Out and about

[whole diary]

[grahame]

I've been travelling today - out and about with various engagements and objectives.  I ended up where I started, but didn't duplicate any of my change point.     The following pictures are in order.  Can you tell me where I went?  Can you tell me the times and perhaps even make an educated guess at the objectives?

[Chris from Nailsea]

Perhaps rather obviously, you started from Melksham - but I do hope that you soon managed to shake off that very dodgy-looking character on the platform there. 

[grahame]

Perhaps rather obviously, you started from Melksham - but I do hope that you soon managed to shake off that very dodgy-looking character on the platform there. 

Indeed a Melksham to Melksham journey; the first and last pictures being Melksham Station.   So that's 10 in between to identify, together with times and objectives.   I've not put a limit on the number of guesses you'll note.

[trainer]

I recognise the Strawberry Line Cafe at Yatton so perhaps a walk along the old trackbed?

[grahame]

Oh - and only two 'legs' were full and standing - a bonus point for guessing which!

[grahame]

I recognise the Strawberry Line Cafe at Yatton so perhaps a walk along the old trackbed?

Yatton is correct and I *did* walk a few hundred yards along the trackbed - but it was rather too hot for much more;  there was a second objective at Yatton.

[Chris from Nailsea]

I rather suspect that the Pilning Station leg (picture 6) was not 'full and standing'. 

[grahame]

I rather suspect that the Pilning Station leg (picture 6) was not 'full and standing'. 

There was an astonishing number of people getting on (about 6) although it was a group, and two of us off.  I wanted to actually see and get a feel for the place and the area around - the objective of being there was to educate myself first hand.

[Chris from Nailsea]

Commendable commitment, grahame - and, having just about worked out everywhere you went today, I'm impressed with your very full itinerary!   

[TonyK]

I saw Bristol Temple Meads, then Bath Spa and Bath bus station.

[grahame]

.... and Bath bus station.

Do remember http://option247.uk/survey and

[Chris from Nailsea]

Pictures 2 and 3 seem to have something of Westbury about them - perhaps the spiritual home of the West Wilts Rail User Group.  Were you perhaps attending one of their meetings there, grahame?   

[grahame]

Pictures 2 and 3 seem to have something of Westbury about them - perhaps the spiritual home of the West Wilts Rail User Group.  Were you perhaps attending one of their meetings there, grahame?   

Have a look at today's yesterday's events on the calendar

[Chris from Nailsea]

Yes, I was trying to avoid seeming to have 'inside information'. 

[grahame]

I think they were nearly all answered ....

1. Melksham Station (09:02)
2. Westbury (09:20 - 09:30)
3. Swindon (10:22 - 11:30)
4. Weston-super-mare  (12:35 - 12:39)
5. Yatton (12:51 - 14:51)
6. Pilning (15:37 arrival)
... walk to
7. Severn Beach (17:55 departure)
8. Bristol Temple Meads (18:32 - 18:49)
9. Bath Spa (19:07 arrival)
... walk to
10. Bath Bus Station (20:10 departure)
11. Roundstone, Melksham bus stop (20:45 arrival)
... walk to
12. Melksham Station (20:52)

Full and Standing
... the 09:02 Melksham to Westbury Train (83 passengers on a 153 between Melksham and Trowbridge)
... the 20:10 bus from Bath to Melksham (standing from the outskirts of Bath until I got off)

Objectives:
a) Welcoming the West Wilts Rail User Group outing to Steam in Swindon onto the TransWilts train
b) Attending the Rail Future meeting at the Strawberry Cafe, Yatton Station
c) Learning / seeing first hand a few things

Yes - I had a chance to walk a little way onto the Strawberry Line walk, to see the vaguest of evidence of the Clevedon branch from there.  To get a flavour of Pilning station and its environment and the area around and between it and Severn Beach station, and to get re-aquainted with the Severn Beach area.  To see that connections from "The Beach" back to Melksham couldn't have been worse on Saturday evening had they been planned, and to see connectivity bus to train at Yatton and Bath.   To be reminded of the awful lack of information at Bath bus station, of the importance of staff and organiser attitude to customers (just two bad cases all day; both close to home and NOT GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) employees). To see some of the issues with revenue collection at first hand.