Yes, this is so.

 
"delayed" can also go to "cancelled" of course , so if/when it starts moving. Personally I think "delayed" can impart a lot of false hope.

 
I'll try to remember that - thanks

 

Glasd they provided an answer to the meaning of "delayed" - train not moving yet towards destination & until it does, we are unable to work out an estimate of the amount of delay....just still getting later basically.

 

Maybe ... but the GWR website [new] journey planner didn't offer any alternatives at any price.  I suspect that with a less frequent service at both ends of the journey, it skewed it towards the later trains in "the middle".   Some of our regulars from Melksham are aware that if they want to get to London earlier than the 10:02 but not pay £££ for the 08:02, they should split at Chippenham,  and use part of their saving for a coffee at the Hungry Hare.

 

Could the advance ticket quotas have sold out at the good price on the earlier trains?

 
The 16:39 from Melksham ran on time ... then an hour to wait in Swindon for the 18:04 to Paddington. Good job I am "robust" as at around 17:30 that flagged up as "delayed".  No indication why, no indication by how much ... and so a quick trip to the staffed counter where they told me it hadn't yet left Gloucester and to just jump on the next Paddington train - 17:41.  Duly done; that was on time but thank goodness I had the knowledge of systems and journey. 

As I went downstairs at Paddington, first train in a few seconds was a Shenfield and excellent time made to Stratford ... the outbound Greater Anglia platform bleak / too few seats and just a couple of bus shelters; so many trains that the Harwich train wasn't even on the board.  No coffee stand on the platform; staff backed by RPI checking all tickets.    Busy train joined for Harwich; lots of calls for a boat train and by the time we got to HPQ just a handful of us left across 10 carriages.

Noting the train was 3+2 seating with a corridor / pathway so narrow that I couldn't get through wearing my pack - first time for that problem ...

 

I suspect you are right - but it would be more robust for them to front load it ... also less concerning for me (the customer) making a final public transport transfer onto the 23:00 ferry at Harwich International

 
I suspect the answer is that all the interchanges meet the minimum time laid down so if you do miss a connection you can use the next train at no extra cost. There is an "add extra time" option on the NRE website and possibly others, but it only allows time bands to be selected rather than going in to each step yourself and manually tweaking it, say to one train later. I'd hope it wouldn't add extra time to that Swindon change but I wouldn't bank on it!

 
Later this week ... my trip ...

Departs Melksham at 16:39 and arrives in Swindon (Wilts) at 17:06.
Departs Swindon (Wilts) at 18:04 and arrives in London Paddington at 19:01.
Departs London Paddington at 19:18 and arrives in Stratford (London) at 19:36.
Departs Stratford (London) at 19:43 and arrives in Harwich International at 21:00.

Good price - but - WHY sell me a ticket that has me waiting nearly an hour at Swindon, then is followed by tight changes at Paddington and Stratford?   Would it not be logical to offer an earlier train into Paddington, with more leeway in crossing London?