Great Western Coffee Shop

Numerous cancellations Cornwall (? Penzance Depot) today.   An early Penzance to Paddington started at Plymouth, 17 53 Exeter to Penzance Cancelled and numerous cancellations on Falmouth and St.Ives Branches all due to traincrew non-availability.

Check other threads fir over-run works in Thames Valley

Have now, although unrelated to Thames Valley.

Nothing to do with the issues in Cornwall. Cornwall's issue is due to local based train crew being unavailable.

There seems to be a mix of Replacement buses and actual trains running in Cornwall

Earlier this afternoon, buses were replacing trains on the Looe branch and the 16XX (?) from Penzance to Paddington cancelled, but then HSTs weren't coming out of London, so maybe stock shortage?

1600 from Penzance was cancelled as a result of the earlier signalling problems/engineering work in the London area and the unavailability of additional sets.

Several cancellations or journeys cut short elsewhere on FGW due shortages of train crew.   Looe Branch is blocked by failed unit and probably no drivers available to provide assistance to failure.

Re the 27th Dec:

The 13:00 Penzance to Plymouth was a coach at least as far as Truro. Also some services on the St Ives branch were provided by a rail replacement bus due to train crew shortages. Felt a bit sorry for rail passengers at St Ives who were going to Carbis Bay who were told that the replacement bus was going non-stop to St Erth despite the fact it had spare seats and had to pass through Carbis Bay anyway. As First operate local bus services in the area passengers for intermediate St Ives branch stations were advised, by a poster, that their rail tickets were valid on local bus services.

Incidentally noticed signs at St Erth saying that, due to the frequency of branch services and the short turnaround time at St Ives and St Erth, branch line services will not wait for (late) mainline services.

 :o