Hmm...

The only thing I can see that might be termed "congestion" is that trains between Paddington and South Wales are running via Chippenham today (and are also a bit off booked times due to yesterday's fire west of Newport).

Update: Incident due to a fire next to the track between Newport (South Wales) (NWP) and Cardiff Central (CDF) until 20:00.

Due to a fire next to the track between Newport (South Wales) (NWP) and Cardiff Central (CDF):

Services will be delayed by up to 60 minutes.

Services will be cancelled in both directions between Cardiff Central (CDF) and Newport (South Wales) (NWP).

We expect the incident to last until 20:00 and disruption to services is expected from 14:00 on 01/08/2026 until 00:00 on 03/08/2026.

What's Happened?

Following a lineside fire in the Marshfield area between Cardiff Central and Newport.
Fewer services are able to run, but residual delays of around 60 minutes are to be expected.
We apologise for the disruption caused to your journey.

Your ticket can be used on the following alternative routes to help you complete your journey, with the Train Operating Companies listed below at no extra cost:

    Great Western Railway by any reasonable route
    CrossCountry between Cardiff Central and Cheltenham Spa

These arrangements are in place on services until the end of the day.

If you decide to travel from a different station due to this disruption and need to return to that station later, you will also be able to use your existing ticket to do this at no extra cost.

You can use the following local bus services to help you complete your journey, at no extra cost:
X24 / 23 provided by Stagecoach South Wales between Newport and Pontypool via Cwmbran.
Route 30 provided by Cardiff Bus between Cardiff and Newport.
Route X30 provided by Newport Bus between Newport and Cardiff.
You may use your ticket on the following alternative dates at no extra cost:
    02/08/2026
    03/08/2026

In a series of updates this morning, August 2, Transport for Wales Rail said the incident “is expected to last until further notice and disruption to services is expected until further notice”, confirming that trains between Cardiff Central (CDF) and Newport (NWP) are cancelled in both directions and that fewer services are able to run across the wider network.

Congestion

Boaters race against clock as drained canals close


Repair work is under way at a lock on the Hatton flight near Warwick - Image © Nici Griffin

Boaters are racing against the clock to beat canal closures as waterways run dry due to extreme heat.

Some channels connecting large parts of the Midlands and the North of England have lost several inches of water, leaving narrowboats stuck and those already on the canals facing being stranded miles from home for weeks on end.

Campaigner George Seward said he was getting up at 05:00 BST and cruising until dark to get his narrowboat through the Atherstone flight of locks, after a sudden closure was announced.  "They're unlikely to be open again for many weeks and I want to make sure I get through that flight so I can get my boat safely home," he said.

The locks on the Coventry Canal in Warwickshire are due to shut on Tuesday morning, with last entry on Monday afternoon, as the Canal and River Trust (CRT) tries to conserve dwindling supplies.

For Seward, who is Midlands regional chair of the Association of Waterways Cruising Clubs, the deadline is the difference between getting his boat home to Hinckley in Leicestershire and being potentially marooned for an unspecified period.

(BBC article continues)

14:04 Frome to Swindon due 14:57
14:04 Frome to Swindon due 14:57 will be cancelled.
This is due to congestion.

15:44 Swindon to Frome due 16:38
15:44 Swindon to Frome due 16:38 will be started from Westbury.
It will no longer call at Swindon, Chippenham, Melksham and Trowbridge.
This is due to congestion.

I found it interesting that the minister (?) replying on behalf of the government did not point out that his claim was wrong, but pointed out that electric trains will bring efficiencies ... which (he hoped) would include the minister's consituency.   I find myself wondering if GBR|SW in their timetable recast is considering terminating diesel trains from west of Basingstoke at Basingstoke, with connections from there onwards into London?

Amanda Martin
(Portsmouth North) (Lab)

10. What steps she is taking to help decarbonise the transport sector. (900360)

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport
(Keir Mather)

Decarbonising transport is vital for our energy security and to make the network fit for the future. We are turbocharging the roll-out of electric vehicles, overhauling public transport, supporting low carbon fuel uptake in aviation, and funding technology innovation for maritime through the multimillion-pound UK Shipping Office for Reducing Emissions research programme.

Mr Will Forster
(Woking) (LD)

Can the Minister assure me that when the diesel trains that operate on the South Western Railway network are replaced with electric trains to decarbonise the network, there will be no reduction in service for my commuting constituents in Woking?

Keir Mather

We believe that the benefits of having electric rolling stock for our train services actually allow us to improve efficiency on the railway, and I hope that those improvements can be realised for the hon. Gentleman’s constituents.

Five dead, 41 missing, after Indonesia ferry catches fire


KMP Mutiara Sentosa 2 ferry with thick plumes of smoke billowing from behind - Image © Basarnas

Five people have been found dead and 41 are missing after an Indonesian ferry carrying at least 250 people caught fire while at sea, officials say.

The captain of the ship reported the fire - off Madura island - as the vessel sailed from the country's second-largest city, Surabaya in East Java, to Makassar in South Sulawesi, according to Basarnas, the National Search and Rescue Agency.

Footage played by local Indonesian news outlet iNews shows large numbers of people in life jackets on what appears to be a lifeboat.

Other clips show people climbing down from the ferry that has flames and plumes of smoke coming from the top of the vessel.

Basarnas posted a video to its TikTok, with a statement saying at 08:24 (02:24 GMT) the Surabaya Search and Rescue office received information that passenger ship KMP Mutiara Sentosa 2 was on fire.

"Based on information from the shipping company, the fire occurred at around 06:00-07:00 (00:00-01:00 GMT)."

Later, Basarnas said it got confirmation the ferry "was almost entirely engulfed in flames" as "passengers held on in the ship's bridge and bow while awaiting rescue".

In some of the footage, can be seen jumping into the sea, with crowds of people in life jackets gathering and lifebuoys being thrown to some before they are carried into a rescue ship.

(BBC article continues, and is being updated)

We don't even need to look that far. The 398s being introduced in South Wales are based on the same tram-train platform and some of the extensions being done and planned in terms of street running are great examples for showing what you could do.

The replies on Facebook are quite fun to read, but so far he doesn't seem to have explained what he has based his bizarre claim on.

I seem to recall one of the TV comedy shows of the time suggesting a spicier railway product named a 'HaveItAwayDay' ticket.

I have now added this topic to the Coffee Shop forum's calendar. 

South Western Railway’s diesel trains will soon be replaced by electric trains.

With cancellations and delays already a big issue on the network serving #Woking, I’ve asked the Government to ensure that the rollout of new trains don’t add to the problem.

I do like the cheery GWR message on X/Twitter for those travelling to Boardmasters in Newquay next weekend, which concludes by sternly reminding those considering going by train that "surfboards are not permitted on long-distance services"

The Famous Five evidently shouldn't plan on going surfing by train! 

It's when I read posts like that I really want to acknowledge and totally agree with you - but somehow using the "like" button conveys too positive a response.

Reliability is key to any public transport service.   Occasional failures for good external cause can be forgiven, but routine failure to provide the contracted and advertised service drives customers away. 

Looking to see what's happening today ... updated on Journey Check at 04:52 on 2.8.2026 ... however most of the text reads like it did last night and says "Due to the severity of the fire, this has affected signalling and the overhead electricity power. We request that you do not travel from either Bristol Parkway or Bristol Temple Meads to Newport and Cardiff central for the rest of today as we cannot provide a rail service." and I would not like to hazard a guess as to whether the line will be open in any form today or not.  No doubt the next update (in two hours) or one after that will help tell us what's happening.

There has been a fire near the railway in the Marshfield area between Newport and Cardiff Central, which has affected signalling systems and the overhead electric power supply.
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What are we doing about it?
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Fewer trains are able to run between Newport and Cardiff Central, in both directions, and we will be running a reduced service.
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Trains between London Paddington and Swansea, via Cardiff Central, will run, in both directions.
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Trains between Cardiff Central and Portsmouth Harbour will start or finish their journey at Newport, depending on the direction of travel.
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Trains between Cardiff Central and Taunton/Exeter St David's will start or finish their journey at Bristol Temple Meads, depending on the direction of travel.
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Please check your intended journey on the National Rail Enquiries real-time journey planner which has been updated with the trains we are able to run. Your journey is likely to take longer and may involve more changes of train than usual.