Ticket and Fares question from Confused of Melksham

[whole diary]

[Cynthia]

I have just been on FGW^▸ (First Great Western)'s website to try to find prices of tickets to Swindon from Melksham, possibly for tomorrow or more likely for Tuesday, as my friend and I are going to the Steam Museum, travelling at 10.04 and returning from Swindon at 15.14.  Prices are listed as ^13.20 single or ^15.40 single, or ^13.40 return; I assume these prices are for two people, as per enquiry. Unfortunately I am too late in the day to ask for help from the live chat line. 

I'm sure I un-ticked the '1st class' box so am confused about the difference in prices.  Also, is it really only 20p dearer to buy the return tickets?  It's a bit late in the day to be trying to sort this out, but I feel as though I'm missing something. 

Anyway, what if you opt to buy your tickets online at short notice - do you print them off yourself?  As a new rail user I have a lot to learn.  Hope someone can clarify things for me please.

[John R]

The fare is ^13.40 return for the two of you. Yes, a return is 10p more (per adult) than the single.

Don't buy in advance at this late stage, particularly as there is nowhere to pick tickets up in Melksham. You can buy on the train, with either cash or card. Print at home is not generally available for rail tickets, although some operators are starting to introduce it for advance tickets.

Perhaps you could report back how your day went, and how many passengers were on the train between  Melksham and Chippenham.

Enjoy the day!

[Cynthia]

John R, thank you very much for your advice.  Will certainly be happy to provide some feedback on our day; I'm looking forward to the train journey (even if it is a rather short one) as much as I am the Museum visit!  My first excursion by rail from Melksham of many, I hope, especially if I can find some places to go where I can take my dog with me.   

[JayMac]

When you get on the train at Melksham tomorrow (or Tuesday) then asked the conductor for two Day Returns from Melksham to Swindon Steam. This is an inclusive travel and museum entry ticket and gives you a saving over buying the train ticket and museum entry separately.

The combined ticket is ^11.70 per person. if the conductor has trouble finding the destination Swindon Steam on his ticket machine then the code is J841.

The day return rail fare on its own is ^6.70 and museum entry is ^8.00 adult or ^6.50 concession, so you are saving at least ^1.50 buying the combined ticket.

Do either of those travelling hold a railcard? If so then you'll need to buy split tickets to take advantage of the reduced rate entry for rail ticket holders to STEAM. Can advise if necessary.

[John R]

No problem.

By the way, to get to Steam, turn right out of the main entrance of Swindon station, follow the road for around 7 mins walk, until you get to a foot tunnel on your right back under the railway line. (But don't go through the first foot tunnel by the car parks* - the one you want is another couple of minutes away).  Once through the tunnel Steam is well signed (I think!).

* I think they are still car parks, but some in Swindon are closing for good any day now, so may be empty spaces.

[Cynthia]

Bignosemac: Thank you very much for that.  Neither of us have railcards at the moment but I am thinking of buying a Senior Rail Card;  do you know offhand what sort of a discount I will get on rail fares with this card?

[Cynthia]

John R, thank you once again.  This site and its members are great! 

[JayMac]

A Senior Railcard costs ^30 for one year or ^70 for three years and gives you 1/3 (34%) off nearly all 1st Class and Standard Class fares. The only time restrictions are for journeys wholly within the Network Area where discounts are not permitted during the morning peak in this area.

It can be purchased online by providing proof of eligibility in the form of your Driving Licence number or Passport number, or at any staffed station with your physical Driving Licence or Passport, or a birth certificate.

Online purchases require time to be allowed for delivery of the railcard. Do not attempt to purchase railcard discounted tickets until you physically have the railcard in your possession.

[Cynthia]

Great stuff BNM, thanks again.

However, everso slightly worried now about being able to board the train at Melksham after reading grahame's posting (elsewhere on site) about people being unable to board the train due to having no ticket!   Fingers crossed ........

[JayMac]

You will have absolutely no problem whatsoever boarding the train at Melksham without a ticket.

As it is an unstaffed station with no ticket issuing facilities, passengers are permitted to board trains and then buy their tickets at the earliest opportunity. This is a right afforded to passengers by the National Rail Conditions of Carriage.

That 'earliest opportunity' is most likely from the Conductor on board, but if, for any reason, he is unable to sell you tickets then you may legitimately pay your fare at your destination station.

[grahame]

You will have absolutely no problem whatsoever boarding the train at Melksham without a ticket.

And as I'm mentioned in dispatches, I will confirm that.

There are currently no ticket selling facilities at Avoncliff, Dilton Marsh or Melksham stations in West Wiltshire, and at those stations you may simply get on the train without a ticket and buy one from the conductor, who will come through the train - "anyone need a ticket from Melksham?" (or in the case of a just one or two people getting on through a single door as at Avoncliff, he / she will come straight to you once the train has restarted).

[Cynthia]

Thank you, both BNM and Grahame.

I was hoping to travel to Hungerford by train tomorrow, however, my visitor has had such a lot of bad experiences travelling by rail, she swore (profusely!) that she'd never board another train again!  Most of these problems were courtesy of Virgin trains, who, when she wrote and complained and asked for a refund, sent her instead, a handful of Virgin Rail vouchers.  She was not a happy bunny.

[Cynthia]

Perhaps you could report back how your day went, and how many passengers were on the train between  Melksham and Chippenham.

Enjoy the day!

We had a great day out at the Steam Museum!  Train was right on time at Melksham station.  6 passengers alighted there and three of us joined the train, and there were about six people already on board.  Found the museum easily enough, thanks to your directions, John R, thank you. 

BNM:  Conductor still couldn't find correct code on his machine despite me giving him the code with which you provided me, but he found a way of providing us with combined train/museum tickets anyway, amidst lots of friendly banter, which was fun.

Train back to Melksham, again right on time.  About  dozen passengers on the return journey, with a few more joining the train at Chippenham.  I'd say a lovely day if it wasn't for the pig-awful weather..........   Roll on my next journey!  So nice to sit back and relax, and enjoy the Wiltshire scenery from a different perspective.



Edit note: Quote marks amended, for clarity. CfN.

[John R]

Glad you enjoyed the day, and thanks for the passenger count.  Sounds like a reasonable number on the return journey, though maybe a disappointing one on at Melksham (excluding you two) in the morning for what would be a suitable shopper service. Maybe the weather put people off.

If you want to see a bit more GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) history then the Didcot Railway Centre is next to the station, and on some days things move as well (though not as far as on a preserved railway.)
http://www.didcotrailwaycentre.org.uk/index.html

[Cynthia]

Glad you enjoyed the day, and thanks for the passenger count.  Sounds like a reasonable number on the return journey, though maybe a disappointing one on at Melksham (excluding you two) in the morning for what would be a suitable shopper service. Maybe the weather put people off.

If you want to see a bit more GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) history then the Didcot Railway Centre is next to the station, and on some days things move as well (though not as far as on a preserved railway.)
http://www.didcotrailwaycentre.org.uk/index.html

Interestingly, John R, the other passenger who boarded at Melksham wasn't even a local; a visitor from overseas.  I must say I was surprised there weren't any other people wanting to travel but, as you say, probably the weather not helping.  My friend and I were soaked and very cold by the time we'd walked back from the museum.  Thank you very much for the suggestion about Didcot, and link, will add it to my 'must see' list!