Saturday HST to Weymouth

[whole diary]

[sprinterguard]

Yes, the buffet is open and crewed in each direction.

[Timmer]

Worked by 150921 yesterday due shortage of HSS^▸ (High Speed Services) drivers,   Don't know what loadings were like.

150921 3-Car?

[phile]

Yes.

[Timmer]

Well I guess that would have probably done the job on this occasion as the weather wasn't overly scorchio on Saturday. Might have been a bit cosy on board after Yeovil and a bit of disappointment when a 150 instead of an HST^▸ (High Speed Train) came around the corner.

[thetrout]

Yes, the buffet is open and crewed in each direction.

Thanks

[The Grecian]

Interesting to see the 'Weymouth Wizard' is back this summer - clearly it was felt the HST^▸ (High Speed Train) was sufficiently successful to run it again.

https://www.firstgreatwestern.co.uk/-/media/pdf/ticketsandtraintimes/traintimes/may%202015%20tt/gw1505c03web47243800.pdf?la=en

Be interesting to see whether during the Bathampton blockade in August the HST runs from Westbury or is replaced with 1 or more 15xs. Based on observation the biggest flows to Weymouth are from Trowbridge, Westbury, Frome and Yeovil (and the alcohol ban on the 2021 return seems to be for the 'benefit' of the denizens of the first and last named towns!), so the blockade may have some impact.

Disappointing to see it's still timed for 40mph between Yeovil and Dorchester (when I travelled on it last year the info screens confirmed it didn't exceed this speed). I hoped when the line was closed at the weekends earlier in the year it would allow the HSTs to travel at the maximum linespeed (varying from 45-75). It could conceivably knock 10-15 minutes off each journey. The speed boards don't indicate differential limits anyway other than a very short stretch south of Maiden Newton, but it seems the HSTs are limited to 40mph anyway.

[Southernman]

Understand this HST^▸ (High Speed Train) will start from Bristol and run to Weymouth via Swindon. Remainder of service runs Westbury to Weymouth only.

[InTheSidings]

I was planning to use the HST^▸ (High Speed Train) service for a day trip to Weymouth tomorrow (Saturday 27 June).

Casually checking the times on the RTT^» (Real Time Trains - website) site, I noticed the service for tomorrow is shown as being a Class 158.

I've further checked with FGW^▸ (First Great Western) Customer Services who indicated HST resources would be reallocated to Glastonbury traffic for this weekend, with the HST service returning the following Saturday (4 July).

So possibly of interest to anyone thinking of travelling, although I cannot guarantee the accuracy of this information, it appears no HST from BTM^▸ (Bristol Temple Meads (strictly, it should be BRI)) to Weymouth and return tomorrow with the service operated instead by a Class 158.   

[Louis94]

I've further checked with FGW^▸ (First Great Western) Customer Services who indicated HST^▸ (High Speed Train) resources would be reallocated to Glastonbury traffic for this weekend, with the HST service returning the following Saturday (4 July).

Everyone keeps mentioning Glastonbury, but there isn't actually any extra services on the Saturday, leading to my opinion of the reason for the HST being taken off the Weymouth service being because of the closure between Cardiff and Newport - limiting the amount of HSTs that can come in from Landore depot in Swansea.

[InTheSidings]

Possibly you're right. I'm in no position to say - rather, I was merely repeating what FGW^▸ (First Great Western) CS told me when I enquired earlier today.

This wasn't really the point of my original post in any case. 

[grahame]

I hope I'm excused for adding a further flippant comment on a Friday afternoon ...

One of the issues at the weekend with leisure loadings to the seaside is that they vary a very great deal based on the weather - sunny day and the trains are packed - wet day and a 2 or 3 car train will do where an 8 car was needed the weekend before.

You can never be sure of the weather .. except ... it ALWAYS rains on Glastonbury weekend, and on that basis a 158's all that's needed ;-)

Welcome to the forum, InTheSidings!

[Timmer]

Weather looks great for a day at the seaside tomorrow.

[InTheSidings]

Having binned a previous trip to Weymouth on 27 June, when the HST^▸ (High Speed Train) didn't run, I was planning to travel on Saturday 11 July, but I'm wondering whether this service would run on this particular day as an HST, or even at all, owing to ongoing FGW^▸ (First Great Western) industrial action.

I understand the core period of action will have passed by then, but noting there's an overtime ban on the Saturday, I'm wondering whether this would be an "overtime" roster for HST drivers away from their normal mainline rosters, hence my thinking.

Grateful for any thoughts / knowledge please.  Appreciate it might be just a case of "wait and see". 

[Timmer]

I think it will be case of wait and see but a strong chance it will be one of the trains that gets cancelled this weekend. Availability of a driver shouldn't be a problem, it's availability of a guard due to overtime and the set used not being in the right place due to diagram changes Thursday and Friday.

Could be wrong and it runs as normal.

[thetrout]