Due to operational issues the West Somerset Railway had to cancel all planned services on Friday 11th July 2025.

Jonathan Jones – Pratt, Chairman said ‘’Unfortunately the decision was made to suspend operations due to a trackwork incident yesterday. There have also been concerns with staff welfare and ensuring they are working in safe conditions given the extreme weather temperatures. This was a difficult decision to make and I am aware there are disappointed customers at this special time of operations on the line. Our team has been working extremely hard to overcome the challenges but given the excessive heat currently being experienced it has meant no work can be undertaken to the rail during daytime hours, causing the operational issues to be prolonged. Our teams are working exceptionally hard to try to resolve the issues and will be working overnight this evening, when temperatures will have dropped, to fix the current issues.  We expect services to operate as planned tomorrow and will be offering additional operational services with Flying Scotsman on Sunday 13th to allow those who missed out on Friday the opportunity to still travel.

Let me guess ... because the crew are coming in on a delayed Berks and Hants semi-fast .... this arrangement does not seem to be robust.

seems to be an epidemic affecting Turbos today - or maybe the warm weather.

18:37 Westbury to Swindon due 19:21
20:14 Swindon to Westbury due 20:56
21:16 Westbury to Swindon due 21:58
22:31 Swindon to Westbury due 23:12

22:31 Swindon to Westbury due 23:12 will be cancelled.
This is due to a fault on this train.

15:18 Hereford to London Paddington due 18:29 will be terminated at Reading.
It will no longer call at Didcot Parkway and London Paddington.
This is due to a fault with the signalling system earlier today.
Last Updated:11/07/2025 17:13

18:57 London Paddington to Great Malvern due 21:18 will be started from Reading.
This is due to a fault with the signalling system earlier today.
Last Updated:11/07/2025 17:13

Numerous dead gulls have been seen locally. Reported as being due to gorging on flying ants. Some claim that these insects are toxic if eaten in large numbers, others claim that the birds overeat to such an extent that they become too heavy to fly, and expire of heat stress.

16:23 Westbury to Swindon due 17:06
17:35 Swindon to Westbury due 18:19

17:35 Swindon to Westbury due 18:19 will be cancelled.
This is due to a fault on this train.

..............unhappy tourists/commuters, happy taxi drivers.

...........and another

Cancellations to services between Slough and Windsor & Eton Central

Due to a fault on this train between Slough and Windsor & Eton Central fewer trains are able to run on the line.

Train services running to and from these stations have been cancelled. Disruption is expected until the end of the day.

HS2 was conceived to provide extra capacity (sorely needed in many places, not just on the London to Birmingham route) and to be fit for the future

Lord Hendy now saying that it didn't need to be constructed with such high speed limits in mind does not fully explain the tunnels, many of which are for NIMBY reasons, the viaducts instead of earthworks, the slab track, or the bat tunnel, and several other specification extravagances

Another Turbo has sat down.

Cancellations to services between Newbury and Bedwyn
Due to a broken down train between Newbury and Bedwyn fewer trains are able to run.

Train services running through these stations may be cancelled or revised. Disruption is expected until the end of the day.

What has happened?
The train operating the Newbury/Bedwyn shuttle has failed.

What are we doing about it?

Some long distance GWR Westcountry services will call additionally and rail replacement transport is being arranged.

20:06 Westbury to Cheltenham Spa due 22:06

Facilities on the 20:06 Westbury to Cheltenham Spa due 22:06.
Will be formed of 2 coaches instead of 3.

"Shortage of train crew"? "More trains than usual needing repair"?

Flying Scotsman services were due to run today. That's going to be a lot of disappointed folk.

I do hate it when companies say 'operational issues' without explaining further.

*Sits on hands*

*Fails, hands escape and fly to the keyboard*. The utility and value to passengers and to the industry of that Waterloo-Bristol through service that ceased to run only a few years ago. Class 159, three carriages, well timed departures from Waterloo that didn't impose a peak fares massacre (as well as an easier-to-understand fares structure, and, often, advance fares available). Oh, and comfy seats and, though busy, spare seats every trip plus a trolley service for drinks and a bite.

And... if it has a driver and train manager at Waterloo - which it always did, SWR weren't in the habit of dropping the ball when the train split at Salisbury.

Mark

I’m glad I postponed my trip. Received a text message to say my connecting train this evening from Salisbury had been cancelled. Not heat related but shortage of train crew related. The last thing I’d have wanted after a long hot day.

12:17 Westbury to Swindon due 13:05

12:17 Westbury to Swindon due 13:05 is being delayed at Westbury.
This is due to train crew being delayed.

I had a leisure trip planned for tomorrow that involved going to Kent via Salisbury and Waterloo. I’ve postponed it because I think it could be a very similar picture on the Cardiff-Portsmouth and associated lines again tomorrow if there are poorly 165/166’s out of action due to heat exhaustion.