This is a good start, and although they were not all on time, for January we currently have a 100% reliability rate... for now.
I see the 0717 was on time from Melksham, however was marked as No Report on the live departure boards system. I think they have done something to Melksham station, because before the new timetable it worked fine and actually reported on trains...

The 0717 service this morning was formed of quite an old Class 143 Railbus. How do I know? I caught it when it was formed as the 0946 from Cheltenham - Swindon, and they must be really desperate for rolling stock... the train hardly gathered much speed and one of the doors did not open properly - that's good in case of an emergency, a door which doesn't open. Luckily though, it actually made it to Gloucester with time to reverse.

Also just pulling in to Gloucester saw part of the 1002 arrival at Cheltenham (just leaving Gloucester) from London Paddington which was formed of a Class 180 Adelante train - I thought FGW weren't operating those trains on the Cheltenham-London route anymore because of complaints about onboard engine noise, I thought they were solely running them on London-Oxford-Hereford services? 

Thanks, Sion.   I understand that there were around 15 people on the 07:17 with just 2 joining at Melksham.

As we feared, the fearsomely early and late timings that First chose for the service mean they're providing trains only at times when there's little customer call for them.  And - First can't blame the DfT who HAVE given them the freedom to have the morning train arrive in Swindon as late as 08:30, and for the return service to set off as early as 17:30.    The current timetable is designed for the operational convenience of First rather than for their customers for whom they seem to be showing scant regard.

Andrew Griffiths told me before the changes that they would be doing their best to market and encourage use of the service, but I have yet to see any practical steps in this direction.  Has anyone else seen anything?

Nothing at all.  Nothing at Swindon or Chippenham, nor nothing on FGW's website