Based on my experience with GWR last night the railway really doesn't help itself. A platform full of passengers was waiting for the 1942 Cardiff service at BRI. The screen showed the service as 'on time', though with the train already 25 minutes overdue leaving Westbury this was clearly wrong. The train then disappeared off the screen altogether. I walked over to the barrier. The staff there knew nothing. I was directed to the ticket office, who also knew nothing about the status of the train and suggested taking the 2029 Leeds service to Parkway and changing there.
However, in the meantime, the Cardiff service departed Westbury 55 late. But the screens at BRI were not updated - the train effectively didn't exist. I checked again with a lady at the barrier, who honestly couldn't have been less helpful - refused to check the platform number and directed me to a long closed information office. Meanwhile, the Twitter team confirmed the train was definitely running and was booked from platform 5, so I walked back over there.
Another group of passengers had reassembled for the delayed service, where an older member of station staff was insistent it was cancelled and directing people via Parkway. I told him that this wasn't what NRE or GWR's Twitter had said. A few minutes later, a more senior member of staff came out (perhaps the on duty manager?) and promised to go and check what was going on with the train. Meanwhile, most other passengers had given up and took the train towards Parkway.
The manager did not come back and I could see on realtimetrains that the train was due any second, but there was still nothing on the screens. A quick check on Open Train Times mapping indicated the train had gone into 3, so I ran over (couple of other passengers in tow) and low and behold, it was the Cardiff service and was indeed running! The train departed with no announcements, nothing on the screens, with about 4 people on board.
Meanwhile, due to flooding between Swindon and BPW all trains were diverted via Bath, resulting in very long delays for the large number of passengers sent there by BRI staff. The first train was cancelled, and the second delayed by 30, thus resulting in a 2315 arrival (vs. c. 2030 booked, and our 2135 actual!).
I know station staff have a tough job during disruption, but I am honestly staggered by how unhelpful the staff were at Bristol last night. What struck me was the belligerence and unwillingness to look up information or even contact control to check the status of trains. Is this normal for this station?
