Swindon - then and now

[whole diary]

[grahame]

I came across a book today in which was printed a photograph, dated 1895, showing the first train to pass Swindon without stopping.  Until that time, all trains had been required to stop there for 10 minutes due to a franchise / concession granted on refreshments.  And the other thing that struck me was from the book was the wide selection of services on offer ... to the extent that I thought I would come up with a list and see where we stood today.

The following services are still running properly (4):

London (Paddington)
Bristol and beyond
Cardiff and South Wales
Gloucester

Vestiges of the following service still run, but not appropriately for the route (1):

Westbury

The following service have been withdrawn, but the tracks remain in place and they could be restored (7):

(The first three VERY easily and the latter ones with investment in rebuilding intermediate stations.   Perhaps use of the new station kits such as the one used in Mitcham?)

Southampton (withdrawn - December 2006)
Oxford (withdrawn - 2003)
Weymouth
Local services to Didcot
Local services via Chippenham
Golden Valley local services
Stopping trains via Badminton

The following service could not be restored without major investment (4):

Services to Highworth
via Cirencester
via Marlborough and Andover
Malmesbury services

So of 16 services listed, only 4 remain running properly ... and, after the celebration of 1895, I think we're now back to "every train stops", aren't we?

[devon_metro]

Dare I mention 2M90 0615 Swindon-Southampton?

[grahame]

Dare I mention 2M90 0615 Swindon-Southampton?

Oh, indeed you dare; there's an argument for adding Southampton into the "vestigial service" and perhaps even combining it with the Wesbury service there.   But there's nothing back from Southampton.   I know the list is woolly - as another example, there's a Bristol to Swindon service that runs, as I recall, just after the morning peak using a "West fleet" train which could be considered to be the last local train via Bath and Chippenham.

[G.Uard]

Dare I mention 2M90 0615 Swindon-Southampton?

Oh, indeed you dare; there's an argument for adding Southampton into the "vestigial service" and perhaps even combining it with the Wesbury service there.   But there's nothing back from Southampton.   I know the list is woolly - as another example, there's a Bristol to Swindon service that runs, as I recall, just after the morning peak using a "West fleet" train which could be considered to be the last local train via Bath and Chippenham.

Both of these are Gloucester turns. 2M90 starts from GCR^» (Gloucester - next trains) at 05:19 and the 'local' to Swindon is in effect, an extension of the 07:11 from GCR to BRI^» (Bristol Temple Meads - next trains) (BTM^▸ (Bristol Temple Meads (strictly, it should be BRI) but BTM is a commonly used alternative))). GCR guards sign BRI to SWI^» (Swindon - next trains) via Box for this service, but also in case it is needed as a diversionary route.