May have had something to do with the preceding train, the 18:45 to Bristol, being cancelled due to unspecified fault. Both trains were being shown as "Delayed"  at around 19:45. The Bristol stock may have ended up in Jersey sidings.

For a while, the final Bristol service (2104 from Weymouth) was showing as 7 coaches on TIGER. It's now back to 3.

 

Ironic as it sits in the Jersey Sidings (cooking!) all day.

20:06 rather than 19:38 off Weymouth.

 
Somewhat ironically, 'On This Day' reports that there used to be trams in Swindon ... 

 

 

Thanks, Bob - it's an investigation machine I'll be on so I suspect I'll like something of a walk when back in Swindon rather than being too out of action to get to the station.

 
Buses are not too bad to the hospital on a Sunday.   The 1/1A/1B and 12 combine to give three buses an hour.

Edit to add.  For the return the 12 has the advantage it stops outside the railway station after Fleming Way - but only runs hourly at 33 mins past the hour from the hospital.

 

Tomorrow - Sunday, 12th July, I have an appointment at the Great Western Hospital at 11:45.  So that's the 08:52 train from Melksham and a bus from Fleming Way to the hospital.  Being a Sunday, buses to the hospital may be thin - but I have nearly 3 hours from Swindon Station. The next train, on time, would give me just 15 minutes!

Yes, I *do* have a "Plan B" if things go wrong.One advantage of having to start to absurdly early is that I should have time to implement that backup plan too.

 

I think one of the most frustrating things here is that so many of these cancellations are down to avoidable own goals - GWR (and it is 100% their responsibility as the employer) failing to provide a tolerable working environment for their staff, failing to manage heat related risks which is seeing entire branches virtually shut down for much of the day as staff, quite rightly, do not feel safe or able to work in these conditions.

The message again - don't rely on the railway in anything other than Spring-like conditions, or as Graham suggests,  during holiday periods or major sporting (especially football) events.

 
Oh dear ... we are told not to mention BBQs.  So perhaps I should not mention a football match in Miami tonight?

There is a sad pattern ... "severe weather", big match, public holidays ... where GWR are simply unable to provide the service that they are contracted to provide or the public really need if they are to rely on trains.  I am not looking to attach any blame there - just stating a fact we can see from the stats.  98% achieved on a "normal" week - a fair weather railway, but then it goes pear-shaped.    But then once the immediate situation is resolved, we move on / persuaded to the "yes it's better" and the underlying things that caused the problems are just glossed over / forgotten - except by the disappointed customers who are put off / have been suppressed from using the railway.

 

 
Hold old are these units? What was the average summer temperatuire back then>? Why would you design an AC that needed to do much more than average at that time? You wouldn't

They all need new kit. There is no money, so units are failed by drivers

 
which rather suggests the maintenance depots are not maintaining the a/c to expected standards of train crew (it's like they work for different companies with different standards).

The new Emirates stock designed to not exceed 23c even when outside temperature is +60c, Eurostar new stock has been specified to work at +55c.    GWR depots cannot cope with maintaining it to cope with temperatures nearer 33c, a mere 10c reduction required (rather than 22-27c reduction)

I guess the depots revealingly their quality standards, but worth remembering same depots with these standards also maintain the trains brakes.

 
........and for a bit of variety.....

20:06 Westbury to Cheltenham Spa due 22:06
20:06 Westbury to Cheltenham Spa due 22:06 will be cancelled.
This is due to a safety inspection of the track.

 
Down to Drivers deciding cabs are too hot to work in at some stage in their shift

 

Rather like the Battle of Britain, then: put up everything we've got, knowing that some of them won't make it back. 

 

Given the number of other lines listed in a similar position to the TransWilts I don't think anyone would challenge that view too much.....perhaps it's send them out on a wing & a prayer and hope for the best?
.

 
Would it be realistic (though uncharitable) to suggest that GWR are sending out trains at the start of the day that aren't going to be able to manage their full diagram?

 
17:50 Gloucester to Salisbury due 20:06
17:50 Gloucester to Salisbury due 20:06 will be cancelled.
This is due to more trains than usual needing repairs at the same time.

18:37 Westbury to Swindon due 19:21
18:37 Westbury to Swindon due 19:21 has been cancelled.
This is due to a broken down 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 broken down train.

21:16 Westbury to Swindon due 21:58
21:16 Westbury to Swindon due 21:58 will be cancelled.
This is due to a broken down 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 broken down train.

 

followed with a feeling of inevitability by

 

 
https://www.wiltshiretimes.co.uk/news/26268279.train-delays-due-broken-train-near-swindon/

Picture ... of an IET.   I still wonder if - in a parallel universe - the hourly London (Paddington) to Cheltenham Spa train would load to 10 carriages, dividing at Swindon with 5 (first portion) going forward alternately to Cheltenham Spa via Gloucester and to Gloucester via Cheltenham Spa, and 5 going forward via Trowbridge, Westbury, Frome, Yeovil and Dorchester to Weymouth.

 
The unit doing the Bedwyn shuttle has expired now. 

 
There is a programme to improve the air cooling in the cabs of some of the units - not sure if it is the turbos or the 158s or both.

It will take 12 months to complete and it will probably still struggle on the hottest day as it can only reduce the temperature by about 7 degrees.

In the meantime crew are being asked to lower blinds and leave windows open when units are laying over between trips to try to reduce the greenhouse effect. 

 

I know how they feel too.   But I don't have any data as to what the failures are, or indeed where "more trains than usual require repair" it could relate to trains sitting in sidings waiting for parts, or waiting for technicians to fix them.  Rumour has suggested that a/c failure in the driving cab is a major cause of trains being declared unusable in very hot weather and that sounds plausible to me.

 
I know how they feel!  I am having very long siestas in this heatwave.

 
Heat getting to them? They are very old

 

GWR DMUs are failing all over the place today



Clearly a serious DMU crisis, units breaking down, no serviceable spares, are they simply be worked unrealistically hard, beyond point where they can repair them fast enough

 


We have space on the server, and for completeness I will quote it.

Due to a broken down train between Swindon and Westbury fewer trains are able to run.
Train services running through these stations may be cancelled. Disruption is expected until the end of the day.
Customer Advice
-
What has happened?
-
The train operating between Swindon and Westbury via Melksham has failed and there is no spare train available to replace it
-

What are your options?
-
We are sorry for the disruption to your journey today, these are the current options available to you:
-
Option 1: Passengers from Westbury and Trowbridge are advised to await the next service towards Bath Spa and then change there for services towards Chippenham and Swindon.

Passengers from Swindon and Chippenham are advised to await the next service towards Bath Spa and then change there for services towards Trowbridge and Westbury.

Passengers from Melksham are advised await the rail replacement services to Chippenham and Westbury via Trowbridge
Passengers from Westbury or Trowbridge for Melksham should contact station staff for onward road transport.
Passengers from Swindon for Melksham should travel to Chippenham on the next available service and then liaise with station staff for onwards road transport to Melksham.

-
Option 2: Replacement transport provided by us will operate between Chippenham and Westbury via Melksham and Trowbridge will start operating from 18:00 onwards
-
Option 3: If your train is cancelled, you may travel on either of the two services before, or two services after, your original train. If these are peak services or less flexible, you can still travel with your original ticket, at no extra cost.
-
Option 4: Consider postponing your journey until our service returns to normal.
-
For more information:
-
Use the National Rail Enquiries real-time journey planner to check if a journey by rail is currently possible. If you are at a station please check the live departure boards or speak to a member of station staff.
-
Let us help you:
-
If you're already travelling when disruption happens, we'll get you where you need to go. If you miss the last train of the day due to cancellation or because another train was delayed, we wont leave you stranded.
-
If you require help, further information or would like to provide feedback, to help us improve in the future:
Speak to staff at the station or on the train. Use the Customer Help Point on the platform.
Message us on X @GWRHelp, Facebook Messenger @gwruk, Instagram @gwruk or WhatsApp 07890 608043. Our team is available daily between 06:00 and 23:00 Monday to Friday and 07:00 to 23:00 Saturday and Sunday.
Call our Customer Support team on 03457 000 125, who are available between 08:00 and 20:00 Monday to Friday and 09:00 to 17:00 Saturday and Sunday, or National Rail Enquiries on 03457 484 950, who are available 24 hours a day.
-
Delay Repay:
-
If you arrive at your destination 15 or more minutes late because your GWR train was delayed or cancelled, you can apply for Delay Repay compensation. Please keep your ticket and visit GWR.com/DelayRepay
-
Further Information
An update will follow within the next 2 hours.
Last Updated:09/07/2026 17:14

Looks right "no spare train" in the Cardiff -> Portsmouth is running with only 3 and 2 car trains.   Love it that you can take "next 2 services" - that reads to me that you can use today's ticket on the first train or two tomorrow.

 


Now in Journeycheck;

Cancellations to services between Swindon and Westbury
Due to a broken down train between Swindon and Westbury fewer trains are able to run.
Train services running through these stations may be cancelled.
Disruption is expected until the end of the day.

Customer Advice
-
What has happened?
-
The train operating between Swindon and Westbury via Melksham has failed and there is no spare train available to replace it

............there is some lengthy advice about rail replacement and alternatives if you're at either end of the line but didn't want to fill the space up here!!!

 

Oh dear - five trains out of 9 each way cancelled, and only one train Westbury to Swindon after the 09:45 - that's the 20:06, left, and only one train Swindon to Westbury after the 10:41 (the 11:05 normal time, but running earlier) - that's the 18:44.

No alternative transport mentioned on JourneyCheck, and no suggestions to passengers as to how they should travel.  It appears to be purely an operational announcement, with nothing to help passengers get to where they need / want / planned to go.


Most passengers I speak to would prefer to have a service and get home, rather than getting there money back and being left to fend for themselves on how to travel ... by a travel company!

 
14:18 Westbury to Swindon due 15:01
14:18 Westbury to Swindon due 15:01 will be cancelled.
This is due to more trains than usual needing repairs at the same time.

15:14 Swindon to Westbury due 15:58
15:14 Swindon to Westbury due 15:58 will be cancelled.
This is due to more trains than usual needing repairs at the same time.

16:23 Westbury to Swindon due 17:06
16:23 Westbury to Swindon due 17:06 will be cancelled.
This is due to more trains than usual needing repairs at the same time.

17:45 Swindon to Westbury due 18:26
17:45 Swindon to Westbury due 18:26 will be cancelled.
This is due to more trains than usual needing repairs at the same time.

18:37 Westbury to Swindon due 19:21
18:37 Westbury to Swindon due 19:21 will be cancelled.
This is due to more trains than usual needing repairs at the same time.

20:12 Swindon to Westbury due 20:56
20:12 Swindon to Westbury due 20:56 will be cancelled.
This is due to more trains than usual needing repairs at the same time.

21:16 Westbury to Swindon due 21:58
21:16 Westbury to Swindon due 21:58 will be cancelled.
This is due to more trains than usual needing repairs at the same time.

22:31 Swindon to Westbury due 23:12
22:31 Swindon to Westbury due 23:12 will be cancelled.
This is due to more trains than usual needing repairs at the same time.

 

 
Train manager told me it was a line side fire

 

 
This is odd - on the 18:00 Chippenham Melksham train and we've just stopped a mile or 2 before Melksham (single track).

Going again now; no announcement...

 

 
The crossed legs express!

17:50 Gloucester to Salisbury due 20:06
Facilities on the 17:50 Gloucester to Salisbury due 20:06.
Toilet facilities are not available. Disabled toilet facilities are not available.
This is due to a fault on this train.

 

First train to Swindon and back was - planned - replaced by a bus to Chippenham on Sunday. Yes, preplanned.  We pragmatically accept that this first train is more prone to pre-planned engineering bus replacement than other services. An eye is kept on ensuring that connections work, especially at Chippenham where there have been very long waits for Swindon in the past.   Yesterday, the bus arrived at Chippenham at 09:03 and the train left onwards at 09:26.   In the opposite direction, the bus left for Westbury at 09:23 and the first train from London - due at 09:08 - arrived at 09:25. I hope the bus waited.  Although trains and local buses here have real time tracking, rail replacement buses don't and.

But the service is more reliable than it has been - far more reliable. We still keep a watchful eye, and get loads of criticism on social media from both historic reports from people who have been put off, and we must remember that if a train is cancelled, there isn't another one along half an hour later.

 
Looked like they were running bus replacements through Melksham at least one day over the weekend (can't remember when I noticed it); presumably that was planned?

 
Not a great start to the week with the first two trains cancelled, but after that everything ran through Melksham to give a 98.28% reliability score for the week.

 

Much of that now appears to be uncancelled - hope not too many people were put off! Now down to:

 
14:04 Frome to Swindon due 14:57
14:04 Frome to Swindon due 14:57 will be cancelled.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.

15:44 Swindon to Frome due 16:38
15:44 Swindon to Frome due 16:38 will be cancelled.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.

 
Not good, sending props, and that Manvers Street walk rapidly gets old. (Been hiking it since 2021 when First Bristol Bath incarsterated the 6/7 bus routes...)

Mark

 

In the end I got my morning walk in by picking up the first 271 bus at Melksham Market Place instead of the nearest stop, had a bonus walk from Bath Grand Parade to the station, and caught the 07:47 Weston train at Bath.

Bus again coming home - should have caught the 15:00 Paddington train from Temple Meads to connect with the Melksham train at Chippenham, but the former was running late and would have missed the latter (it's a bit tight, but an official connection). So caught the 15:04 Frome train to Bath, walked up to Guildhall and caught the 272 bus back.

Ho hum.

 

Indeed it was. 

Just over 77% of trains through Melksham ran - probably in line with the overall GWR figure in what was a pathetic challenging week!

 
You jest but with Manvers Street closed to vehicles, the walking routes to either side of the works are not particularly good* and there needs to be a signed accessible route + more guidance. The bus station's slowly gaining paper notices but these are all pretty perfunctory. All else aside, this must surely be having an effect on bus service profitability/viability.

The east side of the street, the two vehicle entrances to what was the police station, the ramp for those extends across the entire pavement and must be in excess of 10%, I'm not sure that people using wheelchairs would even be prepared to attempt to cross them.

Mark

 

Plan C - bus to Manvers Street.   Oh no, wait, that's closed for engineering works at the moment.

 
Great - that's commute plans A & B out of the window then 

 
05:11 Gloucester to Southampton Central due 08:10
05:11 Gloucester to Southampton Central due 08:10 will be terminated at Swindon.
It will no longer call at Chippenham, Melksham, Trowbridge, Westbury, Dilton Marsh, Warminster, Salisbury, Romsey and Southampton Central.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.

06:35 Salisbury to Worcester Foregate Street due 09:47
06:35 Salisbury to Worcester Foregate Street due 09:47 will be terminated at Westbury.
It will no longer call at Trowbridge, Melksham, Chippenham, Swindon, Kemble, Stroud, Stonehouse, Gloucester, Cheltenham Spa, Ashchurch For Tewkesbury, Worcester Shrub Hill and Worcester Foregate Street.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.

 
20:38 Westbury to Swindon due 21:23
20:38 Westbury to Swindon due 21:23 will be cancelled.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.

21:34 Swindon to Westbury due 22:16
21:34 Swindon to Westbury due 22:16 will be cancelled.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.

 

 

 

Sorta point-of-view.  If you had caught the 06:29 as planned, you would have planned an arrival into Southampton at 08:10 - so you (and your employer or a person meeting you) might consider that 115 minutes late

 
And after all that, if you had caught the 07:21 and gone via Reading you would have arrived in Southampton Central just over 20 minutes late at 10:05 (but got delay repay).

 

Yep - 06:50 bus from Broughton Road to Trowbridge Trinity Church (you'll note it takes 30 minutes by bus and 10 minutes by train!) and then the 07:53 train from Trowbridge to Southampton Central, due 09:03.   £3 bus fare plus £30.10 which is a darned site cheaper than the £106.20 GWR will have you pay if you don't know, and gets you there still late - but 40 minutes after the train they offer you having cancelled the 06:29.

Another good reason to have a knowledgable person able to offer help at the station!

 


  - Indeed. But you may have noticed I filed the report with a note on the alternatives we are using to help readers (customers for our data) keep track.

JourneyCheck is struggling with 250 cancellations and part cancellations this morning and I suspect that the bloke or blokessse who feed it are overworked.  There are regular users of this train though, and it would be a politeness for the people or systems that tell them their train is cancelled to tell them the alternative.   This IS used as a get-to-work train by people to Bristol and Southampton.

Searching on GWR, the best they offer is a train that gets people to Southampton and hour and a half later, at a much higher price (cheeky when they cancelled the train).  If I were personally travelling, I would take a look at the bus option to Trowbridge which would certainly be cheaper and probably get me to Southampton earlier than the 07:21 via Reading!

 
05:11 Gloucester to Southampton cancelled because of more trains than usual needing repairs at the same time (again).

 
In amongst all the cancellations, an extra service today:
Westbury: 2040
Trowbridge: 2046
Melksham: 2056
Chippenham: 2112
Bath: 2126
Bristol: a2140.

This service, 1U85, wasn't activated in the "system" until 20:46, so the actual times before Bradford Jn are not recorded. The train does not seem to be visible in journey planner queries nor on TIGER, so it may come as a welcome surprise for some people waiting for delayed trains.

 

"More automated logging systems than usual needing repair at the same time"

 
My automated logging system that has been running since January - automatically scraping the last 24 hour's records in the middle of the night - has had a spanner thrown in its works, as the place I have scraped it from has gone "human only", identified me as a 'bot and stopped my access.   I'm not surprised; it was useful while it lasted but it was a "quick and dirty" way of monitoring.  I will see what I can do to find an alternative when I'm back in the UK early next month.  For sure it could be done using industry data and significant learning and effort; I'm not sure if I'm up to/for that.

In the meantime, a huge THANK YOU to members who help me log the cancellations and other goings on with this service.   Your posts will be all the more vital now.

 

And apparently will take some time to fix

 
17:45 Swindon - Westbury "cancelled because of a broken down train"

 

 
...and unsurprisingly "This journey has been cancelled because of more trains than usual needing repairs at the same time".

 
The 05:11 Gloucester - Southampton Central is 'delayed', or over 35 mins late if it sets off as I'm writing this.

 
The 17:45 Swindon - Westbury has also been cancelled (fault on the train).

 

 
20:06 Westbury to Cheltenham Spa due 22:06
20:06 Westbury to Cheltenham Spa due 22:06 will be cancelled.
This is due to a fault on this train.

 

Both these ran in the end albeit with a delay of 25 minutes on the 18:37.

They, like most of the TransWilts services today, were operated by 158748 which was running with the windows open after the air cooling/conditioning failed.   I suspect it was not alone.

 

 

 

Yes, as you've said it's virtually impossible to quantify that as it's a moving target.

For example, an early afternoon train, say the 14:18 Westbury to Swindon, showing at 4:30am as cancelled but then reinstated at 7am is likely to have much less of a 'customer view figure' than if it was reinstated at 1pm.

I remain of the opinion that start-of-service early morning journeycheck entries should show 'may be cancelled' - with a note to say every effort is being made to run it and to check back later.  That could automatically change to 'will be cancelled' three hours before departing its origin station if it hasn't been reinstated by then as it's far less likely it will be.

 

Agree that figure though with at least two trains flagged up on journey planner / check stuff as cancelled which then actually ran, the customer view figure might be just under 95%.   This week WILL be more challenging - started with 2 cancellations due to "shortage of train crew" and with weather issues anticipated ...

 

96.6% ran again last week.

I'm sure this week will be much more challenging.

 

 


There ARE additional trains Westbury to Southampton and Swindon to Worcester.  What is lacking is any service a t all, or any customer advice for passengers travelling between Swindon and Westbury.   It may be "just one round trip", but it's all we have got - or to be accurate NOT got.

 

 

 

Looks like they've been reinstated.

 

 
It left Westbury 19 minutes late and then lost another 10 at Bradford Junction.  Finally arrived in Swindon 25 late.

 

 

Indeed - somewhat ironic that the extras were on sections of the route where there are alternatives.  Just saying.

 
Posted at the same time as those alterations were “additional” trains from Westbury to Southampton Central and Swindon to Worcester Foregate Street. 

So at least some commuters were served.

 

Oh dear ...



We are not the only ones ... Gunnislake also lost their first train and in our area also


No advice to passengers on Journeycheck as what they should do.  With the 06:29 southbound cancelled at Melksham, the next train is at 09:10 - ouch.   With the 07:21 in the other direction cancelled, the first train in the 08:02.   With both trains cancelled, connections to the Bristol travel-to-work area are blown.  Normal customer advice would be to catch the 271/272 bus to Manver Street in Bath and cross the road into Bath Spa station for an ongoing train, but road works in Bath have Manvers Street closed for the summer and autumn.

Cut and paste passenger advice (not given this time) suggests "Option 4 - consider postponing your journey" which just might be OK for the leisure market.  My personal suggestion would be the Bath bus and walk across the city for fit people, or perhaps the x34 to Trowbridge (Trinity Church for the station) or Chippenham (where the early and Sunday services call at the railway station).

 
Thanks for your update post here, chipbury. 

My understanding is that railway staff can merely lean on their truck - provided they are wearing hi-viz while doing so.

 
Yes it was the Limpley Stoke bridge again!  I cycled past at midday and there were 3 Network Rail people leaning on their truck.

 
...as is the 11:09 Gloucester - Weymouth, although currently showing as 'delayed' for Melksham (12:43, Chippenham 12:34 'information unavailable').

 
Ah: checking Google maps there's a road closure 'till 4 pm at Hawkeridge Road south of Trowbridge, so I thought it would be that rail overbridge.

Driving the road beneath Limpley Stoke a couple of days ago was an opportunity to check that, desplte the series of bridge strikes there - and Network Rail / Wiltshire County Council both being aware of issues with signage and vegetation overgrowth, nothing has been done to address either - and indeed, after the turn off the A36, the sole warning of the low bridge ahead, mounted low on a pole containing another road sign - the undergrowth has practically covered that one.

Mark

 
I can see the 10:23 Portsmouth - Cardiff service is now diverted via Melksham (12:28).

 

 

Indeed - and I have updated our own logging system to reflect / highlight the percentage running more strongly than the percentage cancelled.  Page from https://www.wellho.info/sh5.php



Still being aware that customers are being advised that there are cancellations but then trains run.  From my inbox from Saturday """  ... arrived back at Chippenham station at about 19:50 having cycled to Calne and back and swung by the Chippenham pride event.. to be told 'no trains'. Checked RTT and open train times and could see the 20.00 to Westbury sitting in P2 at Swindon. Crossed fingers and yes, it ran, quite busy too """ - fortunately a knoweldgable user.

 
Another decent week last week for Melksham, with one cancellation each way on the Saturday and Sunday giving a 96.6% reliability score from the Monday to Sunday.  100% of weekday services ran.

 
Guess what ...

16:43 Frome to Swindon due 17:34

 
Hold it!

 

In the old days was hand signalling, but in 2019 ESW (emergency special working) was created to get stranded trains past defective signals.   Not clear to me why this wasn't used to get people past the defective area.   

Stranding thousands of people for 2-4 hours should not really have been seen as a serious option by Control once they realised they couldn't source alternative road transport due to multiple events at Bath, and congested roads in the area meaning local buses weren't an alternative either. 

 
I don't know nearly enough about how train running is managed / what broke. One factor in this might be that in the fairly recent past, wasn't a mobile operations manager based at Bath Spa station, but either this post was removed elsewhere or abolished entirely?

Mark

 

Fixed it for you! 

 

Both dwarfed in significance by events at the Rec, where Exeter Chiefs secured a glorious victory over Bath, only for many of their fans to find that their journeys home were scuppered.

There's going to be some pretty chunky compensation claims going in...........on the upside it may help to pay for Twickenham next weekend! 

 
Just to add to that. If running slowly though the signals isn't possible, why are trains not running as far as the previous station and then returning, on all lines? At present, nobody can get from Bath to Bristol by train, and I very much doubt whether anyone can by bus either as the services would already have been packed. And yet this line, as far as I know, isn't where the signalling problem is.