Err ... what sort of repairs are needed to a train that can lumber into Westbury from the South West, but then not carry on North East to Melksham and Chippenham?

The Swedes are generally law-abiding.

I don't blame the UK Government. I also wish we were more 'Swedish'....

11:27 Weymouth to Chippenham due 13:29

11:27 Weymouth to Chippenham due 13:29 will be terminated at Westbury.
It will no longer call at Trowbridge, Melksham and Chippenham.
This is due to more trains than usual needing repairs at the same time.

13:47 Chippenham to Weymouth due 15:45

13:47 Chippenham to Weymouth due 15:45 will be cancelled.
This is due to more trains than usual needing repairs at the same time

19:58 Great Malvern to London Paddington due 22:23 will be terminated at Reading.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.
Last Updated:27/07/2025 04:49

I would look to MarkA's opinion on what the "unusual conditions" mean **nip**

10:41 Westbury to Swindon due 11:23

Facilities on the 10:41 Westbury to Swindon due 11:23.
This is due to more trains than usual needing repairs at the same time.
Will be formed of 2 coaches instead of 3.

I think it's Sweden - despite my previous Indian-sub-continent-themed post.

More ABBA, then. 

Five grab lorries were needed to remove a "carpet" of 80 tonnes of duckweed from a canal.

Stourport Basin in Worcestershire, was turned fluorescent green by the tiny, free-floating aquatic plant, and earlier in July it was reported a dog had drowned in the canal after it went into the water.

Charles Hughes from the Canal and Rivers Trust said Stourport Basin had one of the worst incidents of duckweed growth ever seen in the West Midlands, with the entire canal and nearby locations experiencing rapid widespread growth.  "We've been spending a lot of money and time trying to deal with this - it was a five day job which cost us £12,500," he said.

"Duckweed is very difficult to manually remove, because it's very small plants, but it can get quite heavy as well. Because they multiply and grow so quickly, they almost form these mats over the surface and often it can be quite deceptive, especially for people who come into an area they are not familiar with. You won't see any open water so it presents a health and safety risk," he added.



The task to remove the plant involved using a weed harvester boat, developed to specifically remove water plants. "We then remove it into a storage called a hopper before we take it away to be disposed of. We had five grab lorries worth which amounted to 80 tonnes of duckweed."

Mr Hughes said as the region experiences hotter and drier weather, it creates the perfect environment for the aquatic plant to grow quickly and invasively. "Over the last five years, we've been having to spend tens of thousands of pounds just in the West Midlands region alone. The annual costs of just managing aquatic weed can come close to the million pound mark," he said.

View from train about an hour ago ... where am I?

Cropredy lock on the Oxford Canal is already closed, meaning that this canal is closed south of that lock already.

Absolute safety is not achievable, but the risks could be reduced by CCTV monitoring, and by regular police patrols.

I presume that more people are seeking telephone help from the Samaritans, rather than visiting in person.

I was about to say it is amazing how many children see coal for the first time when they go to a heritage railways.   But I then noticed I made the same comment in this thread 11 years ago!

Increasing numbers of canals in the West Midlands are closing, due to a lack of water.

The Canal and River Trust has warned that dry conditions were causing problems at a number of locks, including Wolverhampton lock flight.

It will close from Wednesday 30 July until there is sufficient rainfall to replenish reservoirs, said the trust.

The measure was necessary to help protect vital water resources on the Wolverhampton level, which supports several other parts of the Birmingham Canal navigations, it said.

"Whilst the majority of the network is open and fully navigable, there are currently restrictions in place on certain canals," the trust said.

Other areas affected in the region include:

Birmingham and Fazeley Canal - Minworth lock is closed

Coventry Canal - Atherstone top lock to lock 6 has restricted passage

Rushall Canal lock is closed

Walsall Canal - Ryders Green lock has restricted passage

Caldon Canal in Staffordshire - Cheddleton top lock to bottom lock is closed

Volunteer lock-keepers have been helping to manage boat traffic at lock flights "to ensure water supplies are used as sparingly as possible," said national boating manager Alex Hennessey.  "Water levels are being reviewed on a daily basis and we will remove, or introduce, water-saving measures as necessary," he added.