Objective - to attend a meeting in Trowbridge at 5 p.m. yesterday, lasting just over 2 hours.  Google tells me it's 6.8 miles from my home in Melksham to the venue, and will take me 15 minutes.  Except, I'm not driving if I can help it.  Trowbridge has a population of 46,000 and Melksham 29,000.

How did that work by public transport

Outbound

I left home at 16:00 and walked into the Town Centre (5 minutes) for the 16:18 bus to Trowbridge.  This is from one of two bus stops in Melksham that has a real time departure display and it indicated that was expected in 25 minutes (so a bit late).  As it's after 09:00 in Wiltshire, I was able to use my senior bus pass; noted that very few passengers were using such cards.  Due at the stop at Trowbridge at 16:48, actually pulled up there at 17:00, walked into meeting 5 minutes late. Not a problem being slightly delayed for this particular meeting - if that had been a concern I would have travelled just over half an hour earlier.

The meeting was attended by people from various West Wiltshire towns and finished at 19:15.  "What train did you catch to get here" asked H.  "I didn't - I came by bus".  Oh "When is your next bus back" asked H. "It would be tomorrow morning - I'm going home by train".

Inbound

But the next train after 19:15 wasn't due for almost an hour, and I took myself to the Rose and Crown ... a pint of apple and blackcurrant cider, an exchange of banter with the barmaid, and a warm seat within site of the train departure display they have there while I worked on my laptop.

20:12 to Cheltenham Spa showing on time as I left at 20:00 to walk across to the station.  At 20:05, train showing "On Time".

Needed a ticket. Ticket office closed. Warning signs up about this being a penalty fare station.  The lowest cost single - £3.30 on a disabled rail card - required 17 button presses (OK - screen touches) with prior knowledge of where to find that fare, and choices like anytime v off peak, even though I know that the last peak train had left 12 hours ago.

Person on platform looks to use loos but finds them locked.

At around 20:07, train moves from "On Time" (20:12) to 20:13 and then each minute passing slips a minute later until it shows 20:17.  ((a few minutes is no worry to me)).  Then it switched to say "Delayed".

Tannoy announcement "We are sorry that the 20:12 to Cheltenham Spa via Melksham is delayed.  Your next fastest train will be the 21:22 from Platform 1". Oops

Another passenger looks panicked. I ask her if she's waiting for the Cheltenham Spa train and she confirms that she is, and I re-assure her that the 20:12 (and it's now after that) will probably be along ... probably held up at Westbury awaiting the connection from London.

Screen changes from "Delayed" to 20:17 ... and at around 20:17 it pulls in.  Passengers on and off.  Train manager walks up outside train to nudge door - perhaps it had not fully closed, and we're off.   No ticket check, no sight of train manager who stayed in rear cab.  No problem, except the whole experience felt very lonely.

Arrived into Melksham.  Four people waiting on platform, four more got off. I had not walked through the 3 carriage train to do a count, but past form suggests that this is the quietest train of the day, and that for each passenger using Melksham station there are two through passengers, suggestion [24/8] on our standard measurement.

No barrier checks at Melksham. One car in the short term pickup at Melksham, everyone else on foot.  Six minibuses, a van and a car in the station car park, none of which showed signs of having arrived for this train and none of which left at that point.  Real Time Trains shows a 2 minute stop at Melksham with the train leaving 7 minutes late at 20:29.

Walk home, arrived 20:50.  The worried passenger from Trowbridge had alighted at Melksham and was walking out a couple of miles to her village.

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Why document this?   Because it shows some of the challenges of using public transport - some of which really should not be challenges.   I know that the bus is a good way to get to Trowbridge for an evening meeting but I need to take the train back.  I know the fare base and where the best value is hidden.  I know to go to the loo before I leave the Rose and Crown. I know that this train is often delayed as it waits for the connection from London (and, yes, it is right to do so) and that can lead to some off-putting announcements.  And I know that I'll be walking through the industrial area in Melksham watching for vehicles as I follow the path painted across the forecourt / turning point at the station.

Apart from the delay and much longer journey, the bus works well during operating hours, and was quite busy - kinda wonder where you’re going when you pass the Red Admiral, go all around a roundabout and the back past it ... and where you the turn right towards Hilperton when the road signs say left for Trowbridge. This is the cost of a local bus servicing all the communities along the way, picking up and dropping off people here and there who together make for a viable opertion.