Snow/Wintry conditions

[whole diary]

[clevedonian]

running an hourly service tomorrow according to this on severn beach line.

http://www.firstgreatwestern.co.uk/Content.aspx?id=4624

WARNING.....rant ahead.

Exactly as stated TODAY!!! I am aware of this, others are aware of this, but only FGW^▸ (First Great Western) appear to be aware of an actual timetable. They singularly failed to publish one today for the SVB line. Journey Planners continue to show all services as cancelled tonight and all services subject to disruption tomorrow. It just isn't on to tell us that an amended timetable will be in place and then not bother to tell the travelling public what this timetable consists of.

Today I decided against walking to Shirehampton and instead got a bus (nearly 3 times the cost for me) as I could not be sure when or if a train was due to depart. NRE^▸ (National Rail Enquiries) were no help, FGW Customer Service were no help, even a call to FGW Towers in Swindon was no help.

Now, I do appreciate the current operational difficulties but an 'amended timetable' and 'services are subject to delay' gives the impression that despite problems, trains are actually running. I suspect the reality today was that nothing was going up and down the SVB line. Anyone know different, because I sure as hell don't?

Rant over.

sorry, was only trying to help, although it does have times of the trains does that not help?

[JayMac]

My apologies clevedonian. Sorry. In my anger I didn't re-check the link whilst typing. It was amended as I posted. I'm a bit happier now I know the times, would've been nice to have had them for today as well.

[ChrisB]

Also Oxford-Bicester Town services resume tomorrow

[johoare]

I checked the NR^» (Network Rail - home page) departures board this morning before leaving home (since there was little other information for Maidenhead to Paddington anywhere) and even that bore little relation to what was actually happening on the trains when I got there 25 minutes later... One example was the Henley trains which the FGW^▸ (First Great Western) website said (quite rightly) were only doing Henley to Twyford and back.. The NR website had them as running until they became late and then obviously not running.. It made me wonder where I could actually look for accurate information?

[TheLastMinute]

I notice the services at Melkshem today is only a slight improvement on yesterday when nothing ran...

Swindon to Westbury  via Melksham - A full service is expected to operate

 

[super tm]

Have HST^▸ (High Speed Train (Inter City class 43 125 units)) drivers been instructed to test the brakes every 15 mins or so (to prevent ice build up in the air pipes?)

Yes standard procedure when it is snowing

 found the vestibles full of snow (more of a slipping hazard than some station platforms).

It would help if people shut the windows !!

[amiddl]

I have just travelled down to Plymouth. I have hand it to the two teams on the Taunton train and the connection onwards - they were really excellent. Plenty of updates and really helpful TM^▸ (Train Manager, or possibly Ticket Machine, depending on context)'s both trains. Despite points failure and frozen water so they could not top up the water tanks on the toilets - the delay was only 30mins.

[SandTEngineer]

[/quote]

It would help if people shut the windows !!
[/quote]

I always shut the windows when I walk through an HST^▸ (High Speed Train (Inter City class 43 125 units))   The snow appeared to be coming up throughthe corridor connection

[JayMac]

Well have just got the bus back from Temple Meads as services on the SVB line have been cancelled all day as far as I can tell. The amended timetable looked good on paper but staff at BRI^» (Bristol Temple Meads - next trains) told me that nothing has been on or off the branch since this morning. With tomorrow's journey into town that'll be ^16 in bus fares this week as opposed to ^6 if I'd been able to catch the train. Ho hum....shouldn't moan to much I guess. Those at the coalface are doing a sterling job and I witnessed some excellent Customer Service at BRI today. However both staff and the travelling public have been badly let down by those responsible for co-ordinating train running information. Again today I was told on the phone that a service was running 10 minutes before departure time only to discover on arrival at BRI that it had been cancelled, with staff telling me it was cancelled well over a hour ago.

[Brucey]

Well have just got the bus back from Temple Meads as services on the SVB line have been cancelled all day as far as I can tell. The amended timetable looked good on paper but staff at BRI^» (Bristol Temple Meads - next trains) told me that nothing has been on or off the branch since this morning. With tomorrow's journey into town that'll be ^16 in bus fares this week as opposed to ^6 if I'd been able to catch the train. Ho hum....shouldn't moan to much I guess. Those at the coalface are doing a sterling job and I witnessed some excellent Customer Service at BRI today. However both staff and the travelling public have been badly let down by those responsible for co-ordinating train running information. Again today I was told on the phone that a service was running 10 minutes before departure time only to discover on arrival at BRI that it had been cancelled, with staff telling me it was cancelled well over a hour ago.

I've been keeping my eye on JourneyCheck all day and the only service that appears to be running is the Weston to Avonmouth service.

[Chris from Nailsea]

From railnews.co.uk:

National Rail Enquiries receives 1.6m calls in one day, as big freeze goes on

The big freeze continued to delay trains on many National Rail lines today, although some operators were able to provide a near-normal service. ATOC^» (Association of Train Operating Companies see - here) said, at 13.00, that 93 per cent of scheduled trains had run. 62 per cent were on time and 31 per cent arrived late. The cancellation rate of 7 per cent is significantly lower than Thursday's figure of 11 per cent.

ATOC also said National Rail Enquiries had received 1.6 million requests for information yesterday, with many of those calls going to its new recorded information service,  08453 017641.

...

First Great Western intercity services are near normal, although the frequency between Cardiff and London is reduced. There are a number of changes to suburban services today, with a special hourly service between Bedwyn and Reading, calling at all stations. As yesterday, there are no trains between Avonmouth and Severn Beach, or between Westbury and Swindon.

...

Earlier diversions because of rockfall in Wickwar Tunnel and freight train derailment at Yate now reported CLEARED.

[willc]

Proper rush hour at the Cotswold Line halts tonight: 10 got off at Finstock (the most I've ever seen there), half-a-dozen at Ascott-under-Wychwood (about usual) and a dozen at Shipton (equalling the most I've ever seen), where we also picked up one person - something of a novelty. Not sure about Combe, as I was sat on the far side from the platform and the lighting is no great shakes. Saw two get off there from the coach I was in.

Finstock and Shipton outdid the numbers leaving at Kingham, but the roads around there are still pretty bad, as far as I can tell, so getting to and from the station must be very difficult.

The trains are the only public transport in the Evenlode Valley right now - all the railbus links and other buses are suspended until further notice due to the snow and ice - so it is to be hoped that FGW^▸ (First Great Western) can attract a bit more long-term custom from some people who may well have been trying the trains for the first time.

[Chris from Nailsea]

From the Oxford Mail:

SNOW: Weekend train services update

First Great Western is planning to operate normal weekend timetables on all its routes in Oxfordshire over the weekend.

However, the firm is still advising passengers to check that their train is running before setting out to stations, in case there is a deterioration in the weather, forcing short-notice changes to services.

FGW^▸ (First Great Western) is also aiming to run a full weekday timetable on Monday. Passengers should check the firm's website from noon on Sunday for confirmation of this.

Chiltern Railways intends to run a normal Saturday service tomorrow from Banbury, Kings Sutton, Bicester North and Haddenham & Thame Parkway stations.

On Sunday, engineering work being carried out by Network Rail in the West Midlands means that Chiltern services north of Banbury will only run as far as Warwick Parkway, from where replacement buses will operate to Birmingham and Stratford-upon-Avon. Chiltern Railways tickets will be accepted on CrossCountry trains on Sunday between Leamington Spa and Birmingham New Street only.

Chiltern is also planning a normal service on Monday, but again passengers are advised to check before setting out, in case of short-notice alterations due to weather conditions.

CrossCountry Trains plans to operate a full service via Oxford and Banbury at the weekend and on Monday. Trains are expected to be very busy between Leamington Spa and Birmingham on Sunday, due to the engineering work affecting Chiltern Railways. Passengers are advised to reserve seats in advance.

Wrexham & Shropshire trains between Banbury, the West Midlands and North-east Wales will run at normal times tomorrow, but are also affected by the engineering work on Sunday.

As a result, services will operate to a modified timetable, with W&S^▸ (Wrexham and Shropshire (Open Access Operator)) trains to London from Banbury departing at 1.30pm, 4.28pm and 8.04pm. Trains to Telford, Shrewsbury and Wrexham will leave Banbury at 10.44am, 5.29pm and 7.43pm.

For the latest information about train services, see the National Rail Inquiries website, or the train operators' sites, or call 08457 484950.

[ReWind]

More heavy snow is expected Tuesday and Wednesday over the west Country, the South West and South Wales.  Up to 20cm locally.

In parts of the country that rarely see snow, I expect more disruption this week.   

[ChrisB]

Yes, that Atlantic Front is likely to disrupt Cornwall & Devon particularly.

Just watching to see how far north-east it is going to get - I suspect further than forecast. Let's hope it's not as active either!