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

[whole diary]

[Trowres]

19:38 Weymouth to Swindon due 22:00

19:38 Weymouth to Swindon due 22:00 is being delayed at Weymouth.
This is due to this train being late from the depot.

Ironic as it sits in the Jersey Sidings (cooking!) all day.

20:06 rather than 19:38 off Weymouth.

May have had something to do with the preceding train, the 18:45 to Bristol, being cancelled due to unspecified fault. Both trains were being shown as "Delayed"  at around 19:45. The Bristol stock may have ended up in Jersey sidings.

For a while, the final Bristol service (2104 from Weymouth) was showing as 7 coaches on TIGER. It's now back to 3.

[bobm]

According to Real Time Trains the morning service from Swindon was operated by 166 205 and the evening return by 165 104.

[grahame]

According to Real Time Trains the morning service from Swindon was operated by 166 205 and the evening return by 165 104.

I would "go" with a suggestion that 166205 became too hot to handle waiting in the Jersey or Jubilee sidings all day and was failed, with the other unit that was also waiting all day to form a Weymouth to Bristol strengthening service called in to help.   There were some interesting delays / cancellations / shunts.

The Swindon train left Weymouth 28 minutes late but was only 20 minutes late by Swindon.  Apparently the station stop at Yetminster took 6 minutes, but then the generous allowance of 15 minutes at Pen Mill was cut to 3 minutes. 

[TaplowGreen]

11:32 Swindon to Weymouth due 13:45

11:32 Swindon to Weymouth due 13:45 will be delayed at Westbury and is expected to be 15 minutes late.

This is due to a shortage of train crew.
Will be formed of 3 coaches. Toilet facilities are reduced.

Additional Facilities Information
The accessible toilet is not available for use.

[TaplowGreen]

05:11 Gloucester to Southampton Central due 08:10
05:11 Gloucester to Southampton Central due 08:10 will be diverted between Gloucester and Trowbridge.

It will no longer call at Stonehouse, Stroud, Kemble, Swindon, Chippenham and Melksham but will call additionally at Bristol Parkway.

It will be delayed due to the diversion and is expected to be 3 minutes late.
This is due to a fire next to the track.

[JohnM]

Then the 6:35 Salisbury Worcester developed a fault, so the 7:21 Melksham became 7:34.

Should have been ok to connect with the 7:47 Bristol (from Oxford) service at Chippenham, but then we had to wait for the late running Oxford service to pass us while we parked on the wrong side of the main line after leaving the single track.

So now it's another wait, for the 8:09 Bristol. What should have been arrival at Temple Meads at 7:28 is now 8:36, barring further delays...

[GBM]

Waaay off Melksham line topic, but.

Our daughter came down from Norfolk last week for a weeks stay with us.
Train to Stansted Airport, then flight to Newquay.
Train terminated at Ely as wires down further down the line.
So many passengers, only taxi's (bus replacement not available).
After 2 hours, a shared taxi to the airport (she left in plenty of time).
Flight arrived at Newquay only for their fire alarm to go off.
Had to wait in the car park for the all clear before those passengers were allowed back in to collect their bags.
The car park operator gained many more £££'s from waiting passengers.

Return flight was 2 hours late departure.
Trains delayed at Stansted with a lineside fire.
Home 4 hours late.

[Mark A]

Sorry that happened. S'teeth, that was a chapter. Well, two chapters in fact...

Mark

[Mark A]

Yes it was the Limpley Stoke bridge again!  I cycled past at midday and there were 3 Network Rail people leaning on their truck.

13th July. Apparently something's just hit a bridge between Bath Spa and Westbury, disruption expected until 17:45. It can't be the B3108 bridge at Limpley Stoke though... or can it...

Mark

[grahame]

Yes it was the Limpley Stoke bridge again!  I cycled past at midday and there were 3 Network Rail people leaning on their truck.

13th July. Apparently something's just hit a bridge between Bath Spa and Westbury, disruption expected until 17:45. It can't be the B3108 bridge at Limpley Stoke though... or can it...

Mark

Weve been informed that a vehicle has struck a bridge in the Freshford area. The bridge will have to be examined to make sure it's safe and any debris cleared.

It could be a boat on the canal - Avoncliff or Dundas aqueducts, or a canoe beneath the bridge over the River Avon.  But somehow I would vote for Limpley Stoke rather than any of those three, even though it is not confirmed to be a road vehicle.

[JohnM]

The 15:14 Swindon Westbury hasn't departed yet, still shown as Delayed.

[grahame]

Journeycheck says nothing about services via Melksham, but the Real Time Trains site declares for the 14:18 WSB^▸ (Westbury station) -> SWI^▸ (Swindon station)

This service is cancelled.
This service was cancelled due to a bridge strike (XP).

And the departure board offers

[grahame]

The 15:14 Swindon Westbury hasn't departed yet, still shown as Delayed.

13:09 Gloucester to Weymouth due 16:26

13:09 Gloucester to Weymouth due 16:26 will be diverted between Bath Spa and Trowbridge.
It will no longer call at Bradford-On-Avon but will call additionally at Chippenham and Melksham.
It has been previously delayed, is being further delayed between Bath Spa and Trowbridge and is now expected to be 34 minutes late.
This is due to a road vehicle colliding with a bridge.

Passengers from Bristol - through train to Melksham,  Looks like it left Temple Meads at 14:26, reached Melksham perhaps an hour later. Sadly, it probably wasn't advertised as such ... so not usable as a through service for passengers.

[JohnM]

The 15:14 Swindon Westbury hasn't departed yet, still shown as Delayed.

13:09 Gloucester to Weymouth due 16:26

13:09 Gloucester to Weymouth due 16:26 will be diverted between Bath Spa and Trowbridge.
It will no longer call at Bradford-On-Avon but will call additionally at Chippenham and Melksham.
It has been previously delayed, is being further delayed between Bath Spa and Trowbridge and is now expected to be 34 minutes late.
This is due to a road vehicle colliding with a bridge.

Passengers from Bristol - through train to Melksham,  Looks like it left Temple Meads at 14:26, reached Melksham perhaps an hour later. Sadly, it probably wasn't advertised as such ... so not usable as a through service for passengers.

That's probably what held up the 15:00 Bristol Paddington service I was on - it stopped shortly after Box tunnel, before Thingley junction. At the time the 15:26 Swindon Westbury was showing as Delayed on the National Rail app for all stops, but then it changed to departed on time, and the train manager I was chatting with thought that was why we'd stopped - to let it through. But perhaps it was the diverted train. By the time we got to Chippenham they were announcing the 15:26 had been cancelled; all very odd.

Anyway rather than wait another 2 hours for the next Melksham train I caught the X34 bus - got home about 45 mins later than planned but not too bad considering.

[Mark A]

Yes it was the Limpley Stoke bridge again!  I cycled past at midday and there were 3 Network Rail people leaning on their truck.

13th July. Apparently something's just hit a bridge between Bath Spa and Westbury, disruption expected until 17:45. It can't be the B3108 bridge at Limpley Stoke though... or can it...

Mark

Weve been informed that a vehicle has struck a bridge in the Freshford area. The bridge will have to be examined to make sure it's safe and any debris cleared.

It could be a boat on the canal - Avoncliff or Dundas aqueducts, or a canoe beneath the bridge over the River Avon.  But somehow I would vote for Limpley Stoke rather than any of those three, even though it is not confirmed to be a road vehicle.

Spoiler alert: it was the bridge at Limpley Stoke.

Mark

https://www.wiltshiretimes.co.uk/news/26275694.live-a36-closed-gwr-trains-cancelled-crash/