Discontinuance of service notice

[whole diary]

[John R]

In the Times today, a notice stating that the service between Westbury East Loop Jn and Hawkeridge Jn is to be discontinued in May. Does that mean the evening service from Paddington to Bristol via the B and H will now run via Westbury or is withdrawn?

[phile]

In the Times today, a notice stating that the service between Westbury East Loop Jn and Hawkeridge Jn is to be discontinued in May. Does that mean the evening service from Paddington to Bristol via the B and H will now run via Westbury or is withdrawn?

Runs to Westbury  & ECS^▸ (Empty Coaching Stock) Bristol according to Real Time Trains.

[Adelante_CCT]

Correct, the 17:06 will run to Westbury instead of Bristol Temple Meads from May

[eightf48544]

Out of interest who issued the notice. Presumably it's not a TUCC or it's successor Official Discontinuance of Passenger Services over the route. Will it still be used as a diversionary route?

[grahame]

This thread popped up on my screen yesterday during the Community Rail Conference ... it wasn't mentioned there at all, though.    Can't frankly say I've ever seen that train (or the early morning one that runs from Bristol via the Berks and Hants with a reversal at Westbury) particularly well loaded.

There have been requests / calls for better services from east Wiltshire (Pewsey, Marlborough, Bedwyn) to the county town of Trowbridge, and to Bath and Bristol.  I suspect they're better met by less erratic services from Bedwyh and Pewsey into Westbury, and consideration of connections there in planning.  And although there is disquiet at the removal of through trains from Westbury to West of Exeter, there are other positives in the proposed changes  on the Berks and Hants which should improve these connectional services, giving a train every 2 hours, with Westbury change, from the Kennet Valley and Vale of Pewsey into the Bristol area.

[John R]

Out of interest who issued the notice. Presumably it's not a TUCC or it's successor Official Discontinuance of Passenger Services over the route. Will it still be used as a diversionary route?

The DfT^» (Department for Transport - about) issued it, under the experimental service provision(so no debate, it's a done deal). It wont preclude the line being used by diverted services (even scheduled ones) in the future.

[TaplowGreen]

Cancellations to services at Melksham
Due to a fault with the signalling system at Melksham all lines are blocked.
Impact
Train services running through this station may be cancelled. Disruption is expected until 11:30 11/03.
Customer Advice
Replacement buses have been requested to run Trowbridge - Melksham - Chippenham.

Customers who are not travelling to or from Melksham itself should travel via Bath Spa on rail services.
Further Information
An update will follow within the next 1 hour.
Last Updated:11/03/2016 09:17

Seem to have a lot of trouble with our infrastructure - perhaps we're the "New Thames Valley"!!

Be careful what you wish for!!! 


Edit by GrahamE - my message posted in error - see below!

[Billhere]

The Thames Valley area is set to change with Westbury Panel coming out of Thames Valley and being reallocated administratively to an area unknown, possibly Bristol.

Always out on its own common sense might say it should go in with the Wessex Zone as two of its boundaries are Salisbury and Basingstoke. There is talk of a long delay in Westbury being closed and moving to Didcot, if it goes there at all.

All very much in the future but I see some re-signalling in the Lincolnshire Wolds has been put off from June of this year till at least 2029. Not relevant to this area I know but all these changes are seemingly subject to continuous revision which is not good for staff morale. Kintbury and Colthrop should have closed five years ago now, it is off now till at least 2024 which is well past my sell by date as I am going to retire again in September.

[grahame]

Cancellations to services at Melksham
Due to a fault with the signalling system at Melksham all lines are blocked.

Be careful what you wish for!!! 

I posted on this (public) board in error and that error has just come to my attention because of your follow up.  We keep a separate log of TransWilts specific incidents / issues in an area accessible only to TransWilts Friends and member, and that's where this message should have gone.   There is absolutely no linkage between the withdrawal of the scheduled service on the Westbury East to North avoiding line and the comments on the TransWilts.