2025 - Service update and amendment log, Swindon <-> Westbury

[whole diary]

[grahame]

16:23 Westbury to Swindon due 17:05
17:35 Swindon to Westbury due 18:19

17:35 Swindon to Westbury due 18:19 will be cancelled.
This is due to a problem currently under investigation.

Both re-instated half an hour later.

Oh dear - I think.

I have written before of how difficult it must be for the decision makers as a situation arises as to when to say something in public.  - but, really, broadcasting in public will be cancelled is a very definitive statement and to my gives no room for doubt - it's a statement that the train in question won't run.

I would (personally - is it just me?) like to see an option where a train service could be reported as being at  [low/some/high] risk of cancellation and with a note of a time by which the record will be updated.

[matth1j]

is it just me?

No - it's very annoying when you change your plans to take a less convenient (or, based on recent experience, more inconvenient ) form of commute and then find out you needn't have bothered.

[grahame]

is it just me?

No - it's very annoying when you change your plans to take a less convenient (or, based on recent experience, more inconvenient ) form of commute and then find out you needn't have bothered.

Thank you for that confirmation.

There are times I feel that I am reflecting the needs / concerns of members and and the many people I talk with who are not Coffee Shop members - and that's good.    There are also time that I find myself wondering if I am the only one concerned at something - in which case I should probably move on from that issue.

[grahame]

18:37 Westbury to Swindon due 19:21

18:37 Westbury to Swindon due 19:21 will be starting late from Westbury and is expected to be 5 minutes late.
This is due to train crew being delayed by service disruption.

[TaplowGreen]

Cancellations to services between Swindon and Westbury via Melksham

Due to a points failure at Swindon some lines are blocked. Disruption is expected until 15:00 21/03.
Train services between Swindon and Westbury via Melksham may be cancelled or delayed.

Customer Advice
Apologies for the disruption to your journey today.

Network Rail advise that a set of points has failed just outside Swindon station; this is affecting journeys in both directions as local services are caught up in the congestion on the Main Lines.

[TaplowGreen]

12:17 Westbury to Swindon due 12:59
12:17 Westbury to Swindon due 12:59 will be cancelled.
This is due to a points failure.

13:14 Swindon to Westbury due 13:57
13:14 Swindon to Westbury due 13:57 will be cancelled.
This is due to a points failure.

14:18 Westbury to Swindon due 15:00
14:18 Westbury to Swindon due 15:00 will be terminated at Chippenham.
It will no longer call at Swindon.
This is due to a points failure.

15:15 Swindon to Westbury due 15:59
15:15 Swindon to Westbury due 15:59 will be started from Chippenham.
It will no longer call at Swindon.
This is due to a points failure.

[grahame]

Problems had started this morning ... I walked to the station and saw the dreaded word "delayed" against the 09:10 to Westbury. Checking Open Trains Times and Real Time Trains and another regular checked on her phone other sources, and on principle asking on the help point too, we were told 09:31 and that the connection at Trowbridge to Bath and Bristol would make, and a couple of minutes later Open Train Times map showed it coming.  Display changed to 09:34 which was going to be really tight at TRO^» (Trowbridge - next trains).   No clues as to why ...

Good TM^▸ (Train Manager, or possibly Ticket Machine, depending on context) when it rolled in / explained about a point or track failure at Swindon and apologised - "I realise you don't have much information available at Melksham" which shows an excellent understanding.  Connection to Bath and Bristol made.  Connection to Warminster was lost / 30 minute delay to there. I'm not aware of where others were connecting to.

Just gotta get home now 

[grahame]

Just gotta get home now 

How it should work (timing wise) - 17:53 from Taunton to Bristol, 18:30 on to Chippenham and 19:00 to Melksham arrived 1 minute down at 19:09 - 76 minute journey.

[grahame]

13:04 Westbury to Chippenham due 13:30
19:45 Chippenham to Westbury due 20:12
20:54 Westbury to Chippenham due 21:19

20:54 Westbury to Chippenham due 21:19 will be cancelled.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.

13:47 Chippenham to Weymouth due 15:46

13:47 Chippenham to Weymouth due 15:46 will be started from Westbury.
It will no longer call at Chippenham, Melksham and Trowbridge.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.

18:11 Castle Cary to Chippenham due 19:19

18:11 Castle Cary to Chippenham due 19:19 will be terminated at Westbury.
It will no longer call at Trowbridge, Melksham and Chippenham.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.

[TaplowGreen]

13:04 Westbury to Chippenham due 13:30
19:45 Chippenham to Westbury due 20:12
20:54 Westbury to Chippenham due 21:19

20:54 Westbury to Chippenham due 21:19 will be cancelled.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.

13:47 Chippenham to Weymouth due 15:46

13:47 Chippenham to Weymouth due 15:46 will be started from Westbury.
It will no longer call at Chippenham, Melksham and Trowbridge.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.

18:11 Castle Cary to Chippenham due 19:19

18:11 Castle Cary to Chippenham due 19:19 will be terminated at Westbury.
It will no longer call at Trowbridge, Melksham and Chippenham.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.

21:50 Chippenham to Westbury due 22:16
21:50 Chippenham to Westbury due 22:16 will be cancelled.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.

[froome]

is it just me?

No - it's very annoying when you change your plans to take a less convenient (or, based on recent experience, more inconvenient ) form of commute and then find out you needn't have bothered.

Thank you for that confirmation.

There are times I feel that I am reflecting the needs / concerns of members and and the many people I talk with who are not Coffee Shop members - and that's good.    There are also time that I find myself wondering if I am the only one concerned at something - in which case I should probably move on from that issue.

Have just seen this. Yes this is definitely an issue which needs resolving. I have often gone to an unmanned station and been confronted with a screen just saying the service I am aiming to catch is cancelled. It has often meant that I have had to cancel a trip I was intending to make, or if possible to very hurriedly find another way of making the trip (for me this has often been to cycle very quickly from Oldfield Park to Bath Spa). It is exceptionally annoying to find that the service did run after all (at Oldfield Park it has often been that the train was running but late and was missing out our station). Screens, announcements and websites need to have much more information given in these circumstances.

[Mark A]

In a way, if a service is even announced as cancelled (or part-run), for a portion of passengers it *is* cancelled - it ought to go into the cancellation stats whatever happens subsequently. If it doesn't, the industry's running for its own benefit rather than for its customers.

Mark

[ChrisB]

It does - as a part cancellation.