South Western Railways Waterloo - Bristol services axed

[whole diary]

[anthony215]

April 2026, and the through service Bradford** and Trowbridge to Waterloo gets a mention as it's a renewed aspiration. [Edit: the strapline beneath the photo isn't particularly useful]

Mark

https://www.wiltshiretimes.co.uk/news/26048069.boost-plans-build-three-wiltshire-railway-stations/

** That's Bradford-on-Avon, not Bradford, Yorkshire of course. Next, someone will propose the introduction of a train service between Waterloo and Manchester, which would be silly.***

*** Not silly, as that service, the butt of jokes from newspaper hacks, provided a whole shopping-basket-full of interregional travel opportunities that grew railway business and in the case of Bristol to Hereford, loaded embarrassingly well.

It was well used especially as it offered a cheaper alternative to crosscountry via new street.
The south wales to Waterloo service were also very well used. I used to catch the 2015 Pembroke Dock to london Waterloo service a few times and it was busy even though it arrived into Waterloo at 0415. Certainly a good idea for a open acess service.

[Mark A]

I used to catch the 2015 Pembroke Dock to london Waterloo service a few times and it was busy even though it arrived into Waterloo at 0415. Certainly a good idea for a open acess service.

Anecdote not data: it was yonks ago, but if it was an outbound one of these that passed through Bath Spa one late evening, I recall the sight of seats being around 70% occupied. Also, it's another era, but that Leeds overnight service using a long train of ancient compartment stock was very full indeed from Kings Cross and that was at the time when there may have been a sleeper too.

Mark

[Mark A]

A few weeks ago, seen from a passing train, a SWR^» (South Western Railway - about) 2 carriage 159 set tucked away in the depot east of Bristol Temple Meads. The first time I've seen one anywhere in Bristol since *inserts obvious era*.

Mark

[Clan Line]

Don't get too excited Mark !  I seem to recollect some years back that GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) were using a SWT^▸ (South West Trains) set of rolling stock for some time when they were short of trains.  A repeat, perhaps ?

[brooklea]

A few weeks ago, seen from a passing train, a SWR^» (South Western Railway - about) 2 carriage 159 set tucked away in the depot east of Bristol Temple Meads. The first time I've seen one anywhere in Bristol since *inserts obvious era*.

Mark

Some of East Midlands Railway’s Class 158s are being refurbished at Bristol Barton Hill depot. I strongly suspect that it was one of these that you saw (East Midlands Trains having a very similar livery to South West Trains, thanks to their common former franchise parent company, Stagecoach).

[CyclingSid]

On Saturday I was at Bosham station when a train went down the other track (towards Chichester). I "belatedly" noticed it was in GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) livery with a Southern logo in the side. Gone before I could fully take it in.

[Surrey 455]

On Saturday I was at Bosham station when a train went down the other track (towards Chichester). I "belatedly" noticed it was in GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) livery with a Southern logo in the side. Gone before I could fully take it in.

I've seen a few of these 387s on the Brighton mainline and on one occasion three 387s coupled up, all with different liveries but all with Southern logos

[rogerw]

Sub-leasing stock from other TOCs^▸ (Train Operating Company)