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

[whole diary]

[stuving]

If you look closely both trains took over 25 minutes to get between Bradford and Thingley Junctions instead of the usual 12.  That is the time it takes to go up to Bathampton, reverse and come back through Box Tunnel.

Indeed. 2M81 passed Bathampton Junction at 0755, and 2M13 did so at 0818. RTT^» (Real Time Trains - website) shows no report at Melksham, and the data feed shown on LiveRail has no report at Thingley Junction either. The latter has a reported time on RTT - is it just filling in the gaps?

[grahame]

12:17 Westbury to Swindon due 13:02
13:15 Swindon to Westbury due 13:57

13:15 Swindon to Westbury due 13:57 will be cancelled.
This is due to train crew being delayed by service disruption.
Additional Information
Replacement transport is being arranged.
For further information, please make a help point call at the station.

[grahame]

17:57 Gloucester to Salisbury due 20:06

17:57 Gloucester to Salisbury due 20:06 will be started from Westbury.
It will no longer call at Gloucester, Stonehouse, Stroud, Kemble, Swindon, Chippenham, Melksham and Trowbridge.
This is due to a fault on this train.

Not very much left ....

[grahame]

05:11 Gloucester to Southampton Central due 08:07 has been delayed at Gloucester and is now 27 minutes late.

This is due to a fault with the signalling system.

[grahame]

05:11 Gloucester to Southampton Central due 08:07 has been delayed at Gloucester and is now 27 minutes late.

This is due to a fault with the signalling system.

Down to just 14 late at Melksham, and more chance to recover on the way - likely to be down to single digit minutes by Southampton (pathing allowing)

[grahame]

05:11 Gloucester to Southampton Central due 08:07 has been delayed at Gloucester and is now 27 minutes late.

This is due to a fault with the signalling system.

Down to just 14 late at Melksham, and more chance to recover on the way - likely to be down to single digit minutes by Southampton (pathing allowing)

On time into Southampton!

But ...

06:35 Salisbury to Worcester Foregate Street due 09:47 will be diverted between Swindon and Cheltenham Spa.
It will no longer call at Kemble, Stroud, Stonehouse and Gloucester but will call additionally at Bristol Parkway.
It will be delayed due to the diversion and is expected to be 13 minutes late.
This is due to a fault with the signalling system.

Both TransWilts services, disrupted this morning because of problems at Gloucester

[grahame]

16:36 Westbury to Swindon due 17:19
17:44 Swindon to Westbury due 18:25
18:36 Westbury to Swindon due 19:19
19:44 Swindon to Westbury due 20:25

19:44 Swindon to Westbury due 20:25 will be cancelled.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.

[bobm]

Same quartet as last Saturday.  Wonder if they will be reinstated as happened seven days ago?

[grahame]

Same quartet as last Saturday.  Wonder if they will be reinstated as happened seven days ago?

I share that thought.   But announcing trains as CANCELLED before people head out for the day, leaving a six hour gap in opportunities to get home, is far from clever.    The rail industry is not exactly encouraging people in our parts to use the trains - occasional "oopsie"s understood.   Week after week and one has to wonder ...

[ChrisB]

But is “might be reinstated, but cancelled for now” achieve any better?

Or not announcing the cancellation until say, they’re sure about 2 hours before deoparture?

Difficult….I’m not sure anyone has come up with a better alternative to give travellers a better experience

[TaplowGreen]

But is “might be reinstated, but cancelled for now” achieve any better?

Or not announcing the cancellation until say, they’re sure about 2 hours before deoparture?

Difficult….I’m not sure anyone has come up with a better alternative to give travellers a better experience

Treating the cause rather than the symptoms and employing sufficient staff to ensure these scenarios don't repeatedly occur springs to mind as one solution?

[grahame]

But is “might be reinstated, but cancelled for now” achieve any better?

Or not announcing the cancellation until say, they’re sure about 2 hours before deoparture?

Difficult….I’m not sure anyone has come up with a better alternative to give travellers a better experience

Treating the cause rather than the symptoms and employing sufficient staff to ensure these scenarios don't repeatedly occur springs to mind as one solution?

Yep, I would agree ...

And to anyone (from GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway), the DfT^» (Department for Transport - about), or HM Government who's reading about this little local line and wonder if return trains matter)  ... I got on the 09:10 from Melksham this morning (our first southbound train) with dozens of others ... it's a three car train, and pretty well all the seating bays in the carriage I got into are occupied - quick look around and piece of arithmetic and I would recon we're just shy of 150 passengers.   Earlier rain has now ceased; it may have put a few people off a summer Saturday outing which (judging by typical party composition) is what most people are here for.  Please, Mr GWR, let them get home and happy later in the day.

[TaplowGreen]

But is “might be reinstated, but cancelled for now” achieve any better?

Or not announcing the cancellation until say, they’re sure about 2 hours before deoparture?

Difficult….I’m not sure anyone has come up with a better alternative to give travellers a better experience

Treating the cause rather than the symptoms and employing sufficient staff to ensure these scenarios don't repeatedly occur springs to mind as one solution?

Yep, I would agree ...

And to anyone (from GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway), the DfT^» (Department for Transport - about), or HM Government who's reading about this little local line and wonder if return trains matter)  ... I got on the 09:10 from Melksham this morning (our first southbound train) with dozens of others ... it's a three car train, and pretty well all the seating bays in the carriage I got into are occupied - quick look around and piece of arithmetic and I would recon we're just shy of 150 passengers.   Earlier rain has now ceased; it may have put a few people off a summer Saturday outing which (judging by typical party composition) is what most people are here for.  Please, Mr GWR, let them get home and happy later in the day.

Same goes for the Devon/Cornwall branches

It is beyond ridiculous that they are not adequately staffed on summer weekends, exactly when demand is likely to be highest.

[ChrisB]

You are basically wanting staff employed to sit on their haunches when all routes are working full services?

And don't suggest that will never happen. Many, many routes operate full service day in, day out. You can't loan drivers between depots as they won't have route knowledge.

so how will your suggestion work?

[grahame]

You are basically wanting staff employed to sit on their haunches when all routes are working full services?

And don't suggest that will never happen. ....

I see you're fully aware of the objection you'll raise so you're getting your answer in first.

There are ways of doing it better, and not simply more of the same.