One of the benefits of our new berthmaps system is that I can run replays anywhere, not just on a TMIS at work, and having done that I can see nothing obvious that caused the delay - so, no sign of the above freight, or anything coming the other way. 

That suggests it could have been a minor signalling issue, or a temporary block due to trespassers and so on (though nothing was entered into any of the signal berths to indicate that).

 

I thought I saw that - BUT it was a "Q" - runs as required - path but hadn't been switched on which suggested to me it had not been run.   In hindsight, makes sense that it WAS run.   Intermediate signal or better needed!

 
According to Real Time Trains an Oxford to Westbury feright was held at Bradford Junction waiting for a path, not departing until 1800

 

I must have missed you as I walked though - mind you, there were nearly 70 people on that train ( [72/18] ) .  I was with a retired driver and a current senior member of the Westbury platform team, and they were a bit puzzled too. Might have been a freight train ahead of us on the single line so waiting for it to clear at Bradford junction - or is it possible that the IET had come through wrong line from the Corsham direction and had to cross to right line ahead of us? Mystery ...

 
I was on the 1750 Chippenham to Melksham yesterday evening, which stopped for no obvious reason on the main line before turning off into the single track section. The train manager announced that we were waiting for another train, but the only one that came past was an IET on its way to Paddington, which AFAIK shouldn't have held us up. We departed Chippenham one minute late, but were 11 minutes late arriving at Melksham.

Graham - I saw you on the platform at Melksham and assumed you'd also been on board; any ideas? (Sorry, had to dash off - band rehearsal in Bristol on Monday evenings and it's already a bit tight without an 11 minute delay.)

 

Thank you, and yes ...

 

Both trains appear to have been reinstated overnight. Nothing on JourneyCheck now to say otherwise.

 
Sun, 16 November 10:38 Weymouth to Swindon due 12:57
16/11/25 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 shortage of train crew.

Sun, 16 November 13:32 Swindon to Weymouth due 15:45
16/11/25 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 shortage of train crew.

 
Ah yes - showing on the map


Of course, advertised under a Train Cancellation headline when it's not - it's a bus cancellation. ...

 

Thank you.  But they had lost my business when I got up in the morning and looking at my day out, I was told  had to leave London to come back at 14:00 or 20:00 (fingers crossed for that one) or trust in a bus or taxi.

 
And the 19:44 train has just left Swindon bound for Westbury.

 
And ultimately, this rail replacement bus was cancelled and replaced by a train….

The 16:23, 17:35 and 18:35 trains all ran in the end.

 

 

Indeed.  So remaining Swindon - Chippenham services that carried on to Westbury were more important than usual.  Some cancelled from an already thin schedule and I suspect complex staff interworking caused this.

And for today ...


and

 
Chippenham - Bath was under water at one point today

 
Understable with lines closed all over the place by lines that are flooded.  Not, as far as I can see, on the lines these trains would have used but these of all the services over the line are those which probably have the most complex stock and crew rostering

 

 

 

Looks like we missed ...

 

 

 
That train was operated by two 158s - including 158766 which had covered the last train from Swindon to run prior to the cancellations.    May be a way of getting it back to Bristol for proper attention by the fitters. 

 

Looks like two trains have faults on them then?

Quickly fixed? ...

 


Also note

 

Now added

 
19:44 Swindon to Westbury due 20:29
19:44 Swindon to Westbury due 20:29 will be cancelled.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.

 

And now the rest of it has gone

 

And as sure as eggs follow chickens

 

Now updated

 


And there goes the next one ...  nothing from Swindon to and via Melksham from 15:14 to 20:12.  And nothing about replacement services - just an offer of money back

 

17:50 Gloucester to Salisbury due 20:06
17:50 Gloucester to Salisbury due 20:06 will be cancelled.
This is due to a shortage of train crew

 

No alternative offered, and new notifiaction within the last hour. 

I seem to recall a promise that the 17:35 off Swindon was some sort of protected train ... 

 

 
21:16 Westbury to Swindon due 21:58
21:16 Westbury to Swindon due 21:58 will be cancelled.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.

22:31 Swindon to Westbury due 23:12
22:31 Swindon to Westbury due 23:12 will be cancelled.
This is due to a shortage of train crew

 
Three southbound afternoon/evening Weymouth line services also cancelled beyond Westbury with one northbound starting at Westbury points to shortage of crew again at Westbury.

I think until this issue at Westbury is fixed, both the Transwilts and Heart of Wessex lines will continue to suffer from cancellations.

 

 

You are so right in what you write - this is an agreement far, far stronger than a like.

I have formally used FOIs before - on just a handful of occasions - and there is a tendency for the resulting information revealed to tell you what happened "after the horse has bolted".  So still a wing and a prayer - it's just that we might know later on why our prayer was not heeded.   Informally, in behind the scene discussions the fact that information might be later available under FOI can help give staff who would have to answer it permission to be more forthcoming early on.

The question, though, is how on earth we can positively motivate the people who can do something about this to the extent that they do something effective to fix the issues rather than being on a different course that does not lead to a situation in which trains consistently run.   Telling the people working for what you describe as a "zombie franchise'' to be more assertive on their zombiemasters is a very weak tool.  For sure, we can give them ammunition but that can't be the only string to the bow, and too much pressure could result in a hardening of their approach and a worse outcome for the people who want to use the train but can't if it doesn't run

 

A few years ago you would rarely see this issue outside of BBQ Sundays, now it's virtually a daily occurrence, especially during half term/school holidays.

When recruitment was in GWR's gift, they made choices about where to allocate resources and the issues where put on the "too difficult" pile and kicked down the road repeatedly.

Now we are told that nothing can be done without the consent of the DfT, and there is nothing to suggest that Hopwood et al are applying any upward pressure to obtain that consent. I suspect that many of that ilk are looking at future, similarly well upholstered future employment opportunities rather than rocking the boat.

On top of that, GWR are a zombie franchise with very little motivation to change anything.

Perhaps, Graham, an FOI request asking for details of representations made to the DfT in respect of increasing staffing levels etc may prove instructive, otherwise, I fear you're on a wing and a prayer.

 
 

Any hopes that GWR had in delaying by nearly 2 months a meeting to explain to the community why the service is so abysmally unreliable ... would give them a chance to tweak things onto a more even playing field are being repeatedly dashed.    Nothing I would like more that to go along in the latter half of next month and be shown improving stats.  But it ain't happening.

If they can't fix it themselves, they/we should go up a level and ask the layer above them - the political level - to help them fix it.   People travel on the trains, not on the timetable which at times can be found on the fiction shelf.  I went into the TIC yesterday, and they have no current train timetables ... "though people ask for them ..."

 

Was previously terminating short at Swindon.

 
On the planned timetable changes which I suspect are the side-effects of the Bath to Bristol closure ...

The 06:06 from Swindon is running to Weymouth rather than to Southampton Central today (this week?). As from the December timetable change, this journey works as a connection at Westbury. Unofficially, it usually does already and is made use of by multiple people on a daily basis.

The 20:06 Westbury to Swindon (and on up the South Cotswold line) is not running - not reported here as a late change, and its disappearance won't make the line stats.  And with today's cancellation of the through train from Portsmouth north of Swindon - which has been reasonably substitute for the 21:31 from Westbury, leaves the last running departure from Westbury for Swindon as early as 18:53!

The 22:31 Swindon to Westbury train (due 23:12) is replaced by a bus from Chippenham at 22:46.  A connecting train runs from Swindon at 22:06 (toward Bath) - 25 minutes earlier than the normal last train, and the bus gets to Westbury at 23:39 - 27 minutes later than the train would.  Not even on the line that's being worked on ;-) ... illustrates the difference between a train service (41 minutes) and a rail / bus alternative (93 minutes).

 

 

 

 

Yeah - at least the 7th time this month that a train has been cancelled and re-instated.  And I note that this does NOT get counted in the cancellation stats.    I wish there was an amber warning available to the team organising this sort of thing so that could say "may be cancelled - please check back"

 
Looks like it running booked route again.

 

Err ... almost like offering a kid a sweetie as a pressie then saying "you can't have it". 

 

 

 

Not much notice of these changes.

 

 
Now both re-instated.

 

 

On time as far as Westbury where it sat for half an hour ... 22 minutes late into Salisbury where it terminated.   That report has not - as far as I can see - made journey check but the return working from Southampton has

 

And quoting public follow up comment by the author on that brief video:


Here is what I suspect happened

Plan:
06:32 -> 09:12

Actual:
06:52 -> 07:35 (bus to Bath)
08:06 -> 10:14

GWR's alternative offering almost certainly would have been:
08:02 -> 11:12

I have confirmation of that 06:52 bus from other passengers - taken from the Blenhiem House stop which was a bit of a dash from the station when the train was cancelled at the last minute. I am asked why the train was able to run from Gloucester as far as Swindon when (as I understood it) in the past the crew has changed at Westbury ...

The bus stop at Blenheim House came up here the other day - https://www.passenger.chat/r30948.html- and I would characterise it as being usable in an emergency by able bodied and sensory complete people with minimal luggage who know what they are doing and in good weather.

 

Yeah ...   https://www.facebook.com/watch?v=674750311993073


The trains are so infrequent that a single cancellation is significant. Next train after the 06:32 is the 09:10, so plans to be refactored and written up.    422 views, 14 likes and 4 comments in the follow ups.

 
And 06:35 Salisbury - Worcester Foregate Street "This service was cancelled between Westbury and Worcester Foregate Street due to an issue with the train crew (TG)".

 

05:11 Gloucester to Southampton Central due 08:09

05:11 Gloucester to Southampton Central due 08:09 will be terminated at Swindon.
It will no longer call at Chippenham, Melksham, Trowbridge, Westbury, Dilton Marsh, Warminster, Salisbury, Romsey and Southampton Central.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.

 
Not on it today, but I can see the 5:11 Gloucester - Southampton Central has a problem, after leaving Kemble 2 mins late. 'Information unavailable' for Swindon (scheduled 6:06), and 'delayed' for all stops after that (Chippenham 6:23, Melksham 6:32)...

 

 

Yes - I totally agree, but we are comparing a compromise that simply should not be necessary.   Note I made no comment as to what I thought of the 55 minutes.

 

To be fair, considerably better than nothing?

 

 
And with

 
e.t.a. 55 minutes late into Westbury.

 
And now

 

20:38 Westbury to Swindon due 21:23
20:38 Westbury to Swindon due 21:23 will be cancelled.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.

20:38 Westbury to Swindon due 21:53
An additional bus service has been planned to operate as shown 20:38 Westbury to Swindon due 21:53.

Madness in all but the most exceptional of circumstances - it takes 67% longer, it's two buses so it require twice the driver, and calls for special runs for vehicles.  Not sure what happens when they get to Swindon either - the train would have run back as the 21:34.   Not sure what the bus v train emission comparison would be, nor how much longer in distance these bus jouneys will be by the time they pick their way in and out of the stations along the way.

 

Isn't that why the arrival of the railways was so popular at the time?

 

 
20:38 Westbury to Swindon due 21:23
20:38 Westbury to Swindon due 21:23 will be cancelled.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.

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.

 

Left six minutes late in the end but kept its path through to the main line.

 

 

That's an amendent - earlier today it was crew shortage that meant it was going to start at Swindon.

 

And this is a classic example of the sort of situation where changes, short runs, cancellations are to be expected and understood and they did pretty well on the day and in the circumstances.   It does not forgive the 09:46 round trip - cancelled though lack of crew and the 20:06 and its opposite service - also cancelled through lack of crew.

 
This train did in fact start from Swindon in the end albeit over 20 minutes late.

The inward journey from Westbury was delayed once it joined the mainline at Thingley as it became stuck in a queue of trains.   It reached Chippenham 15 minutes late, where at one point the platform screens showed it as cancelled but the on board staff kept announcing it was only delayed.   It then left 27 minutes late and arrived in Swindon just before 3.30pm.   With trains from London severely delayed or cancelled, the rescheduled 15:15 service provided a welcome alternative for people trying to get to Chippenham.

(Source: I was on the 14:18 from Westbury)

 

 
And as night follows day…

 

That'll make it three times cancelled in ten days - 30% (and "terminated at Swindon" is doublespeak for "cancelled" as far as the Swindon to Westbury (TransWilts) line is concerned.  Once is unfortunate, twice would be a bit of as co-incidence but three times is a pattern that smells of "systemic problem" and should be addressed.

On the occasions it has run ... only once significantly late - 9 minutes; not an issue as far as I can tell - I am not aware of any connections missed as a result.   Although it is irritating in the extreme to see the 07:21 from Melksham miss the Bristol train at Chippenham, less than 10 minutes delay but running is an order or magnitude better than cancelled.

 

 

 
17:50 Gloucester to Salisbury due 20:06
17:50 Gloucester to Salisbury due 20:06 will be terminated at Swindon.
It will no longer call at Chippenham, Melksham, Trowbridge, Westbury, Dilton Marsh, Warminster and Salisbury.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.

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 shortage of train crew.

 

Indeed ... and that sets me going with a whole thought chain about services that call at intermediate stations from Newbury to Taunton and how they *might* look in the future in a regime that has stations at Somerton/Langport and Devizes Gateway, and where extra Westbury -> Reading capacity is provided using a redoubled relief line via Melksham.

 

 
The 18:36 made an additional stop at Kintbury because the 18:08 Pad to Frome was cancelled hence the slight delay arriving into Westbury.

 


Makes sense - 20:07 arrival from Paddington ; connection left at 20:10.   The 18:36 from Paddington is due into Westbury at 19:58 - an official connection with some good advance fares, but all too often leads to a long wait at at Westbury.

 

 

 

 

I think GWR should use the phrase 'partially reinstated' in such cases.

 

Like ordering fish, chips and mushy peas and "sorry - we're out of fish and chips - but we have supplied you the mushy peas.  Oh and the good news is that we've given you tartare sauce".

The simile is not my best - comparing mushy peas to Frome seems a bit of a stretch.

 
15:44 Swindon to Frome due 16:38
15:44 Swindon to Frome due 16:38 will be reinstated.

It will be started from Westbury.
It will no longer call at Swindon, Chippenham, Melksham and Trowbridge.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.

 
According to the departure screens at Swindon there is the train to Westbury at 11:32 AND a bus to Weymouth departing at 11:45 and calling at all stations.  Due into Weymouth at 15:31.

 
Replacement bus being provided from Westbury to Weymouth.

There are other Heart of Wessex services cancelled as well. Not ideal with Weymouth Motocross taking place on the beach today.

Another shining example of the decision to stop Bristol train crew signing Westbury to Weymouth.

 

and


Not that at this time of year there will be much through traffic. I make that comment as I am logging this on the Swindon to Westbury board - it is still a significant issue for people who were wishing to travel between / to / from the named stations and leaves a huge gap in their service.

 

I caught the 08:02 Melksham to Chippenham this morning ...4 off and only 3 on at Melksham; 17 passengers onward.  21/7

Most users are out for the day - and that includes Saturdays.  The numbers this morning are lower than I would have expected and I have to wonder how much that's because people have been altered that there's no way home that fits their plans ... except ... it looks like the train is uncancelled now!

 

 

06:35 Salisbury to Worcester Foregate Street due 09:47 will be started from Westbury.
It will no longer call at Salisbury and Warminster.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.

 

I love little Johnny ...

We had a member sign up to the forum with the user name NULL at one time, and I'm certainly aware of special characters and injection attack issues (which I will not describe here!).   Some sympathy with GWR though simple enough coding wise to filter and change - "cook" - special characters.

 
Like I said, "antiquated"

 

Could be a precaution against this sort of thing:

https://xkcd.com/327/

Mark

 

For sure, a form letter - and so quickly-out that it had to be.

If the three big issues on the service through Melksham were sorted ...
* Crew availability
* Train availability
* Timetabling for robustness
were worked out and then the steps taken to implement the solutions, much much happier days.  It is excellent to see GWR's confirmation that "these are things we can directly control"