South Western Railways Waterloo - Bristol services axed

[whole diary]

[Mark A]

It appears that the undefined list of stakeholders may have been informed that the Waterloo - Bristol Temple Meads service would cease to run in December '21 simply by explicitly drawing their attention to the paragraph on page 27 of the 2022 timetable consultation document. If this is the case I am beyond displeased.

[Mark A]

While the Monday to Friday morning SWR^» (South Western Railway - about) service up to Waterloo from Bristol at 08:50 hasn't run since pre-Covid, it *has* been reinstated on Saturdays only, something that had escaped me.

Having said that, for several of the dates between now and the December timetable change, between Andover and Basingstoke the line's bustituted so the travelling public will have little chance to become accustomed to it.

The Bristol to Waterloo 08:50 *is* running on the 18th of September though, which is convenient.

Next, the fares. No advance tickets listed, but this seems to be a thing from time to time.

Looking at off-peak day returns, we have the following (fares from Bath Spa):

Clapham Junction   £35.00   *Allows onward travel using Oystercard
Waterloo:              £39.30   *Clapham Junction fare plus £4.30.
Wallington:            £33.50   *Fare is via Clapham Junction *not* via Waterloo but even so, discounts the fare to CLJ itself.
New Cross:            £30.65   *Via Waterloo, so, by travelling short, discounts the Waterloo fare by around 20%

OK, wishing advance fares didn't constantly play the dance of the seven veils, but glad I checked this.

[grahame]

Of course, if you're only going as far as Woking you should buy a Clapham Junction ticket and get off short ...

[Mark A]

Of course, if you're only going as far as Woking you should buy a Clapham Junction ticket and get off short ...

Woking comes up as £30.60 though (bizarrely, a saving of £0.05 on New Cross...).

But Chertsey, another destination I need: no day return available, so, via Salisbury, we're dropped into super off-peak return territory at £46.85. Via Reading will beat that on price, at least until such time that the split day return at Didcot vanishes.

More generally, the SWR^» (South Western Railway - about) tweak to their offpeak and super off peak times will presumably impact passenger loadings on their long distance services, including the morning weekday Bristol to Waterloo train should it reappear.

[GWR 158]

I know the Waterloo to Bristol service is being axed, but according to Realtime trains there is still one running. So I'm confused

[grahame]

I know the Waterloo to Bristol service is being axed, but according to Realtime trains there is still one running. So I'm confused

It's running until December ... on days that the lines all the way are open, and there are enough crews and trains available. 

[Mark A]

I know the Waterloo to Bristol service is being axed, but according to Realtime trains there is still one running. So I'm confused

I'm not surprised. It's a service that's run for 20 years + but then since the start of the pandemic has been cancelled, part-reinstated, hammered by staffing issues and engineering works - as an occasional user even I'd not noticed that the Saturday morning train was running again - though from this weekend there's a few weeks of disruption to the Saturday trains coming up.

Something I must check - in the past there was disruption east of Salisbury and a train manager stated that via Southampton was a valid route for Bath Spa - Waterloo via Salisbury tickets, but that surely cannot be the case... or can it?

[PhilWakely]

Something I must check - in the past there was disruption east of Salisbury and a train manager stated that via Southampton was a valid route for Bath Spa - Waterloo via Salisbury tickets, but that surely cannot be the case... or can it?

More often than not, long distance services through Salisbury heading for Waterloo divert via Southampton, so I see no reason why staff shouldn't suggest it.

[Clan Line]

The Bristol to Waterloo 08:50 *is* running on the 18th of September though, which is convenient.

I wouldn't bank on that !  My daughter, who was planning to get the return service to WMN^» (Warminster - next trains) (1220 Ex WAT) has just rung to tell me that the SAL - BRI^» (Bristol Temple Meads - next trains) bit has been cancelled. That gives her yet another 58 min wait at Salisbury !!
Just how on earth do they think they are going to persuade people to use the trains ever again

[PhilWakely]

The Bristol to Waterloo 08:50 *is* running on the 18th of September though, which is convenient.

I wouldn't bank on that !  My daughter, who was planning to get the return service to WMN^» (Warminster - next trains) (1220 Ex WAT) has just rung to tell me that the SAL - BRI^» (Bristol Temple Meads - next trains) bit has been cancelled. That gives her yet another 58 min wait at Salisbury !!
Just how on earth do they think they are going to persuade people to use the trains ever again

Train Cancellations
Sat, 18 September 10:52 Salisbury to Bristol Temple Meads due 12:05
Sat, 18 September 12:48 Bristol Temple Meads to Salisbury due 14:07
Sat, 18 September 13:52 Salisbury to Bristol Temple Meads due 15:05
Sat, 18 September 15:50 Bristol Temple Meads to Salisbury due 17:09

So, as things currently stand, the morning BRI-WAT service IS running.

[Clan Line]

So, as things currently stand, the morning BRI^» (Bristol Temple Meads - next trains)-WAT service IS running.

The seeds of confusion.................! The BRI to WAT may be ..............but as to the return service -  Who knows ....

According to parts of RTT^» (Real Time Trains - website) it is, according to other parts it isn't. According to SWR^» (South Western Railway - about) and National Rail it isn't. As I said, who on earth wants to travel by train if they don't have a clue as to which train is running and which isn't ?

[grahame]

Response from DfT^» (Department for Transport - about) to my FOI^▸ (Freedom of Information) request asking how the decision to axe the Bristol to Waterloo service came about received - I have put a copy into our resource archive ((here)).

[PhilWakely]

So, as things currently stand, the morning BRI^» (Bristol Temple Meads - next trains)-WAT service IS running.

The seeds of confusion.................! The BRI to WAT may be ..............but as to the return service -  Who knows ....

According to parts of RTT^» (Real Time Trains - website) it is, according to other parts it isn't. According to SWR^» (South Western Railway - about) and National Rail it isn't. As I said, who on earth wants to travel by train if they don't have a clue as to which train is running and which isn't ?

The 0850 BRI-WAT IS running

[Mark A]

It certainly is, I'm on it.

After Warminster, 91 passengers travelling, about 15 alighted at Salisbury, one on the advice of the train manager who pointed her in the direction of a coffee before rejoining the train.

 (Someone else came aboard at Bath and asked if this was first class or were they ok to sit down. That probably says something about the IEPs^▸ (Intercity Express Program / Project.) though as the Paddington ones are a bit spartan )

[Mark A]

The day ticket I'm using: the equivalent via Paddington is available but costs 45% more, so as well as the opportunities for travel, the DfT^» (Department for Transport - about) needs to be thinking about the inclusivity the service offers.