Great Western Coffee Shop

The 09:03 off Westbury was replaced by a bus - a "scheduled cancellation"

Then

20080315        14:37   Westbury        15:19   Swindon
Full report: "This train has been cancelled.This is due to a train fault. "

20080315        15:29   Swindon 16:13   Westbury
This train has been cancelled.This is due to an earlier train fault. "

All very depressing.  I don't know about the 21:05 off Swindon back to Westbury ... I'll give FGW the benefit of the doubt and guess that it ran ...

This is not the first time I have seen cancellation rates this high - in fact I know I can look back and find daily cancellation rates of at least 60% on one day in each of the previous three months.    In a couple of weeks, we'll be two years into the franchise - and teething trouble excuses are getting very thin!

Yeah April 1st...April Fools Day, which says it all about this franchise. DaFT couldn't have chosen a better day as the start day for this franchise for sure. Certainly has been quite a two years for FGW's long suffering passengers and crew. Still, only another eight years to go! (Yes I am aware about the last two years being awarded on certain conditions being met which I'm sure will miraculously happen at the time the extension is due  :))

21.05did run


Todays buses were not provided though...

Those certain conditions being "targets being met", the targets being "we're paid as much as we should be".

Exactly, that's the only target DaFT will be interested in. Though we say this, if there's a change of government in a few years time who knows what the rail policy of the day will be?

To keep this on topic, hopefully by then the Transwilts will have a lot more services operating and a lot less cancellations!

 the line was closed yesterday beyond Chippenham with an HST Shuttle running , BTM to Chippenham work was taking at Dauntsey Bank, Wotton Basset and Swindon West Junctions.
So prehaps that might have had a little bit to do with it

What happens if you turn up a station, presumably unmanned, and the train is cancelled?

How do you make your journey?

 ???

Actually the work at Swindon was being done on the EAST side!

In theory the passenger information point will tell you what's happening, and that will be either that the train is cancelled and when the next train is due (in the case of stations with a reasonable service) or that the train is cancelled and that a bus will be running instead in the case of stations like Melksham, as it's not reasonable to expect customers wait from 07:17 to 19:50 for the next train  :-\

In practise it sometimes works that way, but at other times a train that is due simply disappears from the system and all the message system tells you is that there is  no train due in the next 99 minutes.  What then?

Some people wander off in disgust; others call up taxis, or for lifts, or walk off to the bus stop about 800 yards away to await the hourly bus (this option leaves them well over an hour late on a 25 minute journey to Swindon).

The recommended option is to the phone. As there is no public telephone at Melksham Station, First Great Western Assume than everyone in Melksham who uses the train has a mobile. Call the National Rail Enquiry line and they should help you. You may need to point out (as I have) that you don't like the idea of waiting from ten to eight at night until quarter past seven the next morning.  When pressed, they will usually contact FGW (the people on the number for assistance at the station don't actually work for FGW) and FGW will get something such as a bus or taxi laid on quite quickly - you'll usually be on your way within an hour of the time that the cancelled train was due to call ... although your journey will be slower as it will be by road, and you may have a further delay as you connect into a running train somewhere else.

Thanks Grahame a very comprehensive answer.

Not a good one though, but how does an ordinary casyual traveller know that's what they are suppose to do?

 I hope someone from FGW reads it and does something about it, although I suppose they think you're stupid to try and travel on a Sunday and/or from Melksham  in the first palce.

It's almost as if "they" can't be bothered to try and run a train or inform passengers when they can't and it's your hard luck you can make your own arrangements.

The is a sign with the National Rail Enquiries number on it ...


Yes - it does look like that at times.  Part of the improvements that were trumpeted when the franchise was won by First and they took over on 1st April 2006 was a replacement of the very limited information points they inherited at Melksham and similar places with a system which provides better information. Two years later we're still awating the new system - but to be fair to First, they HAVE repaired the old system when it has broken down though at time it has taken a number of weeks.

We've had the same problem with the help points at Taplow particualrly over Xmas.

The problem now is that they go through to National Rail Enquiries who are of course dependant on what data the TOCS/Networkrail supply  so they may not always have the up to date information. Too may links in the chain.

NRE have a system which shows where trains are at any one time, and it works by seeing where trains are when they pass their booked passing points - basically how TRUST works.

Agree that Nationalrail enquiries know where the trains are but if they are cancelled or delayed significantly they have to wait to be told by the TOC what alternatives there might be for the would be passenger other wise they just quote the next timetabled train. Which as Grahame points out for Melksham could mean an overnight wait.

Which means as well as sorting out what it's going to do regarding a cancelled or very late running train the TOC also has to tell Nationalrail enquiries. Also bear in mind they are presumably answering for all ex BR stations and outside enquiries so hundreds of trains at anyone time, some of which may be cancelled or running late. So unless operators have a comprehensive knowledge of the whole of the railway system and know the timetable off by heart they can only quote what information they are given and if the TOC hasn't told them it's the next train.

If it's an FGW train then it's surely up to FGW to get the information to the station.