Of course not..............the line will be...."if the RMT^▸ (National Union of Rail, Maritime & Transport Workers) want 12%, someone has to pay for it !"

I don't think I would argue too strongly against that statement ..................

I have been informed by National Rail that you can only renew a card online if it expired less than 30 days ago. I am afraid to say that I have to take that with a hefty pinch of salt. I tried buying a new card several times, I tried buying a new card after uninstalling and re-installing the App, both on my mobile and PC - it still didn't work !

Makes Melksham sound a bit like Chicago in the 1920s   

https://www.gazetteandherald.co.uk/news/20625186.wiltshires-crime-hit-train-station/

So it is - just like Waitrose and Lidl.............. and it is my choice where I buy my baked beans. National Rail have seemingly made it impossible for me to buy their (more expensive too !) product so I shall buy that product elsewhere. 

While you were typing that I was trawling through the web. Found the Trainline offer and bought a 1 year card for £20 - first time I have ever bought anything from Trainline ! Unlike National Rail the Trainline App worked faultlessly.  Not sure if the £10 discount paid for all the cursing at National Rail though......

It would appear that National Rail has still not bothered to fix their website/or App over the last few weeks.  I cannot renew my (virtual) Railcard - my idea (above) doesn't work for me either ! I keep getting an "unexpected issue" - except it isn't unexpected after first dozen attempts !

According to the FAQs^▸ (Frequently Asked Questions) you don't have to verify yourself if you are renewing - no one seems to have told the website - it asks me for everything, name, rank, official number, 30 digit passport number, the middle name of my Uncle Fred's pet frog ...............and it still doesn't work. No bother - I'll send an email to the helpline, that'll sort it...............if I wait 10 days    

Do they actually want anyone to use the trains nowadays  ?  except at full fare of course....................

Just got my tickets for a steam excursion on Sept 7th...............hope it rains before then !!

Oh dear !!!!!  Have I upset/embarrassed GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) by logging the (small) number of 5 car trains passing through Warminster over the past week ?? 

This morning only one train's length is shown - and that is the solitary SWT^▸ (South West Trains) service passing through today.

10 today.
Couldn't believe my eyes at the 0912 - a 5 car 158............. Wonder if it had a trolley too !

Does anyone know what GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) have been doing so far with regards to Advance tickets that cannot be used on strike days ? I have friends visiting from the USA next month, they are staying in London and are coming down by train for a day visit. They have already bought Advance tickets for the day concerned. If that day turns out to be a strike day - what are their options ? Can they just use those tickets on a non-strike day ? Can they get a full refund ? an e voucher is obviously of no use to them.

Today's score:   ZERO !!!   

 9 today !

According to RTT^» (Real Time Trains - website): this Monday 12 trains are shown to be 5 cars.  Double last Monday - but a third down on yesterday.

For the last few weeks I have been helping out in an allotment alongside the railway line at Warminster - at various times of day. From my totally unscientific observations 5 car trains are very rare. Out of curiosity  I had a quick look at RTT^» (Real Time Trains - website).
Last Monday, out of 32 Cardiff/Portsmouth trains just 6 were 5 cars.
Today (Sunday) out of 29 Cardiff/Portsmouth trains 18 were 5 cars.
This seems to tell me something - but I am not quite sure what ...............

Be interesting to see what tomorrow brings.