"Short run" in both senses, because it was five carriages rather than nine. Looked like it was about to get very cosy at Oxford on its return journey.

(I caught the same train both from Oxford to Charlbury at 1.10pm-ish and then from Charlbury to Oxford at 5.12pm for, well, reasons.)

 


I reckon this service is probably the most likely to be short run across the entire GW network

Cancelled beyond Great Malvern today.  Not by any means a rare event

 
Missing a single stop counts as a cancellation for the people intending to board or alight there, it has to be said.

Mark

 
RTT reports !W15 0750 Paddington - Great Malvern is cancelled today.  No reason given, but it's honest that most people who wanted to use the train will not be able to do that

Journey Check, however, pretends that the service is still running.  Just not running quite as scheduled


Operating a service over seven miles out of a planned 120 counts as close to a cancellation as makes no difference, in my book

 
Swan Disruption


Need to be careful with them swans.  They'll break your arm, you know

 
Mrs F (who was planning to catch that, and ended up on the next service) confirms that it indeed did!

 
According to RTT, today's 1P02 0523 Hereford to Paddington:


Must have resulted in the next working being a bit crowded

 
Friday September 26

1W21 1053 London Paddington to Worcester Shrub Hill (13:01) : departed +14, arrived +24.
1W02 1152 London Paddington to Hereford : held Evesham (+23) for 1P30, arrived Great Malvern +30 and cancelled thereafter.
1W25 1252 London Paddington to Worcester Foregate St (15:00) : arrived Shrub Hill +15  and cancelled thereafter.

1P30 1316 Worcester Shrub Hill to London Paddington : departed +15,  arrived +32.

 
It was also short-formed (5 carriages vs 9) so got very cosy at Oxford!

 
Thursday September 25

Departed Paddington +19, held Shrub Hill (+30) and Foregate St (+40), arrived Great Malvern +48.

 
Thanks, both. A pdf on how this all works answered my next question - how does the signaller know that everything has has been successfully positioned. (Answer, position-detection, and interlocking of that with the signalling...)

Mark

https://www.thepwi.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Journal-2022_10-Vol140-Pt4_Back-to-basics-Points-Part-1-of-2.pdf

 

On a heritage line that I work, one distant set of mechanical points are more easily changed in wet weather, rather than dry, when the initial momentum imparted can carry them over their travel. Likewise one cross-over near to the 'box can be an absolute brute in certain weather/temperature.

Princes Risborough North has a Westinghouse point hand-wound generator but it isn't connected to any points. Two large incandescent bulbs provide the necessary resistance and a demonstration of the resultant power generated by human effort.

 

Getting completely off topic now, but the worst ones to move weren't always the most remote from the lever frame

The trailing crossover between the mains at Witham (No 33 from memory) was only a few yards from the 'box but was a really heavy pull, and even heavier to put back normal

 
350 yards sounds like a monster - and yes, I can imagine that every installation would require a different knack to shift it successfully - and perhaps different depending on the time of day, sun, shade, weather.

Mark

 

I'm not sure.  Where there was mains power, these hand cranked generators (a Westinghouse Brake & Signal Co product) were used as backups for mains failure.  They may still exist in some places on the big railway.  I wonder if there's one at Blue Anchor or Williton on the WSR?  Both have had mechanically worked points converted from rodding run to motor in more recent years.  Longer rodding runs are heavy to shift, and can cause maintenance and adjustment issues.  There's a definite knack to swinging the lever, and it's different for every point/lock

 

Do any of these survive, either at a heritage railway or in a museum?

 
Tuesday September 24

And after yesterday, Tuesday was (thank goodness) uneventful.

Wednesday September 25


"Train crew being delayed" at 07:13? The first journey for this unit is from Stoke Gifford (depart 04:40) to Great Malvern to start in service.

 
Final scores for Monday September 22:

1P11 05:16 Worcester Shrub Hill to London Paddington (07:24) : OK
1P02 05:23 Hereford to London Paddington (08:24) : cancelled throughout due to Sunday's electrical problem
1P16 06:43 Worcester Shrub Hill to London Paddington (08:44) : departed on time, held Norton (+57), delayed between there and Evesham (+83), arrived +92.
2E80 07:00 Worcester Shrub Hill to Didcot Parkway (08:46) : cancelled throughout.
1P18 07:13 Great Malvern to London Paddington (09:42) : held Foregate St (+23) and Shrub Hill (+39), operated via Stroud, arrived +32.
1P20 08:18 Worcester Shrub Hill to London Paddington (10:25) : operated via Stroud, arrived +12.
1P22 08:56 Great Malvern to London Paddington (11:27) : started from Moreton.
1P24 09:56 Great Malvern to London Paddington (12:23) : started from Oxford.
1P26 10:59 Great Malvern to London Paddington (13:25) : started from Oxford.
1P28 11:58 Great Malvern to London Paddington (14:23) : cancelled throughout.
1P30 13:16 Shrub Hill to London Paddington (15:22) : cancelled throughout.
1P04 13:18 Hereford to London Paddington (16:24) : started from Oxford, arrived +20.
1P34 15:18 Foregate St to London Paddington (17:29) : cancelled throughout. Ran ECS from Oxford (+27), arrived +30.
1P05 15:18 Hereford to Paddington (18:29) : started from Oxford (+27), arrived +20.
1P38 16:32 Great Malvern to London Paddington (19:29) : started from Foregate St (+11), held Charlbury (+24), arrived +24.
1P39 17:26 Foregate St to London Paddington (19:52) : started from Oxford (+17), arrived +19.
1P40 18:02 Foregate Street to London Paddington (20:29) : started from Shrub Hill (+8), held Norton (+15), arrived +5.
2E16 18:51 Evesham to Oxford (19:50) : cancelled throughout.
1P42 19:02 Great Malvern to London Paddington (21:26) : OK
1P44 19:45 Great Malvern to London Paddington (22:24) : started from Shrub Hill, held Norton (+6), saved 8 at Charlbury
1P46 20:56 Worcester Foregate Street to London Paddington (23:29) : cancelled throughout "due to a broken down train".
1P06 22:00 Hereford to London Paddington (01:17) : OK

First Worcester - Oxford after the disruption was 1P38, 16:46 from Foregate St (+11).

2E77 05:10 Oxford to Worcester Shrub Hill (06:15) : OK
1W11 05:53 London Paddington to Great Malvern (08:38) : cancelled after Moreton-in-Marsh
1W13 06:52 London Paddington to Great Malvern (09:29) : cancelled after Oxford
1W15 07:50 London Paddington to Great Malvern (10:14) : cancelled after Oxford
1W17 08:52 London Paddington to Great Malvern (11:14) : cancelled after Moreton-in-Marsh
1W01 09:52 London Paddington to Hereford (12:46) : cancelled after Oxford
1W21 10:53 London Paddington to Worcester Shrub Hill (13:01) : cancelled after Moreton-in-Marsh
1W02 11:52 London Paddington to Hereford (14:44) : cancelled after Oxford
1W25 12:52 London Paddington to Worcester Foregate Street (15:00) : cancelled after Oxford
1W27 13:50 London Paddington to Great Malvern (16:15) : cancelled after Oxford
1W29 14:53 London Paddington to Foregate Street (17:04) : cancelled throughout.
1W30 15:23 London Paddington to Foregate Street (17:47) : held Oxford (+26), arrived Shrub Hill +31 and cancelled thereafter.
1W31 15:52 London Paddington to Great Malvern (18:26) : delayed before Oxford (+28), held Wolvercote (+32), saved 13 at Evesham, arrived +29.
2E14 17:04 Didcot to Evesham (18:23) : departed +30, arrived Oxford +34 and cancelled thereafter.
1W33 16:58 London Paddington to Great Malvern (19:25) : departed +12, Oxford +21, Evesham +37, arrived Shrub Hill +39 and cancelled thereafter
1W03 17:34 London Paddington to Hereford (20:25) : held Wolvercote (+17) and Evesham (+40), arrived +47.
1W34 17:57 London Paddington to Worcester Foregate Street (20:11) : cancelled throughout "due to a broken down train"
1W36 18:57 London Paddington to Great Malvern (21:18) : OK
1W05 19:53 London Paddington to Hereford (22:57) : OK
1W41 20:52 London Paddington to Great Malvern (23:13) : OK
1W43 21:53 London Paddington to Worcester Shrub Hill (00:01) : OK
1W45 22:51 London Paddington to Worcestershire Parkway (01:06) : OK

First Oxford - Worcester train (after the 05:16) was 1W30, scheduled 16:22, actual 16:48.

 
I agree it was a shambles.

The 1523 Paddington to Worcester Foregate Street sat at Oxford for 26 minutes and at the same time the 1518 Worcester Foregate Street to Paddington, which was due to start from Oxford at 1631 sat there for about 20 minutes which means platform 3 and 4 where both occupied at the same time causing massive delays to all other services.

I notice that it says the 1518 was cancelled due to a 'Safety Inspection on this train' that is interesting because the driver announced that it was cancelled due to no Train Manager. Looking at RealTimeTrains it seems to have had no problem then working empty to Paddington and onto Penzance. Given you can run an IET as DOO from Oxford to Paddington I don't understand why it was cancelled?

 



Quite the shambles, isn't it?

 
Positive news (though some of it is ambiguous):

 
First thing this morning we had 1P11 05:16 Worcester Shrub Hill to London Paddington travel eastbound OK, and 2E77 0510 Oxford to Worcester Shrub Hill (the positioning journey for the halts train) travel westbound OK.

The halts train, 2E80 0700 Worcester Shrub Hill to Didcot Parkway, was cancelled "due to a problem with signalling equipment (J3)".

The unit has been trapped at Shrub Hill, but ran back to Oxford, departing at 11:06. It took an hour (11:17-12:18) between Norton and Evesham. But arrived at Oxford at 13:05.

JourneyCheck is now reporting disruption until the end of the day:

 
Now until 1600.....how long does it take?? Find a fuse?

 
Nothing between Moreton in Marsh and Worcester because of a track inspection, 22/09/2025 ...

 

There certainly wasn't a standby generator there back when I last worked the 'box in 1974.  But things have changed a bit since then, not least the CCTV supervised level crossings at Blockley and Chipping Campden, and the re-doubling of the line to Evesham.

Mechanical boxes that had power-worked points and locks (the maximum distance for rodding-run signalman power was 350 yds) would have a "hurdy gurdy".  A generator worked by winding a handle on the side of a huge cast steel casing.  These took an age and much cranking to swing points over.  Horrible things

 
Monday September 22

And after yesterday, "a fault with the signalling system" continues, though it's only flagged up on JourneyCheck's 'Line Updates' section at 08:19:


...which has now changed to a "safety inspection of the track":


But a bit later:
Departed Shrub Hill on time, held Norton (+57). Delayed between there and Evesham +83, arrived +92.

Held Foregate St (+23) and Shrub Hill (+39). Via Stroud. Arrived +32.

Arrived +12.


Edits:
08:30 : updates added.
09:15 : more updates added.
10:15 : more updates added.
12:15 : disruption expected until 14:00.

 

I shall add it to our Coffee Shop forum's 'abbreviations and acronyms' page, at https://www.firstgreatwestern.info/acronyms.html 

 
JourneyCheck's 'line updates':

 

There's a nice picture of this box at https://old.signalbox.org/gallery/w/moretoninmarsh.php, which tells me that the lever frame dates from 1911.

It's possible that the overnight power cut may have affected some of the new-fangled PBT electrical equipment. But the idea of this box having a standby generator may be very optimistic.

PBT? Post Brunel Technology. The railway always finds this tricky.

 
There was a powercut in Moreton overnight which I guess might have affected the signalbox in some way? But don't they have generators on stand-by?

 
Sunday September 21


This implies that a Sunday morning journey that lasts 2:39 has four different TMs, changing at Reading, Oxford and Shrub Hill.

Later (15:00), there are problems with the electricity supply:

Delayed between Evesham (+3) and Moreton (+27). Oxford +36. Arrived +40.

Held Shrub Hill (+14), delayed Evesham (+21) - Honeybourne (+30). Oxford +42, arrived Reading +37 and cancelled thereafter.

Held Ledbury for 1W02 (+11) and Shrub Hill (+31). Charlbury +55. Arrived Reading +61 and cancelled thereafter.

Held Norton (+19), Charlbury (+44), delayed Oxford (+59), arrived +61.

No delay Shrub Hill - Charlbury. Held Charlbury (+28), arrived +35.


1W02 11:45 London Paddington to Hereford (15:04) : Delayed between Moreton (+11) and Honeybourne (+23), saved 13 at Great Malvern and 6 at Ledbury, arrived +10.

Delayed between Charlbury (+13) and Ascott (+25). Evesham +38. Saved 16 at Ledbury, arrived +34.

Held Wolvercote (+11), delayed Charlbury (+15) - Ascott (+28). Held Evesham (+61). Arrived Shrub Hill +63 and cancelled thereafter.

Held Wolvercote (+14), arrived Shrub Hill +43 and cancelled thereafter.

Departed +33, Oxford +47, arrived Shrub Hill +71 and cancelled thereafter.

Departed Reading +47, arrived Shruib Hill +62 and cancelled thereafter.

Held Oxford (+35) and Evesham (+55), arrived Shrub Hill +59 and cancelled thereafter.


17:15 - more updates added.
18:15 - more updates added. The delays still haven't made it to JourneyCheck's 'Line Updates' section, which might give us an idea of when things will be restored.
21:55 - more updates added. The dalays have made it to JourneyCheck's 'Line Updates' section. "Disruption is expected until the end of the day."
Though the cancellation of the 18:45 from Paddington to Hereford means that tomorrow morning's 1P02 05:23 Hereford to London Paddington probably won't run.

 
Saturday September 20

1W03 1650 London Paddington to Hereford : departed +23, arrived Great Malvern +25 and cancelled thereafter.

 
1W02 1152 London Paddington to Hereford : departed +13, Reading +30, arrived Worcester Shrub Hill +36 and cancelled thereafter.

 

 
Friday September 19


13:30 : add

 
Yesterday (Thursday) was a colossal mess.

1857 from Paddington to Great Malvern cancelled.

1953 from Paddington to Hereford set off 29 minutes late but then lost another 20 at Twyford. By Reading it was 61 minutes late. Looks like it eventually staggered into Hereford 92 minutes late.

I was at Oxford trying to get home. Eventually figured the S3 bus would be a better bet and it was - got home an hour later than I’d planned but that after a delicious meal in Oxford at a Chinese place I’ve wanted to try for ages. Even if Sichuan chicken followed by a Stagecoach double decker slaloming around the West Oxfordshire backroads was a risky decision…

 
Tuesday September 16

1W27 13:50 London Paddington to Great Malvern (16:15) : delayed at Oxford (+23), arrived Shrub Hill +21 and Worcester Foregate Street +38, cancelled thereafter.



18:30 : 1W27/1P38 added
19:45 : Journeycheck text added for 16:32.

 

edit to add:


(I've always thought it odd that this service misses out Hanborough given it's now one of the busiest intermediate stations on the line - presumably due to the Shipton stop and single line timings)

 
Thursday September 11

Departed +29. Arrived +21.

1P02 05:23 Hereford to London Paddington (08:24) : delayed Hereford - Ledbury (+22).

 
Wednesday September 10

Departed Hereford +51. Held Norton (+72) and Oxford North Jn (+76), arrived +79.

 
Departed +17, having arrived late from the depot. Arrived Great Malvern +29 (so just ahead of the WMR train) and cancelled thereafter.

Starting from Malvern Link must be a mistake - RTT reports that it started from Great Malvern.

1W25 1252 London Paddington to Worcester Foregate St : arrived Shrub Hill +17 and cancelled thereafter

 
Tuesday September 9


2E77 0510 Oxford to Shrub Hill : arrived Evesham +65 and cancelled thereafter.

1W11 0553 London Paddington to Great Malvern : cancelled after arriving Moreton-in-Marsh (07:27)
2E80 0700 Worcester Shrub Hill to Didcot Parkway : started from Moreton (07:40) using the stock from 1W11.

09:52 now reinstated.

At Evesham, nothing eastbound from 08:38 to 12:36, nothing westbound from start of service until 12:41 11:38.

09:33 : 09:52 to Hereford added.
10:22 : 10:59 from Great Malvern added.
11:06 : Broken-down train seems to have been moved back to Oxford. 09:52 to Hereford is now operating via Evesham, though there's no 'reinstated' note on JourneyCheck.

 
Hereford is not having a good day:

 
I heard it was signal failure at Ledbury

 
Monday September 8


The problem looks as if it's on 'our' line - 1V17 0556 Worcester Shrub Hill to Hereford was cancelled after Great Malvern. But 1V18 0628 Worcester Shrub Hill to Hereford is currently waiting for the single line at Ledbury.

An update:
Arrived Shrub Hill 07:50 (+102).

And:

 
Sunday September 7

Today we have engineering work with no GWR trains west of Worcester Parkway until 16:45.



I looked at RTT to see why this had happened. The 13:47 is formed by the stock from 1A80 08:10 Penzance to Paddington, due there at 13:24. Problems with an engineering train in West Cornwall meant that 1A80 departed Penzance +81. +73 at Exeter, but it then lost more time, arrived Reading at 14:29 (+100) and was cancelled thereafter. The 13:47 departed Reading at 14:46 (+29).

This didn't happen last Sunday (Aug 31) - the 08:10 from Penzance turned round and went back as the 13:59 to Penzance.

13:47 arrived Parkway +39.

Return, 1P69 16:21 Worcestershire Parkway to London Paddington (18:38) : departed +22.

 
Saturday September 6

Arrived Foregate St +27 and cancelled thereafter.


1W25 12:53 London Paddington to Worcester Foregate St (15:11) : arrived Shrub Hill +10 and cancelled thereafter.

 
Friday September 5

It's still broken:


1W:34 1757 London Paddington to Worcester Foregate Street : delayed Paddington - Oxford (+13), held Wolvercote (+19) and Evesham (+35), arrived +39.

 
Thursday September 4


1W02 11:52 London Paddington to Hereford (14:44) : delayed at Parkway (+17), arrived +32.

Departed +23, Oxford +20

 
Wednesday September 3

1W21 10:53 London Paddington to Worcester Shrub Hill (13:01) : arrived +28.

Departed +23, arrived +14. Set 802 021.

1W02 11:52 London Paddington to Hereford (14:44) : held Evesham (+17, for 13:16 above), arrived Great Malvern +22 and cancelled therafter.


Set 802 021. Arrived Moreton +20.

 
Tuesday September 2


And something went wrong with the morning 'halts' train:

2E80 07:00 Shrub Hill to Didcot Parkway was started from Oxford "due to a problem with the train (M8)" [RTT].

The stock ran in service from Oxford to Shrub Hill, but went back ECS.

 
Monday September 1


1W31 15:52 London Paddington to Great Malvern (18:26) : cancelled after Oxford.

 
Sunday August 31

Departed +28, Reading +19, Oxford +20, held Shrub Hill, arrived +19.

 
Saturday August 30

Signalling problems at Didcot, and plastic sheeting in the overhead wires at Southall.

1W25 12:53 London Paddington to Worcester Foregate St (15:11) : delayed at Didcot (+18), arrived Shrub Hill +19 and cancelled thereafter.

Departed +24, held Woivercote (+34) and Evesham (+54), arrived Shrub Hill +57 and cancelled thereafter.

1P25 13:05 Worcester Foregate Street to London Paddington (15:22) : held Charlbury (+11), arrived +40.

1P37 19:00 Great Malvern to London Paddington (21:23) : started from Shrub Hill.

 
Friday August 29


Both operated to and from Hereford - there must have been a 'reinstated' message that I missed.

 
Thursday August 28

Charlbury +11, Ascott +20, Moreton +29, arrived Great Malvern +39.

Arrived Shrub Hill +32.

1W30 15:23 London Paddington to Worcester Foregate St (17:47) : Reading +10, Oxford +19, held Evesham (+43), arrived Shrub Hill +46 and cancelled thereafter.
1W31 15:52 London Paddington to Great Malvern (18:26) : Charlbury +8, Ascott +17, held Evesham (+28), arrived +31.
1W34 17:57 London Paddington to Worcester Foregate Street (20:11) : held Evesham (+21), arrived +21.



Departed +20.

1P42 19:02 Great Malvern to London Paddington (21:26) : departed +20, held Henwick (+29), arrived +30.

 

Final scores:

1P38 16:32 Great Malvern to London Paddington (19:29) : held Honeybourne (+174), saved 16 at Moreton, arrived Oxford +156 and cancelled thereafter.
1P39 17:26 Worcester Foregate Street to Paddington (19:52) : cancelled after Worcester Shrub Hill.
1P40 18:02 Foregate Street to London Paddington (20:29) : started from Shrub Hill, operated via Stroud, arrived +26.
2E16 19:10 Evesham to Oxford (19:50) : started from Moreton-in-Marsh.
1P42 19:02 Great Malvern to London Paddington (21:26) : operated via Stroud, arrived +52.
1P44 19:45 Great Malvern to London Paddington due 22:24 : started from Oxford, delayed after Slough, arrived +39.
1P46 20:56 Worcester Foregate Street to London Paddington due 23:29 : started from Oxford, delayed after Slough, arrived +41.
1P06 22:00 Hereford to London Paddington (01:15) : first train through affected section, held Reading, arrived +16.

1W30 15:23 London Paddington to Worcester Foregate Street (17:47) : delayed before Worcester, arrived Shrub Hill +24 and cancelled thereafter.
1W31 15:52 London Paddington to Great Malvern : OK
2E14 17:04 Didcot to Evesham : started from Oxford (+13), arrived Moreton-in-Marsh +11 and cancelled thereafter.
1W33 16:58 London Paddington to Great Malvern (19:25) : held Oxford (+24), arrived Moreton-in-Marsh +23 and cancelled thereafter.
1W03 17:34 London Paddington to Hereford : arrived +22.
1W34 17:57 London Paddington to Foregate Street : cancelled after Oxford
1W36 18:57 London Paddington to Great Malvern due 21:18 was terminated at Oxford.
1W05 19:53 London Paddington to Hereford (22:57) : OK
1W41 20:52 London Paddington to Great Malvern due 23:13 : cancelled throughout.

[Aug 28 09:00 : tidied up with 'final scores'.]

 
Wednesday August 27

Unreported on JourneyCheck, RTT is saying that
1P39 1726 Worcester Foregate Street to Worcester Shrub Hill
was cancelled after Shrub Hill "due to a problem with the track (IS)".

and 1W31 1552 London Paddington to Great Malvern was held at Moreton (+13).

Now being reported on JourneyCheck:

Latest scores:
Currently held at Honeybourne (+42).

Being sent via Stroud. Currently held at Abbotswood Junction.

18:51 Evesham to Oxford due 19:50 will be reinstated.
It will be started from Moreton-In-Marsh.
This is due to a safety inspection of the track.
Last Updated:27/08/2025 17:33

16:58 London Paddington to Great Malvern due 19:25 is being delayed at Oxford.
This is due to a safety inspection of the track.
Last Updated:27/08/2025 17:56[/quote]
RTT showing as terminating at Moreton. Departed Oxford +24.

1W03 1734 London Paddington to Hereford is operating via Oxford.

 
Bank Holiday Monday August 25

First day of service after seven days of closure.


Final scores:

1W30 15:23 London Paddington to Worcester Foregate Street (17:47) : held Evesham (+67), arrived +71.
1W31 15:52 London Paddington to Great Malvern : delayed at Ladbroke Grove (+17), held Moreton (+68), arrived Worcester Shrub Hill +118 and cancelled thereafter.
2E14 17:04 Didcot Parkway to Evesham (18:23) : delayed Ascott (+46), arrived Moreton-in-Marsh +45 and cancelled thereafter.
1W03 17:34 London Paddington to Hereford (20:25) : held Honeybourne (+31) and Evesham (+52), arrived Worcester Shrub Hill +54 and cancelled thereafter.
1W34 17:57 London Paddington to Worcester Foregate Street (20:11) : held Moreton (+19), Evesham (+32), arrived +38.
1W36 18:57 London Paddington to Great Malvern : departed +17, arrived Reading +20 and cancelled thereafter.
1W05 19:53 London Paddington to Hereford (22:57) : held Oxford (+45) and Wolvercote (+51), saved 14 at Great Malvern (+51), arrived +57.
1W41 20:52 London Paddington to Great Malvern (23:13) : delayed Oxford (+9), arrived +17.
1W43 21:53 London Paddington to Worcester Shrub Hill (00:01) : cancelled throughout.
1W45 23:32 London Paddington to Worcestershire Parkway (01:06) : started from Reading.

1P38 16:32 Great Malvern to Paddington (19:29) : arrived Worcester Shrub Hill +8 and cancelled thereafter.
1P39 17:26 Worcester Foregate Street to London Paddington (19:52) : held Shrub Hill (+61), Norton (+103), saved 10 at Moreton, arrived +90.
1P40 18:02 Worcester Foregate Street to London Paddington (20:29) : departed +79, held Shrub Hill (+90), operated via Stroud, arrived +71.
2E16 18:51 Evesham to Oxford (19:50) : started from Moreton-in-Marsh
1P42 19:02 Great Malvern to London Paddington : started from Worcester Shrub Hill (+50), held Norton (+66), arrived Reading +77 and cancelled thereafter.
1P44 19:45 Great Malvern to London Paddington (22:24) : started from Oxford (+19), arrived +18.
1P06 22:00 Hereford to London Paddington (01:15) : started from Worcester Shrub Hill

Aug 26 05:00 : "latest scores" replaced by "final scores".

 
.. and a late addition:

The gap in the service now has nothing westward from Oxford from 16:47 until the last train at 21:46 (and a similar gap at Moreton).

 
Yikes. With the Big Feastival finishing today in Kingham that could get messy.

 
Sunday August 24

Advance warnings of disruptions this evening:


10:50 : These have been updated:

This leaves a huge gap in the service - nothing westward from Oxford from 17:45 until the last train at 21:46 (and a similar gap at Moreton).

 

So only the 1st class coaches in use with all the Standard locked out, it seems. Can't think why they'd do that though. And why that prevents a call at Ledbury....

 
Saturday August 23

A curious one this morning:
Later - curiouser and curiouser:
Though RTT is reporting this as being a 9-car train.

 
Friday August 22

Cancellations to the Worcester - Malvern shuttles:

and


11:30 : Updated for cancellations.

 
Later (22:00):
Train has departed Oxford on time. Arrived Paddington -5.

 
More (14:15):

 
It's a bit weird that the absence of service (other than the rail replacement buses) between Worcester and Moreton in Marsh does not get a mention on GW Journeycheck

I just had a look, and there's nothing there.  I'd have expected that the closure and bus replacements would have been mentioned in the "Improvement Works" section

 
Thursday August 21

 
Wednesday's disruption continues into this morning's early journeys:

Later (10:30):

 
Monday August 18

Line closed for track work between Moreton and Shrub Hill, reopening on Monday August 25.
Two morning up trains via Stroud, one from Hereford and one from Shrub Hill. Two evening down trains likewise, both to Hereford.

Tuesday August 29

Emergency services dealing with an incident at Didcot.
Held Charlbury (+29), arrived +40.



16:15 : Cancelled after Reading.



Later (17:48) : cancelled throughout.

The disruption continued into the evning, with

 
Saturday August 16 was a good day.

Sunday August 17

Stock ran empty to Paddington and from there to North Pole.

Later (13:00):

 
The problems with the track caused a huge amount of disruption:

1W01 09:52 London Paddington to Hereford (12:46) : cancelled after Worcester Shrub Hill due to a points problem.
1W02 11:52 London Paddington to Hereford (14:44) : held Moreton (+17), Shrub Hill (+33), arrived Great Malvern +37 and cancelled thereafter.
1W25 12:52 London Paddington to Worcester Foregate Street : held Evesham (+15), arrived +15.
1W27 13:50 London Paddington to Great Malvern (16:15) : held Evesham (+13), arrived +17.
1W29 14:53 London Paddington to Foregate Street (17:04) : departed Moreton +14, arrived Evesham +88, arrived Worcester Shrub Hill +91 and cancelled thereafter.
1W30 15:23 London Paddington to Foregate Street (17:47) : cancelled after Oxford.
1W31 15:52 London Paddington to Great Malvern (18:26) : departed Charlbury +19, passed Ascott +46, saved 13 stand at Evesham, arrived Worcester Foregate Street +54 and cancelled thereafter.
2E14 17:04 Didcot to Evesham : started from Oxford (+19), arrived +33.
1W33 16:58 London Paddington to Great Malvern (19:25) : cancelled throughout.
1W03 17:34 London Paddington to Hereford (20:25) : held Moreton +25, Evesham (+32), arrived +31.
1W34 17:57 London Paddington to Worcester Foregate Street (20:11) : cancelled throughout.
1W36 18:57 London Paddington to Great Malvern (21:18) : cancelled throughout.
1W05 19:53 London Paddington to Hereford (22:57) : OK.

1P28 11:58 Great Malvern to London Paddington (14:23) : departed Evesham +5, passed Ascott +18, arrived +18.
1P04 13:18 Hereford to London Paddington (16:24) : started from Shrub Hill.
1P05 15:18 Hereford to Paddington (18:29) : started from Great Malvern, cancelled after Worcester Shrub Hill.
1P38 16:32 Great Malvern to London Paddington (19:29) : departed +16, ran via Stroud.
1P39 17:26 Foregate St to London Paddington (19:52) : started from Shrub Hill (+67), held Norton (+81), saved 10 at Moreton, arrived +46.
1P40 18:02 Foregate Street to London Paddington : started from Oxford.
2E16 18:51 Evesham to Oxford : departed +29, arrived +31.
1P42 19:02 Great Malvern  to London Paddington (21:26) : started from Foregate Street
1P44 19:45 Great Malvern to London Paddington (22:24) : cancelled throughout.
1P46 20:56 Worcester Foregate Street to London Paddington (23:29) : cancelled throughout.

 
Train held Shrub Hill (+33), arrived Great Malvern +37 and cancelled thereafter.

 
Points failure close to Hereford

 
Friday August 15

 
It ran as normal to Oxford, but then non-stop from there to Shrub Hill... or at least that's what was announced and shown on the boards at Oxford. Looking at RTT, it seems to have lost 7 or so minutes at Wolvercot waiting for the single line, but then clawed back 20 by not stopping until Shrub Hill.

(Yes, I was waiting for it at Oxford and trying to get back to Charlbury, mutter mutter.)

https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:P08644/2025-08-13/detailed#allox_id=0

 
1W21 1053 Padd - Shrub Hill is reported on RTT to be cancelled due to a problem with the doors.  But the same site is showing it as running, but 33 minutes late at present (at Charlbury)

 
Wednesday August 13

1P11 05:16 Worcester Shrub Hill to London Paddington (07:24) departed +59 and may have skipped stops, arrived +47.


Seems to be running to time.

 

I'm comfortable with it remaining here, in terms of continuity and wider context.

 
I know this is one for the Kemble and Swindon route across The Cotswolds, but, for the record:


Happy to have this post moved if it's really out of place here

 
Tuesday August 5

Looks to be on time according to RTT.

 
A safety inspection caused some disruption later on:

1W02 1152 London Paddington to Hereford : departed +33, arrived Worcester Shrub Hill +25, cancelled thereafter.
1W25 1252 London Paddington to Worcester Foregate Street : arrived Shrub Hill +16, foregate St +24
1W27 1350 London Paddington to Great Malvern : held Evesham (+19), arrived Shrub Hill +25 and cancelled thereafter..
1W29 1453 London Paddington to Foregate St : held Evesham (+29), arrived Worcester Shrub Hill +25 and cancelled thereafter
1W30 1523 London Paddington to Foregate St : held Evesham (+37), arrived Worcester Shrub Hill +36 and cancelled thereafter.
1W31 1552 London Paddington to Great Malvern : held Evesham (+34), arrived Worcester Shrub Hill +34 and cancelled thereafter.
1W03 1734 London Paddington to Hereford : held Wolvercote (+20), Evesham (+29), arrived +25.
1W34 1757 London Paddington to Worcester Foregate Street : departed +14, arrived +15.

1P34 1518 Worcester Foregate Street to London Paddington : departed +14, eld Charlbury (+27), arrived +32.
1P05 1518 Hereford to London Paddington : started from Worcester Shrub Hill (+11), held Norton (+15)
1P38 1632 Great Malvern to London Paddington : started from Worcester Shrub Hill, held Norton (+25), arrived Evesham +42, saved 16 at Moreton, arrived +22.
1P39 1726 Foregate St  to London Paddington : started from Worcester Shrub Hill, held Norton (+35), saved 10 at Moreton, delayed Didcot (+41), arrived +39.
1P40 1802 Foregate St to London Paddington : started from Worcester Shrub Hill (+14), ran via Stroud.
1P42 1902 Great Malvern to London Paddington : started from Worcester Shrub Hill

 

All but the 1237 starting from Oxford or cancelled throughout this morning. Useless.....

 
Monday August 4

2E77 05:10 Oxford to Worcester Shrub Hill (06:15) : "cancelled due to late arrival of an inbound service (YI)", according to RTT.


1W11 0553 London Paddington to Great Malvern : held Evesham (+20) and Shrub Hill, arrived Worcester Foregate Street +32 and was cancelled thereafter.

RTT reports no delay between Oxford and Hanborough.

Departed Paddington +33. Arrived Shrub Hill +25 and cancelled thereafter.

 
Sunday August 3

 
A bunch of extra trains in the timetable for Wilderness Festival returnees tomorrow:

• 0943 Charlbury-Paddington
• 1037 Charlbury-Paddington
• 1138 Charlbury-Paddington
• 1237 Charlbury-Reading

The 0943 does it in 1hr09, even despite four minutes at Oxford and six at Reading. No Hanborough calls.

The up journeys appear to run from Oxford to Moreton, then reverse there, all ECS.

 
This evening's changes are:

RTT: 1P41 20:20 Hereford to London Paddington (23:38) : cancelled due to a signalling problem (IG).

JourneyCheck has:
RTT: 1P39 20:03 Worcester Foregate Street to London Paddington : started from Foregate St (JourneyCheck still has Shrub Hill)

Reviewing RTT on Sunday morning, Ledbury had the signalling problems.
1W03 16:50 London Paddington to Hereford arrived Ledbury +11, but departed +139. It arrived Hereford +149 (at 22:12), so not surprising that the 20:20 return was cancelled.
All of West Midlands trains through Ledbury after 20:00 were cancelled.
WMT's 1M88 19:40 Hereford to Worcester Foregate Street departed Hereford at 22:22 (+162)
The stock of 1W03 ran empty back to Shrub Hill, departing Hereford at 22:45 and arriving Shrub Hill at 23:24.
Things seem to be back to normal this morning (Sunday).

 
Saturday August 2

1W02 11:50 London Paddington to Hereford (14:26) : delayed before Didcot, Oxford +38, held Evesham (+55), arrived Great Malvern +64 and cancelled thereafter.
1W25 12:53 London Paddington to Worcester Foregate St : arrived Shrub Hill +28 and cancelled thereafter.


Stock ran empty Oxford - Shrub Hill.

 
Something happened in the late evening south of Oxford.

1P44 19:45 Great Malvern to London Paddington (22:24) : departed +19, delayed near Kennington (22:22), arrived +40.
1W41 20:52 London Paddington to Great Malvern (23:13) : delayed near Kennington at 22:18, Oxford (+41), arrived +52.

And it looks as if the same issue has been affecting services today, Friday August 1:


The disruption lasted rather longer than was hoped:

1W15 07:50 London Paddington to Great Malvern (10:14) : delayed Didcot - Oxford (+37), held Evesham (+57), arrived Worcester Shrub Hill +55 and cancelled thereafter.
1W17 08:52 London Paddington to Great Malvern (11:14) : diverted via Swindon and Stroud.
1W01 09:52 London Paddington to Hereford (12:46) : delayed before Oxford (+16), arrived +14.
1W21 10:53 London Paddington to Worcester Shrub Hill (13:01) : delayed before Oxford (+20), arrived +26.
1W02 11:52 London Paddington to Hereford (14:44) : departed +22, Oxford +37, held Evesham (+59), arrived Great Malvern +62 and cancelled thereafter.
1W25 12:52 London Paddington to Worcester Foregate Street (15:00) : Oxford +7, held Evesham (+15), arrived +17.

1P20 08:18 Worcester Shrub Hill to London Paddington (10:25) : held Didcot (+9), arrived +22.
1P22 08:56 Great Malvern to London Paddington (11:27) : delayed Oxford - Didcot (+25), arrived +23.
1P30 13:16 Worcester Shrub Hill to London Paddington (15:22) : departed +18, arrived +24.
1P05 15:18 Hereford to London Paddington () : started from Great Malvern.

 
Thursday July 31

Today is going well, except for
It's a 5-car.

 
Faulty track at Honeybourne I understand from National Rail

 

1W29 14:53 London Paddington to Foregate St (17:04) was cancelled after Moreton (16:24). The stock ran in service to Evesham (depart 17:30, arrive 17:47).
1W31 15:52 London Paddington to Great Malvern (18:26) was diverted via Swindon and Stroud.
1W33 16:58 London Paddington to Great Malvern (19:25) was delayed Charlbury - Ascott and arrived +24.
1W03 17:34 London Paddington to Hereford (20:25) was delayed before Oxford (+17) and arrived +24.
1W34 17:57 London Paddington to Worcester Foregate Street (20:11) was delayed Charlbury - Ascott and arrived Shrub Hill +15, Foregate St +34.

1P39 17:26 Foregate St to London Paddington (19:52) was started from Evesham (+21) and arrived +26.
1P40 18:02 Worcester Foregate Street to London Paddington (20:29) was cancelled throughout.
1P44 19:45 Great Malvern to London Paddington (22:24) departed +24 and arrived +1.

Big gaps in the afternoon service between Oxzford and Worcester in both directions.

 
Wednesday 30tt.  Not so good

 
Tuesday July 29

... was a good day

 
GWR services are now calling at Worcester Foregate Street

 
Monday July 28

Not a good start to the week:

In consequence:

Meanwhile
1P02 05:23 Hereford to London Paddington (08:24) waited at Foregate St for 38, arrived Paddington +35.

 
Saturday July 26

...was a good day.

Sunday July 27


Later (17:00):
Departed Evesham +20.

Meanwhile 1W39 13:50 London Paddington to Great Malvern (16:16) departed +17 and arrived +22 (so wasn't actually delayed by the 14:28).

Later (21:50):

Meanwhile, 1W08 1850 London Paddington to Hereford departed +23, was held at Wolvercote (+26) and at Evesham (+39), arrived +32.

 
Friday July 25


Departed Oxford +18, held Wolvercote (+28), saved 12-minute stand at Evesham, arrived Shrub Hill +15, Foregate St +40 and cancelled thereafter.

 
Thursday July 24

1W01 09:52 London Paddington to Hereford (12:46) arrived Great Malvern +5 and was cancelled thereafter.

Departed Paddington +4, held Reading (+16).


The 13:50 is formed of the stock from 1P26 1059 Great Malvern to London Paddington (13:25), which arrived +34. 13:50 has now departed +23.

Later (16:00):

...and it's probably going to terminate at Shrub Hill:

Later (17:30):
1W27 13:50 London Paddington to Great Malvern (16:15) did indeed terminate at Worcester Shrub Hill +43.

And that has caused delays on the section between Evesham and Norton:
1W27 13:50 London Paddington to Great Malvern (16:15) Evesham-Norton 16:21-16:37
1P05 15:18 Hereford to London Paddington (18:29) : held Norton (+18) : N-E 16:39-16:54.
1W29 14:53 London Paddington to Worcester Foregate Street (17:04) : held Evesham (+17), E-N 16:55-17:09, arrived +16.
1P38 16:32 Great Malvern to London Paddington (19:29) : started from Shrub Hill, N-E 17:11-17:25.

Later (21:45):

not reported on JourneyCheck
1W36 1857 London Paddington to Great Malvern (21:18) : departed +14, arrived +17.