Two on HOWL? How many diagrams does HOWL see then, given a 150 off Pembroke Dock was mentioned above as going onto HOWL the next morning?

The guard however announced one extra coach rather than two, was this because a class 150 doesn't have full-length coaches or is the 15:30 now booked for a 175/1?

Thanks. So the 153s should be 2 on Coryton, 1 Cardiff Bay, 1 Crewe Local and 2 HOW. That leaves 2 spare - 1 for maintenance? and possibly 1 for use on Ebbw Vale services?  its seems half of the 153 fleet will now be based in the Cardiff area!

Dear All,
 
On Wednesday the passenger group, and other interested parties, met with the DfT and ARUP (the consultants appointed by the DfT to investigate bringing electrification beyond Newbury). The purpose of the meeting was for ARUP to present their draft report.
 
ARUP (rail consultants) were appointed to look into the Benefits Cost Ratio (BCR) of four options. For an option to be feasible the BCR has to be greater than 2.0. This relates to getting double the cost of investment back over a period of 60 years.
 
Option 1:           Continue electrification beyond Newbury to Bedwyn
                        BCR 2.58
 
Option 2:           Continue electrification beyond Newbury to Westbury
                        BCR 0.31
 
Option 3:           Continue electrification beyond Newbury to Westbury and the Mendip Quarries
                        BCR 0.23
 
Option 4:           Continue electrification beyond Newbury to Westbury and onto Batheaston Junction
                        BCR 0.21
 
 
Option 2 is surprisingly low and it turns out that the DfT instructed ARUP to do the Westbury study on a comparison with the existing timetable (i.e. Westbury and Pewsey retaining stops on the long-haul diesel trains – currently the HST rolling stock). This is in contrast to option 1 which was made on the comparison of the results of electrifying only to Newbury (i.e. Bedwyn, Hungerford and Kintbury being on a diesel shuttle service to Newbury).
 
In conclusion the likely scenario is that Pewsey and Westbury will stay as they are (i.e. direct diesel Reading/Paddington services) and Kintbury, Hungerford and Bedwyn will be electrified. The timing is a worry as currently there is no spare money for electrifying to Bedwyn. Thus electrification to Bedwyn might not happen until the next period (2019 to 2024). This gives cause for concern in how Kintbury, Hungerford and Bedwyn will be served between 2016 (when electrification comes to Newbury) and 2019 (or later). I understand that Claire Perry and Richard Benyon will be raising this.
 
From the Bedwyn Trains Passenger Group’s point of view our campaign has always been to maintain our direct services to Reading and London Paddington. Our campaign was always based on using diesel stock to form an hourly Paddington to Westbury service calling at Reading, Theale, Thatcham, Newbury, Kintbury, Hungerford, Bedwyn, Pewsey and Westbury. We never wanted to be the ones that were seen to bring overhead gantries and replacement rail bridges through an AONB. However, electrification now appears to be the only deal on the table to save our through services.
 
In terms of the parking issue at Bedwyn what is being proposed will not alter the frequency of trains (and calling patterns) of the current situation. Therefore we don’t envisage an increase in the Bedwyn parking issue as a result of electrification.
 
Best wishes
 
Steve Smith
Bedwyn Trains Passenger Group
 

Line problem: between Swindon and Didcot Parkway.
Following a person hit by a train between Swindon and Didcot Parkway all lines have now reopened.
Train services running through these stations are returning to normal. Normal services will be provided as soon as possible.
Following a person hit by a train in the South Marston area lines have reopened however there will now be residual delays until end of service.
Cross Country services are conveying passengers via any reasonable route until further notice. Arrangements have been made for First Great Western rail tickets to be accepted for these journeys.
Arrangements previously made with Virgin Trains to convey passengers have now been withdrawn.
Message Received: 24/05/2013 19:59

Train Cancellation
20:48 Cheltenham Spa to Bristol Temple Meads due 22:11
This train will be cancelled. This is due to an obstruction on the line.
Message Received: 24/05/2013 16:55

Other Train Service Updates
16:28 Swansea to London Paddington due 19:33
This train has been delayed at Swindon and is now 85 minutes late. This is due to a person hit by a train earlier.
Message Received: 24/05/2013 19:57

17:10 Weston-Super-Mare to London Paddington due 19:16
This train will be delayed at Reading and is expected to be 56 minutes late. This train will be diverted between Swindon and Reading. This train will no longer call at Didcot Parkway. This is due to a person hit by a train.
Message Received: 24/05/2013 18:44

17:28 Worcester Foregate Street to London Paddington due 20:06
This train will call additionally at Didcot Parkway. This is due to a person hit by a train.
Message Received: 24/05/2013 18:47

17:28 Swansea to London Paddington due 20:37
This train will be diverted from Bristol Parkway. This train will be terminated at Bristol Temple Meads. This train will call additionally at Bristol Temple Meads. This train will no longer call at Swindon, Didcot Parkway, Reading and London Paddington. This is due to a person hit by a train.
Message Received: 24/05/2013 19:14

17:30 London Paddington to Taunton due 20:23
This train will be delayed at Bath Spa and is expected to be 6 minutes late. This train will be diverted between Reading and Bath Spa. This train will no longer call at Didcot Parkway, Swindon and Chippenham. This is due to a person hit by a train.
Message Received: 24/05/2013 18:38

17:39 Cheltenham Spa to Southampton Central due 20:48
This train will be delayed at Gloucester. This train has started from Gloucester, terminated at Swindon and restarted from Westbury. This train will no longer call at Cheltenham Spa, Chippenham, Melksham and Trowbridge. This is due to an obstruction on the line.
Message Received: 24/05/2013 18:50

17:45 London Paddington to Swansea due 20:47
This train has been delayed at Reading and is now 25 minutes late. This is due to a person hit by a train.
Message Received: 24/05/2013 19:35

17:50 London Paddington to Worcester Shrub Hill due 20:05
This train has been delayed and is now 37 minutes late from Oxford. This train will be diverted from Worcester Shrub Hill. This train will be terminated at Worcester Foregate Street. This train will call additionally at Didcot Parkway and Worcester Foregate Street. This is due to a person hit by a train.
Message Received: 24/05/2013 19:43

17:55 Cardiff Central to London Paddington due 19:54
This train is being delayed at Swindon and is now expected to be 60 minutes late. This is due to a person hit by a train earlier.
Message Received: 24/05/2013 19:58

18:00 London Paddington to Bristol Temple Meads due 19:43
This train has been delayed at Reading and is now 73 minutes late. This is due to a person hit by a train.
Message Received: 24/05/2013

19:43 18:15 London Paddington to Swansea due 21:19
This train has been delayed from London Paddington and is now 73 minutes late. This is due to a person hit by a train.
Message Received: 24/05/2013 19:31

18:22 London Paddington to Hereford due 21:34
This train will call additionally at Didcot Parkway. This is due to a person hit by a train.
Message Received: 24/05/2013 19:08

18:30 London Paddington to Weston-Super-Mare due 20:53
This train will be delayed at Bath Spa and is expected to be 6 minutes late. This train will be diverted between Reading and Bath Spa. This train will no longer call at Didcot Parkway, Swindon and Chippenham. This is due to a person hit by a train.
Message Received: 24/05/2013 19:13

18:45 London Paddington to Swansea due 21:49
This train has been delayed from London Paddington and is now 46 minutes late. This is due to a person hit by a train.
Message Received: 24/05/2013 19:33

19:12 Reading to Newbury due 19:44
This train has been delayed at Reading West and is now 21 minutes late. This is due to a person hit by a train.
Message Received: 24/05/2013 19:36

19:12 London Paddington to Swansea due 22:21
This train has been delayed from London Paddington and is now 24 minutes late. This is due to a person hit by a train.
Message Received: 24/05/2013 19:39

20:01 Cheltenham Spa to Swindon due 21:03
This train will be started from Gloucester. This train will no longer call at Cheltenham Spa. This is due to an obstruction on the line earlier.
Message Received: 24/05/2013 19:35

21:15 Great Malvern to Bristol Temple Meads due 23:19
This train will call additionally at Cam & Dursley and Yate. This is due to an obstruction on the line earlier.
Message Received: 24/05/2013 20:04

Biker dies and M4 eastbound closed on second Severn Crossing


Five lanes of the crossing over the Severn were shut to deal with the fatal crash

A motorcyclist has died in a crash on the second Severn Crossing, which has closed the M4 eastbound.

The man was declared dead at the scene following the alert at around 17:50 BST on Friday, said Gwent Police.

The eastbound crossing is closed at junction 23 for the M48 but the two westbound lanes of the bridge have now reopened.

Traffic was reported to be tailing back to the Coldra roundabout. It was being diverted along the old Severn Bridge.

However, the alternative M48 route is restricted to one lane due to high winds.

Two westbound lanes were shut so that emergency services could reach the scene. There was stop-start traffic into south Wales reported for 12 miles.

The eastbound carriageways remains closed for accident investigation work.

First Great Western train driver shaken as window smashed

A train driver has been left shaken after a First Great Western train was hit with a block of wood on the Paddington to Cardiff line in Oxfordshire.

British Transport Police said the block was thrown from a bridge near Lower Basildon.

It smashed the window and lodged in the cab door. Passengers left the train at Didcot Parkway.

Officers said the incident could have had "catastrophic consequences."