Great Western Coffee Shop

I don’t think that it will come as any surprise to many that tomorrow’s GWR services to and from Pembroke Dock won’t be running tomorrow and I dare say next Saturday as well owing to the overtime ban.

This leaves massive gaps in between services operated by TFW normally filled by GWR services.

That will make it 4 weekends in a row where no GWR London services have been able to be provided during the busiest time of year for West Wales holiday traffic.

Over the years GWR have really struggled to provide services on this line owing to staff shortages, Covid and now industrial action which is a shame.

Thought I’d take a look on RTT to see if TFW are putting on extra coaches to strengthen their services to help mitigate the loss of the GWR services today.

Nope, all single or two car sets.

To be fair, TFW don’t have the spare rolling stock to do that without nicking it off another line’s services.

I suspect they will be fully committed with Wales v England in Cardiff?

Good news, a full GWR service on the Pembroke line today. You can probably count on one hand the number of times that has happened this summer Saturday timetable period.

One of the last chances to travel on a GWR train on this line as there will be no GWR trains operating on this line the following two Saturdays owing to strike action. Last GWR services for the summer finish on the 9th September*

*Subject to industrial action, shortage of train crew or shortage of rolling stock.

Almost ....



But then ... isn't it only supposed to be 5 carriages west of Swasea anyway?  And is the whole thing so unreliable that 5 carriages will cope?

I travelled on one of the early season ones and yes it is only five coaches after Swansea.  However that does make for a rather cosy journey at least as far as Tenby.