Cancellations to services between Portsmouth & Southsea and Portsmouth Harbour

Due to a fault with the signalling system between Portsmouth & Southsea and Portsmouth Harbour all lines are closed.
Train services running to and from these stations will be cancelled. Disruption is expected until the end of the day.

Customer Advice
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What has happened?
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Axle counters, part of the signalling system, have stopped working. Axle counters tell the signalling system if a section of track has a train on it. If an axle counter stops working, trains need to stop at the affected signal so that the Driver can speak to the Signaller to confirm if the track ahead is clear.
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What are we doing about it?
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Engineers are on site and are working on a fix
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Whilst this is the case our services will not be able to run to Portsmouth Harbour. Our services will instead run as far as Portsmouth & Southsea where they will terminate.
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What are my options?
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We are sorry for the delay to your journey today. Below are the current options available to you:
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Option 1: Use the National Rail Enquiries real-time journey planner to check if a journey by rail is currently possible. If you are at a station please check the Live Departure Boards or speak to a member of our station team.
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Option 2: Your ticket can be used, at no extra cost, in both directions on the following local bus routes. Just show your rail ticket to the driver:
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First Bus route 1 between Portsmouth (Hard Interchange Stop F), Portsmouth (Guildhall Stop B) and Fratton (Fratton Bridge).
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First Bus route 2 between Portsmouth Harbour (Hard Interchange), Portsmouth & Southsea (Guildhall), Cosham (Interchange)
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First Bus route 3 between Fareham (Bus Station Stop B), Cosham (Health Centre), Portsmouth (Guildhall) and Portsmouth (Hard Interchange Stop E).
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First Bus route 8 between Portsmouth (Hard Interchange Stop G), Portsmouth (Guildhall) and Cosham (Health Centre).
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irst Bus route X4 between Southampton (WestQuay Stop BI), Fareham (Station) and Portsmouth (Hard Interchange Stop G).
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Option 3: Replacement transport, provided by us such as a buses, coaches or taxis, have not been requested as there are other alternatives in place to allow you to continue your journey. The time taken to resource vehicles and the journey time by road is likely to be significantly longer that it would be for you to use one of the other alternative options. We will continue to monitor the need for this as the situation develops and provide any updates here.
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Option 4: Travel at a later time. You might want to consider postponing your journey until our service returns to normal.
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Let us help you:
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Don't worry if you're already travelling when disruption happens, we'll get you where you need to go. If you miss the last train of the day due to cancellation or because another train was delayed, we wont leave you stranded.
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If you require help, further information or would like to provide feedback, to help us improve in the future:
Speak to our staff at the station or on the train.
Use the Customer Help Point on the platform.
Message us on X @GWRHelp, Facebook Messenger @gwruk, Instagram @gwruk or WhatsApp 07890 608043. Our team is available weekdays between 06:00 - 23:00 and on weekends between 07:00 - 23:00.
Call our Customer Support team on 03457 000 125, who are available between 06:00 and 23:00.
Call National Rail Enquiries on 03457 484 950, who are available 24 hours a day.
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Delay Repay:
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If you arrive at your destination 15 or more minutes late because your GWR train was delayed or cancelled, you can apply for Delay Repay compensation. Please keep your ticket and visit GWR.com/DelayRepay

06:35 Salisbury to Worcester Foregate Street due 09:47

06:35 Salisbury to Worcester Foregate Street due 09:47 will call additionally at Dilton Marsh.
This is due to the train making extra stops because a train was cancelled.

Great interest in Leekes, Melksham, yesterday and today

https://grahamellis.uk/blog1795.html

Are peak restrictions different for PAYG?  Travelled on 0805 SAU to PLY on Friday and charged off peak PAYG single. 

The application doesn't seem to indicate if it's for a licensed or unlicensed premise selling food and drink but it conceivably could become a handy coffee stop serving passengers at Montpelier Station just a couple of minutes walk away.

Really pleased that after a few false starts, a planning application for this building has recently been approved (25/11304/F - I still haven't worked out how to link directly to these!):

14:48 London Paddington to Great Malvern due 17:15 has been delayed at London Paddington and is now 32 minutes late.
This is due to this train being late from the depot.
Last Updated:30/11/2025 15:32

19:48 London Paddington to Great Malvern due 22:16 has been cancelled.
This is due to a fault on this train.
Last Updated:30/11/2025 20:05

So surely they at least are not in a terrible state.  What happened to them in Wolverton - wipe the windows, check the oil, dollar gas?

Change of use from a disused public convenience (planning Use Class sui generis) to sale of food and drink (Use Class Eb); replace all existing windows, doors and frames; remove windows on west elevation and insert new front entrance with non-illuminated signage above; removal of door on north elevation and insert new windows.

Facilities on the 15:31 Hereford to London Paddington due 18:35.
This is due to more trains than usual needing repairs at the same time.
Will be formed of 5 coaches instead of 9. There are no reservations on this service.

Facilities on the 16:58 Great Malvern to London Paddington due 19:38.
This is due to more trains than usual needing repairs at the same time.
Will be formed of 5 coaches instead of 9. There are no reservations on this service.

Paul Galley, pictured left with Kay Crewdson, says volunteers are tasked with "preserving history"

Kay Crewdson
BBC North West Tonight
Published 29 November 2025

When I was a child visiting Blackpool was a given.

The bright lights of the illuminations, the screams of excitement from the Pleasure Beach and the buzz of the trams – these sights and sounds were the backdrop to any day trip.

I loved jumping on and off the trams, they felt modern and exciting at the time.

These days, while they are still very much in use, the trams of years gone by have long been forgotten. Until now.

Now you will find a huge collection of trams, some restored others waiting for TLC at Tramtown. Or as Paul Galley describes it: "One of the most unique places in the world."

I went to visit Tramtown as part of my 25 in 25 project - a series showcasing some of the best people and places in the north-west of England.

The workshop, which is just set back off the Promenade, was once a condemned building. Now it is a busy workshop and working museum – a place to love, nurture and bring back to life trams from days gone by.


Visitors are able to walk round the engineering works as part of an exhibition hall experience

When I walked in I felt like I had gone back to my childhood – seeing the boat tram with Charlie Cairoli and old Blackpool illuminations from My Little Pony to the Tardis.

It was a bit of Blackpool history in one place.

Phase two of Tramtown is the tram shed. It holds roughly 47 different trams, some more unique than others.

One of the trams, which was found in a field in Fleetwood, is the very tram that killed soap character Alan Bradley in Coronation Street's most watched episode in 1989.

Tramtown is run by volunteers, whose aim is to "preserve the history, to have the engineering works re-open so the trams can ride again on the promenade".

"We give them skills, train them up so they have a sense of purpose, they're needed and have a responsibility," says Paul. "We are in one of the poorest wards in the UK and we hope that Tramtown will not only regenerate the trams but it will regenerate lives."

While having a national rolling stock strategy is one benefit of re-nationalisation, it's difficult to see how this can be produced without also having a strategy for electrification, and ensuring it is implemented.

Police are investigating the death of a woman found at a train station.

British Transport Police and paramedics were initially called to reports of a casualty at Preston railway station at about 01:00 GMT.

A member of the public had reported seeing the casualty to a member of staff at the station, but the woman was pronounced dead at the scene.

A British Transport Police spokesperson said detectives were appealing for the man who first made the report to contact them.

He is believed to have travelled on a train bound for Blackpool North, which left Preston railway station at 00:58.

Inquiries into the circumstances leading up to the woman's death were ongoing, a British Transport Police spokesperson said.

Great Train Robbery evidence to be auctioned

Evidence from the police investigation into the Great Train Robbery is to go under the hammer.

Crime scene photographs, police communications and memorabilia that led to the capture and prosecutions of those involved will be up for sale at C&T Auctioneers in Kenardington, Kent, on Sunday.

The collection is from the estate of the late Det Ch Supt Ernest Millen, from the Flying Squad who took over the investigation when the severity of the robbery became clearer.

Vince Scopes, from the auctioneers, said: "It's important because we have potentially unseen photographs and published words to do with the Great Train Robbery that have survived all this time."



On 8 August 1963, 15 men stole £2.6m from a Royal Mail train near Cheddington, Buckinghamshire, after tampering with signal lights.

While most of the group were eventually caught and convicted, a few involved escaped or were never conclusively identified.

"They took just 15 minutes to unload 120 sacks of money," Mr Scopes said. "The cash weighed two and a half tonnes, which was loaded into two parked Land Rovers, which you can see in the police evidence photos."

The majority of stolen money was never recovered.

The evidence up for auction was part of the police investigation that led to the ringleaders and accomplices of the gang of men being sentenced to 30 years in prison.

The lots include Det Ch Supt Millen's warrant card, press clippings, an unpublished manuscript and a detailed briefing document outlining his involvement in plans for Sir Winston Churchill's state funeral in 1965.

Mr Scopes said: "I can see heavy interest with this as it's the most well-known heist of the 20th Century. The story has been televised, it's been written about and it's going to draw in those people which are interested in the Great Train Robbery and other respects of police memorabilia."

Amber rain warning issued with disruption expected


An amber weather warning is in place for south Wales from midnight on Sunday to midnight on Monday

Heavy rain could cause travel disruption and flooding on Monday as an amber weather warning is put in place for south Wales.

The Met Office said a band of heavy rain was expected to move over south Wales between late Sunday and late Monday, with 20 to 40 mm (0.78in to 1.58in) of rain expected across the wider region and more possible over higher ground.

A yellow warning of rain is also in place for Monday for mid and parts of north Wales.

The warnings come two weeks after danger to life alerts were in force following Storm Claudia, which flooded businesses and homes in Monmouth.

The Met Office warned strong winds would accompany the heavy rain on Monday, particularly in coastal areas. The heavy rain would likely bring disruption and probable flooding, it said.

Delays or cancellations to train and bus services are possible, driving conditions could be difficult and there may be some road closures.

(BBC article continues)

New Boxing Day services will run between Edinburgh Waverley and Aberdeen as well as from Edinburgh to Arbroath

ScotRail has announced its Christmas and New Year timetable which includes the last Christmas Eve and Hogmanay trains departing earlier than usual.

On Boxing Day, new services will run between Aberdeen and Edinburgh Waverley, as well as between Arbroath and Edinburgh Waverley.

Extra services and more seats will be added across the country in the run-up to Christmas, with additional late-night weekend services on key routes, alongside longer trains.

Essential work will be carried out on lines over the festive period so ScotRail is asking customers to plan ahead.

On Christmas Eve services will run as normal until about 19:00 when services will begin to wind down. As in previous years, no trains will run on Christmas Day and New Year's Day.

On Boxing Day there will be a revised timetable which will operate the traditional service in the Strathclyde area, but also on routes to and from Perth, Alloa, Dunblane, Dundee, Leven, and between Glasgow and Edinburgh.

The new Boxing Day trains will be:
- 09:51 Arbroath to Edinburgh Waverley
- 11:35 Edinburgh Waverley to Arbroath
- 09:54 Aberdeen to Edinburgh Waverley
- 10:35 Edinburgh Waverley to Aberdeen

A normal service – with the exception of routes undergoing engineering works – will operate between Saturday, 27 December, and Tuesday, 30 December. A revised timetable will then operate on Friday, 2 January 2026.

No trains will run between Dalmuir and Balloch/Helensburgh Central or between Glasgow Queen Street and Crianlarich between 24 December and 2 January. This is because a new railway bridge is being installed at Bowling, West Dunbartonshire.

On those same dates, no trains will run between Motherwell and Cumbernauld via Whifflet, Bellshill and Motherwell, or between Kirkwood and Whifflet because of track upgrades in Motherwell.

Glasgow to London Euston services will be affected from 31 December until 15 January as a bridge replacement on the M6 means no trains will run between Preston and Carlisle.

West coast trains will also be affected between Christmas Day and 5 January, when there are no trains between Milton Keynes and Rugby while a worn-out junction is replaced.

Full details of all Christmas and New Year service changes, including the Boxing Day timetable, can be found on the ScotRail website and app.

Mark Ilderton, ScotRail's service delivery director, said: "The introduction of Boxing Day services to and from Aberdeen for the first time is a real boost for customers, and we're pleased to be offering more options for travel during one of the busiest times of the year. Across Scotland's railway, we're adding extra services and more seats in the lead up to Christmas and New Year to help customers make the most of the festive season, whether they're heading to the sales, visiting family, or enjoying a night out. With the removal of peak fares, travelling by train offers even better value for money over the holidays, and we're encouraging everyone to check their journey on the ScotRail app or website before they set off."

Customers needing assistance can speak to a member of staff at a station, use a Help Point, or get in touch via social media.

Rail passengers have been warned of longer journey times while travelling through Cornwall due to "vital" engineering work.

Network Rail said the work would take place between Truro and Penzance from Monday, 1 December, until Friday, 5 December. It said buses would replace trains between Truro and Penzance, and rail tickets would be accepted on local buses between St Erth and St Ives.

Mark Parker, Network Rail lead portfolio manager, said: "I'd like to thank passengers in advance for their patience as we carry out this vital work to make journeys better and more reliable in Cornwall."

Network Rail said new track, sleepers and ballast would be installed near Redruth, with track replaced near Camborne, and track equipment also upgraded near Penzance and St Erth.

Lee Goodson, Great Western Railway station manager for west Cornwall, said: "During these dates no trains can stop at Redruth, Camborne, Hayle, St Erth or Penzance or at any of the stations on the St Ives Bay Line. Trains will still be able to run at Truro for Falmouth Docks as well as trains for Exeter St Davids or London Paddington. But CrossCountry trains will not be operating between Truro and Plymouth."

Mr Goodson added: "It's important that customers are aware these alternative travel arrangements will make journey times much longer."

Alterations to services between Oxford and Charlbury
Due to engineering works not being finished on time between Oxford and Charlbury all lines are closed.
Train services running through these stations may be delayed or revised. Disruption is expected until 10:00 30/11.
Last Updated:30/11/2025 08:57

07:36 London Paddington to Great Malvern due 10:15 was terminated at Oxford.
It has been delayed at London Paddington and is now 15 minutes late.
This is due to engineering works not being finished on time.
Last Updated:30/11/2025 09:02

08:15 Worcester Foregate Street to London Paddington due 10:35 will be delayed at Charlbury.
This is due to engineering works not being finished on time.
Last Updated:30/11/2025 09:02

10:58 Great Malvern to London Paddington due 13:38 will be started from Oxford.
This is due to engineering works not being finished on time.
Last Updated:30/11/2025 09:02

That rolling stock strategy is due out next summer, according to Lord Hendy. It sounds as though she actually knows about it, which is encouraging in a transport minister.