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

[whole diary]

[TaplowGreen]

Alterations to services between Chippenham and Trowbridge via Melksham

Due to a fault with the signalling system between Chippenham and Trowbridge the line is blocked. Disruption is expected until 14:15 28/03.

Train services between Chippenham and Trowbridge via Melksham may be delayed or diverted. Melksham will not be served.

[bobm]

13:15 Swindon to Westbury due 13:56 will be diverted between Chippenham and Trowbridge.

It will no longer call at Melksham.

It will be delayed due to the diversion and is expected to be 7 minutes late.

This is due to a fault with the signalling system.

[TaplowGreen]

15:14 Swindon to Westbury due 15:58

15:14 Swindon to Westbury due 15:58 will be cancelled.

This is due to a fault with the signalling system.

[grahame]

I am going to take a look back at the end of the day ... summarise what actually ran.   Thanks everyone for keeping the updates going ...

If something goes wrong one day, you say "oops" and fix it
If something goes wrong two days in succession, you fix it but then wonder if the failures close were a co-incidence.
If something goes wrong three days in succession, you have far more than a co-incidence - you have a problem.

On 26th, 3 passenger trains out of 14 scheduled failed to call at Melksham
On 27th, 1 passenger train out of 17 failed to call at Melksham and 2 more were announced as not calling, but in the end did call
On 28th, 5 passenger trains out of 17 scheduled failed to call at Melksham

We have a problem (again) - is it big a problem?

9 actual cancellations out of 48 calls scheduled is a cancellation rate of 18.75% ... against a target (I believe) of less that 2%

11 announced cancellations out of 48 calls scheduled is a cancellation rate of 23%.

Yes it is a big problem.

[GBM]

On 27th, 1 passenger train out of 17 failed to call at Melksham and 2 more were announced as not calling, but in the end did call

Too late. 
If I'd seen those as not calling, alternative plans would have been made.
Would not have checked back later, just in case.

[grahame]

20:06 Westbury to Cheltenham Spa due 22:05

Facilities on the 20:06 Westbury to Cheltenham Spa due 22:05.
Will be formed of 2 coaches instead of 3.

Quite happy if that is the only disruption at Melksham today!

[TaplowGreen]

09:35 Swindon to Westbury due 10:16

09:35 Swindon to Westbury due 10:16 will be starting late from Swindon.
This is due to heavy rain flooding the railway.

[TaplowGreen]

10:07 Westbury to Swindon due 10:54
10:07 Westbury to Swindon due 10:54 will be terminated at Chippenham.
It will no longer call at Swindon.
This is due to heavy rain flooding the railway.

11:05 Swindon to Westbury due 11:48
11:05 Swindon to Westbury due 11:48 will be started from Chippenham.
It will no longer call at Swindon.
This is due to heavy rain flooding the railway.

[grahame]

12:05 Westbury to Swindon due 12:55
13:05 Swindon to Westbury due 13:48
14:05 Westbury to Swindon due 14:54
15:06 Westbury to Swindon due 15:48
15:10 Swindon to Westbury due 15:56
16:05 Swindon to Westbury due 16:46
16:36 Westbury to Swindon due 17:25
17:35 Swindon to Westbury due 18:17
18:35 Westbury to Swindon due 19:24
19:35 Swindon to Westbury due 20:16

19:35 Swindon to Westbury due 20:16 will be started from Chippenham.
It will no longer call at Swindon.
This is due to heavy rain flooding the railway.

To note that a couple of those are virtual (a.k.a. dreams are made of) trains.  Not sure if extras are running today to give Chippenham a better rail service - passengers for Bath and Bristol who normally travel direct on trains that come from London via Swindon being able to change at Trowbridge.  It would make sense.

16:05 Swindon to Westbury due 16:46
16:05 Swindon to Westbury due 16:46 will be started from Chippenham.
It will no longer call at Swindon.
This is due to heavy rain flooding the railway.

[grahame]

To note that a couple of those are virtual (a.k.a. dreams are made of) trains.

Silly me - it's Saturday and those trains do exist.   They're the extras from the 2006-2013 era when they were the ONLY Saturday trains on the line that day except for an early Westbury to Swindon that fed the Stroud Valley with its unit for the day and a late Swindon to Westbury service that brought the unit back from the Stroud Valley as the services on that line ran down mid evening.

[grahame]

From the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page) - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-wiltshire-65148990

Rail journeys to and from Bristol and Swindon are severely disrupted due to flooding.

One line between Bristol Parkway, Bristol Temple Meads and Swindon stations is currently blocked, with many services cancelled or severely delayed.

The worst of the flooding is at Chipping Sodbury tunnel, a spokesperson for Great Western Railway (GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway)) said.

The line will remain closed until at least 08:00 BST on Sunday.

GWR said: "One out of two lines are closed between Bristol Parkway and Swindon, and also Bristol Temple Meads and Swindon, due to the railway being under water.

"Trains which are running on the open line are having to run at a reduced speed through the affected area."

Elsewhere, flooding at Dauntsey is affecting trains to and from London Paddington and south Wales, although one line has reopened and others were expected to reopen on Saturday.

[TaplowGreen]

21:07 Swindon to Westbury due 21:49

21:07 Swindon to Westbury due 21:49 will be started from Chippenham.
It will no longer call at Swindon.
This is due to heavy rain flooding the railway.

[TaplowGreen]

11:41 Swindon to Weymouth due 13:59

11:41 Swindon to Weymouth due 13:59 has been previously delayed, has been further delayed at Chippenham and is now 32 minutes late.

This is due to the train departing late to maintain customer connections.

[bobm]

11:05 Swindon to Westbury due 11:47

11:05 Swindon to Westbury due 11:47 will be cancelled.

This is due to a fault on this train.

Additional Information
Sorry for the disruption to your journey today.

Passengers from Swindon and Chippenham are advised to await the next service towards Bath Spa and then change there for services towards Trowbridge and Westbury.
Depart Swindon at 11:29, Chippenham at 11:41, arriving at Bath Spa at 11:52.
Change there for the 12:03 GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) service towards Weymouth, arriving at Trowbridge at 12:24 and Westbury at 12:32.

Passengers For Melksham: please await and board the 11:29 GWR departure from Swindon for Bristol Temple Meads. Get off the train at Chippenham and change there for replacement taxis to Melksham.
Please check the stations Onward Travel Information poster and wait for the replacement road transport at the designated stop.

Passengers from Melksham: Replacement road transport has been arranged to run in lieu of part of this train service to Trowbridge and Westbury. Please check the stations Onward Travel Information poster 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.

The incoming service from Westbury was also cancelled.

[grahame]

07:10 Westbury to Cheltenham Spa due 09:03

07:10 Westbury to Cheltenham Spa due 09:03 was 12 minutes late but is expected to be on time from Gloucester.
This is due to checking reports of an obstruction on the line.
Will be formed of 3 coaches instead of 2.