There is a depot at Worcester as a-driver says, but as it has nothing to do with the operation of West services I didn't include it on my list. Apologies if this caused any confusion.

The last signing on point to be located in Swindon closed in the late 1990's. It was located under the Signal Point tower block and was laterly operated by English, Welsh & Scottish Railway (EWS^▸ (English Welsh & Scottish Railway Ltd, now known as DB Schenker Rail (UK^▸ (United Kingdom))), now DB^» (Deutsche Bahn - German State Railway - about) Cargo) as it became a freight depot following sectorisation. With a reduction in local freight traffic and with Didcot and Westbury freight driver depots nearby, it was surplus to requirements. One of the Swindon jobs used to be the infamous 'Avon Binliner'.

I am not sure about the other sectors but this is the current set up on the West sector.

West units are maintained at St Philips Marsh with an outbase at Exeter St Davids, although the construction of the new depot at Exeter will allow them to undertake work that currently requires units to be sent to Bristol. As well as maintenance, routine servicing and fuelling are undertaken at these locations

Plymouth Laira and Penzance Long Rock depots provide fuelling and minor fuel point repairs to West units.

Cardiff Canton (Arriva Trains Wales) and Fratton (South Western Railway) are used to fuel a number of west units each evening for the first few services.

Other locations that stable units will be cleaning and toilet tank replenishment only, such as Bristol Temple Meads, Gloucester, Weymouth and Westbury.

Other locations can be used for the overnight stabling of units, for example during engineering works. Taunton, Salisbury, Southampton and Eastleigh have all been used in recent times, with crews being booked taxis to and from signing on points.

West crew signing on points are found at Penzance, Par, Exeter, Bristol, Gloucester, Fratton and Westbury, with a conductors only depot at Weymouth (technically a sub depot of Westbury). The HSS^▸ (High Speed Services) depots at Penzance, Plymouth and Exeter work West services (both drivers and train managers). At Bristol, currently only the train managers work West Services. Cardiff (train managers only, no drivers based there) also work West Services.

ATW^▸ (Arriva Trains Wales (former TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company))) drivers are still used to work some services between Cardiff and Bristol.

Fratton and Westbury depots seem to be a problem every Sunday for guards. It is now a vicious circle with staff not wanting to opt in for an extra Sunday because they know there will be problems and alterations, which in turn are caused by a shortage of staff to start with.

I am a long time lurker but first time contributor!


It seemed a bit odd having a service that 'turned round' at Melksham. I am not sure that the signalling permits it. The Melksham single line is operated by Track Circuit Block, but the section in the middle is supplemented with axle counters. At the southern end the axle counter is located at Staverton near to the River Avon bridge, and at the northern end near to Catridge Farm between Beanacre and Lacock. This is to allow lengthy trains to reverse immediately behind the signals at either end of the single line without fouling the axle counters. With Melksham being in the middle of the axle counter section, it is my understanding that the train would have to pass both sets of counters to confirm that the train is complete and allow the signalling to function correctly, although I am happy to be corrected. Running the train through to Chippenham overcomes this and at the same time provides a much more useful service.