Diversions due to line closures in the Bristol area (August 2021)

[The exile]

Yes to both. Back in the 1980s the 16xx Taunton-Bristol stopper regularly went via the Marsh to avoid having to run round at TM before forming the 17xx return.

At least I no longer need to be annoyed about not knowing that back then. Can see I used the 17.xx Taunton on a few occasions, but not in inbound.

 

[Dai Corner]

At least I no longer need to be annoyed about not knowing that back then. Can see I used the 17.xx Taunton on a few occasions, but not in inbound.

I used the 17xx Taunton most working days in the 80's and didn't know about it either. AFAIR the 1715 ish was ex-Manchester and hoover-hauled.

Anyway I did the 1114 Parkway-Weston today so have ticked off SPM and the Rhubarb Line, 40 years later.

Commiserations to anyone who went for the 1214 which was cancelled. (un?) fortunately for me a 158 came down ECS to form my intended 1329 back. Otherwise I'd have had to spend another 2 hours in The Fork & Ale pub and consume several more of their wide range of excellent ales!

 

[D6975]

I used the 17xx Taunton most working days in the 80's and didn't know about it either. AFAIR the 1715 ish was ex-Manchester and hoover-hauled.

That was an inter city service, first stop Taunton, the stopper left behind it.
ps there was never any danger of the 11:14 being a unit.

 

[Jim]

Just a note to anyone who is going tomorrow (Friday) - they are a set short at SPM for service, so depending on the allocations overnight, the turn *MAY* be a unit.

 

[PHILIPE]

Just seen on NRE that there are no trains in and out of Temple Meads in the Taunton direction for the rest of today due to a signaller taken ill

 

[Annetts key]

Just seen on NRE that there are no trains in and out of Temple Meads in the Taunton direction for the rest of today due to a signaller taken ill

That will be due to a lack of signallers on duty due to illness at TVSC at Didcot to cover the Bristol T.M. area.

Note edited.

 

[Jim]

The planned Castle diagram on the SPM trains is a Castle today, although may of course be alterations due to driver shortages etc.

 

[windnoise69]

The planned Castle diagram on the SPM trains is a Castle today, although may of course be alterations due to driver shortages etc.

HST circuit on Parkay - Westons cancelled as of 9D18 arrival into Parkway.

 

[Kite159]

Looks like the
11:14 Bristol Parkway to Weston-Super-Mare
12:29 Weston-Super-Mare to Bristol Parkway
14:14 Bristol Parkway to Weston-Super-Mare
15:29 Weston-Super-Mare to Bristol Parkway

Services have been cancelled today judging by Journey Check

 

[tiptoptaff]

1514 BPW-WSM and 1710wsm-BTM also at risk

 

[Jim]

1514 BPW-WSM and 1710wsm-BTM also at risk

Running as planned.

 

[tiptoptaff]

Running as planned.

Because I just agreed to start 2hours early!

 

[Annetts key]

Because I just agreed to start 2hours early!

I would use a forum thumbs up emoji/smilie, but the forum doesn’t have one…

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 13 Aug 2021 ==

I presume this XC ECS is for route learning:

5S45 1026 Bristol Parkway to Bristol Parkway via Bristol East Depot.

Realtime Trains - 5S45 1026 Bristol Parkway to Bristol Parkway

Realtime Trains is an independent source of live realtime running information for the Great British railway network.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

Or was it just to get the stock out of the way at Bristol Parkway so the station did not fill with trains?

 

[tiptoptaff]

I would use a forum thumbs up emoji/smilie, but the forum doesn’t have one…

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 13 Aug 2021 ==

I presume this XC ECS is for route learning:

5S45 1026 Bristol Parkway to Bristol Parkway via Bristol East Depot.

Realtime Trains - 5S45 1026 Bristol Parkway to Bristol Parkway

Realtime Trains is an independent source of live realtime running information for the Great British railway network.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

Or was it just to get the stock out of the way at Bristol Parkway so the station did not fill with trains?

I'd been eyeing it all morning, and hints were made by a colleague who brings the set up from weston, to the aom. Phone rang minutes later!

Clear the station more likely, but could also have been a set swap if they had anything spare down there from this morning.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 13 Aug 2021 ==

East Depot is their stabling point at the moment

 

[voyagerdude220]

13/08 1600: Engineering overrun at Bristol, handback now expected on Saturday night. Train plan has been created and will slowly be uploaded to online journey planners. Currently, all buses are in journey planners and northbound services have been amended. Westbound services yet to be changed. Please advise passengers to check journeys for Saturday in the morning.

 

[Nova1]

13/08 1600: Engineering overrun at Bristol, handback now expected on Saturday night. Train plan has been created and will slowly be uploaded to online journey planners. Currently, all buses are in journey planners and northbound services have been amended. Westbound services yet to be changed. Please advise passengers to check journeys for Saturday in the morning.

and XC services diverting again

 

[WelshBluebird]

Currently, all buses are in journey planners

I can't see any evidence of that! Most journey planners are still showing rail services so that is going to confused a lot of people! Indeed XC are saying on their site replacement buses won't be added to journey planners and will operate as a turn up and go service - whatever that means!

 

[Nova1]

I can't see any evidence of that! Most journey planners are still showing rail services so that is going to confused a lot of people! Indeed XC are saying on their site replacement buses won't be added to journey planners and will operate as a turn up and go service - whatever that means!

I guess it just means that they will shuttle between the stations, and just go when there's an acceptable amount of passengers on board (or when full)

 

[Jim]

The lack of bus timetable in these situations I do find frustrating at times, "a bus service is in operation " doesn't give the public much faith, if they don't know when!

 

[43055]

and XC services diverting again
View attachment 101110
View attachment 101111

Add in the engineering works between Birmingham and Tamworth it means a extra 2 hours added onto the NE-SW journeys to Plymouth today.

 

[Ianno87]

The lack of bus timetable in these situations I do find frustrating at times, "a bus service is in operation " doesn't give the public much faith, if they don't know when!

Conversely, actual rail replacement buses (particularly for frequent shuttle) don't follow much of a timetable anyway, just departing when ready and loaded)

 

[WelshBluebird]

To give credit where its due, at least some replacement buses were added to the journey planners overnight which gave me enough confidence to try them rather than the regular bus or taxi (the main issue with them not being in the timetable is I've no clue if I need to give myself an extra half hour, or hour, or whatever - with them in the timetable even if not exact I had a feeling for when to get there for so I could still get where I was going for the same time), and to be fair I was straight onto a coach which waited for about ten mins to fill up a little and then took 15 mins to get to Parkway. So well done GWR / XC.

 

[Jim]

Conversely, actual rail replacement buses (particularly for frequent shuttle) don't follow much of a timetable anyway, just departing when ready and loaded)

Naa agreed for a regular short distance journey like this to be fair!

 

[WelshBluebird]

I spoke too soon about the buses. Whilst the morning was great, the evening was less so. The last train southbound from Birmingham was ten mins late into Bristol Parkway due to following a late running ECS move from Gloucester to Parkway. That meant we missed the last replacement bus to Temple Meads and nearly all staff had packed up and left, leaving what I think was about 20 of us hanging about wondering if anyone was around before I went to find a dispatcher who then found the station manager for us to organise taxis.

Pretty poor form for the last bus not to be held for the service it was supposed to be connecting with - the last train from Birmingham was originally timetabled to Temple Meads before the engineering overrun, and so that last bus was supposed to be the connecting replacement for it. Or at the very least if there were operational reasons for not being able to hold it they should have had staff on the platform meeting people off that train to work out onward journeys - actually being proactive rather than expecting passengers to find staff, which at Parkway, when there's only a couple of staff members about late at night can be pretty difficult. The cynic in me would say they just hoped people would deal with taxis etc themselves but that may be too harsh.

 

[morrisobrien]

Many problems around the Bristol/Taunton area today, affecting trains to and from the West Country and the North.
Is this a sudden problem or has it been ongoing due to line closures in the Bristol area?

 

[The exile]

Many problems around the Bristol/Taunton area today, affecting trains to and from the West Country and the North.
Is this a sudden problem or has it been ongoing due to line closures in the Bristol area?

Weston-super-Mare not being served because of signalling issues ( that area seems rather vulnerable to such problems)

 

[Annetts key]

Weston-super-Mare not being served because of signalling issues ( that area seems rather vulnerable to such problems)

Actually a signalling cable fault in the Uphill Junction area. All signalling at Uphill Junction was affected. That includes the Up Main and the Down Main.

It has nothing to do with the engineering works at Bristol.

 

[Old Shire]

Looks like the Bristol diversions are still going on. Took this photo from Severn Beach yesterday

 

[Peregrine 4903]

Looks like the Bristol diversions are still going on. Took this photo from Severn Beach yesterday

I'm probably being really stupid, but I can't see anything in that picture that relates to the Bristol diverts. What am I supposed to be looking for?

Like I said, its almost certainly really obvious, I just can't work out what. And please forgive me regardless.

 

[morrisobrien]

I'm probably being really stupid, but I can't see anything in that picture that relates to the Bristol diverts. What am I supposed to be looking for?

Would it be a CAF DMU unit from Llanwern,Newport,on the 2nd Severn Bridge,heading eastwards on a low loader?