Great Western Coffee Shop

Here's a comparison for someone who finishes work in Swindon at about half past five and wants to come home by train to Melksham:

5th December.   Leave 18:42, into Melksham 19:08.
Train is really an hour too late, but journey time sensible

12th December. Leave 18:31, change at Bath and Trowbridge, Melksham at 19:47
Too long a journey time, train leaves too late, too much chance of missing connection, higher fare. Yuk. [Note - the enquiry team misses a direct train at 18:45 which is not on their system!]

27th December. Leave 18:35, change at Chippenham, Melksham at 19:54
Too long a journey, too long a wait at Chippenham (55 minutes), train leaves too late.

Ideal (and taking into account the efficient use of FGW resources), the 17:00, 18:00 etc expresses out of Swindon should connect into a "153" at Chippenham that runs clockface up and down to Westbury every hour ... it would get to Melksham at 17:30 / 18:30, Trowbridge at 17:40 / 18:40, Westbury at 17:45 / 18:45.