2023 - Train update and amendment log - Swindon <-> Westbury

[whole diary]

[TaplowGreen]

07:45 Westbury to Swindon due 08:32

07:45 Westbury to Swindon due 08:32 will be starting late from Westbury.
This is due to a fault on this train.

[grahame]

07:45 Westbury to Swindon due 08:32

07:45 Westbury to Swindon due 08:32 will be starting late from Westbury.
This is due to a fault on this train.

12 minutes late from Westbury; 7 late into Swindon, and formed of a 3 car 166.  I suspect a failed unit at Westbury and a replacement sent down from Bristol for the service for the day.  Makes sense ...

[grahame]

Wed, 27 September 07:45 Westbury to Swindon due 08:32

07:45 Westbury to Swindon due 08:32 will be cancelled.
This is due to more trains than usual needing repairs at the same time.

[GBM]

Cancellations to services between Westbury and Swindon
Due to more trains than usual needing repairs at the same time between Westbury and Swindon fewer trains are able to run on the line towards Westbury.
Train services running through these stations may be cancelled. Disruption is expected until 10:00 27/09.
Customer Advice
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Owing to more trains than usual requiring repairs this morning we're unfortunately unable to operate the 07:45 Westbury to Swindon service today. This predominantly affects customers travelling to/from Melksham as there are no other alternatives within an hour for said customers.

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In response we've REQUESTED a road transport contingency as follows:

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x1 8-seat taxi vehicle to start Westbury at 07:45 and call stations to Swindon (departing Westbury at request of station staff). x1 8-seat taxi vehicle to start Melksham at 08:02 checking for customers at the station before departing for Swindon via Chippenham.

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As soon as we have confirmation from our business partner these are running we will advise accordingly through this channel.

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We apologise for any inconvenience caused to your journey with us today.

Oooh, er. A listening GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) after all these years!

[grahame]

In response we've a road transport contingency as follows: (this has been confirmed by our business partner at 0600hrs).

Good.   Looking to see about the return train at 08:45 from Swindon to Westbury.  Providing a timeous alternative and information on that alternative has been one of the areas where we have oft been critical of GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) and this 07:45 from Westbury  is a good example of an instance where they have done better. That said, "more trains than usual needing repairs" is too common, and the question has to be asked - "do they have enough trains / so they take too long to repair trains"

It's unusual on Journey Check for a line update to refer to a single train.  Normally it would be a whole series.  However, after the 07:45 from Westbury to Swindon there isn't another calling passenger train until 09:45.  And in the meantime, there are trains to Bristol at 08:00, 08:16, 08:41, 09:02, 09:14 and 09:40 and one has to ask if one of those could not be cancelled instead of the only Swindon service, or perhaps one of them could run via Chippenham rather than via Bradford-on-Avon.

Also this morning noting

05:11 Gloucester to Southampton Central due 08:07

05:11 Gloucester to Southampton Central due 08:07 will be terminated at Romsey.
It will no longer call at Southampton Central.
It has been previously delayed, has been further delayed at Swindon and is now 35 minutes late.
This is due to a points failure.

[grahame]

Just popped up ...

06:35 Salisbury to Worcester Foregate Street due 09:47

06:35 Salisbury to Worcester Foregate Street due 09:47 will be terminated at Worcester Shrub Hill.
It will no longer call at Worcester Foregate Street.
It has been delayed at Westbury and is now 28 minutes late.
This is due to a points failure.

Last Updated:27/09/2023 08:36

Oh the irony!

30 minutes late at Melksham  (left at 07:51 rather than planned 07:21) so probably picked up a quarter of the passengers for the 08:02 anyway - a few more minutes and there would have been no need for taxis!

Points and train failures ... what a state our network is in ...

[ChrisB]

That said, "more trains than usual needing repairs" is too common, and the question has to be asked - "do they have enough trains / so they take too long to repair trains"

These days, the question needs to be "Has the DfT^» (Department for Transport - about) allowed the TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company) to hire in enough trains / ...etc"

[IndustryInsider]

06:35 Salisbury to Worcester Foregate Street due 09:47

06:35 Salisbury to Worcester Foregate Street due 09:47 will be terminated at Worcester Shrub Hill.
It will no longer call at Worcester Foregate Street.
It has been delayed at Westbury and is now 28 minutes late.
This is due to a points failure.

Last Updated:27/09/2023 08:36

Arrived Shrub Hill at the time it was due to leave for Foregate Street, so would probably have only arrived at its destination a couple of minutes late, and could have returned from there right time rather than sitting at Shrub Hill for ten minutes. 

[Mark A]

The problem with casually running short is that there are certain things (many connecting services) that happen at Worcester Foregate Street that don't happen at Shrub Hill.

(Also me: the excuse 'More trains than usual needing repairs' should, industry-wide, be banned, immediately.)

Mark

[IndustryInsider]

Replaced with “Due to the government’s ongoing efforts to ruin the railway.”?

[grahame]

2

0:06 Westbury to Cheltenham Spa due 22:05

20:06 Westbury to Cheltenham Spa due 22:05 will be started from Swindon.
It will no longer call at Westbury, Trowbridge, Melksham and Chippenham.
This is due to industrial action.

17:50 Gloucester to Salisbury due 20:06

17:50 Gloucester to Salisbury due 20:06 will be terminated at Swindon.
It will no longer call at Chippenham, Melksham, Trowbridge, Westbury, Dilton Marsh, Warminster and Salisbury.
This is due to industrial action.

[grahame]

12:17 Westbury to Swindon due 12:59
13:15 Swindon to Westbury due 13:57

13:15 Swindon to Westbury due 13:57 will be cancelled.
This is due to urgent repairs to the track.

[grahame]

14:19 Westbury to Swindon due 15:01
15:14 Swindon to Westbury due 15:59
16:23 Westbury to Swindon due 17:08

16:23 Westbury to Swindon due 17:08 will be cancelled.
This is due to urgent repairs to the track.

Cancellations to services between Chippenham and Westbury via Melksham

Due to urgent repairs to the track at Trowbridge some lines are blocked. Disruption is expected until 15:00 29/09.

Train services between Chippenham and Westbury via Melksham may be cancelled or delayed.

Customer Advice

We're sorry for the delay to your journey.

A fault with the track which requires repair has been identified in the Trowbridge area. Network Rail have a team on site who are working to fix the problem.

If you are travelling from Melksham station please use the Customer Help Point or contact National Rail Enquiries on 03457 484 950 detailing the total number of passengers in your party and your intended destination.

We will update this message with more information when we have it.

[grahame]

Cancellations to services between Chippenham and Westbury via Melksham

Following urgent repairs to the track at Trowbridge some lines have now reopened. Disruption is expected until 16:00 29/09.

Train services between Chippenham and Westbury via Melksham are returning to normal but some services may still be cancelled or delayed.

[grahame]

07:44 Westbury to Swindon due 08:26
08:45 Swindon to Westbury due 09:26

08:45 Swindon to Westbury due 09:26 will be cancelled.
This is due to industrial action.

 

16:35 Westbury to Swindon due 17:17
17:44 Swindon to Westbury due 18:25

17:44 Swindon to Westbury due 18:25 will be cancelled.
This is due to industrial action.