Great Western Coffee Shop

Been reading about changes from 15th December.   Can you identify the stations from a station by station "summary of how the changes will affect your journey"?

Mxxxxx Xxxxxx   
* the first connection to London Paddington will arrive in London 40 minutes later

Mxxxxxxx   
* the first and last trains to Swindon will be earlier

Mxxxxxxxxx   
* the Sunday service will be improved, to include evening trains all year round
* customers travelling longer distances should be aware that the mainline timetable will change significantly and connecting times will be different. Check connections at Bristol Temple Meads

Mxxxxxxxx   
* train services to and from London will be restructured to deliver a more consistent pattern through the day
* trains between London and Cornwall will run non-stop between Taunton and Reading to help reduce typical journey times by up to 11 minutes
* we will be running more local stopping services and trains will be bigger
* calling patterns at smaller stations in Cornwall will be changing

Mxxxxxxxxx is Montpelier!

Actually, having got that far it wouldn't be too hard to solve the others - but I wouldn't want to spoil anyone else's fun!

Can't be Melksham - the last train to Swindon will be later from December.

Indeed

- last train to Swindon back from 19:47 to 20:22 Monday to Friday
- last train to Swindon back from 18:48 to 18:54 Saturday so it remains stupid early!!
- last train to Swindon back from 19:57 to 20:34 Sunday

- last trains to Westbury back from 20:33 to 21:10 Monday to Friday
- last trains to Westbury back from remains at 21:32 Saturday
- last trains to Westbury back from 20:18 to 21:34 Sunday

... having said which, yes, the text I quoted was GWR's summary of changes for Melksham!

It was reported to them last week.

I was going to say Maiden Newton for the first one, but on checking the updated weekday schedules it appears that the London connection at Castle Cary out of the first train from Weymouth has been reinstated. The London bound train is now showing as sitting at Castle Cary for 7 minutes (allowing a valid connection) and then following the Weymouth train before overtaking it as it trundles through Frome. If this is the case this is a welcome revision.

You would be correct in saying this is the description for Maiden Newton on GWR's web site.  Sounds like it's out of date, though.

Silly question - why not start it at 04:56 rather than 04:51 from Plymouth?

I'm still trying to find ANY changes to services between WSM and BTM, or is it just services heading into London?

The need to change trains for most of the day if you want to go to Bristol Parkway has caused concern, as the local trains now mostly turn back at Filton Abbey Wood. I think there were other issues too - though perhaps not for local journeys made within the Weston-super-mare to Temple Meads stretch

Montpelier, Melksham and Maiden Newton identified.  Above is Menheniot - which does get a 37.5% service improvement on what has been (and remains) a thin service

Today:

07:32 to Exeter
13:13 to Newton Abbot
14:29 to Newton Abbot
16:22 to Plymouth
20:48 to Plymouth

(15:00 ECS to Penzance)
16:26 to Penzance
17:29 to Liskeard
18:45 to Liskeard

Typical January 2020 weekday:

07:11 to Exeter
07:34 to London Paddington
08:11 to Cardiff Central
13:22 to Plymouth
16:46 to Plymouth
20:46 to Exeter

07:39 to Penzance
14:11 to Penzance
16:30 to Penzance
17:29 to Liskeard
19:00 to Penzance

Eastbound up from 5 to 6
Westbound up from 3 to 5