Have just read on FGW's website that the loco-hauled Weymouth services (0834 BRI-WEY and 1747 return) have been cancelled for the next two weekends (11 and 18 August) due to "contractual issues". Rail replacement buses have been arranged, which could prove interesting. Full story at
http://www.firstgreatwestern.co.uk/Content.aspx?id=1589
Anyone have any idea what's behind this? Or if the service is likely to run on 25 August given that that was the last scheduled date for its operation anyway?
FGW loco-hauled reliefs cancelled for 11 and 18 August
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get_that_bus_out
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who would want to sit on a bus all the way to weymouth?, you would have thought they'd lose more "customers" by busing them than the train.
Having done the journey many time my self i find it a nice trip by rail but the road journey is very tedious and boring apart from the last 20 miles from yeovil to weymouth that is.
Having done the journey many time my self i find it a nice trip by rail but the road journey is very tedious and boring apart from the last 20 miles from yeovil to weymouth that is.
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get_that_bus_out
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Talking of being stuck on a bus to Weymouth, is my memory playing tricks on me or did City Line actually used to run a bus to Weymouth on summer weekends? I'm sure I remember seeing buses with "Weymouth X34" on the blinds (unless someone was playing silly b*gg*rs...)
By the way, according to Colin Marsden's excellent website (http://www.therailwaycentre.com) all the Weymouth reliefs (including 25 August) have been pulled, as well as the extra loco-hauled services advertised for the Dawlish Carnival air show. According to TRC it's down to "safety case issues". Ooops.
By the way, according to Colin Marsden's excellent website (http://www.therailwaycentre.com) all the Weymouth reliefs (including 25 August) have been pulled, as well as the extra loco-hauled services advertised for the Dawlish Carnival air show. According to TRC it's down to "safety case issues". Ooops.
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tugboatcharly2
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the Weymouth Line
How it pains me that a bunch of ruddy amatuers trying to run the nations railway system are going nowhere. Have the play trains brigade at Swindon got any ideal what the traffic is like trying to get into Weymouth at this time of the year? oh those nutcases called the conservatives who should be made pay for the damage they had done in privatising the transport system note the bus services UCK! The Weymouth line Temple Meads to Weymouth was pull out the stops at Bath Rd to run the service on Saturdays and a short rest turn on Sundays. Weymouth Buses
Yep, back in the 80's I do remember City Line running buses to Weymouth on summer Saturdays.
From what I remember, there were up to four routes, each leaving from the North, East, South and West of the city.
On occasions, I recall them being "double headed" (i.e. two buses - if you'll excuse the use of the term when applied to buses!)
Why anybody ever used these services when there was a good train service I don't know, but they did!
From what I remember, there were up to four routes, each leaving from the North, East, South and West of the city.
On occasions, I recall them being "double headed" (i.e. two buses - if you'll excuse the use of the term when applied to buses!)
Why anybody ever used these services when there was a good train service I don't know, but they did!
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get_that_bus_out
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Found out a bit more detail on what went wrong today (and if my source is reading this and I've got it wrong then feel free to put me right!)
So, Riviera was contracted to operate the trains for FGW, and EWS was subcontracted by Riviera to supply stock and crews. I've forgotten the full details (it all gets pretty confusing), but I think what it boils down to is that none of FGW, Riviera or EWS have a safety case to use 67s on scheduled passenger work, only occasional charter workings. And there's a separate reason why alternative traction (e.g. 47s) couldn't be used but I can't remember what it is. Anyway, the bottom line is that the whole operation has had to be abandoned for this year.
I don't know how many people took up the road coaches; I travelled on the 0904 BRI-WEY from Bristol to Keynsham on Saturday morning which left Temple Meads as a 4-car set (150+158) and was reasonably busy but not crowded (although it may have been a different story by the time it left Yeovil).
So, Riviera was contracted to operate the trains for FGW, and EWS was subcontracted by Riviera to supply stock and crews. I've forgotten the full details (it all gets pretty confusing), but I think what it boils down to is that none of FGW, Riviera or EWS have a safety case to use 67s on scheduled passenger work, only occasional charter workings. And there's a separate reason why alternative traction (e.g. 47s) couldn't be used but I can't remember what it is. Anyway, the bottom line is that the whole operation has had to be abandoned for this year.
I don't know how many people took up the road coaches; I travelled on the 0904 BRI-WEY from Bristol to Keynsham on Saturday morning which left Temple Meads as a 4-car set (150+158) and was reasonably busy but not crowded (although it may have been a different story by the time it left Yeovil).
That's a shame as I am down in Bristol this Friday and weekend visiting family. The original plan was to go Weymouth and back on the 67's on the Saturday. But over the last few days I've been thinking naah I may not bother with the Weymouth trip after all. Oh well, looks like my mind has been made up for me. No 67's to Weymouth = no trip to Weymouth for me.
As for the City Line specials to Weymouth/Bournemouth in the 80's, I do remember going on these as a teenager on a couple of occasions. Don't know if they did actually run on Summer Saturday's, but they definitely ran on Summer Sunday's for sure. I think they started in 1987. Not sure when they finished, think it would have probably sometime in the early 90's. They were very handy for us, as they stopped enroute at Henbury, Crow Lane, which was just a few minutes walk from where we lived at the time. So that avoided the hassle, time(35-40 min journey, plus allowing extra time in case the bus is late) and extra expense of having to get a bus down to Temple Meads. The return fare on these special services was somewhat cheaper than the train too. They weren't too bad. There was also another special service to Barry Island too.
As for the City Line specials to Weymouth/Bournemouth in the 80's, I do remember going on these as a teenager on a couple of occasions. Don't know if they did actually run on Summer Saturday's, but they definitely ran on Summer Sunday's for sure. I think they started in 1987. Not sure when they finished, think it would have probably sometime in the early 90's. They were very handy for us, as they stopped enroute at Henbury, Crow Lane, which was just a few minutes walk from where we lived at the time. So that avoided the hassle, time(35-40 min journey, plus allowing extra time in case the bus is late) and extra expense of having to get a bus down to Temple Meads. The return fare on these special services was somewhat cheaper than the train too. They weren't too bad. There was also another special service to Barry Island too.