This is a test of GDPR / Cookie Acceptance [about our cookies]
Really irritating test - cookie expires in 24 hour!
Great Western Coffee Shop
Recent Public Posts - [guest]
Re: AQ10 - "Pilning" - West Country Mornington Crescent
In "The Lighter Side" [369339/31234/30]
Posted by Western Pathfinder at 18:12, 11th December 2025
Already liked by grahame, johnneyw
 
Sadly your going to have to wait until Saturday!!..
But well played everyone.

Re: Near miss Slovakia
In "The Wider Picture Overseas" [369338/31242/52]
Posted by Mark A at 18:10, 11th December 2025
 
Apologies, I'll attempt to modify the thread subject line with some punctuation.

Mark

Update: oops, didn't work, or at least didn't propagate down the thread.

Re: Swindon <-> Westbury service updates and amendments, ongoing discussion - 2025
In "TransWilts line" [369337/29726/18]
Posted by grahame at 18:03, 11th December 2025
 
18:37 Westbury to Swindon due 19:21
18:37 Westbury to Swindon due 19:21 will be cancelled.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.
Additional Information
-
If you are at Westbury and Trowbridge travelling to Chippenham or Swindon you should travel on the 18:41 Bristol Temple Meads service (18:48 from Trowbridge) and change at Bath Spa for the 19:43 London Paddington service which calls at Chippenham (19:55) and Swindon (20:09). However, if you are at Westbury or Trowbridge earlier, you may take the first available service via Bath Spa, via Melksham tickets will be accepted via Bath Spa at no additional cost.
-
If you are at Westbury or Trowbridge and travelling to Melksham, road transport is being arranged, you should contact station staff or use the Customer Help-Point.
-
If you are at Melksham we will provide road transport to Chippenham from the station car park.


20:12 Swindon to Westbury due 20:56
20:12 Swindon to Westbury due 20:56 will be cancelled.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.
Additional Information
-
If you are at Swindon or Chippenham travelling to Trowbridge or Westbury you should travel on the 20:26 Weston-super-Mare service from Swindon (20:38 from Chippenham) and change at Bath Spa for the 21:08 Portsmouth Harbour service which calls at Trowbridge (21:31) and Westbury (21:38). However, if you are at Swindon or Chippenham earlier, you may take the first available service via Bath Spa, via Melksham tickets will be accepted via Bath Spa at no additional cost.
-
If you are travelling to Melksham you should change at Chippenham and speak to station staff.
-
If you are at Melksham we will provide road transport to Trowbridge and Westbury from the station car park.
-.
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 train was delayed or cancelled, you can claim Delay Repay compensation. Please keep your ticket and visit GWR.com/DelayRepay

Re: Capital Quiz - 11th December 2025
In "The Lighter Side" [369336/31241/30]
Posted by Fourbee at 17:54, 11th December 2025
 
2. Angel

Re: How ‘The Flying Banana’ became a British railway icon
In "Across the West" [369335/31243/26]
Posted by ChrisB at 17:50, 11th December 2025
Already liked by Western Pathfinder
 
Scotrail are still running their 'Castles' around....

Re: Capital Quiz - 11th December 2025
In "The Lighter Side" [369334/31241/30]
Posted by TonyN at 17:36, 11th December 2025
 
3. Victoria

Re: Near miss Slovakia
In "The Wider Picture Overseas" [369333/31242/52]
Posted by Red Squirrel at 17:25, 11th December 2025
Already liked by Mark A, johnneyw
 
Gosh, from the subject I thought someone had taken a selfie with Daniela Vojtasová...

Re: AQ10 - "Pilning" - West Country Mornington Crescent
In "The Lighter Side" [369332/31234/30]
Posted by Red Squirrel at 17:08, 11th December 2025
Already liked by Chris from Nailsea, grahame, Western Pathfinder, johnneyw
 
With which you have handed it to me on a plate. Thank you, grahame: Pilning!

Re: Capital Quiz - 11th December 2025
In "The Lighter Side" [369331/31241/30]
Posted by grahame at 16:37, 11th December 2025
 
1 St Pancras - Chris from Nailsea
2 NOT Gants Hill
3 NOT London Bridge
4 Clapham Junction - Western Pathfinder and RobT
5 Greenford - PrestburyRoad
6 Liverpool Street - Richard Fairhurst
7
8 Paddington - Oxonhutch
9
10 Woking - Timmer
11 Crystal Palace - John D
12 Barking - stuving

8 out of 12 right, two not attempted, two brave but incorrect guesses

Re: North Cotswold line delays and cancellations - 2025
In "London to the Cotswolds" [369330/29711/14]
Posted by charles_uk at 16:28, 11th December 2025
 
Yet more shortage of train crew issues:

17:04 Didcot Parkway to Evesham due 18:23 will be terminated at Oxford.
It will no longer call at Hanborough, Combe, Finstock, Charlbury, Ascott-Under-Wychwood, Shipton, Kingham, Moreton-In-Marsh and Evesham.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.

18:51 Evesham to Oxford due 19:50 will be cancelled.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.
Last Updated:11/12/2025 16:24

and yet more

17:34 London Paddington to Hereford due 20:25 will be terminated at Oxford.
It will no longer call at Hanborough, Charlbury, Kingham, Moreton-In-Marsh, Evesham, Worcestershire Parkway Hl, Worcester Shrub Hill, Worcester Foregate Street, Malvern Link, Great Malvern, Colwall, Ledbury and Hereford.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.
Last Updated:11/12/2025 17:35

Re: North Cotswold line delays and cancellations - 2025
In "London to the Cotswolds" [369329/29711/14]
Posted by Worcester_Passenger at 15:18, 11th December 2025
 
and we have lots of warning about
22:00 Hereford to London Paddington due 01:15 will be started from Oxford.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.
Last Updated:11/12/2025 14:30

Re: AQ10 - "Pilning" - West Country Mornington Crescent
In "The Lighter Side" [369328/31234/30]
Posted by grahame at 15:05, 11th December 2025
Already liked by Chris from Nailsea
 
Having just spoken with Samantha,the next destination for those playing at home  randomly selected by the laser display board is Filton Abbey Wood.


And that could oh so nearly lead us to Pilning - except that there's nowhere to stop on that side so we end up as Severn Tunnel Junction

Re: Gales to cause Friday Isle of Man ferry passenger disruption - December 2025
In "Buses and other ways to travel" [369327/31208/5]
Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 13:54, 11th December 2025
 
An update, from the BBC:

Isle of Man ferries resume after overnight disruption



Ferry sailings between the Isle of Man and Lancashire have resumed after overnight after they were cancelled by strong winds over the Irish Sea.

The Isle of Man Steam Packet Company cancelled the Manxman's Wednesday evening journey Heysham and its Douglas-bound return due to the choppy conditions.

The morning's crossing to the Lancashire port departed shortly before 08:00 GMT as scheduled.

Forecasters have warned of possible further disruption to travel to and from the island at the weekend, with gales expected to return on both Saturday and Sunday.

The lasted disruption followed the scrapping of all sailings on Tuesday as Storm Bram hit the island bringing storm force winds.


Re: Capital Quiz - 11th December 2025
In "The Lighter Side" [369326/31241/30]
Posted by eightonedee at 13:53, 11th December 2025
 
Is No.3 London Bridge?

Re: North Cotswold line delays and cancellations - 2025
In "London to the Cotswolds" [369325/29711/14]
Posted by charles_uk at 13:52, 11th December 2025
 
Thursday December 11


11:58 Great Malvern to London Paddington due 14:23 will be started from Worcester Shrub Hill.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.
Last Updated:11/12/2025 06:29


but in the end

11:58 Great Malvern to London Paddington due 14:23 has been cancelled.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.
Last Updated:11/12/2025 12:02

Re: Swindon <-> Westbury service updates and amendments, ongoing discussion - 2025
In "TransWilts line" [369324/29726/18]
Posted by TaplowGreen at 12:40, 11th December 2025
 
18:37 Westbury to Swindon due 19:21
18:37 Westbury to Swindon due 19:21 will be cancelled.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.

20:12 Swindon to Westbury due 20:56
20:12 Swindon to Westbury due 20:56 will be cancelled.
This is due to a shortage of train crew

Re: Capital Quiz - 11th December 2025
In "The Lighter Side" [369323/31241/30]
Posted by johnneyw at 12:25, 11th December 2025
 
A very vague childhood memory makes me think that 2 could be Gants Hill, but that was some time back.

Re: Capital Quiz - 11th December 2025
In "The Lighter Side" [369322/31241/30]
Posted by John D at 11:58, 11th December 2025
Already liked by grahame
 
I think number 11 is Crystal Palace

Re: Capital Quiz - 11th December 2025
In "The Lighter Side" [369321/31241/30]
Posted by Richard Fairhurst at 11:34, 11th December 2025
Already liked by grahame
 
6 is the big-numbered platforms (11+) at Liverpool Street, I think.

Re: Capital Quiz - 11th December 2025
In "The Lighter Side" [369320/31241/30]
Posted by Ralph Ayres at 11:11, 11th December 2025
Already liked by Mark A
 
I'll stay out of this one; all either very obvious for me or frustrating "I ought to recognise that" pics.  I go far enough back in London to have bought things from that slim W H Smith's kiosk sticking out from the wall in number 7, as well as helping commission the first dot matrix display there.

Re: Two South Western Ambulance workers arrested after six people die in Wiltshire
In "The West - but NOT trains in the West" [369319/30766/31]
Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 10:50, 11th December 2025
 
An update, from the BBC:

Wiltshire deaths probe linked to patients' altered care records



The arrest of two ambulance workers over the deaths of six adults is linked to allegations some patients were not taken to hospital when they should have been and had their care records altered, the BBC can reveal.

A Wiltshire Police investigation, launched in 2023, is believed to be connected to an internal audit by South West Ambulance Service NHS Trust [SWAST] of an electronic patient care record system [ePCR].

The BBC understands vital readings were allegedly changed to make a patient appear less ill at the end of a shift so hospital transport - and potentially a long wait at the hospital - was avoided.

SWAST and Wiltshire Police have declined to comment while the investigation is ongoing.

Last year a man in his 30s, from West Wiltshire, was arrested on suspicion of six counts of gross negligence manslaughter and four counts of ill-treatment or willful neglect by a care worker. An Emergency Care Assistant [ECA], a woman in her 50s, was also arrested on suspicion of gross negligence manslaughter in March. Both have been released on bail.

One source, who the BBC is not naming, said: "One of the patients who died at home... had low oxygen saturation... a criteria that demanded hospital conveyance.The observations they changed manually, increased the saturation level to a rate that justified being managed at home."

The BBC understands the arrested paramedic was sacked, while the ECA, who is suspected of assisting the paramedic in changing the ePCR, remains suspended.


An NHS promotional video showed how the electronic patient care record system worked

A new ePCR system was launched by the ambulance service in 2016 and described it as "an electronic solution designed by paramedics for paramedics". Nineteen emergency vehicles were fitted with the device.

Under the system paramedics using a mobile electronic pad can input vital data such as blood pressure or a heart monitor reading. This is communicated to a unit at the hospital, streamlining the process of recording patient data during emergency responses.

Training for crews emphasises that patients seen at the end of a 12-hour shift should be treated in exactly the same manner as those at the beginning. But several sources within the emergency services have told the BBC that when an audit of the system was introduced in 2022, it flagged up discrepancies between the readings sent using bluetooth by the West Wiltshire paramedics and subsequent manual overrides they made.

The sources told the BBC that it is common practice to make manual changes to readings - such as blood pressure and blood oxygen saturation levels (SATS) - if paramedics believe an original reading was incorrect. Incorrect readings can also happen if, for instance, a patient is wearing nail varnish as that can affect the SATS reading. Temperature readings can also be wrong if patient's extremities are cold.

However, sources say that the audit identified a number of occasions where manual changes were later made that were not legitimate.

A Freedom of Information request by the BBC showed that, since January 2025 a total of 12,453 audits were completed, of which 719 were non-compliant - the equivalent of one in 17. Non-compliance can be for a variety of reasons, for example where paramedics failed to explain their clinical decisions.

As part of its investigation the BBC has also been told that two other SWAST paramedics have been suspended after another failed ePCR audit, not related to the police investigation. SWAST has declined to confirm the reason for these two suspensions.


Re: Warning as drivers seen queuing on level crossing near Willington
In "The Wider Picture in the United Kingdom" [369318/31238/51]
Posted by stuving at 10:48, 11th December 2025
Already liked by Oxonhutch
 
Repainting the yellow box would help too - it also reinforces the "do not stop here" message. I know there has been a problem finding paint that sticks to the polymer road panels well enough to withstand wear from traffic, though the newer stuff does seem to work better.

Of course making the panels with a yellow box moulded in would be best for durability. However, while the pattern is fixed, the skew of the railway to the road is not. But I would not rule out making the panels customised just for one crossing - it's the kind of manufacturing cleverness that can be cost-effective these days.

Re: 04:50 Fratton - Bristol Temple Meads cancelled
In "Bristol (WECA) Commuters" [369317/31177/21]
Posted by grahame at 10:34, 11th December 2025
Already liked by matth1j
 
..and nice to see Graham handing out timetables at Melksham at 6:30 (the 6:32 to Trowbridge (eventually Southampton) becomes the 6:29 next week)

A very interesting morning.  Much learning, though no massive surprises.  Thawing out over a coffee then out for lunch with the Bowerhill Villager team.

Re: Capital Quiz - 11th December 2025
In "The Lighter Side" [369316/31241/30]
Posted by stuving at 10:20, 11th December 2025
Already liked by grahame
 
12. Barking.

Re: Swindon <-> Westbury service updates and amendments, ongoing discussion - 2025
In "TransWilts line" [369315/29726/18]
Posted by grahame at 10:19, 11th December 2025
 
14:18 Westbury to Swindon due 15:00
15:15 Swindon to Westbury due 15:59

15:15 Swindon to Westbury due 15:59 will be cancelled.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.

Re: Capital Quiz - 11th December 2025
In "The Lighter Side" [369314/31241/30]
Posted by RobT at 10:08, 11th December 2025
Already liked by grahame
 
4. Clapham Junction

Edit: WP beat me to it!

Re: How ‘The Flying Banana’ became a British railway icon
In "Across the West" [369313/31243/26]
Posted by rogerw at 09:53, 11th December 2025
 
Romic have just introduced their own HST for charter use. I shall be sampling it on 31 January on a tour from Derby to Shildon via a very indirect route.

Re: Capital Quiz - 11th December 2025
In "The Lighter Side" [369312/31241/30]
Posted by Western Pathfinder at 09:53, 11th December 2025
Already liked by grahame
 
 Number for Clapham Jct.

Re: AQ10 - "Pilning" - West Country Mornington Crescent
In "The Lighter Side" [369311/31234/30]
Posted by Western Pathfinder at 09:49, 11th December 2025
 
 Having just spoken with Samantha,the next destination for those playing at home  randomly selected by the laser display board is Filton Abbey Wood.

Re: Capital Quiz - 11th December 2025
In "The Lighter Side" [369310/31241/30]
Posted by Oxonhutch at 09:24, 11th December 2025
Already liked by grahame
 
8: Paddington - Heading down to the Lizzie Line

 
The Coffee Shop forum is provided by customers of Great Western Railway (formerly First Great Western). The views expressed are those of the individual posters concerned. Visit https://www.gwr.com for the official Great Western Railway website. Please contact the administrators of this site at admin@railcustomer.info if you feel that the content provided by one of our posters contravenes our posting rules. Our full legal statment is at https://www.greatwesternrailway.info/legal.html

Although we are planning ahead, we don't know what the future will bring here in the Coffee Shop. We have domains "firstgreatwestern.info" for w-a-y back and also "greatwesternrailway.info"; we can also answer to "greatbritishrailways.info" too. For the future, information about Great Brisish Railways, by customers and for customers.
 
Current Running
GWR trains from JourneyCheck
 
 
Code Updated 11th January 2025