2024 - Service update and amendment log, Swindon <-> Westbury

[whole diary]

[IndustryInsider]

Today is ... a mess.   Comment to follow on conclusion of service. 

No comment, but questions.  How are we supposed to market and use this service? Do GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) care?

Just thinking about the point of this thread...I quite like the neatness of a RTT^» (Real Time Trains - website) daily summary like the one above...even if the data itself is shocking.

As well as the piecemeal and somewhat random posts from members usually quoting from journeycheck, would it help to have a daily screengrab of what went on that day, with perhaps a weekly or monthly summary?

And a second point, it looks like 100% of services through MKM^» (Melksham (Station code) - next trains) ran over both days of the weekend?

[grahame]

Just thinking about the point of this thread...I quite like the neatness of a RTT^» (Real Time Trains - website) daily summary like the one above...even if the data itself is shocking.

As well as the piecemeal and somewhat random posts from members usually quoting from journeycheck, would it help to have a daily screengrab of what went on that day, with perhaps a weekly or monthly summary?

I had seriously thought about that - however, trains that are cancelled sometimes disappear from Real Time Trains too - the example in the earlier point being a case in point, with 2M30 which should have called at Melksham at 18:00 on its way from Swindon to Melksham (but was cancelled) being absent.

And a second point, it looks like 100% of services through MKM^» (Melksham (Station code) - next trains) ran over both days of the weekend?

Indeed.   I was in the park in Melksham meeting people, several of whom were telling me tales of woe and how they don't use the train at present.  I'll take a concerned effort - one weekend is a start but the 12 weekend record is still 15% cancelled, and 18% over the last 4 weekends.  Get that down to 4% - still twice as bad as what GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) are supposed to achieve - and we will have a sporting chance of marketing it!

[IndustryInsider]

I had seriously thought about that - however, trains that are cancelled sometimes disappear from Real Time Trains too - the example in the earlier point being a case in point, with 2M30 which should have called at Melksham at 18:00 on its way from Swindon to Melksham (but was cancelled) being absent.

Is the accuracy (where I think the 'sometimes' might be better described as 'on rare occasions') helped by clicking on the 'CAN' button, which is unchecked by default?

[bobm]

Since the nadir of the 17th August there have only been three cancellations on the core Swindon-Westbury route.   One on Sunday the 25th August due to crew issues and two last Friday following problems on the Berks & Hants.    Too early to draw any conclusions but a trend in the right direction.

[grahame]

I had seriously thought about that - however, trains that are cancelled sometimes disappear from Real Time Trains too - the example in the earlier point being a case in point, with 2M30 which should have called at Melksham at 18:00 on its way from Swindon to Melksham (but was cancelled) being absent.

Is the accuracy (where I think the 'sometimes' might be better described as 'on rare occasions') helped by clicking on the 'CAN' button, which is unchecked by default?

Don't know whether that would help.   It's happened to me enough times to always do a quick count of the number of service every time I capture an RTT^» (Real Time Trains - website) screen and I would settle for "it doesn't usually happen" as a compromise.

Now that I know to check CAN, I will next time it happens as see - learn something every day.  Spend yesterday evening fighting Apache Mod-rewrite on the we server, and learned the difference between a LAST rule and an END rule.

[grahame]

 I was in the park in Melksham meeting people, several of whom were telling me tales of woe and how they don't use the train at present.  I'll take a concerned effort - one weekend is a start but the 12 weekend record is still 15% cancelled, and 18% over the last 4 weekends.  Get that down to 4% - still twice as bad as what GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) are supposed to achieve - and we will have a sporting chance of marketing it!

Fifteen years ago, Melksham's railway station was little used and lots of cancellations were an irritant to those of us campaigning for improvements.   But these day, it's got 25 times the traffic and is a key part of the economic life of the town.     Which is why the Town Council has written to Great Western Railway expressing concern at the horrendous cancellation rates and their consequences, and explaining the importance the service now has to the town.

[bobm]

Problems on the Berks & Hants today with a failed freight train blocking the Newbury bound line at Reading West.   West of England services being diverted via Melksham but so far being slotted in between the TransWilts services.

[bobm]

Line at Reading West now reopened.

[grahame]

Line at Reading West now reopened.

New incident? :

13:15 Swindon to Westbury due 13:57

13:15 Swindon to Westbury due 13:57 is being delayed at Swindon and is now expected to be 15 minutes late.
This is due to a road vehicle colliding with a bridge earlier today.

[bobm]

Yes it is - a bridge near Keynsham.  Train eventually left 17 minutes late.

[TaplowGreen]

05:11 Gloucester to Southampton Central due 08:07
05:11 Gloucester to Southampton Central due 08:07 will be delayed at Westbury.
This is due to a broken down train.

[grahame]

11:05 Swindon to Westbury due 11:47

11:05 Swindon to Westbury due 11:47 will be started from Chippenham.
It will no longer call at Swindon.
This is due to a fault with the signalling system.

[grahame]

11:05 Swindon to Westbury due 11:47

11:05 Swindon to Westbury due 11:47 will be started from Chippenham.
It will no longer call at Swindon.
This is due to a fault with the signalling system.

It would appear that the Westbury to Swindon train terminated at Chippenham and then it's run back from Chippenham.   According to Real Time Trains it has a "5" head code and didn't call at Melksham or Trowbridge ...

Edit to add ... no sign of stock on Open Train times anywhere I can see for that 11:05 or for a starter from Chippenham. I suppose that same train that returned to Westbury could come up empty as far as Chippenham to start the service though by the time it did/does that it would be late

[grahame]

Fifteen years ago, Melksham's railway station was little used and lots of cancellations were an irritant to those of us campaigning for improvements.   But these day, it's got 25 times the traffic and is a key part of the economic life of the town.     Which is why the Town Council has written to Great Western Railway expressing concern at the horrendous cancellation rates and their consequences, and explaining the importance the service now has to the town.

Sadly, this morning was another example of where just one train goes awry - still sorta-runs but it makes a huge difference.

Trains ran at 08:02 and then 12:35 to Swindon - the biggest flow.   The 10:02 got as far as Chippenham,  where it arrives at 10:18. Nothing onward until 11:04 with an 11:25 arrival into Swindon.

Trains ran at 09:09 and then nothing until 13:43 to Westbury.    An empty train passed through without stopping at 10:50, and the 11:31 (which was supposed to start from Chippenham according to JourneyCheck failed to show up.

Not very good, is it?

[grahame]

17:50 Gloucester to Salisbury due 20:06

17:50 Gloucester to Salisbury due 20:06 will be diverted between Gloucester and Swindon.
It will no longer call at Stonehouse, Stroud and Kemble.
It is being delayed between Gloucester and Swindon and is now expected to be 1 minute late.
This is due to a landslip.