2025 - Service update and amendment log, Swindon <-> Westbury

[whole diary]

[grahame]

"Short" runs this evening too - the 17:50 Gloucester to Salisbury and the 20:06 Westbury to Cheltenham Spa both missing out Melksham.  Makes sense to be reversing TransWilts trains at Bathampton - remembering that 2 out of 3 passengers along the single line on a normal day are going through (not from or too Melksham) and so this is the best solution for them.

Oops - and sadly that's not what they have done with the evening trains after all

17:50 Gloucester to Salisbury due 20:06
17:50 Gloucester to Salisbury due 20:06 will be terminated at Swindon.
It will no longer call at Chippenham, Melksham, Trowbridge, Westbury, Dilton Marsh, Warminster and Salisbury.
This is due to a broken down train earlier today.

20:06 Westbury to Cheltenham Spa due 22:05
20:06 Westbury to Cheltenham Spa due 22:05 will be started from Swindon.
It will no longer call at Westbury, Trowbridge, Melksham and Chippenham.
This is due to a broken down train earlier today.

So "disruption until 20:00" is the operational description.  Anyone who hopes to head from Melksham to Cheltenham Spa (agreed not a huge flow) at 20:25 won't get there until - what - 11 p.m. or later?  [Edit - looked it up - 23:31!]

[TaplowGreen]

I have to ask ... why does it take so LONG to get a failed locomotive out of the way?  Is it part of a more general set of things that seem for whatever reason to take fare longer to sort out when things go wrong?  No backup plans?  No spares/staff around?  Extra Health and safety requirements? Everyone a specialist?

I'd point that question at Hopwood if I were you, after all it's his trains that are being cancelled and his customers inconvenienced.  Given that, I'm sure he's all over those responsible and should be able to address your points.

[grahame]

A summary from yesterday - of 18 calls planned, just 7 happened.



Southbound at 06:32, 20:39 and 23:12
Northbound at 07:21, 08:02, 18:52 and 21:31
Early evening calls at 19:09 and 20:22 were cancelled, even though the line had been re-opened by that time.

[grahame]

Let's record a day when it all worked - Saturday, 3rd May.

Back to a familiar scene this morning

09:26 Chippenham to Westbury due 09:51

09:26 Chippenham to Westbury due 09:51 will be cancelled.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.

20:38 Westbury to Swindon due 21:23
21:34 Swindon to Westbury due 22:16

21:34 Swindon to Westbury due 22:16 will be cancelled.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.

[grahame]

10:38 Weymouth to Swindon due 13:03
13:32 Swindon to Weymouth due 15:46

Facilities on the 13:32 Swindon to Weymouth due 15:46.
Disabled toilet facilities are not available.

[IndustryInsider]

20:38 Westbury to Swindon due 21:23
21:34 Swindon to Westbury due 22:16

21:34 Swindon to Westbury due 22:16 will be cancelled.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.

Reinstated.

[grahame]

20:38 Westbury to Swindon due 21:23
21:34 Swindon to Westbury due 22:16

21:34 Swindon to Westbury due 22:16 will be cancelled.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.

Reinstated.

Thank you.  I wonder, sadly, just how much damage cancellation and re-instatement of services does on a line where waiting for the next service will be a significant change to plans.

[bobm]

It is a question asked many times.  Unfortunately I suspect we will only ever have anecdotal answers.

[grahame]

It is a question asked many times.  Unfortunately I suspect we will only ever have anecdotal answers.

It would require considerable data logging and analysis and work to try to remove other factors from the results.

It is probably a fair assumption that it makes SOME difference, with their being some people who don't book / make other plans when a train is recorded as cancelled.    An on that basis is worth pointing out to the people who cancel and then re-instate services that this practise reduced the number of passengers carried and p***es off quite a number too, and is a practise they should avoid.. If something is bad, it's not necessary to put a number on exactly how bad it is before you fix it!

[TaplowGreen]

20:38 Westbury to Swindon due 21:23
21:34 Swindon to Westbury due 22:16

21:34 Swindon to Westbury due 22:16 will be cancelled.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.

Reinstated.

Thank you.  I wonder, sadly, just how much damage cancellation and re-instatement of services does on a line where waiting for the next service will be a significant change to plans.

I think most people would check to see if the service is running and if it isn't, they will make other plans - realistically, no-one is going to keep checking back on the off chance of a reinstatement.

[matth1j]

The 06:32 service from Melksham to Southampton was uncharacteristically late this morning - departed at 06:38, which meant I just missed the (official) connection with the 06:46 Bristol service at Trowbridge. Don't know what caused the delay to the Melksham train - it left Chippenham on time, and was just described as 'running late'. Not a disaster though - caught the 07:05 Cardiff train.

First time there's been any sort of problem taking this route to Bristol for quite a few weeks. It's so much more reliable than the alternative via Chippenham, and is worth the very early start.

[grahame]

The 06:32 service from Melksham to Southampton was uncharacteristically late this morning - departed at 06:38, which meant I just missed the (official) connection with the 06:46 Bristol service at Trowbridge. Don't know what caused the delay to the Melksham train - it left Chippenham on time, and was just described as 'running late'. Not a disaster though - caught the 07:05 Cardiff train.

First time there's been any sort of problem taking this route to Bristol for quite a few weeks. It's so much more reliable than the alternative via Chippenham, and is worth the very early start.

No obvious reason - it seems to have left Chippenham on time and then been stuck for 5 minutes at Thingley - however that was NOT waiting for something else to clear the single line.

Next train from Trowbridge was only a 19 minute wait ... next train from Chippenham when the unofficial connection fails is a 34 minute wait (it did connect this morning). Because it's official you can claim delay / repay for an 07:28 expected arrival to an 07:48 actual arrival into Bristol whereas you have no claim via Chippenham.  Only negatives about the Trowbridge change are the earlier start and the need to cross the footbridge which if you have heavy luggage or are in a wheelchair is not clever.

Looks like a special train went though Trowbridge while you were waiting?

[matth1j]

Looks like a special train went though Trowbridge while you were waiting?

Yes - there was an announcement that a charter service was due at 0653, and I wondered whether it might be worth leaving the waiting room if it was going to be steam powered. I didn't, and it wasn't - a diesel of some sort, obviously old and 'special', but not a Deltic. It stopped to pick up a lucky few - looked like they were in for a very nice breakfast

[grahame]

Golden Arrow - diesel (47) from Bristol to West London (Hanwell)  then Brittania London to Canterbury. 

[matth1j]

It stopped to pick up a lucky few - looked like they were in for a very nice breakfast

Well it flippin should be for £425
https://saphostrains.com/journey/the-golden-arrow-07-05-2025/

"The day starts as you settle into your seat with a glass of chilled bucks’ fizz..." - before 7am...