Today, 16th April 2021, Finn and I are off to Swindon to see bobm and have a garden lunch with a beer or three.

I'm travelling via Salisbury, Basingstoke and Reading. To read about the ticketing issues for this journey see my topic in 'Fares Fair'.

First train of the day was the 1029 from Templecombe to Salisbury. South Western Railway are still operating a less frequent two hourly weekday off peak service on the West of England Mainline. There are also no through trains between Exeter St David's and London Waterloo. Everyone must change at Salisbury. This is something of an inconvenience, and now that people are returning to rail travel it does cause something of a bottleneck around the gateline and subway if the change isn't cross-platform. I'm told that the two hourly service with changes at Salisbury is likely to remain in place until the May timetable change. This first train, 6 cars, was pretty well loaded. Not far off what I'd say was normal for the first off peak train of the day from Exeter to Salisbury.

As I type, I'm on my second train of the morning. The 1121 Salisbury to Basingstoke. 9 cars and much more lightly loaded.


Salisbury, this is Salisbury. All change. All change!

 
No on board ticket checks on the first two trains. Cursory glance at my ticket as I exited the gateline at Basingstoke to have a stroll while waiting on next train. Now on my third train, the 1249 Basingstoke to Reading CrossCountry service. Despite XC saying they are reservation only at the moment I was able to board after asking Train Manager. I did try a '10 minute reservation' but the system said no seats available. On board I'm in the second to last carriage of a 2x 4 car Class 220 Voyager train. Just 6 passengers (plus me and Finn!) in this carriage.

Now just left Reading after making an unofficial connection onto the 1313 Swansea service. Having a beer! Missed doing so on a train. Slightly uncouth, swigging directly from the can.

Welcome to sunny Basingstoke.



Cheers!

 
Through to Swindon on time and not a single ticket check.

Now sat in bobm's garden having had a cracking Ploughman's lunch. Washed down with some Fullers ESB.

Oh, and I had to build the patio table!

 

Well, there’s no such thing as a free lunch!

 
Last beer before headed back to Swindon. Taking the 'correct' routeing for my ticket on the way home. 1852 Swindon to Salisbury via Melksham.



Whilst we were sat having lunch we heard a thump. Didn't think much of it at the time until bobm looked out his living room window. Someone had come down the street opposite and taken out two bollards. Apparently they nearly hit a pedestrian too.

 

Swindon to Templecombe is a lopsided journey ... it can be made with just a single train change, whereas at least two changes are needed for the journey in the opposite direction.

 
First train home. 1852 Swindon to Salisbury.


I think Finn has enjoyed the day. He's a little pooped.

 
I don’t know if Finn was worn out or just glad to get warm.  Al fresco is all very well but it did get a bit nippy.

Still good to catch up and a great afternoon.

 
Picture quiz. Where was I today?

1.


 

 

Taunton

 

That was the answer I was expecting. So... correct!

 

Well, they do say the place is a bit of a sham 

 
Nearly on the final leg. 50 minute wait at Salisbury for the 2055 Salisbury to Templecombe. I'm killing time in the beer garden at the Bishop's Mill pub on Fisherton St. Sat under a nice warm patio heater.

Cheers again!

 

I remember doing that on a few rail days out in the early 90s as a young whippersnapper. Funny how some things never change!

 

... except, perhaps, that patio heaters now raise ethical issues.

 
I like the way he seems to know to wait behind the yellow line. 

Oh, and when you say "he's pooped", I do hope that wasn't on the train... 

 

Well trained.

 
... and we're home.



The final train from Salisbury was the only one of the day to experience a delay. We were held in Tisbury loop for a late running (trespassers near Pinhoe) up service. Only a 6 minute delay though. Of course, if the line was fully doubled we wouldn't have been delayed at all.

Overall, a grand day out. My thanks to bobm for the lunch, beers and chat. And my thanks to South Western Railway, CrossCountry and Great Western Railway for providing an excellent service.

If only the journey could be done more easily by rail. I'll have to wait for the S&DJR to reopen to Bath for that!

 

Isn't that dependent on how cleanly generated the electricity used to power them is?

 
Never in the field of human journeys was such a trip away awaited, by so many, for such a satisfying result!

 A rather verbose way of saying, glad you had such a good day!

 

For the general traveller, yes. In your particular case, I fear there's an element of difficulty adding to the adventure and attraction.

 

So long as the landlord has a 100% "Green" tariff, and a picture of a wind turbine on the bill, it's fine. According to the advertising.

 
As a postscript, I bought a car today. That does mean I'm much more likely to make trips to see Wiltshire friends by road. More convenient, but far fewer beers!

Despite having a station here in Templecombe the destinations I can get to by train with ease are limited. Getting to family in Taunton means a long, dogleg journey via Exeter - two hours plus each way - versus 45 minutes each way by car. To visit my daughter in Street by public transport is two buses - again, a dogleg journey via Yeovil upwards of two hours each way. 35 minutes each way by car.

I'm not abandoning rail - where convenient, and when I fancy a bash, I'll still use trains.

Sorry Earth for increasing my carbon footprint again.

 
I wonder what Greta's solution would be?

 

This, apparently.

 

I've always wanted to do that, but it is a bit too expensive. I wouldn't mind sailing aross the Atlantic, too, if anyone has room in their yacht. I have watched a few episodes of Hornblower, and can use a bucket.

 

Only up to a point. Even if the electricity used by the patio heaters is claimed to be 100% green, then I am still rather opposed to such use. There is at any instant in time, only a finite supply of green electricity, any demand in excess of this is met by burning gas. Therefore any EXTRA demand for say electric patio heaters is met by increased gas burning.