| Re: Gloucester closed at end of September - effect on TransWilts Posted by grahame at 19:15, 11th September 2025 |     |
Just looking ahead to the December timetable change.
Realtimetrains has started to show the services from the middle of the month. As we know they can change but currently it suggests the morning Gloucester to Southampton service will leave Swindon three minutes earlier and arrive at Westbury at 06:45 giving a five minute connection to the Weymouth service.
It will still involve a swift walk through the subway or via the lifts. The train from Swindon is booked to use Platform 1 while the Weymouth will depart from Platform 2 at 06:50.
Realtimetrains has started to show the services from the middle of the month. As we know they can change but currently it suggests the morning Gloucester to Southampton service will leave Swindon three minutes earlier and arrive at Westbury at 06:45 giving a five minute connection to the Weymouth service.
It will still involve a swift walk through the subway or via the lifts. The train from Swindon is booked to use Platform 1 while the Weymouth will depart from Platform 2 at 06:50.
That's going to mean an extra couple of minutes for people from Melksham changing at Trowbridge for Bristol Temple Meads, which IMHO is no bad thing. As well as meaning that the people who - virtually every day now - are travelling from north of Westbury (Swindon, Chippenham, Melksham and Trowbridge) to Frome, Yeovil and elsewhere on the Heart of Wessex.
This train - 2O19 - has crept earlier over the years, somewhat in line with our nudging. Looking back to not-all-that-long ago, it was a scramble-gamble over the bridge at Trowbridge, and no-way at Weymouth as you pulled in to platform 1 you could watch the train you wanted to catch leaving from platform 2. Regular users will be relieved to know that I see no reason to campaign for any more minutes earlier. It now looks right.
| Re: Gloucester closed at end of September - effect on TransWilts Posted by bobm at 18:37, 11th September 2025 | |
Just looking ahead to the December timetable change.
Realtimetrains has started to show the services from the middle of the month. As we know they can change but currently it suggests the morning Gloucester to Southampton service will leave Swindon three minutes earlier and arrive at Westbury at 06:45 giving a five minute connection to the Weymouth service.
It will still involve a swift walk through the subway or via the lifts. The train from Swindon is booked to use Platform 1 while the Weymouth will depart from Platform 2 at 06:50.
| Gloucester closer at end of September - effect on TransWilts Posted by grahame at 18:23, 11th September 2025 | |
Dear Graham,
Between Saturday 27 September and Sunday 5 October, Network Rail will be undertaking crucial signalling upgrades at Gloucester signal box. The signal box controls trains travelling from Bristol, Worcester, Swindon and South Wales, so it’s essential it remains in good working order.
As a result, all train services to and from Gloucester, extending to include the wider region at weekends, will be impacted
[snip]
Please get in touch if you have any questions and we would be grateful for any support you can provide in cascading this to your networks.
Kind regards,
Olivia & Heledd
Between Saturday 27 September and Sunday 5 October, Network Rail will be undertaking crucial signalling upgrades at Gloucester signal box. The signal box controls trains travelling from Bristol, Worcester, Swindon and South Wales, so it’s essential it remains in good working order.
As a result, all train services to and from Gloucester, extending to include the wider region at weekends, will be impacted
[snip]
Please get in touch if you have any questions and we would be grateful for any support you can provide in cascading this to your networks.
Kind regards,
Olivia & Heledd
Four services a day (two each way) run serve Gloucester before or after Melksham. On previous occasions when the 05:11 from Gloucster has had to be modified, that has broken connections - being significantly disruptive for a relatively small number of passengers - from Melksham beyond Trowbridge and beyond Westbury.
I have checked with Olivia and - good news - the connections are maintained during the Gloucester works. Olivia writes
In general the majority of services are unchanged and will avoid Gloucester. However some services may run at slightly different times so it is advised to use journey planners as they are reflective of the service we will be running during the week. I’ve included a snapshot below so you can see how some services are as normal but others are different.
Week 27 Mon-Fri
2M81 0635 Salisbury - Worcester runs as booked but avoids Gloucester
2G91 2006 Westbury - Cheltenham runs as booked but avoids Gloucester
2O19 0507 Cheltenham - Salisbury runs as booked but avoids Gloucester, except Monday 29th when it starts Swindon
2O09 1750 Gloucester - Salisbury starts Swindon. Does not run between Cheltenham and Swindon.
Week 27 Mon-Fri
2M81 0635 Salisbury - Worcester runs as booked but avoids Gloucester
2G91 2006 Westbury - Cheltenham runs as booked but avoids Gloucester
2O19 0507 Cheltenham - Salisbury runs as booked but avoids Gloucester, except Monday 29th when it starts Swindon
2O09 1750 Gloucester - Salisbury starts Swindon. Does not run between Cheltenham and Swindon.
And in a further follow up, I have thanked her for that and for the maintenance of times on 2O19 which she's let me know have been fed back to the engineering team as a note for future engineering - a drop of knowledge in an ocean, maybe, but still good to have it (with mixed metaphors) on the radar.
