Just looked at the train times for my Melksham-Bristol commute this morning, and I'm sure the 07:22 Melksham to Chippenhmam (07:32) was the 07:21 (07:31) before today, wasn't it? It means even less chance of catching the 07:34 Weston service at Chippenham

 

Looking at Real Time Trains, it's showing as a different time for this week only.  It reverts to 07:21 next week, and with a 9 rather than 10 minute journey to Chippenham - arriving there at 07:30.   I don't know why the change though I note an extra minute pathing allowance on the approach to Westbury and a today only SWR train Exeter to Salisbury train reversing at Westbury at about that time, which looks like it might have got in the way.   Engineering works on the line through Tisbury and Templecombe?  So I don't know - but there's an educated guess for you!

 
Ah ok - thanks Graham. I only checked whether tomorrow's times were the same; didn't look any further.

I was lucky today - departed at 07:24 but managed to get to Chippenham just as the Weston service was pulling in. Didn't even have to run

 

It does come far too much down to "luck" ... and that's literally off-putting for many.   You were indeed lucky today - the train is missing out Kemble, Stroud and Stonehouse, but calling at Bristol Parkway instead.  Due to a fallen tree on the line, so they say.

 
BTW apologies if this post is in the wrong (Trans Wilts line) section. As it's a Salisbury-Worcester Foregate St service I guess it shouldn't really be here?

 

I'm content to leave it here: the query relates specifically to a Melksham to Chippenham journey, and you can't get more TransWilts than that! 

 

Sort of lucky again today - departed Melksham at 07:27 but Weston service delayed by signalling problems, currently scheduled 07:53 (should be 07:34). Doesn't help that Chippenham is down to 1 waiting room - other one out of action for over 2 weeks now I think.

 
Departed 08:07 in the end, no doubt picking up some of the passengers planning on taking the 08:09 which has been cancelled.

 
Just overheard - "this is why I caught the train half an hour early, fully expected it to run half an hour late". A bit harsh

 
Well that was interesting - stopped outside of Bath, on the 'wrong' side of the tracks. Waited for about 5-10 minutes then a small train overtook us on the inside. Now arriving at Bath still on the wrong side; small train on the other. Not a 'normal' service I don't think.

Train manager announcing that "this train is going to Weston-super-Mare not London", although only just before doors closed...

 
For people travelling to work, reliability and ability to get to work on time matters and for certain jobs arrival on time is so vital that going half an hour ahead makes sense - for other jobs not so important.

When we ran a hotel in Melksham, it was vital that our morning shift member who opened up and prepared breakfast arrived on time.   For a short time, this was someone who drove from Chippenham and as part of the job application / discussion told us of her fallback to using the early train.  Sadly, on the one occasion that the fallback was called into potential play it failed; for very different reasons that person left us soon thereafter.


You posted as I typed ... a classic illustration of the need for "defensive journey planning"!

 
More fun and games this morning. Woke up a bit early so decided to take the 06:32 from Melksham to Trowbridge then the 06:46 to Bristol. The 06:32 had departed Swindon on time when I left the house, but by the time I got to Melksham... yep, you've guessed, it was showing as delayed.

It eventually turned up at 06:47; the nice apologetic train manager explained that the driver hadn't been able to get the brake off. Better that way round I guess

The 07:05 Cardiff train I'm on now is a lot less busy than the 06:46. And my usual 07:22 from Melksham appears to be running a bit late so I might not have made the (tight unofficial) connection at Chippenham.

Could be worse

 
Real Time Trains shows 1 minute to change at Chippenham this morning - with rounding errors in the logging, goodness only knows if it worked!    In this direction, at least there's that next connection at Trowbridge but this is a good illustration of how a few minutes delay to one train leading to a missed connection can lead to a much bigger passenger delay than any operational delay.    Westbound (from Melksham) you have more trains for the second leg but Eastbound you can be stranded for hours!

I am catching the 09:10 this morning ... let's se how that goes