Oh dear ... and thank for documenting the connection failures of normal service trains - so valuable to have them written up and becoming part of the weight of data that keeps reminding us here (and providing us to keep reminding operation and operation planning teams) that whilst a few minutes delay might not sound like very much, or indeed be very much if taking you to your endpoint, it's very important indeed if it results in a missed onward thin service.

Having identified an issue, we should be asking
* is it really an issue and if so
* what should be done to help reduce it?

Looking at the connection that failed for you close to my home
* Insufficient line capacity Swindon -> Thingley
* Insufficient frequency Westbury westwards
I was about to add "poor dispatch at Westbury" if one was truly pulling out as the other pulled in - however, I suspect you were hoping to connect with less than the 5 minutes needed for an official connection if I'm reading the timetables right.    I was also templed to add something about the insufficient frequency of the Swindon to Westbury service - however, whilst that's still pretty poor (far better than in was 15 years ago) it doesn't look like that was a contributory factor.   You MIGHT add that the Bristol express was the root cause of the failure and that needs to be like at too.  The Bristol train left Paddington on time but lost a lot of minutes before Reading - and there's a familiar story!

 
Many thanks for your illustrated post, PhilWakely.

This is no reflection on, nor blame attached to, our Coffee Shop forum member here, Clan Line - just to clarify. 

CfN.

 
I wanted to chase Clan Line to Kemble today (Saturday, 26th September 2026) as she was pulling the UK Railtours Worcester Pullman. The plan was......

06:33 Pinhoe to Exeter St David's;
07:00 Exeter St David's to Reading;
<hopefully phot Clan Line passing Reading at 09:48>
09:58 Reading to Kemble
<hopefully phot Clan Line from the train as we overtake her in the Thames Valley>
<phot Clan Line entering Kemble and during her 20 minute stopover>
12:49 Kemble to Swindon;
13:13 Swindon to Westbury;
13:58 Westbury to Exeter St David's.

FELL AT THE FIRST!
06:33 Pinhoe to Exeter St David's was 13 minutes late and arrived at St David's just as the 07:00 to Paddington was pulling out, so quick change of plan...
07:30 Exeter St David's to Didcot Parkway (Via Bristol TM)
<phot Clan Line passing Didcot Parkway>
<phot Clan Line from my passing train as she took on water just west of Didcot>
10:12 Didcot Parkway to Kemble;

FAILURE NUMBER 2 as Clan Line was running late and passed Didcot just as my train to Kemble was pulling out!

Oh well, all should be fine at Kemble as Clan Line was due a 20 minute stopover and should be clear of any Up services!

How wrong I was! FAILURE NUMBER 3 as the Up 11:49 Paddington service pulled into the platform 10 minutes late just as Clan Line was arriving! So, the planned platform level shot of Clan Line was sacrificed for a shot from the footbridge. Oh well, at least a shot from the top of the platform was on as Clan Line stopped for the planned 20 minutes - holding up a late running Down Cheltenham service that should have passed 12 minutes ahead of Clan Line!

I departed Kemble as planned at 12:49 to connect with the TransWilts service at 13:13.
FAILURE NUMBER 4 as the TransWilts was held at Swindon for 8 minutes to allow a late running Down Bristol service to pass, thus resulting in a Westbury arrival just as my Exeter St David's service was departing!

Oh well, a chance for a two hour kip in the Westbury waiting room!