Storm Darragh to batter UK amid weather warnings for rain and 80mph winds

[whole diary]

[JayMac]

If anyone is really needing to travel between Devon and Cornwall the Tamar bridge is open - a pal has just been across it en route to watch Plymouth Albion this afternoon, their fixture having somehow survived the weather.

I think your pal might have been mistaken - the Plymouth v Oxford game was called off yesterday lunchtime. I spent some time in Chieveley services with them as their coach was in the process of returning to Oxford.

 TG was talking about Plymouth Albion RFC. Not Plymouth Argyle FC^‡(resolve).

[GBM]

There was a tree blocking both lines at Bodmin Parkway yesterday evening.
On journeycheck now
Customer Advice
The Cornish Main Line is now blocked at Bodmin Parkway due to a large tree on both lines.

Passengers are advised NOT TO TRAVEL.
Last Updated:08/12/2024 06:11

Opentraintimes confirmed this yesterday with TREE BLOK on both lines.

However, Opentraintime is NOT now showing a block at Bodmin, so guessing the tree was been removed overnight, but journeycheck not reflecting this.

[GBM]

5Z99 0825 Penzance to Plymouth.
Empty Coaching Stock
A test train perhaps.

6J84 0800 St Germans to Tavistock Jn (Civil Engineer) earlier ran down to Liskeard, reversed, and travelled to Tavistock Junction ok, so that section of line seems to be good for running.

[bradshaw]

RTT^» (Real Time Trains - website) showing service Bristol to Weymouth via Westbury, starting with a VST lusted departure at 09.29. It was activated at 03.55

Then there is the 17.53 and 20.11 from Weymouth and the 17.48 and 2049 from Bristol, all WTT^▸ (Working Time-Table) services

https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:36498/2024-12-08/detailed

[froome]

RTT^» (Real Time Trains - website) showing service Bristol to Weymouth via Westbury, starting with a VST lusted departure at 09.29. It was activated at 03.55

Then there is the 17.53 and 20.11 from Weymouth and the 17.48 and 2049 from Bristol, all WTT^▸ (Working Time-Table) services

https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:36498/2024-12-08/detailed

Even in this wind, people do really want to get to Weymouth. 

[GBM]

RTT^» (Real Time Trains - website) showing service Bristol to Weymouth via Westbury, starting with a VST lusted departure at 09.29. It was activated at 03.55

lusted
Too old and too cold!

[grahame]

Cancellations to services at Chippenham

Due to severe weather at Chippenham the line is blocked.

Train services running through this station will be cancelled. Disruption is expected until the end of the day.

Customer Advice

Following damage from Storm Darragh, Chippenham Station has been declared not safe to operate. Therefore the station is closed, and trains are not calling there.

Customers requiring Chippenham are advised to travel to Swindon, where road transport will be available. If travelling from Bristol Temple Meads or Bath Spa, please board a London Paddington bound service and change at Swindon. For customers travelling from London Paddington or Reading, please alight at Swindon for transport. Please also be advised that due to availability, there may be a waiting time of up to 30 minutes at Swindon for road transport.

For customers arriving at Chippenham, LIMITED road transport is in operation for customers making local journeys towards Bath Spa, Swindon, Melksham, and Westbury.

Further Information
An update will follow within the next 2 hours.
If you require further information please speak to our staff at the station or on the train, use the Customer Help Point, tweet us @GWRHelp or call National Rail Enquiries on 03457 484 950.

If you arrive at your destination 15 or more minutes late because your GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) train was delayed or cancelled, you can claim Delay Repay compensation. Please keep your ticket and visit GWR.com/DelayRepay
Last Updated:08/12/2024 08:31

08:30 Semifast Exeter to Paddington is running to time; just skipped Westbury noted "UWA" (Up Westbury Avoider) and now running early. Expect it to wait for the clock at Pewsey.

[ChrisB]

From Thomas Lydon @ GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway)

Storm Darragh continues to have a considerable impact on services across our network. Trains are unable to run on several parts of the network and currently services remain suspended west of Cardiff Central, between Oxford and Hereford, on the Barnstaple and Okehampton lines, and on all branch lines in Cornwall.
 
Network Rail teams are working as we speak to get lines safely reopened as quickly as possible, including removing fallen trees and other debris, however some disruption is expected tomorrow morning (Mon 9 Dec), particularly between Carmarthen and Swansea, and on our Cornish branch lines.
 
Storm damage has also closed Westbury and Chippenham stations and this will remain the case tomorrow (Mon 9 Dec). Trains are operating between Cardiff Central and Bristol Temple Meads, and between Salisbury and Portsmouth Harbour. Limited connecting rail replacement bus services are in operation, including between Bath Spa/Swindon and Chippenham. The Night Riviera Sleeper service has been cancelled this evening, Sun 8 Dec.
 
The very latest travel information including on refunds and ticket acceptance is available at www.gwr.com/check or also from our social media sites at www.x.com/gwrhelp and www.x.com/networkrailwest. 
 
We apologise for the ongoing disruption, and as ever if there’s anything we can do to help please don’t hesitate to get in touch.
 
Best wishes
 
Tom & Tomos

[Timmer]

For anyone who relies on the train to get to work, west of Swindon it’s looking pretty grim tomorrow.

[bradshaw]

Update from GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) at 19.35

  Westbury station has been closed as a safety precaution, and trains are unable to call there. The ticket office is closed.

This will not be fixed until Tuesday 10th December at the earliest, therefore no trains will operate to or from Westbury on Monday 9th December 2024.

[Timmer]

Update from GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) at 19.35

  Westbury station has been closed as a safety precaution, and trains are unable to call there. The ticket office is closed.

This will not be fixed until Tuesday 10th December at the earliest, therefore no trains will operate to or from Westbury on Monday 9th December 2024.

The question is where does this leave commuters from the likes of Warminster, Frome, Trowbridge, Melksham and Bradford on Avon to Swindon, Bath and Bristol?

[grahame]

Update from GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) at 19.35

  Westbury station has been closed as a safety precaution, and trains are unable to call there. The ticket office is closed.

This will not be fixed until Tuesday 10th December at the earliest, therefore no trains will operate to or from Westbury on Monday 9th December 2024.

The question is where does this leave commuters from the likes of Warminster, Frome, Trowbridge, Melksham and Bradford on Avon to Swindon, Bath and Bristol?

It leaves them working from home, or loosing a day's pay, or catching the bus, driving or getting a lift. Sad thing is that if that works well for them, they'll do it more often or perhaps always.

[Chris from Nailsea]

Fair question, Timmer.

How about a fleet of coaches being provided, as road replacement transport?

After all, they've had 24 hours to get it organised.  

[AMLAG]

On the face of it, it’s rather surprising that an emergency hourly TT for the many hundreds of commuters etc to Bath and Bristol has not been planned to run between Trowbridge and Bristol TM^‡(resolve) and VV serving all stations, with trains running empty between Trowbridge and Westbury North to cross over.

[ChrisB]

Fair question, Timmer.

How about a fleet of coaches being provided, as road replacement transport?

After all, they've had 24 hours to get it organised.  

And where do you suppose they find a fleet of coaches on a school day, at school time?