Great Western Coffee Shop

Here's a journey made by a Melksham to Bristol Commuter ... a description of how it went on Fare Strike Day.

I went for the 6.43, and arrived at Melksham Station at 6.36. I pressed the button on the info-point only to be advised "the next train was the 7.17 in the direction of Chippenham and the 6.43 in the direction of Westbury was being delays please wait for further information.^  Funny as we have to press the point to get this information.
 
I phone Xxxxx a passenger who joins at Chippenham, who travels daily on this service to Warminster. Xxxxx told me the service was stuck at Swindon and the staff at Chippenham did not what was going to happen, nor if they were going to put on a taxi.
 
Do I go home have a coffee and  come back for 7.17? But while I was think about this another passenger arrived by foot who was planning to going to Filton Abbey Wood. I advised him of the bad news. He would get the bus to Bath and then catch a train. Yyyyy arrived by car also trying to get to Filton Abbey Wood but on being told the bad news she offered a lift to Bradford on Avon.

So we went to Bradford on Avon. Parked the car and paid ^3.60 for a days parking, then off to get the train. When buy a ticket from Melksham to Filton Abbey Wood the staff at the ticket office asked us why we were getting tickets from Melksham. He was advised we live there and that the 6.43 was delayed. "Yes that^s correct I had this come up on my pager" he said, and sold us the ticket. There was a lady giving out fare strike tickets. There were a lot of people with these tickets who joined at Bath Spa.
 
Train arrived at Bristol TM on time. The staff had not come through the train to check tickets. Was this because of the fare strike and they did not want to see customer with these tickets? At the gates at Bristol TM people showed the Fare strike tickets but were asked to show a valid ticket. There were Transport Police on the platform near the gates, and lots of reporters outside.
 
On the journey, I was chatting to Bradford on Avon passengers regarding the selling of Melksham tickets and they are told me staff the ticket office are making hard to get these tickets. Comments like: "Do you live in Melksham.", "Do catch the train to or From Melksham", "I should only sell these tickets to Melksham residents only", "Can you prove you live in Melksham."

Edited to protect personal information .... but I thought you might like to share the lot of the commuter to Bristol from our town to 24000 people ... (And, yes, I have permission to quote this in public!)

Oh, good grief...why is there such an air of distrust given by FGW? It does nothing but annoy. "Can you prove you live in Melksham." - yes, herer's my birth certificate I brought along just so I could get a train ticket!

On a related note it seems (According to my friend) the line between Trowbridge to Bathampton junction had a problem yesterday evening and all trains to Bristol were being rerouted through the TransWilts line up to Chippenham. The train I normally get, the Great Malvern one apparently went further along to Swindon and then went up the Stroud Valley line instead rather than via Bristol.

If you ask for a Filton special at Trowbridge you get a ticket from Melksham as it's a couple of quid cheaper. Should boost the Melksham passenger figures considerably.

Is that what people actually ask for?

Current Standard Day Returns

From Melksham ^9.00
From Trowbridge ^11.80

I had a small gap between renewing my annual season and was offered the 'special' at the station. I'm sure it was the Filton not the Melksham 'special'. Probably due to both a number of Melksham commuters driving to Trowbridge, and the fact that word has got around between the irregular Filton passengers to ask for the Melksham return.

A similar saving was available if you bought through to Parkway, but they seem to have closed that loophole.

Maybe I look as though I live in Melksham ;)

I do know good savings can be made by going from Melksham.

Also another good one (as long as you DO NOT go route Westbury) is a Frome-Taunton ANY ROUTE CDR, dramatic savings as a TRO-TAU is a Saver fare!