Swindon <-> Westbury service updates and amendments, ongoing discussion - 2026

[whole diary]

[grahame]

17:50 Gloucester to Salisbury due 20:06

17:50 Gloucester to Salisbury due 20:06 will be starting late from Gloucester and is expected to be 10 minutes late.
This is due to train crew being delayed.

[grahame]

20:06 Westbury to Cheltenham Spa due 22:06

20:06 Westbury to Cheltenham Spa due 22:06 is being delayed at Swindon.
This is due to congestion.

[grahame]

05:11 Gloucester to Southampton Central due 08:10

05:11 Gloucester to Southampton Central due 08:10 has been delayed at Gloucester and is now 12 minutes late.
This is due to earlier engineering works not being finished on time.

[grahame]

05:11 Gloucester to Southampton Central due 08:10

05:11 Gloucester to Southampton Central due 08:10 has been delayed at Gloucester and is now 12 minutes late.
This is due to earlier engineering works not being finished on time.

Time made up along the way - the connection at Trowbridge into Bristol was made, as was the connection into the Weymouth train at Westbury. Good.

[grahame]

16:23 Westbury to Swindon due 17:06

16:23 Westbury to Swindon due 17:06 is being delayed at Westbury.
This is due to a late running train being in front of this one.

[bobm]

Ironically it left just as the above was being posted - some 20 minutes late.

With the new later return time of 17:45, it set back from Swindon on time. 

[grahame]

Ironically it left just as the above was being posted - some 20 minutes late.

With the new later return time of 17:45, it set back from Swindon on time. 

20 minutes later all the way up.  Ironically, if it was timetabled to run at the time it actually ran today, it would provide a more useful return service for commuters from Westbury and Trowbridge via Melksham to Chippenham and Swindon.   How much extra traffic it would generate, I don't know - there's no equal and opposite train in the morning - a gap from 06:29 to 09:09 at Melksham.

[grahame]

20:12 Swindon to Westbury due 20:56

20:12 Swindon to Westbury due 20:56 will be cancelled.
This is due to a fault with the signalling system.

[TaplowGreen]

20:12 Swindon to Westbury due 20:56

20:12 Swindon to Westbury due 20:56 will be cancelled.
This is due to a fault with the signalling system.

20:06 Westbury to Cheltenham Spa due 22:06
20:06 Westbury to Cheltenham Spa due 22:06 will be started from Swindon.
It will no longer call at Westbury, Trowbridge, Melksham and Chippenham.
This is due to a fault with the signalling system.

21:16 Westbury to Swindon due 21:58
21:16 Westbury to Swindon due 21:58 will be cancelled.
This is due to a fault with the signalling system.

22:31 Swindon to Westbury due 23:12
22:31 Swindon to Westbury due 23:12 will be cancelled.
This is due to a fault with the signalling system.

[grahame]

10:38 Weymouth to Swindon due 12:57

10:38 Weymouth to Swindon due 12:57 will be terminated at Westbury.
It will no longer call at Trowbridge, Melksham, Chippenham and Swindon.
This is due to a fault on a train.

13:32 Swindon to Weymouth due 15:45

13:32 Swindon to Weymouth due 15:45 will be started from Westbury.
It will no longer call at Swindon, Chippenham, Melksham and Trowbridge.
This is due to a fault on a train.

[grahame]

Noting it says "due to a fault on A train" not "this train".

Further Information

If you require further information please speak to our staff at the station or on the train, use the Customer Help Point, message us on X @GWRHelp or call National Rail Enquiries on 03457 484 950.

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:30/08/2026 11:32

And no options suggested as to how to make the journey!

It's Sunday so the x34 WILL call at Chippenham Station, but won't as far as Trowbridge Station, terminating behind Sainsburys instead.  Passenger who would have gone THROUGH Melksham can change at Bath Spa at no extra cost; issues on the train towards Weymouth that they might get to Westbury after it has left.

[bobm]

10:38 Weymouth to Swindon due 12:57

10:38 Weymouth to Swindon due 12:57 will be terminated at Westbury.
It will no longer call at Trowbridge, Melksham, Chippenham and Swindon.
This is due to a fault on a train.

13:32 Swindon to Weymouth due 15:45

13:32 Swindon to Weymouth due 15:45 will be started from Westbury.
It will no longer call at Swindon, Chippenham, Melksham and Trowbridge.
This is due to a fault on a train.

According to Real Time Trains the unit which came up from Weymouth then hitched a ride to Bristol Temple Meads with a Portsmouth Harbour to Cardiff Central service.

[grahame]

And no options suggested as to how to make the journey!

It's Sunday so the x34 WILL call at Chippenham Station, but won't as far as Trowbridge Station, terminating behind Sainsburys instead.  Passenger who would have gone THROUGH Melksham can change at Bath Spa at no extra cost; issues on the train towards Weymouth that they might get to Westbury after it has left.

Here's GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway)'s offering from Swindon - benchmark if they ran the train like wot they are contracted to - is £23.50



I can understand and forgive a later start, changes, and a journey that requires changes.   But to suggest that the fare is 370% if you want to arrive at a sensible time is - err - not "customer considerate' to me.   I know how those prices are reached, and would personally have found a way to make the journey at a lower legal price if I had to, but this come s across as pretty tacky to people struggling with the fare system, web site  and ticket machines as it is.

[ChrisB]

Eh? you would still buy the usual ticket for the trip if yours was cancelled & you were permitted to use another route? You wouldn't think that you'd need to pay any more - it's not your faut that service(s) were cancelled. I think you are over-worrying

[grahame]

Eh? you would still buy the usual ticket for the trip if yours was cancelled & you were permitted to use another route? You wouldn't think that you'd need to pay any more - it's not your faut that service(s) were cancelled. I think you are over-worrying

I'm not worrying for myself, Chris - I'm worrying for those occasional passengers we see (or perhaps I see) struggling with the ticket system.  Few of them will go to Brfares to select their tickets from there ... they'll go on the 14:19 at the "distress" price that GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) offer to sell them the ticket if they have to go, and complain at the high cost of rail tickets for years to come.

People who have bought ahead, sure, will probably go the alternative without challenge and perhaps not a thought on the changing fare.  Do we have any stats about how far in advance people buy their tickets, including tickets bought on departure?