Recent Public Posts - [guest]
| Re: Thames Valley infrastructure problems causing disruption elsewhere - 2026 In "Across the West" [378194/31163/26] Posted by Mark A at 15:11, 13th August 2026 |      |
And: this sort of thing.
https://bsky.app/profile/gwr.com/post/3msxo4xjtzy23
-⚠ Travel Update - 13/08 ⚠
Due to a fault on this train between Swindon and Westbury the line is closed.
Train services running through these stations have been cancelled.
Disruption is expected until the end of the day
That's a message that 'As is' has immediately caused everyone travelling on the GWML to burst into tears, but I've no idea if travellers between, say, Reading and Bristol, need to feel despondent about this. Would the traveller know the train to which 'This train' refers.
(Also, if a train sits down on the single line south of Thingley Junction and another train's already left Swindon and needs the line to Westbury, what's the contingency plan to avoid disruption for services to Bristol?)
Mark
| Re: Imber Bus Day - merged topics, ongoing events and discussion here In "Buses and other ways to travel" [378193/17260/5] Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 15:11, 13th August 2026 | |
I agree with all of that, grahame.
I still intend to attend - with a rucksack containing substantial volumes of mineral water, Ordnance Survey maps - and a towel for mopping my heated brow.
Looking forward to it!
CfN.
| Re: Class 175s to Great Western Railway (GWR) In "Across the West" [378192/28982/26] Posted by ChrisB at 15:07, 13th August 2026 | |
Jonathan Webb (Chime Publishing) tweeting that the RMT are balloting for potential industrial action over the failing 175s
| Re: Swindon <-> Westbury service updates and amendments, ongoing discussion - 2026 In "TransWilts line - Swindon, Chippenham, Melksham, Trowbridge, Westbury, Salisbury" [378191/31359/18] Posted by TaplowGreen at 15:05, 13th August 2026 | |
Cancellations to services between Swindon and Westbury
Due to a fault on this train between Swindon and Westbury the line is closed.
Train services running through these stations have been cancelled. Disruption is expected until the end of the day.
Customer Advice
What has happened?
-
The train used on the Westbury to Swindon service has broken down and no spare is available. Therefore the service has been suspended for the rest of the day.
As no train is available, we cannot run a service. Customers travelling between Swindon, Chippenham, Trowbridge and Westbury can use GWR services to Bath Spa and change for connections. For Melksham customers, we are arranging arranging road transport.
| Re: Class 175s to Great Western Railway (GWR) In "Across the West" [378190/28982/26] Posted by REVUpminster at 15:05, 13th August 2026 | |
Wolverton cancelled, 003 and 006 running round empty.
| Re: Thames Valley infrastructure problems causing disruption elsewhere - 2026 In "Across the West" [378189/31163/26] Posted by TaplowGreen at 15:03, 13th August 2026 | |
Journeycheck doesn't seem to be awake to this one - from National Rail.............
Route(s) affected
Elizabeth line between Shenfield and Heathrow Terminal 5, and also between between Abbey Wood and Heathrow Terminal 4 / Maidenhead / Reading
All Great Western Railway routes to / from London Paddington
Heathrow Express between London Paddington and Heathrow Terminal 5
Description
A failure of the electricity supply between London Paddington and Heathrow Terminals / Reading means all lines are disrupted. As a result, trains will be cancelled, delayed by up to 60 minutes or revised.
Major disruption is expected until 15:00.
Route(s) affected
Elizabeth line between Shenfield and Heathrow Terminal 5, and also between between Abbey Wood and Heathrow Terminal 4 / Maidenhead / Reading
All Great Western Railway routes to / from London Paddington
Heathrow Express between London Paddington and Heathrow Terminal 5
Description
A failure of the electricity supply between London Paddington and Heathrow Terminals / Reading means all lines are disrupted. As a result, trains will be cancelled, delayed by up to 60 minutes or revised.
Major disruption is expected until 15:00.
Now extended until 1900.
Elizabeth Line suspended between Reading - Paddington.
I pity anyone trying to travel today in these conditions with the system failing left, right and centre.
| Re: Thames Valley infrastructure problems causing disruption elsewhere - 2026 In "Across the West" [378188/31163/26] Posted by Mark A at 14:59, 13th August 2026 | |
Yes, but in day to day disruption notices it comes across as yet more filler. When it's items like railway points, or ballast, it's a couple of hundred years since railways have been in existence, and it has to be fairly common knowledge as to what those are and if it's not, is a disruption notice the best place to start educating travellers?
Also, the system that produces these doesn't seem to be able to handle location - messages are vague about that, and in a way which even puzzles everyone on this forum. Many people travelling would find location actually useful as they could then think e.g. 'The road bridge at Limpley Stoke again, that'll be about two hours if we're lucky'. They'd then be in a better position to look for a plan 'b' or 'c' (assuming that staff haven't been available to help).
Can someone remind me of the name of the drag-and-drop software to which the staff that issue these bulletins are shackled?
Mark
| Re: Imber Bus Day - merged topics, ongoing events and discussion here In "Buses and other ways to travel" [378187/17260/5] Posted by grahame at 14:55, 13th August 2026 | |
35 degrees today (13th) and I am defensibly staying at home. Weather forecast is 30 degrees tomoorow, and 25 on Saturday which should be good for the Imber Bus. I will be carrying a bottle of water never the less. Plans such that if the forecast changes and the temperature is higher than what I regard as safe for me, I'll change plans and not toddle along. Others - please judge it for your own wellbeing.
| Re: Swindon <-> Westbury service updates and amendments, ongoing discussion - 2026 In "TransWilts line - Swindon, Chippenham, Melksham, Trowbridge, Westbury, Salisbury" [378186/31359/18] Posted by bobm at 14:49, 13th August 2026 | |
Not based on anything more than a hunch, but with the reluctance to move as few sets of points as possible for fear they will fail, I wonder if that applies to those used to get sets off a depot? They tend to be used most first and last thing when temperatures are, relatively, lower.
| Re: Hot weather - changes for 13th August 2026 In "Across the West" [378185/32358/26] Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 14:26, 13th August 2026 | |
| Re: Swindon <-> Westbury service updates and amendments, ongoing discussion - 2026 In "TransWilts line - Swindon, Chippenham, Melksham, Trowbridge, Westbury, Salisbury" [378184/31359/18] Posted by grahame at 14:26, 13th August 2026 | |
The service now cancelled for the rest of the day with the exception of the through services to and from the Stroud Valley.
So it would seem
21:16 Westbury to Swindon due 21:58
22:31 Swindon to Westbury due 23:12
22:31 Swindon to Westbury due 23:12 will be cancelled.
This is due to a fault on this train.
22:31 Swindon to Westbury due 23:12
22:31 Swindon to Westbury due 23:12 will be cancelled.
This is due to a fault on this train.
Has the reason turned into an excuse??
| Re: Swindon <-> Westbury service updates and amendments, ongoing discussion - 2026 In "TransWilts line - Swindon, Chippenham, Melksham, Trowbridge, Westbury, Salisbury" [378183/31359/18] Posted by grahame at 14:21, 13th August 2026 | |
14:18 Westbury to Swindon due 15:01
15:14 Swindon to Westbury due 15:58
15:14 Swindon to Westbury due 15:58 will be cancelled.
This is due to a fault on this train.
15:14 Swindon to Westbury due 15:58
15:14 Swindon to Westbury due 15:58 will be cancelled.
This is due to a fault on this train.
I would have thought that with the Bristol - Salisbury service canned for the day, there would have been been stand in available. Granted - there wasn't a train available at short notice for the train 2 hours earlier, but by this time ...
16:23 Westbury to Swindon due 17:06
17:45 Swindon to Westbury due 18:26
17:45 Swindon to Westbury due 18:26 will be cancelled.
This is due to a fault on this train.
17:45 Swindon to Westbury due 18:26
17:45 Swindon to Westbury due 18:26 will be cancelled.
This is due to a fault on this train.
I would have thought that with the Bristol - Salisbury service canned for the day, there would have been been stand in available. Granted - there wasn't a train available at short notice for the train 2 hours earlier, nor for the one 4 hours earlier ... but by this time ...
Looks like someone's still not looking outside the box!
18:37 Westbury to Swindon due 19:21
20:12 Swindon to Westbury due 20:56
20:12 Swindon to Westbury due 20:56 will be cancelled.
This is due to a fault on this train.
20:12 Swindon to Westbury due 20:56
20:12 Swindon to Westbury due 20:56 will be cancelled.
This is due to a fault on this train.
If there's a fault on this train, use another. There should be plenty of spares today NOT running from Bristol to Salisbury!
| Re: Swindon <-> Westbury service updates and amendments, ongoing discussion - 2026 In "TransWilts line - Swindon, Chippenham, Melksham, Trowbridge, Westbury, Salisbury" [378182/31359/18] Posted by bobm at 14:17, 13th August 2026 | |
The service now cancelled for the rest of the day with the exception of the through services to and from the Stroud Valley.
| Re: Swindon <-> Westbury service updates and amendments, ongoing discussion - 2026 In "TransWilts line - Swindon, Chippenham, Melksham, Trowbridge, Westbury, Salisbury" [378181/31359/18] Posted by grahame at 14:15, 13th August 2026 | |
14:18 Westbury to Swindon due 15:01
15:14 Swindon to Westbury due 15:58
15:14 Swindon to Westbury due 15:58 will be cancelled.
This is due to a fault on this train.
15:14 Swindon to Westbury due 15:58
15:14 Swindon to Westbury due 15:58 will be cancelled.
This is due to a fault on this train.
I would have thought that with the Bristol - Salisbury service canned for the day, there would have been been stand in available. Granted - there wasn't a train available at short notice for the train 2 hours earlier, but by this time ...
16:23 Westbury to Swindon due 17:06
17:45 Swindon to Westbury due 18:26
17:45 Swindon to Westbury due 18:26 will be cancelled.
This is due to a fault on this train.
17:45 Swindon to Westbury due 18:26
17:45 Swindon to Westbury due 18:26 will be cancelled.
This is due to a fault on this train.
I would have thought that with the Bristol - Salisbury service canned for the day, there would have been been stand in available. Granted - there wasn't a train available at short notice for the train 2 hours earlier, nor for the one 4 hours earlier ... but by this time ...
| Re: Swindon <-> Westbury service updates and amendments, ongoing discussion - 2026 In "TransWilts line - Swindon, Chippenham, Melksham, Trowbridge, Westbury, Salisbury" [378180/31359/18] Posted by grahame at 14:13, 13th August 2026 | |
14:18 Westbury to Swindon due 15:01
15:14 Swindon to Westbury due 15:58
15:14 Swindon to Westbury due 15:58 will be cancelled.
This is due to a fault on this train.
15:14 Swindon to Westbury due 15:58
15:14 Swindon to Westbury due 15:58 will be cancelled.
This is due to a fault on this train.
I would have thought that with the Bristol - Salisbury service canned for the day, there would have been been stand in available. Granted - there wasn't a train available at short notice for the train 2 hours earlier, but by this time ...
| Re: Solar eclipse 12/08/2026 In "Across the West" [378179/32340/26] Posted by JayMac at 14:10, 13th August 2026 Already liked by Mark A | |
My phone's camera does have full manual settings so I dialled the exposure right down, set ISO to 50 and shutter down to 1/5000. Even with those settings I couldn't prevent blown out images. So I also used several ND filters. Ones from my old drone that I stuck over the phone's camera lens, held in place with sticky tape! Stacked ND1000+ND256+ND64. Still only managed one half decent shot.
| Thinning in hot weather In "Portsmouth to Cardiff" [378178/32361/20] Posted by grahame at 13:16, 13th August 2026 | |
Cancellations to services between Bath Spa and Salisbury
Due to forecasted severe weather between Bath Spa and Salisbury fewer trains are able to run on all lines.
Train services running through these stations may be cancelled or delayed. Disruption is expected until the end of the day.
Customer Advice
What has happened?
-
The heatwave continues with forecast temperatures expected to potentially hit 38 degrees Celsius today. To minimise disruption, some train services have been taken out of the timetable.
-
What are we doing about it?
-
The hourly Bristol Temple Meads to Salisbury service will not run today. However, customers can still make their journey on the Cardiff Central to Portsmouth Harbour service, which will call additionally at Freshford and Avoncliff.
Due to forecasted severe weather between Bath Spa and Salisbury fewer trains are able to run on all lines.
Train services running through these stations may be cancelled or delayed. Disruption is expected until the end of the day.
Customer Advice
What has happened?
-
The heatwave continues with forecast temperatures expected to potentially hit 38 degrees Celsius today. To minimise disruption, some train services have been taken out of the timetable.
-
What are we doing about it?
-
The hourly Bristol Temple Meads to Salisbury service will not run today. However, customers can still make their journey on the Cardiff Central to Portsmouth Harbour service, which will call additionally at Freshford and Avoncliff.
Concerns / cuts understood. But if the CDF->PMH service is planned / announced to fill in at Freshford and Avoncliff, why not at Dilton Marsh too? What happens there? Are we told anywhere?
| Re: Thames Valley infrastructure problems causing disruption elsewhere - 2026 In "Across the West" [378177/31163/26] Posted by TaplowGreen at 13:02, 13th August 2026 | |
Journeycheck doesn't seem to be awake to this one - from National Rail.............
Route(s) affected
Elizabeth line between Shenfield and Heathrow Terminal 5, and also between between Abbey Wood and Heathrow Terminal 4 / Maidenhead / Reading
All Great Western Railway routes to / from London Paddington
Heathrow Express between London Paddington and Heathrow Terminal 5
Description
A failure of the electricity supply between London Paddington and Heathrow Terminals / Reading means all lines are disrupted. As a result, trains will be cancelled, delayed by up to 60 minutes or revised.
Major disruption is expected until 15:00.
| Re: Thames Valley infrastructure problems causing disruption elsewhere - 2026 In "Across the West" [378176/31163/26] Posted by grahame at 12:55, 13th August 2026 Already liked by JohnM, ChrisB | |
The day that rail industry people, as part of disruption information, stop mansplaining components will be a good day. It' a really bizarre practice.
Mark
Mark
I'm inclined to disagree, Mark - it's not there for you, me and other Coffee Shop members who know these things. It's there for the other people - many of whom are bright - who have other skills and knowledge that fill their brains in preference to "points", "overhead electrics", and "staff". From an IT viewpoint, having the explanations come up as rollovers might be worth them considering.
| Re: Thames Valley infrastructure problems causing disruption elsewhere - 2026 In "Across the West" [378175/31163/26] Posted by ChrisB at 12:51, 13th August 2026 | |
A genuine question: where does this come back to bite GWR ?
Why should it?
Nothing to do with GWR where any fault can be pinned. It's climate change & network Rail infrastructure. GWR are the affected customer.
| Re: Swindon <-> Westbury service updates and amendments, ongoing discussion - 2026 In "TransWilts line - Swindon, Chippenham, Melksham, Trowbridge, Westbury, Salisbury" [378174/31359/18] Posted by grahame at 12:47, 13th August 2026 | |
I came on to the Coffee Shop a few minutes ago to record / summarise yesterday's performance or lack thereof ... but find myself again reporting on new cancellations.
12:17 Westbury to Swindon due 13:01
13:14 Swindon to Westbury due 13:57
13:14 Swindon to Westbury due 13:57 will be cancelled.
This is due to a fault on this train.
13:14 Swindon to Westbury due 13:57
13:14 Swindon to Westbury due 13:57 will be cancelled.
This is due to a fault on this train.
For the record, from yesterday ... train summary. Only replacement flagged to be provided was a late pair of buses.
| Re: Thames Valley infrastructure problems causing disruption elsewhere - 2026 In "Across the West" [378173/31163/26] Posted by Mark A at 12:41, 13th August 2026 | |
*snip*
Points are the moving pieces of metal that enable trains to change tracks.
*snip*
Points are the moving pieces of metal that enable trains to change tracks.
*snip*
The day that rail industry people, as part of disruption information, stop mansplaining components will be a good day. It' a really bizarre practice.
Mark
| Re: Solar eclipse 12/08/2026 In "Across the West" [378172/32340/26] Posted by Mark A at 12:31, 13th August 2026 | |
That last photo... a drop of cloud really helps. Sorry about your 1999 absence.
Mark
| Re: Solar eclipse 12/08/2026 In "Across the West" [378171/32340/26] Posted by Mark A at 12:29, 13th August 2026 Already liked by GBM | |
Liking those. Your phone seems very good at either not producing, or its suppressing, lens flare which in the case of a direct photo of the sun, the flare can actually be good at recording the sun's disk itself.
Mark
| Re: Online buying pitfalls In "Fare's Fair" [378170/32356/4] Posted by Mark A at 12:27, 13th August 2026 | |
To be fair, the BRfares purchasing site is lightning-fast, informative and avoids the annoyances of e.g. the National Rail site and others. It's not straying into advance purchase travel territory though.
Mark
| Re: Hot weather - changes for 13th August 2026 In "Across the West" [378169/32358/26] Posted by TaplowGreen at 12:11, 13th August 2026 | |
Sharing for GWR and Network Rail
Ahead of tomorrow's (Thursday 13 August) anticipated hot weather and the accompanying amber weather warning, our teams are working together to ensure the vast majority of planned services operate as usual. We are advising customers to check before they travel and carry water, and we're very grateful for their patience and understanding during this period.
We are also planning some reductions in service to help minimise further disruption and reduce the stress on rail infrastructure in the extreme heat. This includes:
* In the Thames Valley, we anticipate changes to our stopping services between London and Reading/Didcot Parkway, with trains not calling at Slough, Maidenhead and Twyford.
* Services between Truro and Falmouth will be reduced to hourly from half-hourly.
* The Okehampton branch will not operate, with replacement buses running instead. Services on the Barnstaple line will run as usual.
* The local stopping service between Bristol and Salisbury will not run. Cardiff/Bristol-Portsmouth services will continue to run as usual
* The shuttle service between Bristol Temple Meads and Filton Abbey Wood will not run. Tickets will be valid on local bus services.
More information is available on our dedicated webpage at www.gwr.com/weather, and we've also issued a joint media release which you can read here: https://news.gwr.com/news/gwr-and-network-rail-advise-customers-to-check-before-travelling-as-new-amber-weather-warning-issued
Any help you can give to make your networks aware would be much appreciated, and as ever if there's anything we can do to help, please don't hesitate to get in touch.
We are also planning some reductions in service to help minimise further disruption and reduce the stress on rail infrastructure in the extreme heat. This includes:
* In the Thames Valley, we anticipate changes to our stopping services between London and Reading/Didcot Parkway, with trains not calling at Slough, Maidenhead and Twyford.
* Services between Truro and Falmouth will be reduced to hourly from half-hourly.
* The Okehampton branch will not operate, with replacement buses running instead. Services on the Barnstaple line will run as usual.
* The local stopping service between Bristol and Salisbury will not run. Cardiff/Bristol-Portsmouth services will continue to run as usual
* The shuttle service between Bristol Temple Meads and Filton Abbey Wood will not run. Tickets will be valid on local bus services.
More information is available on our dedicated webpage at www.gwr.com/weather, and we've also issued a joint media release which you can read here: https://news.gwr.com/news/gwr-and-network-rail-advise-customers-to-check-before-travelling-as-new-amber-weather-warning-issued
Any help you can give to make your networks aware would be much appreciated, and as ever if there's anything we can do to help, please don't hesitate to get in touch.
According to the Met Office the temperature in Truro is currently 24 degrees, expected to reach a maximum of 25 degrees today.
Does this really constitute "extreme heat"?
| Re: Solar eclipse 12/08/2026 In "Across the West" [378168/32340/26] Posted by Mark A at 11:54, 13th August 2026 | |
An eclipse of some sort would now have a 'tick' against it on my bucket list if I actually had one. Agreed that it didn't score particularly highly on the spectacular scale. The expected Sound Of Silence was completely ruined by Gulls & Magpies, which creatures frequently invade our peace and quiet around here.
We were on the lower slopes of Mount Teide in Tenerife for the 1999 eclipse but had no idea it was happening. Didn't matter because most of the island was shrouded in thick cloud.
We were on the lower slopes of Mount Teide in Tenerife for the 1999 eclipse but had no idea it was happening. Didn't matter because most of the island was shrouded in thick cloud.
That reminds me of Plymouth - the total eclipse arrived and the various seabirds that had been flying around blithely taking no notice of the evidence in front of their own eyes that something was about to happen. Complete panic and a series of rather hairy dives as they ran for cover and safety.
Mark
| Re: Online buying pitfalls In "Fare's Fair" [378167/32356/4] Posted by JohnM at 11:15, 13th August 2026 | |
Looking at the BRFares website, it's good to see they don't waste their efforts on presenting a nice looking UI
| Re: Interesting "What3Words" In "The Lighter Side" [378166/32322/30] Posted by grahame at 11:04, 13th August 2026 Already liked by Mark A, GBM | |
///kicks.irritable.shop ... somewhat amused because of what you can buy there, how annoyed you can get when you can't find the product you want, and the action you are tempted to take when the machine is out or order.
Topic drift ...
BrilliantPeacock4284
SilverWolf6121
CuriousHamster1843
ResilientCaribou791
DynamicSeal940
EmeraldStrawberry4929
EmpatheticFalcon2062
BrilliantKangaroo5708
Some of the "nicknames" seen on current social media posts where people select to have an alter-ego in groups they are members of. I'm concerned at people posting with their own names and also with nicknames in a group and find myself wondering "why?". Having said which, Coffee Shop member names in essence are nicknames / handles. I guess my concern is people having multiple personalities in a group, and using the two supposedly unlinked to setup phishing traps. Hence our "one name/account only" policy here, with a handful of exceptions where good cause is demonstrated.
It may surprise readers ... I am personally accepting of anonymous posting where there is reason on such groups - such as where a surprise holiday is being researched.
Anyway - to end the aside, Facebook is now giving group admins the ability to turn off posting under nicknames; that will put paid to any discussions of meeting up with Dynamic Seal when on a visit to Budapest, just to discover later that you've set up a clandestine liaison with your own wife. Example fictstious.
| Re: Online buying pitfalls In "Fare's Fair" [378165/32356/4] Posted by Trowres at 10:03, 13th August 2026 | |
As I understand it - and I have not looked in detail - BRFares is unlikely to be able to offer quotaed fares on specific trains such as Advance fares.
That is correct.
