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

[whole diary]

[grahame]

The first Sunday train from Melksham to Swindon is a bus to Chippenham at 08:25 this morning.  Then

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.

10:46 Westbury to Swindon due 11:31

10:46 Westbury to Swindon due 11:31 will be starting late from Westbury and is expected to be 20 minutes late.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.

Sadly, this does not reflect the "we have got more crews trained on the line and it should be better this year" which I recall hearing from [senior manager - name redacted].   Thank goodness the bus is running - that early "train" is a key service, but for a leisure day out by train you're now looking at an afternoon out with a first train at 11:20 northbound and 12:07 (if that time is to be trusted) southbound.  But yet perhaps it is better - still very bad compare to what it was, just not very, very bad.

From yesterday's trains that did run:

08:45 Swindon to Weymouth has just arrived in Weymouth


19:40 Weymouth to Swindon has just arrived in Melksham


I also have pictures on the train when it was down in Dorset on its way to Weymouth showing it full - an educated estimate of 350 people on board.  On the return journey it was very lively indeed from Weymouth as far as Yeovil; raw numbers not as high on to Chippenham and Swindon as some folks had chosen to travel back earlier and change at Bath Spa.

Marketing wise?   Numbers spot on.  Without a longer train, lots more passengers would cause a loss of product quality.  And there's a significant risk that needs to be managed of the service failing to run - as (for example) it fair to run on 3rd June - thank goodness we had good notice and did not promote.  Now keeping a controlled watch in the summer and liaising with friends in Chippenham, Swindon, and West Wilts.

[grahame]

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.

Thank you, yes.   Great minds were thinking alike there ... I was writing rather longer having been on the ground and seeing the hundreds of people using the services that were left yesterday.  We could do so much more if the service was reliable ...

[grahame]

14:21 Frome to Swindon due 15:31
15:44 Swindon to Frome due 16:38
16:43 Frome to Swindon due 17:34
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.

Words fail me ...

[TaplowGreen]

Cancellations to services between Westbury and Swindon via Melksham

Due to a shortage of train crew between Swindon and Westbury all lines are blocked. Disruption is expected until 19:30 18/06.

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

Customer Advice
Due to a shortage of train crew, services between Westbury and Swindon via Melksham have been cancelled until 19:00. Road transport has been requested. We will provide updates as to when and where this will run from.

[grahame]

And this is a correct delay - thank you GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) - at the end of an awful weekend.

21:34 Swindon to Westbury due 22:15

21:34 Swindon to Westbury due 22:15 has been delayed at Swindon and is now 9 minutes late.
This is due to the train departing late to maintain customer connections.

[grahame]

20:06 Westbury to Cheltenham Spa due 22:05

20:06 Westbury to Cheltenham Spa due 22:05 will be diverted between Trowbridge and Chippenham.
It will no longer call at Melksham.
It will be delayed at Trowbridge.
This is due to a late running freight train.

[grahame]

20:06 Westbury to Cheltenham Spa due 22:05

20:06 Westbury to Cheltenham Spa due 22:05 has been previously delayed, has been further delayed at Trowbridge and is now 7 minutes late.
This is due to trespassers on the railway.

[grahame]

19:40 Weymouth to Swindon due 22:01

19:40 Weymouth to Swindon due 22:01 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.

Around 150 people on the outbound train when it left Melksham for Weymouth this morning - this could be interesting. 

[brooklea]

19:40 Weymouth to Swindon due 22:01

19:40 Weymouth to Swindon due 22:01 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.

Around 150 people on the outbound train when it left Melksham for Weymouth this morning - this could be interesting. 

Updated at 11:21

19:40 Weymouth to Swindon due 22:01
19:40 Weymouth to Swindon due 22:01 will now run as scheduled.

[grahame]

08:11 Warminster to Swindon due 09:03

08:11 Warminster to Swindon due 09:03 will no longer call at Dilton Marsh.
This is due to passengers causing a disturbance on a train.

[grahame]

Reviewing yesterday after the event ... yes, the 19:40 Weymouth to Swindon was restored to run its full route throughout.  Many thanks to those who made it possible.  Have to question (but I have no answer) at what stage a train is flagged as cancelled / partially cancelled when in reality there is some doubt - just "being worked on" to see how rotas can be moved around. Around 70 passenger on the train as it left Trowbridge a handful of minutes late, and a further few minutes lost at Bradford Junction as we awaited the line to Thingley Junction to be cleared by a freight train ahead of us.

Not really an "update and amendment log" thing, but the loadings of the 08:45 Swindon -> Weymouth and the 19:40 Weymouth -> Swindon have differed metrics.  Very much a strong core of passengers making the day trip both ways, but an equally strong set of metrics using the trains in just one direction.  On outbound people head in different directions from Trowbridge and Westbury, as well as going to Weymouth, and on the return there are substantial flows - larger ones - rejoining at Westbury and Trowbridge, but far fewer through passengers from Weymouth all the way to Chippenham and Swindon, with some day trippers preferring a change at Bath Spa to a 10 p.m. arrival home with the kids.

From Yeovil Pen Mill to Weymouth, full to capacity and we need to keep limiting promotion of "Day out in Weymouth" to keep it manageable - "a few standing" is fine and that's what we have;  there are, however, still a few centre seats still available so "almost full" rather than "full".  On the return, the rear coach is crammed off Weymouth and the extra people above the morning load are well lubricated.  But the front coach is very, very much more comfortable.

[bobm]

08:11 Warminster to Swindon due 09:03

08:11 Warminster to Swindon due 09:03 will no longer call at Dilton Marsh.
This is due to passengers causing a disturbance on a train.

Not sure what that was about - but Realtimetrains shows it arriving at Dilton Marsh three quarters of a minute AFTER it is was shown as having departed!

[grahame]

10:58 Weymouth to Swindon due 13:26

10:58 Weymouth to Swindon due 13:26 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.

13:42 Swindon to Weymouth due 15:57

13:42 Swindon to Weymouth due 15:57 will be started from Westbury.
It will no longer call at Swindon, Chippenham, Melksham and Trowbridge.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.

[TaplowGreen]

20:38 Westbury to Swindon due 21:23

20:38 Westbury to Swindon due 21:23 will be cancelled.
This is due to a shortage of train crew

21:34 Swindon to Westbury due 22:15

21:34 Swindon to Westbury due 22:15 will be cancelled.
This is due to a shortage of train crew

[brooklea]

13:15 Swindon to Westbury is diverting via Box, not calling at Melksham.

Points problem at Bradford Junction appears to be detaining a Castle Cary bound empty stock move, and this is blocking a Wootton Bassett bound stone train from entering the single line.

Platforms filling up at Westbury as nothing can head for Bristol until the freight train moves…