Dreadful GWR performance figures

[whole diary]

[John D]

GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) have recently published latest 4 weekly performance
Covers 3 - 30 May 2026

https://www.gwr.com/-/media/gwr-sc-website/files/publications/performance-report/gwr-performance-report-period-2702.pdf

Cancellations 4.44%
with huge 9.89% on South Wales-South coast routes

Less than 3 in 5 trains on time (59.28%)
Nearly 1 in 4 not within more relaxed within 3 minutes
4.33% of those that ran, were more than 15 minutes late.

349 trains (about 12.5 per day) were shortformed below DfT^» (Department for Transport - about) agreed length

Anyone else think standards are clearly slipping now, in run up to their nationalisation.

[Bob_Blakey]

.....Anyone else think standards are clearly slipping now, in run up to their nationalisation.

Clearly not the complete picture. There are a number of significant mismatches between All Cancellations & GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) Cancellations in the data and they can only or largely be down to Network Rail. The seemingly daily PAD^▸ (Paddington (London) station) <> RDG^▸ (Rail Delivery Group, or Reading station, depending on context) infrastructure failures must be a major contributor to a pretty bleak report.

[grahame]

.....Anyone else think standards are clearly slipping now, in run up to their nationalisation.

Clearly not the complete picture. There are a number of significant mismatches between All Cancellations & GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) Cancellations in the data and they can only or largely be down to Network Rail. The seemingly daily PAD^▸ (Paddington (London) station) <> RDG^▸ (Rail Delivery Group, or Reading station, depending on context) infrastructure failures must be a major contributor to a pretty bleak report.

I would agree with you both.

The current GWR team have an aging fleet to deal with, and also what seems like a worsening infrastructure scenario - though that could be that they're ever more careful now on safety grounds.  It feels like the bridge at Limpley Stoke is closed and trains diverted via Chippenham on a weekly basis, for example, which does not help CDF^▸ (Cardiff Central station) -> PMH^▸ (Portsmouth Harbour station) ... and the blame cannot be apportioned to GWR (First employees and contractors) on that sort of issue.

Where I (and others in WWRUG^» (West Wiltshire Rail Users Group - about), for example) have noticed an issue is that GWR management is far less available and responsive than it used to be, with an extra layer of marketeers on filtering the technical team, and a very controlled approach of answering less / slower that they used to, and answering with answers that don't answer the question (if you get what I mean) but rather tell us similar / linked data that does not actually address the issue.

I and others are somewhat at a loss about what to do about this (if there is anything we can do).  We do not wish to be "squeaky wheels".   We do not want to shout issues in public, especially in those cases where things are getting slightly better.  And we want to be able to promote the services with them.  Of course, our failure on things like getting a CCIF^▸ (Customer and Communities Improvement Fund) grant, or the afternoon peak service at DMH^▸ (Dilton Marsh Halt) replaced now that the original runs empty to aid reliability, or even to get a single call on 1st August in a Weymouth train for a special day out (and that WAS promised ...) is frustrating.

Is it "end of term blues?".  Is it that other newer things such as as the Oxford service, Newquay and Okehampton are now the fashion / focus?  Is it that they are far more ruled by DfT^» (Department for Transport - about), not interested in anything except short term and impressing the new bosses?   Is it that born and bred train people are replaced more by bright and lovely people but who are new to rail, and perhaps look at costs and accounts and not passenger needs?  Is it an increased regulation and complexity that removes and flexibility and friendliness? I don't know the answer. 

[TaplowGreen]

.....Anyone else think standards are clearly slipping now, in run up to their nationalisation.

Clearly not the complete picture. There are a number of significant mismatches between All Cancellations & GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) Cancellations in the data and they can only or largely be down to Network Rail. The seemingly daily PAD^▸ (Paddington (London) station) <> RDG^▸ (Rail Delivery Group, or Reading station, depending on context) infrastructure failures must be a major contributor to a pretty bleak report.

I would agree with you both.

The current GWR team have an aging fleet to deal with, and also what seems like a worsening infrastructure scenario - though that could be that they're ever more careful now on safety grounds.  It feels like the bridge at Limpley Stoke is closed and trains diverted via Chippenham on a weekly basis, for example, which does not help CDF^▸ (Cardiff Central station) -> PMH^▸ (Portsmouth Harbour station) ... and the blame cannot be apportioned to GWR (First employees and contractors) on that sort of issue.

Where I (and others in WWRUG^» (West Wiltshire Rail Users Group - about), for example) have noticed an issue is that GWR management is far less available and responsive than it used to be, with an extra layer of marketeers on filtering the technical team, and a very controlled approach of answering less / slower that they used to, and answering with answers that don't answer the question (if you get what I mean) but rather tell us similar / linked data that does not actually address the issue.

I and others are somewhat at a loss about what to do about this (if there is anything we can do).  We do not wish to be "squeaky wheels".   We do not want to shout issues in public, especially in those cases where things are getting slightly better.  And we want to be able to promote the services with them.  Of course, our failure on things like getting a CCIF^▸ (Customer and Communities Improvement Fund) grant, or the afternoon peak service at DMH^▸ (Dilton Marsh Halt) replaced now that the original runs empty to aid reliability, or even to get a single call on 1st August in a Weymouth train for a special day out (and that WAS promised ...) is frustrating.

Is it "end of term blues?".  Is it that other newer things such as as the Oxford service, Newquay and Okehampton are now the fashion / focus?  Is it that they are far more ruled by DfT^» (Department for Transport - about), not interested in anything except short term and impressing the new bosses?   Is it that born and bred train people are replaced more by bright and lovely people but who are new to rail, and perhaps look at costs and accounts and not passenger needs?  Is it an increased regulation and complexity that removes and flexibility and friendliness? I don't know the answer. 

"Ageing fleet"? The IETs^▸ (Intercity Express Train - replacement for HSTs (manufactured by Hitachi in Kobe, Japan)) have largely only been in service for 8-10 years, the 387 Electrostars much the same!

[John D]

Although the cancellations are total, and GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) caused (so difference between these numbers are caused by others).

However most passengers are not really interested in who the cancellation is caused by, they simply want a reliable service, and if there is a problem, it gets resolved as fast as possible, and what to do in meantime to get them to their destination explained clearly.

Yesterday I was at Bradford On Avon station and every couple of minutes was automatic announcement: "we are sorry the 09:48 to Portsmouth Harbour is delayed by x minutes.....".  Just robot mode hollow sounding apology, nothing to help or give reassurance to the waiting passengers.  No reason given.   Sort of feels symptomatic of attitude of customer comes last, operating convenience first.

Ok, BoA^▸ (Bradford-on-Avon station) isn't the biggest station, so someone in control not entering a reason for PA^▸ (Public Address (broadcast loudspeaker announcements) or Passenger Assist (railway staff providing physical assistance to passengers with mobility issues), depending on context) to state, might be deemed low priority, but there is old adage look after pennies and pounds like look after themselves.  In blunt terms if management don't care about passengers starting at smaller stations then not looking after about half their passengers which isn't good enough.  Lose half the passengers and their jobs aren't secure, but they don't seem to get it.

[Clan Line]

"Ageing fleet"? The IETs^▸ (Intercity Express Train - replacement for HSTs (manufactured by Hitachi in Kobe, Japan)) have largely only been in service for 8-10 years, the 387 Electrostars much the same!

I can't speak for the 387s, but the IETs are certainly ageing - very prematurely !! They are in far worse condition that the HSTs^▸ (High Speed Train (Inter City class 43 125 units)) ever were at that age - in fact, I would say that HSTs were in better "nick" at twice that age.

[REVUpminster]

The 175s cannot be doing much for the stats with cancellations, late running, and short forms by taking 150s to cover.

[grahame]

"Ageing fleet"? The IETs^▸ (Intercity Express Train - replacement for HSTs (manufactured by Hitachi in Kobe, Japan)) have largely only been in service for 8-10 years, the 387 Electrostars much the same!

Forgive me looking from a West Wiltshire viewpoint on that. Apart from the 05:40 from Bradford-on-Avon to Paddington, the newest train that calls at any station in our constituency is  1993 vintage - 33 years old.

[broadgage]

"Ageing fleet"? The IETs^▸ (Intercity Express Train - replacement for HSTs (manufactured by Hitachi in Kobe, Japan)) have largely only been in service for 8-10 years, the 387 Electrostars much the same!

I can't speak for the 387s, but the IETs are certainly ageing - very prematurely !! They are in far worse condition that the HSTs^▸ (High Speed Train (Inter City class 43 125 units)) ever were at that age - in fact, I would say that HSTs were in better "nick" at twice that age.

I thought that the official view was that IETs are so much better than the HSTs they replaced. And that only I and a FEW others felt otherwise.

[Clan Line]

"Ageing fleet"? The IETs^▸ (Intercity Express Train - replacement for HSTs (manufactured by Hitachi in Kobe, Japan)) have largely only been in service for 8-10 years, the 387 Electrostars much the same!

I can't speak for the 387s, but the IETs are certainly ageing - very prematurely !! They are in far worse condition that the HSTs^▸ (High Speed Train (Inter City class 43 125 units)) ever were at that age - in fact, I would say that HSTs were in better "nick" at twice that age.

I thought that the official view was that IETs are so much better than the HSTs they replaced. And that only I and a FEW others felt otherwise.

My last ride on an IET wasn't actually too bad (perhaps the scenery helped)- but that was comparing it with the awful ride qualities on the outward leg of that trip on a 197. BUT - there was a trolley on board the IET and I got a top notch cup of coffee from there, BUT (again !) the best riding train of that day's trip was the 166 to Cardiff. (I hated writing that !!!)

[John D]

GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) have now uploaded period 03 performance figures

Cancellations are even worse than previous period in some areas
EF03 London-Cotswolds 10.38% cancelled
EF10 Bristol suburban 9.11% cancelled
EF13 South Wales - South Coast 11.3% cancelled

https://www.gwr.com/-/media/gwr-sc-website/files/publications/performance-report/gwr-performance-report-period-2703.pdf

If anyone commutes 5 days we're week (2 return journeys) then statistically going to have about 1 of their 10 journeys cancelled (1 in 9 for EF13).   
Nowhere near good enough in my opinion.

[IndustryInsider]

If anyone commutes 5 days we're week (2 return journeys) then statistically going to have about 1 of their 10 journeys cancelled (1 in 9 for EF13).   
Nowhere near good enough in my opinion.

AIUI^▸ ('as I understand it') a Paddington to Great Malvern train that terminates short at Worcester Foregate Street will be flagged as a cancellation even though only a small part of the route and small number of passengers will be affected.

So, it’s likely to be much less than the figure you mention above (but still way too high!)