Anybody know why?

Trains ran better in the evening.  Six out of 10 trains ran during the day, 3 were cancelled, and the 09:12 started at Westbury rather than Swindon which is also cancelled as far as I'm concerned from a Melksham perspective.

I don't know what happened, but where the train leaves out the Westbury - Swindon - Westbury part of the journey and then picks up the onward leg to Southampton, it's often been caused in the past by a shortage of train crews.   But yesterday there were also emergency engineering works at Kemble on th Swindon to Gloucester line, and it might just be that there was some sort of platforming issue at Swindon.

The surveys are organised by Wilts County Council - specific to the "TransWilts" line to help in understanding current use up and down the West Wilts corridor and on to Swindon.  Although we have on train counts, stations observations and ticket sales data already, one of the things that we've lacked has been journey details. They're a vital piece of the jigsaw in terms of what SHOULD be being provided for, and so far it's been missing.   Alas, after yesterday's fiasco I don't think the data provided for 10th Feb will be representative.

Looking at our train monitor, the end of last week and start of this don't seem to have been particularly reliable - running being well below the 99% type figures routinely claimed.  Is it the weather, some saftey checks, an "end of term" feeling or staff leaving because they don't fancy the change of employer and not being replaced?   I feel for prospective passengers on the more frequent services "pulled" but I'm relieved that at least one of our infrequent trains appears to have been chosen above another for retention.

I feel that delays / cancellations should be evaluated based on time lost factors - i.e. passengers delayed or cancelled multiplied by the time to the next service.  Perhaps someone else feels this is right too?

Slight topic changeIn the from-December timetable, Swindon to Westbury services and operated from the Swindon end with a 20 minute turn around at Westbury. It appears that the skeleton service that will remain will be operated by Gloucester based crews so we'll see a change of staffing.   The First web site assures ex-Wessex trains staff that they'll meet all the legal requirements on them (First) as they take over the staff; I'm not an expert in that area and don't really know how much that commits them to.