Great Western Coffee Shop

Really?  That quiet?

I was on the 17:53 off Chippenham this evening.  Just under 100 on the 153.  No room to sit down in the vestibules so no choice but to stand.   Of course, we rarely see Labour politicians our way ...

P.S.  Easier after Melksham - 36 off and 5 on.

Those numbers seem to be consistent with those you quoted back in May.  e.g. 30 off, but on a Friday, so would expect slightly lower than today.  I'm guessing that numbers on the commuter services may be levelling off either due to overcrowding in the evening discouraging people or the fact that the service times still mean a longish day at work, especially for those working in Chippenham. Given the choice, would one 2 car train be better or 2 x 1 car offering more journey opportunities? (Granted there is more cost in the latter due to crew, and pathing complexities, but a large part of the cost must be in the unit lease.)

Yes, indications are that growth using that train has somewhat levelled out; off peak has levelled out less and the 15:12 off Swindon once again has noticeable school traffic which it didn't have last month. There's a lot of people I know without children taking advantage of the end of the school holidays to get away for a few days while the days remain longish and the weather's nice, so it's all a bit transitory this week.

Hypothertical choice - 2 cars on the 17:36, or a train a bit earlier?  It depends what your objective is.  If it's to allow growth of the 17:36 to continue, add a second car.  If it's to grow the traffic as a whole, add a 16:48.  But that will bring a very great deal of its own new traffic, and the relief on the 17:36 would be far less than you might suspect.  You then start putting pressure on the 07:33 from Westbury and need to add an up service at 08:33 or so - bearing in mind you have a northbound gap from 07:33 to 09:45 off Westbury.

Should probably split this off the Plymouth and Cornwall thread, though I suspect they have similar conundrums - though  not such big service gaps on the main line.

All those banjos and sheep on a lead take up additional space down Melksham way! ;-)

Your wish is my command, oh great one.  ;) :D ;D