Great Western Coffee Shop

The Summer Saturday special from Bristol to Weymouth will be an HST this year.

Article online in Dorset Echo

http://www.dorsetecho.co.uk/news/11079265.All_aboard_for_new_high_speed_train_service_between_Bristol_and_Weymouth/?ref=mr

"Slick express trains", eh? - Love it   ;D

Fair play to the Dorset Echo for the highly appropriate picture chosen to illustrate the story - such accuracy will never catch on.... ;)

The Saturday HST from Bristol to Weymouth is a named train "The Weymouth Wizard"!  Will there be a magician on board?

Couple of questions. Is anyone able to explain the connection between Weymouth and Wizards  ???
Secondly, The timetable shows not conveying First class accomodation. Is St Philips Marsh removing the 1st carriages, first class declassified or a weekend first type buy on board offer being made?

It's not showing first-class accommodation as there are no first-class fares between Bristol and Weymouth, so assume first-class seating is available to standard-class ticket holders, as happens when a hired-in SWT class 158 is used on the line.

'The Wizards' used to be the name of the Weymouth speedway team, could be a connection?

The HST is also booked to operate this Saturday for the Bank Holiday weekend:

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/V22276/2014/05/03/advanced
http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/V06901/2014/05/03/advanced

From the Dorset Echo (http://www.dorsetecho.co.uk/news/11199636.Trains_on_track_for_a_summer_of_seaside_outings/):

This annoys me somewhat, on the Cotswold line we used to lose a HST on friday afternoons during the summer to run the seaside trains (specifically the 1552 Paddington departure to the Cotswolds), we have now lost this semi-permanently due to shortage of HST sets and maintenance/refurb  issues yet the seaside trains run as normal. The 1552 is still massively overcrowded for a class 180.

This is only running on Saturdays, when there are plenty of spare HSTs available to operate the service. There are more services in Cornwall which will be operated by HSTs on Summer Saturdays this year too.

Interesting that it will pick up at Frome on the way to Weymouth, but not on the return trip, can I take it that FGW have made the assumption that after escaping Frome we shall not want to come back!

FGW says that it does not have any spare HSTs over the summer because they are all needed for the high summer holiday supplementary services. I know this from FGW as the CLPG tries to run a charter service to somewhere attactive, mainly for members, but we cannot obtain an HST until after the summer timetable ends. Incidentally our 2014 charter will be from Worcester, Oxford, final pickup at Swindon and then on via Melksham and Westbury to the West Country, main set down points though Devon terminating at Plymouth on 20 September and by a circular return via Bristol to Swindon and thence to the Cotswold Line. Public booking opens 1st June.

Sounds like all the HSTs that are usually on Monday to Friday diagrams may be running in place of / addition to 15x turns on Saturdays - that would explain both statements above.  And perhaps the released 15x units will strengthen other 15x services?

It looks like it calls at Frome both ways to me, certainly shows that in the timetable. The only difference between the two runs is that the only the return run stops at Bruton.

There must be a greater use of HSTs this year, but I'm not sure if it is still up to the levels of the Monday-Friday usage. But then more maintenance work will probably be carried out at Weekends too. All the extra HST worked services on Summer Saturdays have been achieved without removing HSTs from anywhere else though. Last year an HST was often used on Summer Saturdays on a Taunton-Cardiff diagram to free up 15x units. I think the freeing up of 15x units this year allows strengthening of other services but also accounts for units that will be away on overhauls and heavy maintenance.

You had me all confused there, I was sure that I had seen a timetable where the return journey didn't stop at Frome, but I was mistaken, it was the Realtime Trains schedule mentioned earlier in this thread for the Spring Bank Holiday weekend.

Sampled the Weymouth Wizard yesterday and was more than impressed with the service. However one thing I thought may attract more punters is for FGW to offer this type of service from other origins such as Newbury,Didcot,Reading maybe London obviously Path/Crewe/Stock and anything else that might attribute to this type of service.Depending on what happens to the franchise etc as well. Personally I'm more than happy but the fast amount of people absolutely hate changing trains and platforms.

Is it the angle of the picture or has it lost it's coaches?

I like the way the article describes it as a prestigious train!

Reference IanL's comment a month ago, are we still lucky enough to have an Adelante on the 1552 ex Paddington on any day? Not travelled by train in the last few weeks but if the comment is still valid, I too would be p***** off.

Yes - an Adelante if we're lucky, a Turbo if we're not!

I ask because my last three trips on the 1552 ex Paddington have been on Turbos - black holes of Calcutta for that service. And one of the outward journeys was on the 0815 from Kingham with a 6 car HST.................

Not where I expected to see it ...

(http://www.wellho.net/pix/harbourbranch.jpg)

Interesting they used a set with two full first class coaches.  Did it have a full kitchen along with another half coach of first class as well?

The sets just come of the depot "as is" with a rake of sets suitable for 3rd rail area, it would be too much work to split them or rearrange the coaches into standard only just for this service. Combined with the short platforms where they would be in use, the 1st class coaches are just declassified.

I did wonder if they would be declassified.  Makes sense.  There is a ^5 weekend first upgrade fare available - perhaps they could keep one just for that!

Not sure ... and I've just looked at my other pictures ... does this tell you

(http://www.wellho.net/pix/harbourbranch2.jpg)

It does, and the answer is no, it's just 2 first class.

Personally I think it's a good idea from FGW, however I feel it would have been better to Start this train and finish the return at Pad
Reckon there are plenty of folks travel to Weymouth for Holiday from London, (Reading, Swindon and Bath).

Serving Bath Spa on the way to Weymouth from Paddington would involve a reversal which is probably impractical in terms of the congestion it would cause.

I suspect the choice of Bristol as the starting point is to utilise an HST set which would otherwise be sitting idle at the nearby St Philips Marsh depot.   

From London there's an hourly service to Weymouth from Waterlooo which would be much more attractive in terms of frequency and journey time. Reading pax can change onto it at Basingstoke and again it would be quicker and more frequent albeit with a change.

I was forgetting the Bristol-Westbury line went through Bath.
Still think the Weymouth HST should start at Pad then Reading Swindon Bristol Temple Meads and then on to Weymouth as booked.
I know SWT run Waterloo to Weymouth but then Both Virgin and Chiltern  serve London Birmingham markets.
It could be Extra Pounds for FGW that's all without much extra layout.

In fact it's actually been half hourly Mon-Sat since December 2007 or so...

Paul

Does anyone know how many people are using the HST at the moment?

I caught the 0839 to Dorchester yesterday. I would have preferred to get the HST but I wanted to walk some of the coast path near Lulworth and (lack of) public transport connections mandated an earlier start. The train was a 3 car 158. It was busy by Trowbridge and standing by Westbury. By Yeovil it was virtually wedged with just a small amount of room in the middle of the saloons for extra standees and none in the vestibules. At Yetminster a family of 4 took one look and started wandering off before the guard got out and appeared to shout he'd find room for them, as they started wandering back. He then knocked on our carriage and gestured people to move up. They eventually managed to get on.

At Trowbridge, Westbury, Frome and Castle Cary the guard made an announcement suggesting to people boarding they'd be best off waiting for the HST. I didn't see anyone get off. He didn't bother at Yeovil, presumably realising it was futile, although a few people decided to wait on the platform for the next train.
The train ended up being over 20 minutes late by Dorchester due almost entirely due to the increased boarding time at every station. The air con in the saloons remained working but when I got off the temperature in the vestibules was roasting.

The vast majority of travellers were going to Weymouth for the day. Whilst you can't force people to wait for the later train, it certainly seems once people get on they won't get off. It would seem prudent for station announcers to make it very clear to passengers the sensible option is to wait, although in fairness I don't know whether they were or not. In addition station staff might want to make themselves known on a station platform relaying this. There were large crowds at each of Trowbridge, Westbury, Frome, Castle Cary and Yeovil waiting to board and I believe all are staffed on a Saturday morning.

In addition FGW might want to consider increasing publicity about the HST if they can. I did see a poster advertising it at Frome, but haven't seen anything at Temple Meads as yet. I appreciate it's only 1 return train a week, but it can't do FGW any good to have a late running 0839 where it's physically impossible for the guard to check and sell tickets. Given it's not high peak season yet, it seems likely this scenario is likely to be repeated every sunny Saturday until September.

I haven't written the above to moan at the service (and I thought the guard did as well as he could in awkward circumstances) but just to point out people may need more 'encouragement' to do the sensible thing and use the HST. Of course if that was busy as well, then the only option may be to strengthen the 0839 to 5 coaches (which probably isn't practical.

On the way down yesterday, front five carriages full (including the 2 x First ones).  A,B,C much quieter

3 x 30 + 2 x 70 + 50 (buffet) + 2 x 45 (First) = (say) 380.


I don't think people want to loose an hour having come for the earlier train / have reasons such as yours.  However, there were on-platform announcements about waiting for the HST before the 158 arrived, at least at Westbury, and some of us had already decided to wait if it looked really busy, and we did.


We have a BIG poster at Melksham telling us about the HST.  Unfortunately, the only train we've got to Westbury connects very conveniently with the 3 car 158, and on the way back the HST wanders into Westbury after the last Melksham service has left.   So I can't in all honesty advise our customers come come back on it either.

The 0839 used to be a five carriage service in previous years. My guess is that FGW's plan is to encourage those going to Weymouth to use the HST and use the 150 that used to attach to the 3 carriage 158 elsewhere to strengthen another busy summer service. But the HST does arrive into Weymouth quite late in the morning so I understand why many still want to use the earlier 0839 service.

Quite apart from the difficulty of explaining to excited young children that we will spend more of our day out waiting around on the platform, I suspect that a large proportion of the families do not really know the difference in capacity of different classes of train and think that even if a grown up train is coming along in an hour, might it not be just as full, anyway?

It's always started from Bristol in previous years when DMU (or 67) worked.  The Day Trip market is along the route from Bristol, Bath etc.,     

People won't wait for a later train. I believe there still is a similar problem every weekday evening at Cardiff Central. The 17:40 to Milford Haven (providing the last connection of the day to Fishguard/Goodwick) is a class 175, and is often packed with commuters going to Bridgend, Port Talbot, Neath and Swansea despite the fact there is a Great Western IC125 just ten minutes later. Consequentially, it is a bit risky going for the last Fishguard train in case you are unable to board the 17:40 to Milford because it is so full of passengers making shorter journeys.

I can only second this. I was at Cardiff Central on Friday 23rd May around 1400, and a train arrived for Milford haven, a 2 coach 175. It had to turn away passengers. I decided not to go for it and to wait for the HST 10 mins later as I was going to Bridgend and seen the scrum going for the 175.
A number of passengers turned away from the 175 then got off at Bridgend as well. I went in coach C of the HST and there were just 6 or so other people in that carriage.
Why go for a scrum on a 175 when you can have a empty HST 10 mins later. The CIS boards were displaying the number of carriages for each service hence my decision to wait before I'd seen the scrum.

Would it not therefore be more sensible to run the HST as the earlier train to Weymouth then?

I wondered whether that might be possible, but noted that the stock that forms the earlier train turns back as the 11:10 from Weymouth, crossing the incoming HST at Dorchester West.

The HST timing is very frustrating indeed for us on the TransWilts, as the morning TransWilts train feeds into the earlier unit, and the returning passengers for Melksham also have to travel back on a unit, as the HST dawdles into Westbury after the last direct Swindon train has left there for the evening  :(

There may be an alternative along the lines you suggest, but I'll leave it to the HoW experts to comment further as they know their line far better than I do. 

Worked by 150921 yesterday due shortage of HSS drivers,   Don't know what loadings were like.

150002 made it to Penzance yesterday due to unavailability of drivers as well. I think it worked in place of the loco service.

I can third this as well... Trust me when I say this is a far from unique problem to the 08:39 and 09:06 summer Saturday service. Personally, Weymouth on an HST is very appealing. But if I mentioned this to some of my friends, then I really doubt they would know the difference between the 2 types of trains. Most of them just want to know if it's the right train for their destination and is it going to turn up?!

At Bath Spa the amount of times I've people cram into a 2 car Class 150 and moan about overcrowding when there is an HST right behind waiting at the signal is ridiculous. Personally if I have the time, I will wait for the bigger train. I can understand why many won't. But I often feel that the ones who complain on the overcrowding aspect are the ones who have put themselves on the smaller train. Of course in the case point there are many reasons why someone has selected the train they did.

Another example of this is in the evening peak at Bristol Temple Meads. There is an 18:20 Service to Taunton (Stopping HST) and the 18:44 CrossCountry service (Next call Taunton). The former takes 68 minutes and the latter 30 minutes. When I used to do that journey alot, I usually took the 18:20 for 3 reasons. It was a much quieter train in terms of loading. The stopping HST was definitely more reliable as it starts in London as opposed to Glasgow. Finally the ability to use my laptop on the train to work.

That and I was guarenteed to be able to get a cup of coffee, which seldom happens on an XC Service ::) Admittedly things have since improved. But I still get coffeeless journeys with XC... ALERT... MUST. NOT. THREAD. DRIFT...! :o

grahame, Did the Summer HST have a Buffet Service onboard? Or was the buffet just closed? I have a feeling I am going to disapprove of the answer ::) :( :-X

Yes, the buffet is open and crewed in each direction.

150921 3-Car?

Yes.

Well I guess that would have probably done the job on this occasion as the weather wasn't overly scorchio on Saturday. Might have been a bit cosy on board after Yeovil and a bit of disappointment when a 150 instead of an HST came around the corner.

Thanks :)

Interesting to see the 'Weymouth Wizard' is back this summer - clearly it was felt the HST was sufficiently successful to run it again.

https://www.firstgreatwestern.co.uk/-/media/pdf/ticketsandtraintimes/traintimes/may%202015%20tt/gw1505c03web47243800.pdf?la=en

Be interesting to see whether during the Bathampton blockade in August the HST runs from Westbury or is replaced with 1 or more 15xs. Based on observation the biggest flows to Weymouth are from Trowbridge, Westbury, Frome and Yeovil (and the alcohol ban on the 2021 return seems to be for the 'benefit' of the denizens of the first and last named towns!), so the blockade may have some impact.

Disappointing to see it's still timed for 40mph between Yeovil and Dorchester (when I travelled on it last year the info screens confirmed it didn't exceed this speed). I hoped when the line was closed at the weekends earlier in the year it would allow the HSTs to travel at the maximum linespeed (varying from 45-75). It could conceivably knock 10-15 minutes off each journey. The speed boards don't indicate differential limits anyway other than a very short stretch south of Maiden Newton, but it seems the HSTs are limited to 40mph anyway.

Understand this HST will start from Bristol and run to Weymouth via Swindon. Remainder of service runs Westbury to Weymouth only.

I was planning to use the HST service for a day trip to Weymouth tomorrow (Saturday 27 June).

Casually checking the times on the RTT site, I noticed the service for tomorrow is shown as being a Class 158.

I've further checked with FGW Customer Services who indicated HST resources would be reallocated to Glastonbury traffic for this weekend, with the HST service returning the following Saturday (4 July).

So possibly of interest to anyone thinking of travelling, although I cannot guarantee the accuracy of this information, it appears no HST from BTM to Weymouth and return tomorrow with the service operated instead by a Class 158.   

Everyone keeps mentioning Glastonbury, but there isn't actually any extra services on the Saturday, leading to my opinion of the reason for the HST being taken off the Weymouth service being because of the closure between Cardiff and Newport - limiting the amount of HSTs that can come in from Landore depot in Swansea.

Possibly you're right. I'm in no position to say - rather, I was merely repeating what FGW CS told me when I enquired earlier today.

This wasn't really the point of my original post in any case.  :)

I hope I'm excused for adding a further flippant comment on a Friday afternoon ...

One of the issues at the weekend with leisure loadings to the seaside is that they vary a very great deal based on the weather - sunny day and the trains are packed - wet day and a 2 or 3 car train will do where an 8 car was needed the weekend before.

You can never be sure of the weather .. except ... it ALWAYS rains on Glastonbury weekend, and on that basis a 158's all that's needed ;-)

Welcome to the forum, InTheSidings!

Weather looks great for a day at the seaside tomorrow.

Having binned a previous trip to Weymouth on 27 June, when the HST didn't run, I was planning to travel on Saturday 11 July, but I'm wondering whether this service would run on this particular day as an HST, or even at all, owing to ongoing FGW industrial action.

I understand the core period of action will have passed by then, but noting there's an overtime ban on the Saturday, I'm wondering whether this would be an "overtime" roster for HST drivers away from their normal mainline rosters, hence my thinking.

Grateful for any thoughts / knowledge please.  Appreciate it might be just a case of "wait and see".  :)

I think it will be case of wait and see but a strong chance it will be one of the trains that gets cancelled this weekend. Availability of a driver shouldn't be a problem, it's availability of a guard due to overtime and the set used not being in the right place due to diagram changes Thursday and Friday.

Could be wrong and it runs as normal.

(http://i.imgur.com/dXXAJ65.jpg)

(http://i.imgur.com/fZmy0xe.jpg)

(http://i.imgur.com/Sjjk5os.jpg)

Is it an HST today?  I'm just off to Maiden Newton in expectation!

I fear you were disappointed Phil.

I saw a post on Facebook this morning that said it was five car 158+150.

I was aware of this thread and had intended to post the info, but lost signal on phone while stuck in traffic near Yeovilton. Then I got completely sidetracked by a Vulcan, Sea Vixen, Red Arrows, Spitfires, Apaches, Hueys, the Vulcan again, Rafeles, Super Etendards and a Typhoon.

Sorry.

Being distracted by Spitfires is an acceptable excuse, in my opinion.  ;)

I ended up stuck in traffic at Chideock on the A35 and would have missed it in any case, so am rather thankful it didn't run :)

Better luck next weekend as I have tickets for a family day out in Weymouth, returning on the HST   

Without wishing to divert this thread unduly, there is a Battle of Britain flypast due over Swindon in September and an HST power car due to be named after a Battle of Britain pilot who is buried in the town.

Not good start for the Wizard today! Well done to the TM and her team for spotting the long swing link bogeys in the rostered set and swapping so quickly with another set meaning just a 5 minute delay. And just for info bobm and grahame - first class NOT declassified.  :(

That's interesting, I wonder what first class fare they would charge.  As far as I am aware the only first class fare from Swindon is "Via Reading".  Standard class has the "Via Yeovil" option.

There is the Weekend First upgrade, so I guess they would sell the Standard "Via Yeovil" and the ^10 upgrade.

They really shouldn't be charging any extra in 1st Class. The service is shown in timetables as Standard Class Only.

Something worth doing for future Saturdays this month if FGW are insistent that the service is not declassified and you wish to sit in the posh seats. Buy your Day Return from Bristol if you are travelling from Chippenham and Swindon. Yes, the Standard Class fare is ^1 more, but the Weekend 1st Upgrade is only ^5.

If you are travelling from Trowbridge, there is no Weekend First fare listed at all. So again, a ticket from Bristol may be best.

I can see FGW (and their usual apologist on this forum) arguing that because the service is diverted it passes through two Weekend First zones, so passengers from Bristol in August should pay ^10.00. Not that I believe there should be 1st Class supplements at all.

Yup, only appears to have left BTM 2 minutes late with it's swapped set being the 08:10 to Bath which left just the 10 late. As you say good work from the onboard team, but once again bad planning from the people 'upstairs', this happened with the Waterloo diversions back in April didn't it?

It did indeed. I was on the offending set with LSL bogies. Apparently this was spotted by a member of the public as we passed through Westbury but it took some time for the message to get through to the train. We were eventually stopped at Andover and the service was terminated there.

http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=15602.0

What was offered if you wanted to sit in First? The chance to upgrade with a Weekend First ticket?

I agree with BNM that because it's advertised as Standard class only First should be declassified, unless someone can point me to a ruling in the conditions of carriage that says otherwise.

A degree of confusion and mixed messages.   The highest authority I spoke to suggested "declassified".

Very senior message from FGW to me:

"I saw the Coffee Shop entry on First Class upgrades nobody should have been charged" ... if you were (any readers), please let me know and I'll get it corrected.

Thanks for that very welcome update, grahame - and thanks to First Great Western for providing that official confirmation.

I'll now mark this topic as a 'sticky' one, for the time being - simply to make sure as many of our readers as possible have the opportunity to read this latest news.

CfN.  ;)

Lots to do in Weymouth ... via http://www.wellho.net/mouth/4513_Yesterday-Weymouth.html for pictures

Admiring old buildings
Amazing at the local artwork
Arriving at your destination
Being rowed in a boat
Breaking quietly from all the other activities
Burying your friend
Catching the Sun
Checking your messages
Chuckling as you watch others hunting for a parking space
Clicking pictures like this one
Climbing the steps
Crabbing in the harbour
Deciding what to do!!
Digging in the sand
Dreaming of buying a "fixer upper"
Eating fresh traditional Fish and Chips
Enjoying the Jurassic Coast
Exercising the dog (and the family)
Explaining what a shop sells to the children
Fearing the spider - for just a moment
Gazing at shops in the Old Brewery
Gorping at the birds
Having a beer at the town's oldest pub
Hearing (perhaps) about your future
Hiring a scooter to get around
Imagining how the Fort was many years ago
Journeying on a land train
Keeping an eye on the time
Leaning on the railings
Learning about the town's history
Leaving the train at the end of the day
Licking an ice cream
Looking out to sea
Observing at the Nature Reserve
Paddleboating and doing other things on the water
Planning your journey home
Playing "what if" at the Marina
Relaxing in the park
Riding the gallopers
Saving car parking charges
Seeing the craft workshops
Shopping
Shouting in support of Mr Punch
Sitting in the sun with a pint
Spending family time in the open air
Taking in the view
Trainspotting
Walking the old railway line trail
Watching the world go by
Wondering at some people's taste (or perhaps it's yours?)
Working out the best way up.

To give you a taste:

(http://www.wellho.net/pix/weyice.jpg)

There's no entries for the letter M in your list grahame. May I suggest:

Mr Whippy on the seafront.

 ;D

This Saturday is loco hauled according to some staff I've spoken with. There is also a move on RTT from Burton ot to Bristol Temple Meads into platform 11 arriving 5 minutes before the Weymouth service departs from P11. DBS of some kind I guess.

Hst unavailable due to the champions league final.

Certainly looks to be loco hauled from all the gen I'm reading online.

It looks like the train paths have changed too, only by a minute or so on the way to Weymouth, significantly on the way back though. I feel sorry for anyone who wanted to connect onto the 2030 CrossCountry service back North, as its highly likely they'll miss it as a result of the change. The return working now arrives at Bristol TM at 2029, it was previously advertised at 2009 arrival.

The return leg for some reason is marked as 55mph top speed, the outbound leg 95.

Uphill from the seaside  ;D

Locomotive on the front to Weymouth, and pushing from the back on the way home?

This is the timing load of the train from origin. It is likely it changes somewhere before going on the branch. Therefore it most likely changes somewhere for 55mph on the way down, and change somewhere for 95mph on the way back.

Most likely run-round in Jersey sidings.

So, it's back again is it? When I looked to check the other day, the GWR Mixing Deck journey planner showed the Weymouth Wizard to have been removed from the schedule altogether this Saturday (because of the unavailable IC125 I presume).

Curiously the loco hauled timing from RTT at 0906 shows on the gwr app as being operated by SWT, and with the SWT £13.00 promo valid.

DB Class 67 hauling eleven Mk2s. Four of which are declassified 1st Class on the rear. I boarded at Castle Cary. I'm in coach L!

When did Weymouth last see a scheduled 11 coach loco hauled train?

Approaching Castle Cary:
(http://i598.photobucket.com/albums/tt68/bignosemac/rps20170603_111136_zpsi8il0mde.jpg)

Arrived at Yeovil Pen Mill:
(http://i598.photobucket.com/albums/tt68/bignosemac/rps20170603_111202_zpsxg1b3efy.jpg)

The unusual long train is the set is doing footex tonight after the game.
Operating a 0005 Cardiff central to Bristol temple meads.
It's then operating a 0140 Bristol temple meads to Cardiff followed by 0345 Cardiff central to Paddington. Callimg Swindon at 0510 and reading at 0606, arriving Paddington at 0649, before returning to burton.
Will football fans still be going home that late?

I've now left Coach L as some of the 'enthusiasts' are a little too boisterous for me.

Can anyone explain why hanging an inflatable crocodile out of the droplights and taking pictures of it is a thing?

Perhaps because sticking your head out of the window listening to a diesel engine eventually bores even the most hardened enthusiast and alcohol blurs the sense about what a 'thing' for adults is?  My sympathies to those just wanting a pleasant day out on the train.

Last eleven coach Loco hauled train was most likely to have been The Western Wonderer a good couple of years ago  ;D

Was that a scheduled service?

Looking at todays photos it would seem there is the potential for this thread to be merged with this other one:
Simon Brown, rail enthusiast, died on Gatwick Express train, 7 Aug 2016 (http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=17345.0)

You'll note that my window hanging picture at Yeovil Pen Mill was taken while the train was stationary

No BNM it was a charter train run by Pathfinder Tours.

Last Saturday's service ... on time from Bristol, 64 late from Bath (stopped at Oldfield Park while a bridge strike was cleared). 57 late from Westbury ... 79 late from Yeovil (awaiting single line) and 82 late into Weymouth.

I travelled in coach D from Westbury - just 8 people in carriage when we left there (and a fellow passenger told me she had been the only one when it left Bristol - "wondered if I was on the right train - expected crowds". Did pick up to around 35 passengers by Weymouth; picking up traffic from the following train as well, no doubt, but the Wizard always gets busier as it gets south.  Due 11:45, arrived 13:07.   Oops.

Surprised to read that it wasn't that busy as I expected it to pick up passengers who were waiting for the following Weymouth train that was waiting at BRI behind the Wizard stuck at Oldfield Park.

I was imagining quite a crowd waiting at Bath Spa for the late running Wizard and the 10.07.  I guess most of those who want a day at Weymouth get the 8.40 from Bristol as the Wizard does take quite a bit longer to get to Weymouth despite missing stations.

I think we've said it before the use of an HST is more for bringing passengers home at the end of the day on the 17.28.

Last season of the HST to Weymouth I am informed. Guess there will be sufficient units released for 2018 although Turbos not cleared through Trowbridge (yet).