2023 - Train update and amendment log - Swindon <-> Westbury

[whole diary]

[grahame]

A quick scan of Journeycheck suggests that the rest of the day's Transwilts services are cancelled however as we know, recently Journeycheck has been somewhat more inaccurate than usual

You and I posting at the same time there ... the 18:44 from Swindon and 20:06 from Westbury - parts of though services - ARE still shown as running but delayed.

[Trowres]

Update at 13:08

Both lines are now open but some of our trains and crew are in the wrong place. We hope to re-start our services via Melksham with the 14:19 from Westbury to Swindon and the 15:14 from Swindon to Westbury.

Until then we will provide taxis to run between Chippenham and Westbury via Melksham and Trowbridge. Before getting in any taxi vehicle please check with the driver that they are working.

I wonder what prompted the last line?

[grahame]

Today's roundup will need a run back though real time trains

17:50 Gloucester to Salisbury due 20:06

17:50 Gloucester to Salisbury due 20:06 has been cancelled.
This is due to a fault with the signalling system.

[grahame]

Today's roundup will need a run back though real time trains

Done (here) and (here) at Melksham - to look at TransWilts trains only; gaps of 10.5 and 11.5 hours between services.  And (here) to put that into context with main line trains between Chippenham and Swindon too; maximum gap there during the afternoon just one hour.

Yesterday evening, I travelled out of Melksham by bus mid afternoon and back early evening - buses on time, no problem.  Roads busy.  Had I awaited the train, I wouldn't have left by the time I had travelled out, done 2.5 hours on an exhibition stand, and travelled back. A sad demonstration that the rail industry is fragile at delivering services.

[grahame]

And here we go ... again ...

07:44 Westbury to Swindon due 08:26
08:45 Swindon to Westbury due 09:26

08:45 Swindon to Westbury due 09:26 will be cancelled.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.

We accepted a loss of the extra morning train up to Swindon on a Saturday morning to enable the thinned service to be staffed and more reliable.  Shame on GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway).

[TaplowGreen]

16:35 Westbury to Swindon due 17:17
16:35 Westbury to Swindon due 17:17 will be cancelled.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.

17:44 Swindon to Westbury due 18:25
17:44 Swindon to Westbury due 18:25 will be cancelled.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.

18:35 Westbury to Swindon due 19:17
18:35 Westbury to Swindon due 19:17 will be cancelled.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.

19:44 Swindon to Westbury due 20:25
19:44 Swindon to Westbury due 20:25 will be cancelled.
This is due to a shortage of train crew

[grahame]

19:44 Swindon to Westbury due 20:25

19:44 Swindon to Westbury due 20:25 will be cancelled.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.
Additional Information
Sorry for the disruption to your journey today.

Passengers from Swindon and Chippenham are advised to await the next service towards Bath Spa and then change there for services towards Trowbridge and Westbury.
Depart Swindon at 19:56, Chippenham at 20:06, arriving at Bath Spa at 20:19.
Change there for the 20:35 GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) service towards Portsmouth Harbour, arriving at Trowbridge at 20:53 and Westbury at 21:00.

Passengers For Melksham: please await and board the 19:56 GWR departure from Swindon for Bristol Temple Meads.Get off the train at Chippenham and change there for replacement taxis to Melksham provided by Bath Taxis.
Please check the stations Onward Travel Information poster and wait for the replacement road transport at the designated stop.

Passengers from Melksham: Replacement road transport has been arranged to run in lieu of part of this train service to Trowbridge provided by Bath Taxis.

Please check the stations Onward Travel Information poster and wait for the replacement road transport at the designated stop. The replacement road transport may run later than the advertised train times owing to the additional time taken by road between stations and the time required for loading and unloading at each stop.

[grahame]

Buses replace trains until lunch time today.  At least the early bus does run all the way (from Warminster) to Chippenham and connects onwards to a (bus) to Swindon - thank you!

[grahame]

10:58 Weymouth to Swindon due 13:33

10:58 Weymouth to Swindon due 13:33 was terminated at Westbury.
It will no longer call at Trowbridge, Melksham, Chippenham and Swindon.
This is due to engineering works not being finished on time.

Shocked.  Not.

13:42 Swindon to Weymouth due 15:57

13:42 Swindon to Weymouth due 15:57 will be started from Westbury.
It will no longer call at Swindon, Chippenham, Melksham and Trowbridge.
This is due to engineering works not being finished on time.

There was a rail replacement bus running this morning.  Logic would be for that to continue another round trip, but all journey check tells you is you can claim delay / repay - when what you really want to know is how the **** you can get to Swindon, or Melksham, or Westbury this afternoon.

[TaplowGreen]

Delays to services between Swindon and Westbury via Melksham
Due to a points failure at Swindon some lines are blocked. Disruption is expected until 18:00 12/11.
Train services between Swindon and Westbury via Melksham may be delayed by up to 40 minutes.
Additional Information
A set of points west of Swindon station has failed; this is causing congestion as it is limiting the lines available for trains. Due to the congestion at Swindon, some trains will be diverted on alternative route, this will mean that Eastbound passengers will have to circulate via Reading - this will extend journey times by 60+ minutes.

[grahame]

Delays to services between Swindon and Westbury via Melksham
Due to a points failure at Swindon some lines are blocked. Disruption is expected until 18:00 12/11.
Train services between Swindon and Westbury via Melksham may be delayed by up to 40 minutes.
Additional Information
A set of points west of Swindon station has failed; this is causing congestion as it is limiting the lines available for trains. Due to the congestion at Swindon, some trains will be diverted on alternative route, this will mean that Eastbound passengers will have to circulate via Reading - this will extend journey times by 60+ minutes.

Hmm .. I'll wait for clarity. The line from Wootton Bassett towards Swindon is shown as shut; the other line is bi-directional but there's a long gap between signals so a series of up trains is tricky.

As I read what they are saying, are they sending a Westbury to Swindon train via Reading?  Might help provide the 17:44 back from Swindon. I note the 16:42 Frome to Swindon shows as cancelled .... on Real Time Trains

[grahame]

Might help provide the 17:44 back from Swindon.

Nope, 17:44 now shown as cancelled. 

[TaplowGreen]

17:44 Swindon to Salisbury due 18:55
17:44 Swindon to Salisbury due 18:55 will be started from Westbury.
It will no longer call at Swindon, Chippenham, Melksham and Trowbridge.
This is due to a points failure.

[grahame]

07:45 Westbury to Swindon due 08:32
08:45 Swindon to Westbury due 09:26
09:46 Westbury to Swindon due 10:34
11:05 Swindon to Westbury due 11:47
12:17 Westbury to Swindon due 12:59
13:15 Swindon to Westbury due 13:57
14:19 Westbury to Swindon due 15:01
15:14 Swindon to Westbury due 15:59
16:23 Westbury to Swindon due 17:08
17:36 Swindon to Westbury due 18:20
18:37 Westbury to Swindon due 19:21
20:13 Swindon to Westbury due 20:58
21:16 Westbury to Swindon due 21:58
22:30 Swindon to Westbury due 23:11

Facilities on the 22:30 Swindon to Westbury due 23:11.
Toilet facilities are reduced.

[TaplowGreen]

07:45 Westbury to Swindon due 08:32
08:45 Swindon to Westbury due 09:26
09:46 Westbury to Swindon due 10:34
11:05 Swindon to Westbury due 11:47
12:17 Westbury to Swindon due 12:59
13:15 Swindon to Westbury due 13:57
14:19 Westbury to Swindon due 15:01
15:14 Swindon to Westbury due 15:59
16:23 Westbury to Swindon due 17:08
17:36 Swindon to Westbury due 18:20
18:37 Westbury to Swindon due 19:21
20:13 Swindon to Westbury due 20:58
21:16 Westbury to Swindon due 21:58
22:30 Swindon to Westbury due 23:11

Facilities on the 22:30 Swindon to Westbury due 23:11.
Toilet facilities are reduced.

For today at least, GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) will not be taking the pi** quite as much as usual.