Sharing from https://www.facebook.com/MelkshamTUG ... I'll be headed. for Weymouth this Saturday on the penultimate direct day trip train of the year - final run on 5th September, bustituted from Melksham on 12th.

 

Tomorrow's weather forecast for Weymouth suggest rain before we get there, and perhaps some mid afternoon too.  Which - may - put some people off.  A couple of social media posts have got rather stronger traction than I might have anticipated and hopefully it will be busy but not crammed.

When we first did "Weymouth" trips, we had a couple of carriages to Westbury and then more were tacked on. The return train was up to 6 carriages, and one year it was even an HST both ways.  Marketing this summer has been subdued - but then on the earlier trip I did it was full and standing in the 3 cars which is all we have now from Yeovil, so we're about right as demand could be generated so easily that would outstrip supply.

What could really improve things for summer trips to Weymouth would be to jiggle a few trains around on other days so that they actually connect at Westbury - something workable down in the morning and back late(r) afternoon.

 
Just over 100 people on the train when it left Melksham - notable lack of kiddies for the most part; rather more people who can shelter in the pub for rainy periods.   A couple of dozen joined at Melksham and around a dozen got off there as well. [112/38]  Very damp - gentle rain and I'm soaked from the walk from home to the station.   The majority of joining passengers were dropped off by car - only a handful walked. No-one parked themselves, no-one cycled to the station, and no-one arrived on horseback ;-) . Happy with those numbers considering the weather.

Now in Westbury ... after a wait outside, I would presume for a platform.

 

Ah, yes: they could do well with another platform at Westbury.