Paddington-Penzance via Bristol divert question

[Express380]

Hello all
I am looking to travel back to Plymouth from London on the 11th December and have noticed there is no train from Paddington to Plymouth or Penzance between 16:36-20:00 according to RTT.

Is this likely to change is this likely to change (I hope it is) as travelling back before 17:00 may not be very convenient if I'm honest, if anyone has more info I'd be grateful as with the diverts a few days ago the gaps were no where near that big so not sure what is different this time around.

MTIA

 

[brad465]

If you can't wait till 20:00 there are combinations in that time window that will get you to Plymouth with a change at Bristol Temple Meads, with comparable journey times to the direct ones. I wouldn't be surprised if they are quite crowded though on both legs, considering they are catering for both the regular traffic and the additional traffic that would normally go direct to Devon and Cornwall.

 

[D6975]

There is an 18:57 to Exeter, change there for Plymouth. Due into Plymouth at 22:50 (XC).

 

[1D54]

Catch the 18:01 and change at BRI for the XC service.

 

[Western Sunset]

Seems an inordinate gap in through services in the middle of the week...

 

[Express380]

If you can't wait till 20:00 there are combinations in that time window that will get you to Plymouth with a change at Bristol Temple Meads, with comparable journey times to the direct ones. I wouldn't be surprised if they are quite crowded though on both legs, considering they are catering for both the regular traffic and the additional traffic that would normally go direct to Devon and Cornwall.

There is an 18:57 to Exeter, change there for Plymouth. Due into Plymouth at 22:50 (XC).

Catch the 18:01 and change at BRI for the XC service.

Thanks for these answers and will certainly take these as options but what I can't understand is why there is such a large gap in the through service I've not known a 3 hour+ gap between London and Plymouth

 

[Wandering Pom]

The answer seems to be an engineering block between Newbury and Westbury from 22:20 on Monday 9 December to the end of service on Thursday 12 December, presumably as part of the Westbury resignalling project. All trains between London and the West Country are diverted via either Bristol or Melksham, and the service seems to have been thinned out. In Realtime Trains detailed mode, if you use the "CAN" button to switch on cancelled trains, there's a series of cancelled paths in the gap you've found. Some are obviously duplicates.
NRE engineering work page: https://www.nationalrail.co.uk/engineering-works/newbury-bedwyn-20241209/
RTT search results including cancelled paths: https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/se...4-12-11/1200-2359?stp=WVSC&show=all&order=wtt

 

[Sporty60]

Is travelling from Waterloo with a change at Exeter an option for you?

 

[Express380]

Is travelling from Waterloo with a change at Exeter an option for you?

It could be it's certainly an option for me

 

[Western Sunset]

It still begs the question though why, in the evening peak (and the run up to Christmas), there isn't at least one through service to Plymouth and Cornwall, even if it ran via Badminton and Bristol. Obviously GWR made that judgement call and must have their reasons.

 

[Express380]

It still begs the question though why, in the evening peak (and the run up to Christmas), there isn't at least one through service to Plymouth and Cornwall, even if it ran via Badminton and Bristol. Obviously GWR made that judgement call and must have their reasons.

And the fact that they have done it a few days ago too hopefully there may be a change before then

 

[co-tr-paul]

There is engineering work between Liskeard and Penzance first weeknight December too.

 

[30907]

A quick count shows more trains from Exeter and beyond than to Exeter etc, which suggest there may be some missing data - schedules whose stopping pattern hasn't been finalised, for example.