Why does this page exist?

Until a couple of years ago, train travellers in Wiltshire and the rest of the South West of England were an accepting bunch. In Wiltshire, Wessex Trains provide a service of 10 trains a day calling at Melksham as part of their Swindon to Southampton run - and usage of the service was growing at between 10% and 35% per annum depending on which statistics you considered. Sure, the trains were cancelled occasionally, often a bit doggeared and dirty and sometimes a few minutes late - and the publicity for them was awful especially as major stations such as Swindon where Wessex Trains (part of the National Express) group were very much the junior partner - swamped by First.

Then on 1st April 2006, the First group took over as the Train Operating Company. The following December they withdrew ALL through trains and left just 2 round trips a day on the Swindon to Westbury section. They did a "consultation exercise" on their draft timetable, but when we asked for the morning service to be a little later than proposed and the evening service a little ealier, they produced a final timetable that did the exact OPPOSITE - a train that starts at 06:19 in the morning, and a second that completes its run at 20:20. "At least you'll see a change in reliability" they said , and we did - for the worse! Monitoring over 2 week periods, up to 40% of the meagre remaining services were cancelled.

Promises of six extra services a day from December 2007 also turned to dust - again, the drafts were produced and discussed then a final inappropriate timetable imposed (to be fair, we do have one extra train a WEEK). And once again the new service has not only abysmal timing (the morning train is even earlier ... the evening one even later) but once again we're getting cancellation rates like 50% (3 day period in December). Now First will tell you (correctly) that they have to run to a specification laid down by the Department for Transport. Indeed they do, but they ARE allowed to run the trains at the time we want (they actually had to have the spec changed to allow them to run that early train so early!), and they certainly are allowed to run a reliable service!

Actually, all is NOT gloom and doom. I think First, the Department for Transport and the local transport authority - Wiltshire County Council - are listening a bit more now - and I think we would ALL like to work with them to get an appropriate (timing and reliability) service on the TransWilts.

Story summary ... here

Here are some of the recent / current problems over the FGW area as a whole:

2008051707:08Great Malvern09:59London Paddingtoncomplete cancellation, rolling stock issues
2008051706:51London Paddington09:25Great Malvernotherwise altered, catering change
2008051623:16Bristol Temple Meads00:15Fromeshort working, staffing issues, bus/taxi running
2008051622:33Great Malvern01:17London Paddingtonotherwise altered, catering change
2008051621:20Southampton Central23:28Bristol Temple Meadsshort working, staffing issues
2008051620:30Cardiff Central23:52Portsmouth Harbourshort working, staffing issues
2008051620:22Portsmouth Harbour23:55Cardiff Centralextra stop(s), staffing issues, knock-on effect
2008051619:30London Paddington21:44Weston-Super-Mareotherwise altered, catering change
2008051619:30Cardiff Central23:04Portsmouth Harbourskipping stop(s), staffing issues
2008051618:50Worcester Foregate Street21:27London Paddingtonotherwise altered, catering change
2008051618:30Cardiff Central21:52Portsmouth Harbourotherwise altered, catering change
2008051618:22Portsmouth Harbour21:45Cardiff Centralshort working, staffing issues
2008051617:30Cardiff Central20:57Portsmouth Harbourotherwise altered, catering change
2008051617:02Worcester Foregate Street20:46Southampton Centralshort working, staffing issues
2008051616:55Cardiff Central19:02London Paddingtonotherwise altered, catering change
2008051616:00Penzance21:22London Paddingtonotherwise altered, catering change
2008051615:56Newton Abbot16:39Plymouthcomplete cancellation, staffing issues
2008051615:51London Paddington18:09Worcester Shrub Hillotherwise altered, catering change
2008051615:05London Paddington20:41Penzanceotherwise altered, catering change
2008051614:30Cardiff Central17:52Portsmouth Harbourshort working, staffing issues
2008051614:24Gunnislake15:53Newton Abbotshort working, staffing issues
2008051614:22Portsmouth Harbour17:45Cardiff Centralotherwise altered, catering change
2008051614:15London Paddington16:23Cardiff Centralotherwise altered, catering change
2008051614:00Penzance19:24London Paddingtonextra stop(s)
2008051613:51London Paddington16:34Great Malvernskipping stop(s), knock-on effect, root cause not identified
2008051613:22Portsmouth Harbour16:42Cardiff Centralotherwise altered, catering change
2008051612:22Portsmouth Harbour15:43Cardiff Centralotherwise altered, catering change
2008051612:05London Paddington17:11Penzanceextra stop(s), catering change
2008051611:54Exeter St Davids14:44London Paddingtonotherwise altered, catering change
2008051611:24Par12:14Newquayshorter train
2008051611:05London Paddington14:36Plymouthotherwise altered, catering change
2008051610:42Gloucester14:09Weymouthshort working, staffing issues
List above is typical length for a 99.5% (better target) running rate for a 48 hour report such as this.
Any cancellations, short or skip stop workings below show a performance below that target.
2008051609:55Cardiff Central12:01London Paddingtonotherwise altered, catering change
2008051608:45Westbury10:31Gloucestershort working, staffing issues
2008051608:45Penzance13:45London Paddingtonotherwise altered, catering change
2008051608:30London Paddington10:15Bristol Temple Meadsextra stop(s)
2008051608:22Portsmouth Harbour11:41Cardiff Centralextra stop(s)
2008051608:18London Paddington11:11Exeter St Davidsotherwise altered, catering change
2008051608:11Weymouth12:30Great Malvernshort working, rolling stock issues
2008051607:43Penzance13:42London Paddingtonotherwise altered, catering change
2008051607:34Gunnislake10:15Newquayshorter train
2008051607:30Cardiff Central10:52Portsmouth Harbourshorter train
2008051607:15London Paddington09:22Cardiff Centralotherwise altered, catering change
2008051606:59Gatwick Airport08:28Readingshort working, staffing issues, knock-on effect
2008051606:42Plymouth07:27Gunnislakeshorter train
2008051606:12Salisbury08:32Gloucestershort working, staffing issues
2008051606:08Westbury07:52London Paddingtonotherwise altered, catering change
2008051606:08Calstock06:39Plymouthshorter train
2008051605:50Reading07:23Redhillskipping stop(s), staffing issues
2008051605:34Reading06:56Gatwick Airportshort working, staffing issues, knock-on effect
2008051605:30Great Malvern07:58London Paddingtonotherwise altered, rolling stock issues
2008051605:26Westbury05:58Salisburycomplete cancellation, staffing issues
2008051522:33Great Malvern01:17London Paddingtonotherwise altered, catering change
2008051520:42Windsor & Eton Central20:48Sloughcomplete cancellation, staffing issues
2008051520:33Slough20:39Windsor & Eton Centralcomplete cancellation, staffing issues
2008051519:21London Paddington22:13Great Malvernotherwise altered, catering change
2008051518:54Exmouth20:25Paigntonshort working, rolling stock issues, knock-on effect
2008051518:50Worcester Foregate Street21:27London Paddingtonotherwise altered, catering change
2008051518:30London Paddington20:53Weston-Super-Mareotherwise altered, catering change
2008051518:11Reading18:43Newburycomplete cancellation, rolling stock issues
2008051518:06London Paddington20:06Fromeextra stop(s), rolling stock issues
2008051517:47London Paddington18:46Readingshorter train, rolling stock issues, knock-on effect
2008051517:45London Paddington21:49Carmarthenotherwise altered, catering change
2008051517:28Cheltenham Spa19:35Westburyshorter train, rolling stock issues, knock-on effect
2008051517:19Paignton18:48Exmouthshort working, rolling stock issues, knock-on effect
List above is typical length for a 99% (lower target) running rate.
Any cancellations, short or skip stop workings below show a performance below that lower target.
2008051517:16Newbury17:45Readingcomplete cancellation, rolling stock issues
2008051516:55Cardiff Central19:02London Paddingtonotherwise altered, catering change
2008051516:53Greenford17:19London Paddingtonshort working, knock-on effect, root cause not identified
2008051516:47Bristol Parkway17:56Westburyshorter train, rolling stock issues, knock-on effect
2008051516:44Penzance19:46Exeter St Davidsshorter train, rolling stock issues, knock-on effect
2008051516:00Cardiff Central18:00Tauntonshorter train, rolling stock issues, knock-on effect
2008051515:57Plymouth18:06Penzanceshorter train, rolling stock issues, knock-on effect
2008051515:54Swindon17:03Cheltenham Spashorter train, rolling stock issues, knock-on effect
2008051515:51London Paddington18:09Worcester Shrub Hillotherwise altered, catering change
2008051515:28Warminster18:40Great Malvernshorter train, rolling stock issues, knock-on effect
2008051515:19Hereford18:30London Paddingtonreinstated, infrastructure issues, knock-on effect
2008051514:47Bristol Parkway15:03Bristol Temple Meadscomplete cancellation, rolling stock issues, knock-on effect
2008051514:22Portsmouth Harbour17:45Cardiff Centralotherwise altered, catering change
2008051514:15London Paddington16:23Cardiff Centralotherwise altered, catering change
2008051513:54Swindon15:03Cheltenham Spashort working, rolling stock issues, knock-on effect
2008051513:10Weston-Super-Mare13:58Bristol Parkwayskipping stop(s), knock-on effect, root cause not identified
2008051513:07Taunton15:24Cardiff Centralextra stop(s), knock-on effect
2008051512:42Gloucester14:36Westburycomplete cancellation, rolling stock issues
2008051512:26Southampton Central14:44Bristol Parkwayshort working, rolling stock issues
2008051512:18London Paddington14:45Tauntonskipping stop(s), knock-on effect, root cause not identified
2008051512:12Bristol Parkway12:59Weston-Super-Mareshort working, rolling stock issues
2008051511:54Exeter St Davids14:44London Paddingtonotherwise altered, catering change
2008051511:51London Paddington14:58Herefordreinstated, infrastructure issues, knock-on effect
2008051511:47Falmouth Docks12:11Trurocomplete cancellation, rolling stock issues, bus/taxi running
2008051510:47Truro11:10Falmouth Dockscomplete cancellation, rolling stock issues, bus/taxi running
2008051510:11Falmouth Docks10:35Trurocomplete cancellation, rolling stock issues, bus/taxi running
2008051509:55Cardiff Central12:01London Paddingtonotherwise altered, catering change
2008051509:45Truro10:08Falmouth Dockscomplete cancellation, rolling stock issues, bus/taxi running
2008051508:57Falmouth Docks09:20Trurocomplete cancellation, rolling stock issues, bus/taxi running
2008051508:51London Paddington12:01Herefordskipping stop(s), rolling stock issues
2008051508:20Exmouth09:55Paigntonshorter train
2008051508:18London Paddington11:11Exeter St Davidsotherwise altered, catering change
2008051508:06Reading08:26Henley-On-Thamesshort working, infrastructure issues
2008051507:57Falmouth Docks08:21Trurocomplete cancellation, rolling stock issues, bus/taxi running
2008051507:31Truro07:54Falmouth Dockscomplete cancellation, rolling stock issues, bus/taxi running
2008051507:30London Paddington13:21Penzanceotherwise altered, catering change
2008051507:15London Paddington09:22Cardiff Centralotherwise altered, catering change
2008051507:04Barnstaple08:45Exmouthshort working, rolling stock issues
2008051507:02Westbury09:03Cheltenham Spashorter train
2008051506:38Henley-On-Thames06:50Twyfordcomplete cancellation, infrastructure issues
2008051506:23Twyford06:35Henley-On-Thamescomplete cancellation, infrastructure issues
2008051506:08Westbury07:52London Paddingtonotherwise altered, catering change
2008051505:57Gatwick Airport07:28Readingshort working, staffing issues
2008051505:42Penzance11:23London Paddingtonotherwise altered, catering change
2008051505:30Taunton07:30Westburyshorter train


In order to keep up to date on train reliability, the Save the Train team has learned how to monitor performance ... and the techniques we use for Melksham (population 24,000 - train service cut to 2 a day each way by First) can be applied elsewhere too. We do hope to improve the reporting and statistics from this page in the near future - at the moment, use it with care as we have a few details to resolve and in any case we can only be as good as our sources.

In the table above, we report on 110 different service(s).
Status 'altered': 39
Status 'catering': 39
Status 'short_run': 22
Status 'canned': 18
Status 'short_train': 16
Status 'extra_stop': 7
Status 'skip_stop': 6
Status 'reinstated': 2
 Reason given 'stock': 30
Reason given 'staff': 20
Reason given 'infrastructure': 5
Reason given 'not_identified': 4
 Replaced by road services: 8

FGW run about 8500 (guessing - does anyone have an accurate number?) service a week - the figure was 9079 before their Dec '06 cuts - so if we report incidents effecting 50 services over a 2 day period on this page, we're looking at around 2% of services - i.e. 98% are running as normal or were cancelled with more than 24 hours notice so don't actually count as cancelled!
Seven services of the type that don't show up on this page. Line closed from Swindon to Kemble on weekend of 12th / 13th Jan 2008. So 4 TransWilts trains replaced by buses (Why? - Swindon to Kemble is a different line grouped with ours by First as an operational convenience!) and 3 working short. Not a single train running as timetabled!

For further information on First Great Western services, visit their official site. There's also a discussion forum run by passengers (and wannabe passenger).

For contact information, see the Save the Train web site or email the site admin.

This is a test page ONLY and it will tend to present optimistic figures that are showing a brighter picture than really exists.
Known issues:
Only limited status conditions are monitored
Some trains that run past midnight are double-reported
"Planned Cancellations" notified 24 hours ahaed are NOT shown
Failures on route do NOT show

Information from public sources presented by the Save the Train Campaign