It would be interesting to know how the train drivers feel about this. They are given an instruction to run non stop through stations they would normally stop at. So presumably they do so seeing the people waiting on the platform for their train. It must have an effect on them.

 
Yes, a two hour wait, followed by a claim which is for the 100% of the fare since the delay is over two hours.
This is then followed up two weeks later reminding them that the time given for them to agree to this is 10 days. An email arrives the same day agreeing to pay in full.
This is then followed up two weeks later enquiring just when the money will arrive. Currently at this stage.
See first post for events on the day

 

Interestingly, the announcement for the delay at BTM said it was due to checking a track fault. However, when the train arrived, the staff member I spoke to said there was a train fault, and indeed the train went straight past the platform to the far end, and we were told it was being taken out of use. By that time it was past 1510 and i headed over to platform 11 where the Portsmouth train was due, so i never actually saw what train ran down to Weymouth or how late it eventually was (but it would have left more than 20 minutes late).

 
Now then, what was the 1448 from Temple Meads ? 3 car turbo or 2 car 150. I was at the other end waiting for the 1730 from Weymouth which we had been warned was running 20 minutes late due to a train fault. Journey check earlier that day, had forewarned to expect a 3 car reduced from 5 cars. What turned up was a 2 car 150. I suspect this was the missing 2 carriages sent down from Westbury to replace the 3 car turbo that had been curtailed at Westbury. Matters were further complicated by a frustrated A4 Union of South Africa outside Weymouth station, with a rake of carriages and  failed diesel loco on her back.   She couldn't run into Weymouth station and then run tender first  out of Weymouth in case she failed too, and blocked the line ! Arrangements were in hand for a diesel loco to be borrowed from Swanage, but all that would take time. The 1730 left at 1750 with the passengers on the U of SA having been advised to take the rather less glamorous 1803 SWR back to London ! The 150 made good headway back to Bristol missing out the 20 minute lay over at Westbury. It meant I had a 30 minute wait for a connection to Yatton, but that was only very minor compared with a major inconvenience or the London bound passengers on what was undoubtedly a very expensive day out from London.

 
It also raises the question of what happens to those passengers at the missed stations who want to travel to stations south of Westbury.  A  two hour wait for them 

 
I will piggy back this query onto this thread.

When is a decision taken to run stopping services non stop on this line? And when is a decision then taken about how to deal with those customers affected by that decision?

Yesterday's BTM-WEY service due to run at 1448 from BTM was delayed and showed on the screen as due at 1502. It was thus due to run after the HST to Paddington, and Bath Spa passengers were duly advised to use that instead. It was only just after the Paddington service left that it was announced that the Weymouth train would run non-stop to Westbury. For those of us who were due to travel to Oldfield Park, this was particularly galling, as we could have caught the HST and, I was told later by train staff at BTM, would have been allowed through the gateline at Bath Spa with an explanation.

We (all the passengers left standing on the platform after the announcement) were then told to wait for the 1544 service, so a delay of an hour (and that service did run late). However, I protested at this and went to the platform where the 1522 service to Portsmouth was due to leave, and asked there why this couldn't be stopped at Keynsham and Oldfield Park. It was only after I made that request, and staff there then rang through, that announcements were made that it would indeed stop additionally at those two stations. So was this decision made because one stroppy customer, i.e. me, requested it, or would it have been made anyway? And what about those going to Freshford and Avoncliff?

Incidentally, I did note that at both Keynsham and Oldfield Park stations, it looked as if nobody got on the train. Normally you would expect at least 15-20 waiting at both stations in mid afternoon. So I assume the screens there had just said that the WEY train was cancelled, everyone then left to make alternative arrangements, and then the screen later changed to show that the Portsmouth train would stop there. That is what has happened at times when this has occurred in the past and I have been left waiting at Oldfield Park, and have watched other passengers slowly drift away. Which is what makes me think this was a very late decision, and in effect, too late for those passengers stuck at those stations.

I would just add that IME this seems to happen a lot, with services to Westbury from BTM often delayed, and then run non-stop.

 
The 1251 Gt Malvern to Weymouth has, over the last 8 weeks, a 24% arrival time+5min. It’s average delay is 27 mins.
Today it was started from Worcester Foregate, due to late arrival of incoming service.

http://www.recenttraintimes.co.uk/Home/Search?Op=Srch&Fr=Great+Malvern+%28GMV%29&To=Maiden+Newton+%28MDN%29&TimTyp=D&TimDay=10a&Days=Wk&TimPer=8w&dtFr=&dtTo=&ShwTim=AvAr&MxArCl=10&TOC=All&ArrSta=5&MetAvg=Mea&MetSpr=RT&MxScDu=&MxSvAg=&MnScCt=

 

Why this is done is that creating more through trains reduces the number of units required and avoids additional shunting moves and lengthy platform occupation at Bristol TM.   Such moves can only add to congestion leading on, of course, to delays.   The norm is that if a train from the Gloucester direction, perhaps, is running late a fresh train is started up at "Right Time".

 
This line should be separated from between BTM and GCR. Additionally, run an extra Bristol - Worcester service which would give an extra service to Worcester.

Gloucester MP has said that he is working on a every 30m Bristol service so we will have to wait and see.

 
Yes, probably the best thing to do. However the line is not the most reliable currently and I wonder about the value of extending beyond Gloucester. I know this is mentioned in the GWR review.

I wonder if the next GWR franchise might have a ‘Salisbury’ type DMU hub, feeding the services radiating from Westbury, rather like SWR.

On the brighter side, I did get my first experience of the IET, complete with a fully operational 10 car set. The five car return from Chippenham reached 100mph at Box.
To complete the day, the crew on the HST Cornishman were exemplary.

 

Know the train well - it's the 06:38 at Melksham 

Looking at feeds, it stuck me it left Bath Spa just five minutes ahead of the time the Portsmouth train was due, so cutting out stops at 6 stations probably helped get it back on time; from 39 late at Cheltenham Spa, that had been reduced to just 7 late at Weymouth.  For stations like Keynsham it meant a 60 minute delay rather that 30, for Bradford-on-Avon and Trowbridge, the skipping turned a 30 delay on the Weymouth train to a few minutes longer using the Portsmouth - the fly in the ointment being passengers such as yourself, bradshaw, travelling from an intermediate station north of Westbury to a station south of Westbury on the Weymouth line.

Turning this one back at Dorchester not a good idea - for sure people headed south can walk across Dorchester.   But headed back north, on what's a really busy train for leisure traffic - the 17:30 - would mean a 17:20 departure with just 11 minutes to dash across Dorchester - prams, kiddies ...

 
The train is the return working of a Southampton to Great Malvern service. It seems to have been delayed going to Malvern Wells to cross over prior to return.
On occasion they have turned back the Weymouth service at Dorchester West. At least there passengers have the chance to catch a service from South station.

The choice of the SWR route via Salisbury, although it takes longer, at least gives an hourly service and will be the preferred choice in future.

 

The Heart of Wessex has a lot of single track sections - so a delay headed south can quickly get mirrored back into a delay headed north.  And between Westbury and Castle Cary they've also go to be able to thread through without getting in the way of West of  England trains.

I have certainly seen cases where a train has failed to make stops or missed incoming connections by a whisker just to wait time not very far down the line (never mind your 'on the return journey') and it is highly frustrating - the balance doesn't feel right in those cases.   If there's little chance of catching up until the return journey, it feels more justified.

But the real solution is to reduce the number and severity of the issue that cause the initial delay - so that there is little or nothing to fix.

 
I had to go to Chippenham for work today. From Bridport one can either go from Crewkerne or from Maiden Newton. Having seen the first down service from the latter on time I chose to go by GWR.
Returning early I decided to stop off at Bradford on Avon for a bit of late lunch and a walk by the canal. The aim was to catch the 1522 to Weymouth. It was on the board as 22 late and was then cancelled!
At 1541 a train came through without stopping, 150001. Clearly they had decided to skips the stops between Bath and Westbury. It was announced that the next service was 2HOURS later!
Annoyingly the return working of 150001 waits at Yeovil for 7 minutes and so, with smart working, was the skip stopping needed?

To make the most of a bad thing I caught the next Portsmouth to Westbury, followed by the Cornishman to Castle Cary and a wait in the sun for the next Weymouth.
Looking at RTT over a few days this does not seem too uncommon.