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

[whole diary]

[grahame]

16:23 Westbury to Swindon due 17:05
16:23 Westbury to Swindon due 17:05 has been cancelled.
This is due to a fault on this train.

I have a funny (peculiar, not haha) feeling that trains get swapped around and "fault on this train" is reported because an old crock or a train someone was doubtful about was assigned to the service.  The feeling is boosted by the reaction when I made a comment at Westbury about waiting for / catching the Swindon train (I forget the comment exactly) and eyes were rolled in such a way that indicated the staff see it as the flakiest that runs from there.

And now ...

18:37 Westbury to Swindon due 19:21
20:14 Swindon to Westbury due 20:57
21:16 Westbury to Swindon due 21:58
22:31 Swindon to Westbury due 23:12

22:31 Swindon to Westbury due 23:12 will be cancelled.
This is due to a broken down train.

Would someone please fix the bl**dy thing or split a couple of carriages off another train?    You could even split 5 cars off a London to Plymouth evening service now as they get quieter when they get past Westbury.

[grahame]

Would someone please fix the bl**dy thing or split a couple of carriages off another train?    You could even split 5 cars off a London to Plymouth evening service now as they get quieter when they get past Westbury.

I've taken the liberty and had a look in a couple of directions ... not ideal, but here are some multiple units passing through Westbury.  16:08, 17:06 and 18:03 could all drop 2 carriages on their way to Portsmouth.  The first one would get a bit crowded further south, but the latter 2 with 3 and 2 carriages

What heads west - 10 carriages just after 6 p.m. and I'm sure only 5 are needed beyond Westbury. And there's that 9 car that goes out of service at Frome ;-)

[TaplowGreen]

08:44 Swindon to Westbury due 09:25
08:44 Swindon to Westbury due 09:25 is being delayed between Swindon and Chippenham.
This is due to a broken down train.

[grahame]

08:44 Swindon to Westbury due 09:25
08:44 Swindon to Westbury due 09:25 is being delayed between Swindon and Chippenham.
This is due to a broken down train.

20 minutes late into Westbury and no significant connections missed, return train left on time.   This turned out to be a pinprick of a delay compared to yesterday's major rupture when the train broke down which lead to the complete cancellation of six services.

[GBM]

This is NOT the right forum section BUT.
10:45 London Paddington to Weston-Super-Mare due 12:35
10:45 London Paddington to Weston-Super-Mare due 12:35 will be cancelled.
This is due to a broken down train.
11:12 Salisbury to Bristol Temple Meads due 12:31
11:12 Salisbury to Bristol Temple Meads due 12:31 will be cancelled.
This is due to a broken down train.
15:00 Cardiff Central to Penzance due 20:42
15:00 Cardiff Central to Penzance due 20:42 will be cancelled.
This is due to a broken down train.

One unit breaks down and three services cancelled?

[grahame]

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

13:32 Swindon to Weymouth due 15:46 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

13:32 Swindon to Weymouth due 15:46 will be cancelled.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.

Now changed to

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

13:32 Swindon to Weymouth due 15:46 will be reinstated.
It will be started from Westbury.
It will no longer call at Swindon, Chippenham, Melksham and Trowbridge.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.

Still cancelled for my station, then ...

[grahame]

12:17 Westbury to Swindon due 13:32
13:32 Swindon to Westbury due 14:48

An additional bus service has been planned to operate as shown 13:32 Swindon to Westbury due 14:48.

Additional Information

For customers travelling between Swindon and Westbury taxis have been arranged to run from Swindon to Westbury at 13:32 calling Chippenham, Melksham and Trowbridge. For customers at these stations intending to travel beyond Westbury, the taxis will set you down at the station you require between Westbury and Weymouth, please inform the taxi driver. The taxis are from Bath Taxis Limited. Before getting in any taxi vehicle please check with the driver that they are working on behalf of GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway), the driver should not ask for payment.

[grahame]

12:17 Westbury to Swindon due 13:32
13:32 Swindon to Westbury due 14:48

Additional 13:32 Swindon to Westbury due 14:48 will be cancelled.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.

Additional Information

The additional bus will no longer run as the train is now reinstated.

[grahame]

I am getting confused ... and not risking any trains today!

13:32 Swindon to Weymouth due 15:46

13:32 Swindon to Weymouth due 15:46 will be started from Westbury.
It will no longer call at Swindon, Chippenham, Melksham and Trowbridge.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.
Further Information

If you arrive at your destination 15 or more minutes late because your GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) train was delayed or cancelled, you can claim Delay Repay compensation. Please keep your ticket and visit GWR.com/DelayRepay
Last Updated:11/05/2025 10:21

[grahame]

06:35 Salisbury to Worcester Foregate Street due 09:47

06:35 Salisbury to Worcester Foregate Street due 09:47 was terminated at Gloucester.
It will no longer call at Cheltenham Spa, Ashchurch For Tewkesbury, Worcester Shrub Hill and Worcester Foregate Street.
This is due to a fault on this train.

[grahame]

17:50 Gloucester to Salisbury due 20:06

17:50 Gloucester to Salisbury due 20:06 has been delayed between Gloucester and Stonehouse and is now 15 minutes late.
This is due to this train being late from the depot.

[Bob_Blakey]

.....17:50 Gloucester to Salisbury due 20:06 has been delayed between Gloucester and Stonehouse and is now 15 minutes late.
This is due to this train being late from the depot.

I am interested in the reasons why trains are often delayed for, apparently, no obvious reason and in the explanations provided to passengers.

In this particular instance the journey check text should have read '17:50 Gloucester to Salisbury due 20:06 departed Gloucester 8 minutes having returned to Platform 1 from it's waiting point 10 minutes later than scheduled, because the platform was occupied by the late running 2T49 WOF>BRI^» (Bristol Temple Meads - next trains) service until 1748, and has been further delayed on the approach to Stonehouse.'

Too much information obviously but I think the majority of people understand what is meant by the term 'depot' and I doubt the Gloucester Loco Spur qualifies.

And I can't figure out why the service lost another c. 8 mins between Standish Junction and Stonehouse.

[grahame]

Cancellations to services between Swindon and Westbury via Melksham
Due to a points failure at Swindon trains have to run at reduced speed on some lines. Disruption is expected until 13:00 17/05.
Train services between Swindon and Westbury via Melksham may be cancelled.
Customer Advice
Due to a points failure west of Swindon, we have had to cancel our Swindon to Westbury service.

Customers at Westbury can still travel to Trowbridge, but any customers for Swindon are advised to travel to Bristol Temple Meads and change.

We are arranging road transport for customers travelling to and from Melksham and Chippenham.

If boarding at an unstaffed station, please make use of the Help Point for more information.

[grahame]

11:05 Swindon to Westbury due 11:48
12:17 Westbury to Swindon due 13:01

12:17 Westbury to Swindon due 13:01 will be cancelled.
This is due to a points failure.

Can't get the train out of platform 2??

Greetings from the Dutch traveller where I have proof that connections don't always work here.  I have just HAD TO DROP BACK to a train 7 minutes later that I planned.  It's a DIS-GRACE