Weymouth - Westbury cancellations, 14 and 15 June 2025

[whole diary]

[Timmer]

No up services from Weymouth to Westbury before the 11.30 service with the 06.38, 07.33 and 09.30 all cancelled.

In the down direction the 06.50 and 08.50* Westbury to Weymouth services are cancelled.

*06.55 Cheltenham Spa to Weymouth will be terminated at Westbury.

[Timmer]

UPDATE The 11.30 Weymouth to Gloucester will now start from Westbury so no trains in the up direction until 13.30. Not good.

There will be be a replacement bus for the 09.30 service:

09:30 Weymouth to Gloucester due 12:56

09:30 Weymouth to Gloucester due 12:56 will be started from Westbury.

It will no longer call at Weymouth, Upwey, Dorchester West, Maiden Newton, Chetnole, Yetminster, Thornford, Yeovil Pen Mill, Castle Cary, Bruton and Frome.

This is due to a shortage of train crew.

Further Information
We're sorry for the disruption to your journey.

A coach operated by South Dorset Coaches has been arranged leaving Weymouth at 09:30 calling at Dorchester West (09:48), Yeovil Pen Mill (10:26), Castle Cary (10:49), Frome (11:21) and Westbury (11:36 arrival).
For other stations, there is a taxi operated by Bath Taxis leaving Weymouth at 09:30 calling at Upwey (09:40), Dorchester West (09:51), Maiden Newton (10:08), Chetnole (10:20), Yetminster (10:27), Thornford (10:30), Yeovil Pen Mill (10:38), Castle Cary (11:01), Bruton (11:13), Frome (11:37) and Westbury (11:52 arrival).

[Timmer]

It looks like the 07.33 did start from Weymouth but not showing on RTT^» (Real Time Trains - website).

[bradshaw]

Now showing on RTT^» (Real Time Trains - website)

[Timmer]

From GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway):

Alterations to services between Weymouth and Westbury
Due to a shortage of train crew between Weymouth and Westbury:
Train services running to and from these stations may be revised. Disruption is expected until 12:00 14/06.
Customer Advice
Owing to a shortage of train crew we are unable to operate the full advertised timetable of train services between Weymouth and Westbury this morning.

A limited combination of coaches and MPV's will operate over this section of line but kindly note owing to the local road layout the larger vehicles are unable to serve many of the stations which will be served by the MPV's instead. Any customers at Weymouth who had intended to travel to Westbury or beyond on the 09:30 and 11:30 departures may use their tickets to travel on South Western Railway services to Southampton Central and change there for GWR services to Westbury and Bristol.

[GBM]

It must be getting to the situation whereby it would be cheaper for GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) to have their own fleet of minibus(s) and deckers dotted around the network.
As they used to have x years ago..

Whilst they might be able to call on Transport Solutions, availability of staff and vehicles is sketchy these days.

[Timmer]

Updated the subject title to reflect another bad day on the Heart of Wessex Line:

08.01 Weymouth - Bristol Parkway Cancelled
11.32 Swindon - Weymouth Cancelled
13.32 Swindon - Weymouth Cancelled
16.05 Weymouth - Bristol Temple Meads Part cancelled*
*starts at Westbury

Only four trains you may say, but on Sundays, where the service is a lot less frequent, that leaves some big gaps in the timetable.

Like yesterday, is this because of only Westbury crew signing Weymouth now?

[Chris from Nailsea]

With thanks to my colleague Timmer for his update posts, I have now further expanded the heading of this whole topic, to draw attention to this very frustrating situation.

Today being Fathers Day, when some families would like to have been able to have a day out in Weymouth, just for example?

CfN. 

[grahame]

Today being Fathers Day, when some families would like to have been able to have a day out in Weymouth, just for example?

Could it be that some GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) drivers / train manager are fathers too and we have a case of "More fathers than usual being required at home at the same time"

[TaplowGreen]

Today being Fathers Day, when some families would like to have been able to have a day out in Weymouth, just for example?

Could it be that some GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) drivers / train manager are fathers too and we have a case of "More fathers than usual being required at home at the same time"

I'm sure virtually every Father working today feels the same.

The fact that the date has been in the calendar for some time however seems to have enabled other businesses who can operate basic workforce planning to sustain their service.

[Timmer]

The 13.32 Swindon to Weymouth has been reinstated from Westbury to Weymouth so one cheer rather than two that someone has been found to provide cover for part of the journey.

[John D]

Period 02 performance has now been published by GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway)
covers 27 April - 24 May (so includes dates of this thread)

Its South Coast (sub route 13) cancellations were hefty 7.31%

Punctuality wasn't great either, just 62.27% on time, and a lowly 96.25% within 15 minutes of time (or 3.75% more than 15 mins late)

https://www.gwr.com/-/media/gwr-sc-website/files/about-gwr/what-you-can-expect/our-performance/GWR-Periodic-Web-Report-P2602.pdf