From the BBC:

 

 

https://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=18491.0

 
No proactive maintenance - example - Platform 5 at Taunton been gone a month, still out, rails gone extremely rusty.
Nowhere any different, join the club.

 

This latest points/signals failures/problems in the South West causing cancellation to services and resultant disruption to people’s planned rail journeys today in the Plymouth area and also now at Bridgwater, follows an increasing trend in last few months of such causes of disruption, which all leads to a reduction in reliability confidence by passengers.

Other recent points and signal incidents that come to mind include Exeter St D, N.Abbot, Barnstaple, Bristol Parkway and again Crediton (although RTT coded this OC = Signaller Error)
Is there a fundamental cause eg shortage of skilled staff /reorganisation/reviews of testing and mtce. procedures, delays in getting spares etc.

 
Bit of both. The WSR is keeping it safe for GWR by giving it a temporary home, but with permission to use it occasionally. The set in question has been stored at Minehead throughout the winter, but has just been moved to the siding in front of the signal box. Presumably to have it out of the way ready for the Steam Gala.

 
An article in 'Rail' magazine on Gordon Pettitt.

Mark

https://www.railmagazine.com/news/people/2025/04/10/gordon-pettitt-manager-who-built-regional-railways-and-took-care-of-his-staff

 
Pleased to see that the service restarted with the 10 28 Plymouth - Gunnislake.

 
Have just observed that short HST is stabled near Minehead station, adjacent to the Seaward lane level crossing.
Is just being stored ? or is the intention to use it.

 

What would improve it would be if short workings had their starting or finishing stations shown in red.
Are you listening, RTT?

 

Indeed.  There's been a big focus on staff training for dealing with hidden disabilities in recent years.  The general public hasn't been trained though.

 

A good idea that.  Provides a daily summary in a very clear and easy to understand format and quick and easy to do. When things go wrong more detail is useful, but most of the time a screenshot like that from RTT is perfect. 

Are you listening, Melksham? 

 

Great. Now I'm going to have that earworm from Handel's Messiah playing in my head for a couple of hours.

Mark

 

 
Very, very disappointing

What stops staff of one operator getting information to/from staff of a different operator?  Nothing.  If they wanted to, they would.  Via the two operator's control Offices, if necessary

Four Platforms Now!

 

Yes, but my point was not in reference to the quality of arc furnace steel, but referred to the problems in supplying enough electricity at an affordable price and without interfering with the supply to other customers.

 
Monday April 14

A good day. Attached is the RTT listing for GWR at Evesham.  Only three red departures, and the worst of those was +7. No short workings.

Though 1W05 19:53 London Paddington to Hereford was a 5-car unit - which means that Tuesday's 1P02 05:23 Hereford to London Paddington (08:23) is a 5-car.

 
Posted from a very old laptop without a smell checker - so probably even more typos than usual!

The passennger experience ... found wanting

The 17:42 from Salisbury to Westbury ... delayed by 25 minutes as I waited on the platform at Salisbury yesterday "due to a late running train in front of this one".  The reason may be true, but 25 minutes is a heck of a long delay for getting caught with another train in the way, ans is it just me, or does it conveniently pass the blame on to some other operator?   The official departure board says it will now arrive in Westbury at 18:35 - in time for the 18:37 to Melksham, and a member of staff re-assures my that the connection will make, but because he works for SWR and the train is run by GWR, he can't do anything to let people know there are connecting passengers. He assures me it will be better when everyone is nationalised and they run like a network.

The train leaves Salisbury at about the newly scheduled time - with an arrival expected (ha,ha) into Westbury 2 minutes before the Swindon service is due to leave, but then slows down and comes to a halt at the signal on the approach to Warminster.  It seems that the stock for the 18:29 from Warminster to Bristol is sitting in the platform at Warminster and we have to wait for it to leave, on time.  And after a Warminster call, we come to a further signal stop just after leaving Warminster as the Bristol stopper dawdles down the hill to Westbury.

26 minutes late from Salisbury and through the countryside
30 minutes late into Warminster
35 minutes late from the Warminster signal
(as an aside - 42 minutes late by Bristol Temple Meads)

So why was the 18:29 Bristol stopper crossed over at Westbury ahead of the semi-fsat from Portsnmouth?   I don't know; it's not the first time it's happened and it's usuaully done to clear the local train off the line in the other direction - except that yesterday that wasn't necessary - it was done to get it out of the way of a train that had been cancelled - a phantom train.  Poor decision - or poor tools provided to the staff making the decisions to do their best on a congested railway?

No announcements on the train at all from Salisbury until the approach to Westbury. The only sight of the train manager was to see her briefly dash through to hand someone a ticket - I suspect concluding a transaction started south of Salisbury.  No explanation of the 10 minutes of signal stops which was disappointing - we were all sitting there in the countryside wondering why our train had come to a halt. She DID announce ongoing trains and platforms as we approached Westbury - studiously ignoring advise for any passengers looking to connect on to the Swindon train, which of all the changes is the most natural onwards flow rather than the doglegs helpfully offered.

Train staff at Westbury approached as they were standing around chatting and confirmed that the Swindon had left.  Looked confused when asked about the next one - looked at the departures display and it offered nothing.   As customer asked about the 20:06 to Cheltenham Spa and "Oh yes that's the next one".  Referred me on to platform staff who confirmed that the 20:06 was next, there was nothing between, and advised me to change at Bath Spa. "For Melksham?" I asked  "Oh - you'll have to wait if you want to go there" in a tone that made me feel very little indeed. "Are there any buses available?" I asked - "I wouldn't know about that" says the bloke.  Now in some ways, correct in the next train. Not sure what my rights would have been for alternative provision.  And - wouldn't you think - that in a public transport network the staffwould be informed / have the tools to advise the next quickest way to get to destination.  Of course, when it's all nationnalised it will be much better, won't it?

Ah - but, yes, I feel for the staff. The tools are often embryonic and give incorrect forecasts (there was no way the connection was going to make - systems clearly allowing predictions that put 2 trains on the same track at the same time) and don't offer alternatives if that don't happen to be run by the same First subsidiary. 

 

My student study city for three and a bit years (or was it four!).
Where I joined my second ship.

 

A lovely weekend based in Saltash and 000s more pictures to share - BUT - coffee spilled in my laptop "Cato" (and it was excellent coffee to waste) was also terminal to Cato.  Thought I had got away with it ... headed by train towards Falmouth but by the time I got to Truro it was clear that Cato was terminal without help ... straight back on the train to Plymouth and the Apple Store Genius Clinic who, sadly, with the covers off confirmed my diagnosis.

My daily mile was satisfied wandering around and back up to the station later ... and then by train change at Exeter St Davids, Salisbury, Westbury, Bath Spa then the bus to Melksham.   That was another change of plans.

The 17:42 off Salisbury (Portsmouth to Cardiff train) was shown as being 25 minutes late, showing at 18:35 arrival into Westbury, just in time for the 18:37 connection on to Melksham at 18:53, so home at 19:15. Ah yes, but ... we came to a stand on the approach to Warminster, dropped another 4 minutes there, and then came to a halt (signal?) just after leaving Warminster too.  Real Time Trains confirmed that the 18:37 to Swindon had left on time as we passed through Dilton Marsh.   I ended up catching the next Bath Spa train and the bus from there - 20:30 into the Market Place and home at 20:35.    Another example of the  terrible toll exacted by a short(ish) delay when compounded and connecting into an infrequent service. 

 
Jethro's humour extended into Norfolk, as well.  This clip, from 'The Generation Game out-takes' had me rofl:

From YouTube, see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=twYZH_XNqDk - just under 3 minutes of pure corpsing, with Jim Davidson. 

 
I sent a link to this story to my brother-in-law, who used to live in Port Elizabeth, Eastern Cape: his observation, in a typically laconic South African style was, "An unusual story !!"

CfN. 

 

Blimey!  How did they get there? 

 
I think there is a difference in attitude of people to those with an obvious issue (and, ChrisB, your wheelchair is obvious) and those with a less or invisible issue. People tend to do the right thing (and delighted you confirm it, Chris) if the issue is to be seen.

 

I believe he's been somewhat distracted recently, although still in the driving seat.

 
Returning to Plymouth for a moment, if I may?


My home city, too.

From grahame's pictures: 6. Saltram House.  A quite large National Trust property, absolutely beautiful.  I used to live fairly near it, so our family went for many walks around the grounds and gardens.

As children, we were shown the 'secret door' in the Library by our guide: I could probably show you the hidden release catch now, if I were there, such was the fun we had finding it. 

Chris from Plymouth.