Great Western Coffee Shop

From the Horizon restautant on board "Iona" moored at Southampton's Ocean Terminal at 07:30 ... to home in Melksham at 11:30. Not bad going, considering there's a rail strike today.

We chose self-disembark, described as each passenger carrying their own luggage off - though in reallity, it may well be the men wheeling their luggage and their partner's off the boat.  A series of zigzag walkways off the boat into the terminal and a further set in the terminal down to ground floor level.  A long walk along the terminal through all the luggage set out for those disembarking with help after 8 a.m. and out though the customs check point with no sign of any checks being made.   From 16th deck to 6th, ashore and through to the taxi rank - about 20 minutes.

Rumour had it that taxis would be hard to come by as so many would be taking passengers longer distances because of the rail strike, but there were a number available. Excellent ride to the station - dropped us off at the London side (having checked which side we wanted).  Hardly any traffic around.  Three or four staff in ticket hall, but ticket desk closed;  to my suprises, the ticket I wanted fo the most part of the journey was there.  "You had best hurry if you want to cath the 08:03" and we rushed over the bridge (whoever runs a Machester train from Platform 4?) - dashed over and just caught it.

08:03 Cross Country service from Southampton to Reading. I had tried to reserve seats online yesterday, but had failed and I was - concerned - as to whether w could get seats.   Need not have worried - just a handful of passengers. 2 x 4 car voyagers and we were in the rear set. Excellent - notably excellent - on train announcements.  Through the white countryside ... a few on at Winchester and quite a flow on at Basingstoke, but still plenty of capacity; on time into Reading.

09:27 onwwards with GWR to Bath Spa - last minute change from platform 9 to platform 8 (as the preceeding service to Bristol Parkway was running late).  9 car train - front looked almost empty as it arrived; mid-platform it was busier, but still found our own bay. Ran fine to Chippenham, but then crept onwards - train manager announced that two engines had failed (and in a later announcement we earned that was out of 5), and we crept through Corsham and Box tunnel too - ice flows down the side of the cutting on the tunnel approach, and I'm pretty sure that there was a limit in place though the tunnel. Six minutes late at Chippenham, 16 late - 10:38 - into Bath Spa.  I asked our train manager whether we needed extra ticket for Chippenham to Bath (as we had Melksham tickets) but assured we would be fine.  The barrier into the upper car park was open and we walked down from there without steps or lift.

10:45 bus, Bath Spa to Coronation Road, Melksham.  About half a dozen passengers. Few minutes late (thank goodness - otherwise we would have missed it!) and home to Melksham - not sure if it made up the time. Once it approaches Melksham it becomes very much the local bus; a couple of friends get on at the Market Place and we have a brief catch up on the Assembly Hall.

Overall - a remarkably smooth journey that we had dreaded on rail strike day!   We did have our fallback option of 3 x local bus but the train was much nicer!

With significant luggage, not so many pictures today; the first one is actually yesterday morning, but breakfast is breakfast, right?
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XC's 08:03 Southampton to Manchester
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Crowds at Reading!
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Good to see - on the next stand to ours - electric bus at Bath
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And home into the big freeze
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The service in my area during strike days (and indeed non strike days) has been very good this past week. Punctual. Modern 'stock'. Clean, warm interiors. Comfy and plentiful seats. And even an unscheduled stop nearer your home if you ask the driver nicely.

One minor gripe. Not being able to travel with Finn. But the two trips I have taken, from Templecombe to Sherborne and Templecombe to Gillingham, went perfectly. And only greeted by one entrance porch puddle on my returns home.

Oh, did I mention. Rail Replacement Coaches for Salisbury - Yeovil 10th-18th December due to engineering works. Unaffected by Mick Grynch. :P

Just a quick trip in the morning from Didcot to Oxford. Out on a 9 car IET with a handful of people in the carriage I was in, and not that many got out from the others either. Back on the local before midday, again not at all busy. Dissuading people to travel might be being over effective! Ticket barriers open.