Disruption 10/07/2025

[whole diary]

[Witham Bobby]

Cancellations to services between Portsmouth Harbour and Bristol Temple Meads
Due to more trains than usual needing repairs at the same time between Portsmouth Harbour and Bristol Temple Meads fewer trains are able to run.
Train services running to and from these stations may be cancelled, delayed or revised. Disruption is expected until 18:00 10/07.
Customer Advice
-
What has happened?
-
Several trains have failed on the Portsmouth Harbour to Bristol Temple Meads via Southampton and Salisbury
_
What are we doing about it?
-
Other rail operators are assisting with ticket acceptance and transport is being requested.
_
What are my options?

We are sorry for the delay to your journey today. Below are the current options available to you:

-

Option 1: Use the National Rail Enquiries real-time journey planner to check if a journey by rail is currently possible. If you are at a station please check the Live Departure Boards or speak to a member of our station team.

-

Option 2: Cross Country Trains and SouthWestern Railway are accepting GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) tickets in both directions at no extra cost to you, as follows to help you make your journey:

Cross Country Trains between Southampton Central and Reading in both directions and

SouthWestern Railway between Portsmouth Harbour / Southampton Central and Basingstoke where GWR services to Reading can be used. Change at Reading for Bath Spa, Bristol Temple Meads, Newport and Cardiff Central.

-

Option 3: Replacement transport provided by us such as a buses, coaches or taxis, is being requested, more information to follow.
Customers from Portsmouth stations and Southampton Central please travel to Salisbury and make contact with the station team who will assist you with onwards road transport to Westbury, change there for services to Bristol Temple Meads

Customers from Cardiff Central, Bristol Temple Meads, Bath Spa and Trowbridge, travel to Westbury and make contact with the station team who will assist you with onwards road transport to Salisbury, change there for SWR^» (South Western Railway - about) services to Southampton Central, and then change there for services to Portsmouth Stations.
-

Option 4: Travel at a later time. You might want to consider postponing your journey until our service returns to normal.

-

Let us help you:

-

Don't worry if you're already travelling when disruption happens, we'll get you where you need to go. If you miss the last train of the day due to cancellation or because another train was delayed, we wont leave you stranded.

-

If you require help, further information or would like to provide feedback, to help us improve in the future:

Speak to our staff at the station or on the train.

Use the Customer Help Point on the platform.

Message us on X @GWRHelp, Facebook Messenger @gwruk, Instagram @gwruk or WhatsApp 07890 608043. Our team is available daily between 07:00 and 19:00.

Call our Customer Support team on 03457 000 125, who are available between 06:00 and 23:00.

Call National Rail Enquiries on 03457 484 950, who are available 24 hours a day.

-

Delay Repay:

-

If you arrive at your destination 15 or more minutes late because your GWR train was delayed or cancelled, you can apply for Delay Repay compensation. Please keep your ticket and visit GWR.com/DelayRepay
Last Updated:10/07/2025 15:52

[Timmer]

Looking back over the day on RTT^» (Real Time Trains - website), it looks like the 165/166s didn’t enjoy the heat with some breaking down, whereas the 158s soldiered on like the great DMUs^▸ (Diesel Multiple Unit) that they are.

I had a leisure trip planned for tomorrow that involved going to Kent via Salisbury and Waterloo. I’ve postponed it because I think it could be a very similar picture on the Cardiff-Portsmouth and associated lines again tomorrow if there are poorly 165/166’s out of action due to heat exhaustion.

Had I done the trip today, I’d still be stuck in Salisbury!

[John D]

And it appears disruption continues into Friday

Not a good start, looks like early trains already being cancelled

05:58 Westbury-Cardiff
06:38 Weymouth-Gloucester

Also seems some Weymouth trains are just 2car units today (shame, it is beach weather)

[rogerw]

And it appears disruption continues into Friday

Not a good start, looks like early trains already being cancelled

05:58 Westbury-Cardiff
06:38 Weymouth-Gloucester

Also seems some Weymouth trains are just 2car units today (shame, it is beach weather)

Fortunately not school holidays yet

[Timmer]

I had a leisure trip planned for tomorrow that involved going to Kent via Salisbury and Waterloo. I’ve postponed it because I think it could be a very similar picture on the Cardiff-Portsmouth and associated lines again tomorrow if there are poorly 165/166’s out of action due to heat exhaustion.

I’m glad I postponed my trip. Received a text message to say my connecting train this evening from Salisbury had been cancelled. Not heat related but shortage of train crew related. The last thing I’d have wanted after a long hot day.

[Mark A]

I had a leisure trip planned for tomorrow that involved going to Kent via Salisbury and Waterloo. I’ve postponed it because I think it could be a very similar picture on the Cardiff-Portsmouth and associated lines again tomorrow if there are poorly 165/166’s out of action due to heat exhaustion.

I’m glad I postponed my trip. Received a text message to say my connecting train this evening from Salisbury had been cancelled. Not heat related but shortage of train crew related. The last thing I’d have wanted after a long hot day.

*Sits on hands*

*Fails, hands escape and fly to the keyboard*. The utility and value to passengers and to the industry of that Waterloo-Bristol through service that ceased to run only a few years ago. Class 159, three carriages, well timed departures from Waterloo that didn't impose a peak fares massacre (as well as an easier-to-understand fares structure, and, often, advance fares available). Oh, and comfy seats and, though busy, spare seats every trip plus a trolley service for drinks and a bite.

And... if it has a driver and train manager at Waterloo - which it always did, SWR^» (South Western Railway - about) weren't in the habit of dropping the ball when the train split at Salisbury.

Mark

[Timmer]

*Sits on hands*

*Fails, hands escape and fly to the keyboard*. The utility and value to passengers and to the industry of that Waterloo-Bristol through service that ceased to run only a few years ago. Class 159, three carriages, well timed departures from Waterloo that didn't impose a peak fares massacre (as well as an easier-to-understand fares structure, and, often, advance fares available). Oh, and comfy seats and, though busy, spare seats every trip plus a trolley service for drinks and a bite.

And... if it has a driver and train manager at Waterloo - which it always did, SWR^» (South Western Railway - about) weren't in the habit of dropping the ball when the train split at Salisbury.

Mark

A much missed service Mark for sure. Connecting at Salisbury (the part that GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) is responsible for) always carries a risk that the direct service operated by SWT^▸ (South West Trains)/SWR didn’t have.

[Clan Line]

*Sits on hands*

*Fails, hands escape and fly to the keyboard*. The utility and value to passengers and to the industry of that Waterloo-Bristol through service that ceased to run only a few years ago. Class 159, three carriages, well timed departures from Waterloo that didn't impose a peak fares massacre (as well as an easier-to-understand fares structure, and, often, advance fares available). Oh, and comfy seats and, though busy, spare seats every trip plus a trolley service for drinks and a bite.

Mark

..............you forgot the noisy, but working, air-con !    My daughter travelled from Kent to Warminster today. WAT to SAL - 3 car 159, everything worked, busy but comfortable. SAL to WMN^▸ (Warminster station) (middle of the afternoon !!) - 3 car 166, full and standing, absolutely sweltering .......
At least on Sunday morning she will have a 159 all the way from WMN to Clapham