So as of last night it was 50% of the days since the change that the peak evening train was declared cancelled then re-instated.  Unclever - very unclever.

Let's hope that THIS crew shortage issue (or the way of reporting it in a way that scares the customers away) is shortlived - teething troubles.  Sadly, I am not holding my breath as prior experience of staff shortages is that they go on. And on. And on.

 
17:50 Gloucester to Salisbury due 20:06
17:50 Gloucester to Salisbury due 20:06 will be cancelled.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.

20:06 Westbury to Cheltenham Spa due 22:06
20:06 Westbury to Cheltenham Spa due 22:06 will be started from Swindon.
It will no longer call at Westbury, Trowbridge, Melksham and Chippenham.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.

 

The lunchtime train is still booked with an Exeter guard who arrives on the London to Exeter service.  The 1623 Westbury to Swindon and 1735 Swindon to Westbury services are now booked to have a driver who travels up from Exeter! I think Westbury have covered it (when possible) every time it has run since the timetable change though.

The evening 1750 Gloucester to Salisbury service is now booked from Swindon for a driver from Reading depot who is then booked to bring back the 2006 Westbury to Cheltenham service as far as Swindon.

 
There's an article in this month's Rail magazine with some of the people working on Project Brunel (the project tasked with improving the performance of the infrastructure between Reading and Paddington). Fairly interesting read.

My main recollections: undergrowth was cut back that was tripping the OLE, too many/heavy trains using it (broken rails), pigeons nesting in bridges culled particularly at Ealing Broadway as they were tripping the OLE when a train passed, 777 axle counters replaced that still get loose, but are monitored/tightened before they fail again, addressing wet bed issues to do with drainage being covered over when track was realigned.

This may not have been the sentiment intended or I misread it: the team want to maintain the current level of progress without slipping back (!).

 
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cx2qgdlegq4o

 
The change only happened last weekend!

 
Explains why Weymouth trains often end up terminating at Westbury in both directions if Bristol drivers no longer sign the route down to Weymouth. Might be good for operators but not good for passengers.

 
Friday May 30

Not a good week for this to be short-formed : it's half-term and this is the first train for cheap off-peak tickets.
I was on it on Wednesday, when it was a 9-car set; we had the "move any bags off the seats - people are standing" announcement before Oxford.


Later:

12:30 : Train crew found for the Paddington - Oxford leg of the 17:34.

 

You have me - I know what I think he meant.  As his words were reported it suggested he was looking to throw out the baby with the bathwater ...

Personal annoyance - too many announcements in the quiet carriage, including those telling us to keep quiet in that carriage - "do as I say, not as I do ..."

 
It is covered in paragraph 7 of the Railway Byelaws


Don’t start me on mobile phone calls.  Increasingly you get people holding their phone flat, on loudspeaker and talking into the bottom of it as though they are on the Apprentice!

 
I think you know full well that Jenrick is referring mainly to the individuals who think it OK to play 'music', or have loud conversations, on public transport without benefit of headphones.

Even if you don't appreciate piano music I fail to understand why anybody would object to the use of a public piano by a reasonably competent player.

I would assume that 'flash mob performances' at public transport sites are already deemed illegal by relevant byelaws; if not they should be made so forthwith.

'Chipping away at society'? Not really but perhaps a civil law 'charge' of being bloody annoying in a public place would be useful. 

 

Huge difference between buskers and those playing music "live" at stations who are often talented musicians which enhances and adds character and ignorant so and sos blasting out (most often in my experience) rap "music" from their smartphones on the train because they're too inconsiderate to wear headphones and .....well......they're entitled, aren't they? 

(Early morning rant over!)

 
From The BBC


Is playing music on public transport "Chipping away at Society"? ... I can recall a member of this forum and a well respected campaigner playing a violin - or was it a viola - at the opening of Ashley Down, public pianos at a number of stations, and flash mob performances that seem to enhance people's experiences ...

 

There are ... times ... I wish I had provided an "amazed" button answer as well as a "like" button. If you have understood correctly (and I have no reason to doubt it) it looks to be rather backward step in terms of providing a reliable service, doesn't it?

Has the new timetable change sorted out the lunchtime problem where a crew arriving off the semi-fast London to Exeter service do a round trip to Swindon ... notorious for being cancelled, turned at Chippenham or delayed if anything goes wrong (does it ever?) between London and Reading,  delaying the Exeter.

 
I understand that Gloucester drivers have had Melksham work removed with the change of timetable. Along with Bristol drivers losing Weymouth, it would appear Westbury depot are too thin to cover all the gaps.

 
Now here's something you don't see in the UK these days - pretty unusual elsewhere too and I have posted them in "History" rather that heritage things you can see and enjoy.

This from Poland on the line from Lithuania - the sole rail link (if you can call it that with the change in gauge between the two countries).  "Rail Baltica" will link from Poland across Lithuania and Latvia and on to Tallinn in Estonia and I suspect that in the process the old signalling communications will be replaced.

 
On Tuesday we caught this train ...



On Thursday we ate breakfast at this station ...



If it's Friday it must be ...



... catching the 06:01 train.

Experiences overtake the time to write them all up.

 

Personally and I’m not alone, I can’t see why Go-Op or indeed any Train Operator should have
to be saddled with the cost of upgrading these footpath level crossings.
The route from Thingley Jn to Bradford Jn is routinely used intensively for planned and emergency diversion of a wide variety of trains and identified safety concerns requiring upgrades and  installation of Red/Green lights to inform users should be installed at the Infrastructure owner’s (currently Network Rail) expense with possible financial assistance from
outside bodies such as County Councils.

 

20:06 Westbury to Swindon due 21:21
An additional bus service has been planned to operate as shown 20:06 Westbury to Swindon due 21:21.

Additional Information
Four people carriers from Bath Taxis. Before getting in any taxi vehicle please check with the driver that they are working on behalf of GWR, the driver should not ask for payment.

 
(Source of phrase, for anyone who missed it:
https://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=11010.msg361826#msg361826 )

 
Thanks for that. It's wonderful how much specialist knowledge you get here! 

And you may regret including that link - you'll get some more dumb questions from this end!

 
It's a phrase that resonated. So much railway land redeveloped for retail, and just occasionally, provision made for a new line through the site.

Galashiels is to some extent a case of "Where there have never been trains, there will be trains", mind, to misquote John Betjeman.

Mark

https://postimg.cc/62Lg43tB

 

And now cancelled throughout ... no real difference on the TransWilts section where it was cancelled anyway!

 
Red/Green crossing lights will need to be installed presumably?

 
........and it's fallen over again.....

Cancellations to services between Slough and London Paddington

Due to urgent repairs to the railway between Slough and London Paddington some lines towards London Paddington are closed.

Train services running to and from these stations may be cancelled, delayed by up to 20 minutes or revised.

Disruption is expected until 16:15 29/05.

 
With Asda being our main shop I was surprised to learn that there was a crossing behind it. But having looked at Google satellite view I now know where that gravel path down the side of the car park goes
https://maps.app.goo.gl/TdaBdE7KTedn9QMN7

 

There is concern at the safety at the level for crossings behind  Asda, behind Beanacre Church and the electric substation, and on the path from Shurnhold field to Beanacre.   With the extra trains running, and those level walkways classified as having significant pedestrian use, the ORR has specified improvement works.   They may be minor in some ways, but those updgrades would cost rather more than my "pocket money".

The northerly and the southerly of those two crossings have already has significant extra barriers put in quite recently, and the fact that it's almost impossible to work out where the public path actually goes across the fields away from them gives lie to "significant pedestrian use". The middle of the three *is* used rather more and hasn't been upgraded - perhaps it does need some attention.  Caveat - I am not a safety expert.

 
I'm not up to speed on the details, but "...minor infrastructure upgrades..." - is that accurate?

 
Yes, that's a logical interpretation. 

2405/2418 are the distant signals (yellow or green only). 
2406/2425 are the section signals. 
2407/2416 are the signals protecting the junctions (and when a train has passed them it is clear of the section)
The two black boxes between Hanborough and 2418 are the axle counter sections (neither is associated directly with 2418)

I find it a little easier to intepret on SignalMaps than OTT:  https://signalmaps.co.uk/#cherval1:1658  You can also see when Ascott has requested a slot for the up direction - the 'AW2406 Release' lights up white.

 
OK, that makes sense - thanks.

I'd been looking at the map at https://www.opentraintimes.com/maps/signalling/oxford#T_WVCTJN, which has what looked like intermediate signals.