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

[whole diary]

[TaplowGreen]

Cancellations to services between Swindon and Westbury via Melksham

Due to heavy rain flooding the railway at Swindon some lines are blocked. Disruption is expected until the end of the day.

Train services between Swindon and Westbury via Melksham may be cancelled.

[Trowres]

GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) Journeycheck:

Customer Advice
Stagecoach route 49: Swindon (Bus Station), Trowbridge (Town Bridge) are conveying passengers via any reasonable route until further notice. Arrangements have been made for Great Western Railway rail tickets to be accepted for these journeys.

Slight problem: the last 49 from Swindon to Trowbridge departs 17:15.

[grahame]

GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) Journeycheck:

Customer Advice
Stagecoach route 49: Swindon (Bus Station), Trowbridge (Town Bridge) are conveying passengers via any reasonable route until further notice. Arrangements have been made for Great Western Railway rail tickets to be accepted for these journeys.

Slight problem: the last 49 from Swindon to Trowbridge departs 17:15.

There is the National Express coach at 21:50 - route 401 - to Devizes, Melksham and Trowbridge.

[grahame]

Cancellations to services between Swindon and Westbury via Melksham

Due to heavy rain flooding the railway at Swindon some lines are blocked. Disruption is expected until the end of the day.

Train services between Swindon and Westbury via Melksham may be cancelled.

Looking at Real Time Trains, nothing ran this evening. I was there (with a towel to dry the TVM^▸ (Ticket Vending Machine)) at about 17:15 and it was showing normal service at that time.

[Trowres]

I have no idea what verbal information was available at the stations between Swindon and Westbury, but the TIGER info was showing the 22:30 from Swindon as "Delayed" until well after 23:00. Like most of the other Melksham services this evening, it appears to have just "not run" instead of being actively cancelled.

My comment above about the ticket availability on the 49 was to illustrate that the information on Journeycheck was lacking in usefulness.

With a points failure at Standish Junction (or broken rail if you prefer the National Rail explanation) causing a general lack of trains on the Stroud line, it hasn't been a good day.

[grahame]

I have no idea what verbal information was available at the stations between Swindon and Westbury, but the TIGER info was showing the 22:30 from Swindon as "Delayed" until well after 23:00. Like most of the other Melksham services this evening, it appears to have just "not run" instead of being actively cancelled.

Indeed - looking at Recent Train Times - last 4 weeks, Monday to Friday:





Total count "ran" is 163 out of 180 that are in the "printed" timetable - so 9.4% cancellation rate.  Cancellations shown - 12 one way, 13 the other - because there was industrial action one day and the timetable was changed - trains did not run but not defined as a "cancellation".

[GBM]

Eh?
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:L51441/2023-10-15/detailed
Been approaching Melksham since 0835 (as at writing 0909)

Cancellations to services between London Paddington and Bristol Temple Meads
Due to engineering works not being finished on time at Swindon the line is closed. Disruption is expected until 10:00 15/10.
Train services between London Paddington and Bristol Temple Meads have been cancelled, delayed or diverted. Chippenham, Swindon and Didcot Parkway will not be served.
Customer Advice
Due to over night engineering works not having been completed, trains running on the main lines between Bristol, Swansea and London Paddington are being diverted. Chippenham, Swindon, and Didcot Parkwway are not being served currently.

[Timmer]

Eh?
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:L51441/2023-10-15/detailed
Been approaching Melksham since 0835 (as at writing 0909)

Cancellations to services between London Paddington and Bristol Temple Meads
Due to engineering works not being finished on time at Swindon the line is closed. Disruption is expected until 10:00 15/10.
Train services between London Paddington and Bristol Temple Meads have been cancelled, delayed or diverted. Chippenham, Swindon and Didcot Parkway will not be served.
Customer Advice
Due to over night engineering works not having been completed, trains running on the main lines between Bristol, Swansea and London Paddington are being diverted. Chippenham, Swindon, and Didcot Parkwway are not being served currently.

Looking at journey check and RTT^» (Real Time Trains - website), it looks like it’s causing all kinds of issues in both directions for those trying to get to Bath for the half marathon.

[grahame]

Eh?
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:L51441/2023-10-15/detailed
Been approaching Melksham since 0835 (as at writing 0909)

Goodness only knows - open industry feeds such as interpreted by open train times are confused and tiger / real time departure boards showing an "on time" 08:37 at Melksham to Swindon (at 09:25) and the return working "delayed".

[grahame]

Ah! ...

09:14 Swindon to Westbury due 09:59

09:14 Swindon to Westbury due 09:59 will be started from Melksham.
It will no longer call at Swindon and Chippenham.
This is due to engineering works not being finished on time.

[Mark A]

Yup. Continuation of the glassback reputation of the GWML^▸ (Great Western Main Line), especially when concerning special events alas. Provision for strengthened services / extra seats falls to the floor.

Mark

https://www.railadvent.co.uk/2023/10/gwr-pledges-almost-9000-extra-train-seats-for-bath-half-marathon.html/amp

[GBM]

Not a good day for GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) Control today either.

Earlier trains delayed by over running engineering works.
Then a points failure delaying outbound Paddingtons (?)
Then a broken rail out of Paddington.
12:30 London Paddington to Weston-Super-Mare due 14:36
12:30 London Paddington to Weston-Super-Mare due 14:36 will call additionally at Oldfield Park and Keynsham.
This is due to overcrowding because of a sporting event.  ((That was unexpected!)).
12:33 London Paddington to Taunton due 14:35
12:33 London Paddington to Taunton due 14:35 will be terminated at Westbury.
It will no longer call at Castle Cary and Taunton.
It has been delayed previously and is now 17 minutes late from Pewsey.
This is due to a fault on this train.
13:03 London Paddington to Plymouth due 16:17
13:03 London Paddington to Plymouth due 16:17 will be diverted between Pewsey and Bruton.
It will call additionally at Westbury and Castle Cary.
It has been previously delayed, is being further delayed between Pewsey and Bruton and is now expected to be 24 minutes late.
This is due to train crew being delayed.
Plus shortage of crew.

[ChrisB]

Lucky they aren't over at Euston then...

[grahame]

Here we (don't) go again

16:23 Westbury to Swindon due 17:08
17:36 Swindon to Westbury due 18:20

17:36 Swindon to Westbury due 18:20 will be cancelled.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.

Across the whole GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) territory, only 6 other trains are showing cancelled. 4 are due to severe weather (reminder - a storm at Dawlish), one due to a train fault, and one due to urgent track repairs, the latter on services that run frequently and there shouldn't be long to wait for the next train.

[grahame]

Additional information has been added - rail replacement bus running for local journeys. Also advice to travel via Bath if going all the way.  Noting new arrival times over 1 hour late northbound and 40 minutes late southbound if you do that.

Noting that GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) journey planner is not offering the 16:23 a £9 any longer - it's only offering the alternative at £18.10.  GWR have promised to allow travel via Bath Spa on a "via Melksham" ticket when the service fails to run - why are they not offering this lower cost ticket then?  Cancellations we regret and put up with - hiking the fare is naughty!