Great Western Coffee Shop

This Saturday, I could go to the Railfuture AGM in London, or I could go to Weymouth. No Contest.

I'll be travelling on a train from our station that closed in 1966 and was re-opened decades later. We are up to 9 trains each way per day, and on summer Saturdays one's through to the seaside. A decade ago, we had a single carriage train, but now the train's 3 carriages and around 300 people get off it in Weymouth every nice summer Saturday.

Melksham (09:10) to Weymouth (11:08). Return at 19:40, 21:34 into Melksham. £21.50 day return (or £14.15 each for groups or 3 or more). Morning train leaves Swindon at 08:45, Chippenham at 09:00. Evening train returns there at 21:44 and 22:01. Say "hello" to me if you're on the train.

(http://www.wellho.net/pix/weyeve01.jpg)

You'll miss saying "hello" to The DEMU, which visited Weymouth last Saturday. Not really on a trip to the seaside, since it lives in Hastings. The only reason I know that is because I heard something unusual going past the Wokingham station crossing last night, and looking out saw its back half going past.

By "unusual", I mean mostly its engine - more engineering train than Turbo. And then its warning - not a horn or a whistle, but something about halfway between.

Lovely old train. I did say "Hello" on Saturday.

(http://www.wellho.net/pix/demu_1001_2.jpg)

(http://www.wellho.net/pix/demu_1001_0.jpg)

(http://www.wellho.net/pix/demu_1001_1.jpg)

Did notice it as I got out of Southampton Central on Saturday morning, well you can't really miss that distinctive sound.

Weather forecast has led to cancelletion of local events in Pewsey, Devizes, Market Lavington and no doubt numerous others ... and days out at the seaside are norotiously likely to be "rained off" for individual families.   Never the less, some 25 people joined the 09:10 Melksham to Weymouth service this morning; I would suspect that the lion's share of them might find solace in one of the hostelries at destination whatever the weather.