Local train cancelled - secondary main line fills in.

[whole diary]

[grahame]

17:11 Westbury to Warminster due 17:22

This train will be cancelled.
This is due to a train fault. Message Received :02/09/2013 16:41

Scheduled    Expected   Destination
17:11   Not Stopping    Westbury
17:13   Not Stopping    Dilton Marsh
17:22   Not Stopping    Warminster

Oh dear 

but

15:30 Cardiff Central to Portsmouth Harbour due 19:00
This train will call additionally at Dilton Marsh.
This is due to an earlier train fault.

[snip]
16:53   16:53    Trowbridge
17:01   17:01    Westbury
17:02    Dilton Marsh
17:09   17:09    Warminster
17:32   17:32    Salisbury
[snip

Seems sensible ... and indeed I still can't help wondering if the Westbury - Salisbury - beyond sections still look a bit kludged in order to meet the various SLC^▸ (Service Level Commitment, or possibly SLC Rail (a consultancy firm), depending on context) specs and later changes south of Salisbury.  But that's something which really can't be sorted out without a significant and wide reaching timetable review which could have come with a new franchise, but can't come with the three year management contract.

[bobm]

I agree, except in this case the additional call is being made by an earlier train.  Not much use if you got to Westbury at 5 past 5 hoping to catch the 17:11.

[grahame]

I agree, except in this case the additional call is being made by an earlier train.  Not much use if you got to Westbury at 5 past 5 hoping to catch the 17:11.

In the immediacy of the one day, I agree.   Although I've seen the train and the likely passenger(s) would be from connections already in - in particular from the train into which the extra stop has put.   I also noted



Which basically shows a one minute loss over the Westbury - Salisbury section.  Not bad with an extra stop and may seem good value compared to running a second train.  On a scheduled / regular basis this would also give a practical Dilton Marsh to Salisbury journey for an evening out.