindon via Melksham in both directions until further notice. Calling at all stations, and returning from Swindon as close to train departure time as possible.
Additional Information
Due to a shortage of train crew, train services between Westbury and Swindon via Melksham have been cancelled.
Road transport has been ordered to cover intermediate stations, however customers are advised to travel to Bath and change where possible.
Please use the Help Point at unstaffed stations.

[TaplowGreen]

Left Weymouth on time according to National Rail

[grahame]

Left Weymouth on time according to National Rail

I can confirm that.  I'm on it 

There is evidence it's making all its normal calls, other evidence that makes me wonder it's skipping Melksham, and the more general evidence that the line is closed and it will petre out at Westbury.  I am not a betting person and unless offered exceptionally good odds I would not place a bet on what will happen.  I am using words like "probably" and phrases like "I think" when I speak with people.    Newcomers not helped by a change of platform at Weymouth which they did not find re-assuring,

[TaplowGreen]

20:32 Westbury to Swindon due 21:15
An additional train service has been planned to operate as shown 20:32 Westbury to Swindon due 21:15.

Stopping Trowbridge, Melksham, Chippenham, Swindon......guessing thats the one you're on?

[grahame]

20:32 Westbury to Swindon due 21:15
An additional train service has been planned to operate as shown 20:32 Westbury to Swindon due 21:15.

Stopping Trowbridge, Melksham, Chippenham, Swindon......guessing thats the one you're on?

Errr ... no.   Now 20:45 and we've just left Yeovil Pen Mill after waiting there for an SWR^» (South Western Railway - about) service off the line from Castle Cary.   Been watching two seagulls on the platform - not sure if they were fighting or it was some sort of courtship ritual, but they were really going at each other.  As it was YPM, either explanation would be likely if they were human.

[bobm]

https://www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/news/23596403.swindon-great-western-railway-trains-hit-staff-issues/

A shortage of train staff has meant rail passengers have been severely disrupted for hours with some services cancelled.

Great Western Railway (GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway)) has said all lines between Swindon and Westbury will be closed throughout Saturday evening (June 17).

A shortage of train crew has caused this disruption, the train operator has confirmed.

A GWR statement released just before 5.30pm said: "Due to a shortage of train crew between Westbury and Swindon, all lines are closed.

Interesting comment posted to the above story.

That's a disingenuous headline. Irresponsible reporting from the internet instead of informed journalism. I'm no GWR fanboy but it's just the little shuttle train via Melksham that's cancelled due to GWR not having enough staff and the loyal one's who used to do overtime to cover it being fed up and not doing it any more. You can still travel via Bath to Westbury and they will do a bus or a taxi from Chippenham to Melksham.

[TaplowGreen]

20:32 Westbury to Swindon due 21:15
An additional train service has been planned to operate as shown 20:32 Westbury to Swindon due 21:15.

Stopping Trowbridge, Melksham, Chippenham, Swindon......guessing thats the one you're on?

Errr ... no.   Now 20:45 and we've just left Yeovil Pen Mill after waiting there for an SWR^» (South Western Railway - about) service off the line from Castle Cary.   Been watching two seagulls on the platform - not sure if they were fighting or it was some sort of courtship ritual, but they were really going at each other.  As it was YPM, either explanation would be likely if they were human.

According to NR^» (Network Rail - home page) the one you're on will stop at Melksham and go on to Swindon.

There's also a 2213 Swindon to Westbury listed calling Melksham at 2238

[Kempis]

According to Real Time Trains, the 19.40 from Weymouth arrived at Melksham at 21.35 (one minute late).

[grahame]

Yep ... it DID^» (Didcot Parkway - next trains) run through to Swindon, calling at Melksham (in spite of that being missing from the in-train display) and Chippenham on the way.

84 on board ex Trowbridge, 27 off and 6 on at Melksham - so that's 90/33 passengers.  The train was returning as the 22:13 Swindon to Westbury and it's possible it will be busier than usual on that run as it's ideally timed for the end of the Pride event in Chippenham today, and advertised on their Facebook page

Could have done without the "closed throughout the evening" announcement which was picked up by various of the people with us in Weymouth and caused some consternation. ....

[TaplowGreen]

09:35 Chippenham to Westbury due 10:04

09:35 Chippenham to Westbury due 10:04 will be cancelled.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.