Great Western Coffee Shop

With all the various consultations out there, and a look at the whole Southampton - Salisbury - Westbury - Swindon corridor under way, can anyone tell me about early morning loading between Salisbury and Westbury?

This morning, I note:




Apart perhaps from the 06:53 Southampton to Portsmouth section of the 05:49 Westbury to Portsmouth Harbour, I don't see any problem with these trains at their new length - from the very few times I have been around at Westbury that early in the morning, passengers have been sparse and (frankly) I suspect a 153 (single carriage) would suffice.

Please follow up with any early morning thoughts / comments!

I have travelled in the past on both the 0524 and 0549 from Westbury as far as Salisbury, and indeed they are lightly loaded as one might expect. I would guess that the capacity of these trains is driven more by the expected loadings later in their circuits when they hit the morning peak. The 0524, when it terminates at Salisbury, attaches to a couple of SWT trains to bring back to Westbury on the 0602 (and then there are various bits of detaching and shunting at Westbury). It looks as though not only is the GW train short by a coach, but one of the SW trains is not being attached? This might cause problems later on.

Many thanks for that - it was my guess and reading too of the very early loadings; good to have confirmation.

Indeed those same trains will get very much busier - or overbusy - later on their diagrams. But with consultations ongoing on SWR changes and GWR changes relating in part to the corridor study that's due to initially report to the DfT tomorrow, the diagrams could very likely change in the future.   Certainly the attachment of a SWR unit to the 06:02 from Salisbury is not something that's planned to be long term - in fact it was a stop gap when introduced and it's turned out to be a much longer gap that's been stopped than was expected!

The 05:24 service normally has only a handful of people on from Westbury, with a few more from Warminster. The majority of the users change at Salisbury for the service to Waterloo. It is run more for the return working. As it runs down with a full crew on board, it makes sense to run it in service rather than as empty stock. The return 06:02 service is much better patronised, especially from Warminster. Normally into double figures joining at Dilton Marsh. It connects nicely at Westbury into the 06:38 service for Bath, Bristol and Filton commuting. I believe a couple of Dilton Marsh passengers catch the 06:40 service from Westbury for stations to Portsmouth, as this is effectively the first opportunity for southbound travel from Dilton Marsh (permitted by an easement which allows Dilton Marsh passengers to circulate via Westbury or Warminster as appropriate).

Until recently, the train was booked for a two car class 150. At Salisbury, a hired in 158 attached. On arrival at Westbury, the 150 would form the 06:46 service to Weymouth with the 158 shunting to form the 07:04 service to Cheltenham, via Melksham. However, at present an extra 158 is due to be on hire each day, with two class 158 units booked to attach at Salisbury. This has led to some diagram reshuffling. A 3 car 158 is now booked for the 05:24 service to Salisbury as when it arrives back at Westbury it runs empty to Warminster at 06:53, forms the 07:23 Warminster to Great Malvern service which in turn becomes the 10:48 Great Malvern to Brighton service, both requiring a 3 car 158 unit. The second hired in 158 unit forms the 06:46 Weymouth service, with the other forming the usual Cheltenham service. Unfortunately, SWR have been unable to provide the second 158 on several occasions this week, leading to more short notice reshuffling.