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

[whole diary]

[Chris from Nailsea]

I have e-mailed a link to that post to Andy Burnham MP^▸ (Member of Parliament, or Mile Post (a method of measuring the railway in miles and chains from a starting point - usually London), depending on context),  Heidi Alexander MP and Peter, Baron Hendy of Richmond Hill.

Let's see where that gets us. 

Chris from Nailsea. 

[grahame]

14:19 Westbury to Swindon due 15:01
15:14 Swindon to Westbury due 15:58

15:14 Swindon to Westbury due 15:58 will be cancelled.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.

A crew member was telling me very recently that he does not sign Westbury to Chippenham (in the context of not being able to staff diverted services because of one of the bridge strikes at Limpley Stoke).  Has me wondering if it's not o much a simple "crew shortage" but rather the wrong type of crew.

[TaplowGreen]

16:23 Westbury to Swindon due 17:05
16:23 Westbury to Swindon due 17:05 is being delayed at Westbury.
This is due to train crew being delayed by service disruption.

[Chris from Nailsea]

A crew member was telling me very recently that he does not sign Westbury to Chippenham (in the context of not being able to staff diverted services because of one of the bridge strikes at Limpley Stoke).  Has me wondering if it's not so much a simple "crew shortage" but rather the wrong type of crew.

Hmm. I'm not sure it's a case of 'the wrong type of crew' - more a shortage of the right type of crew - those who have the necessary training and therefore ability to carry out that duty, on a diverted service.

Sorry for being a pedant - but at least it bumped this topic.  I can do that, because I'm an admin (with my greatest respects to grahame). 

CfN^▸ (Chris from Nailsea, an administrator on this forum). 

[grahame]

20:38 Westbury to Swindon due 21:23
21:34 Swindon to Westbury due 22:16

21:34 Swindon to Westbury due 22:16 will be cancelled.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.

[grahame]

05:11 Gloucester to Southampton Central due 08:10

05:11 Gloucester to Southampton Central due 08:10 is being delayed at Swindon.
This is due to the train guard being taken ill.

Wishing the staff member a quick recovery.  I think that Gloucester crews no longer sign the line onwards from Swindon to Westbury - does this reduce the robustness and flexibility in the event of a staffing issue - as people specialise in particular lines is a point of failure being introduced? 

Time was (for a year or two after the IET^▸ (Intercity Express Train - replacement for HSTs (manufactured by Hitachi in Kobe, Japan)) timetable came in)  that the 05:11 from Gloucester was a through train to London, and the 06:0? onward from Swindon was fed by an 05:13 or so from Westbury to Swindon.  With strong passenger growth now that we are recovered from the pandemic, with so many people living away from London and working there perhaps a handful of days each week, with so much extra housing coming to Chippenham, Melksham and Trowbridge ... and the area served by the South Cotswold line - is it now time to robust-up and go back to what was deemed appropriate before, all the more appropriate with changed work patterns?

[JohnM]

05:11 Gloucester to Southampton Central due 08:10 is being delayed at Swindon.
This is due to the train guard being taken ill.

Wishing the staff member a quick recovery.

Indeed. Only 11 mins late at Melksham, just missed connection with 06:46 Bristol train at Trowbridge, but not too long to wait for 07:05 Cardiff service.

[grahame]

17:45 Swindon to Westbury due 18:26

17:45 Swindon to Westbury due 18:26 will be starting late from Swindon.
This is due to a safety inspection of the track.

[JohnM]

17:45 Swindon to Westbury due 18:26 will be starting late from Swindon.
This is due to a safety inspection of the track.

Great - wish the Chippenham waiting room seats were made out of something a bit more comfortable than steel

Still showing as delayed, no actual time.

EDIT: changed to 18:05, only 5 mins late

[grahame]

17:45 Swindon to Westbury due 18:26 will be starting late from Swindon.
This is due to a safety inspection of the track.

Great - wish the Chippenham waiting room seats were made out of something a bit more comfortable than steel

Still showing as delayed, no actual time.

EDIT: changed to 18:05, only 5 mins late

Indeed - on the way from Swindon.  It just said "delayed" here too - left use guessing.

Very interesting odd working of another 166 - arrived at platform 3  from the west with a "this train does not stop here" announcement, some people got off, some remained on board and it left headed west again. Mystery as to what that was!

[TaplowGreen]

17:50 Gloucester to Salisbury due 20:06
17:50 Gloucester to Salisbury due 20:06 is being delayed at Gloucester.
This is due to a late running train being in front of this one

[JohnM]

17:45 Swindon to Westbury due 18:26 will be starting late from Swindon.
This is due to a safety inspection of the track.

EDIT: changed to 18:05, only 5 mins late

Indeed - on the way from Swindon.  It just said "delayed" here too - left use guessing.

...and very unusual in my experience to get 3 coaches rather than 2.

Nice to see Graham on the platform at Melksham keeping an eye on things

[TaplowGreen]

Cancellations to services between Swindon and Westbury via Melksham

Due to a fault with the signalling system between Swindon and Bristol Temple Meads some lines are blocked. Disruption is expected until 16:00 22/08.

Train services between Swindon and Westbury via Melksham will be cancelled.

[grahame]

19:38 Weymouth to Swindon due 22:00

19:38 Weymouth to Swindon due 22:00 will be started from Westbury.
It will no longer call at Weymouth, Dorchester West, Maiden Newton, Chetnole, Yetminster, Thornford, Yeovil Pen Mill, Castle Cary and Frome.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.

I estimate around 150 people left Swindon on the 08:44 this morning - and it looked like a good proportion were headed for the seaside.   Hope they all get home OK.

[grahame]

17:35 Swindon to Westbury due 18:18

17:35 Swindon to Westbury due 18:18 is being delayed at Swindon.
This is due to passengers causing a disturbance on this train.