Great Western Coffee Shop

All day on St Ives ...


Some Weymouth services too ...

Does anyone know whether the loadings on the line have reduced sufficiently to feel comfortable travelling on it now? I fancy a lunch in a hotel there soon, but will hold off until a pleasant trip is assured. There's usually a drop immediately after the Bank Holiday, I wonder if that's happened yet.

Bus duplicate is booked until end of September as an alternative from St Erth

I'd add that I can't imagine that there will be any move to reduce the trains back from four coaches to two any time soon.  Given this, I'd say if you aim for the front coach at St Erth and again the front coach when returning from St Ives, all should be fine.  Most people will be in the rear two coaches given, of course, that they are closest to the station entrance/exit.

If the weather looks decent I'll do the trip on Wednesday and report back that night, thanks for guidance.

As suggested above I have visited St. Ives this afternoon using the P&R as my startpoint after an unexpected personal issue earlier.

Observations....

1. Issues with some of the payment machines at St. Erth annoyed. The APCOA app steadfastly refusing to update card information on the go. Tickets for travel and CP issued by GWR staff stood below the ramp.
2. St. Erth Station - I'm perfectly reasonable imo but the marshalling staff continue to exhibit Jobsworth tendancies. I'm sorry if this annoys some but they really could do with some tact and persuasion skills. They're far too abrupt in my view and today was no different, they seem to want to be seen rather than melt into the crowd and only act if really necessary. Once again apologies but this irks. Roll on the winter and their disappearance. Not withstanding this reminders about face coverings seemed to work.
3. St. Erth - St. Ives - No issues reasonably spreadout in the 'St. Ives end unit' less so in the other one. Boarding however failed to recognise Social distancing at all. No revenue protection operation, assume that the wisdom was that the GWR staff had captured enough at St. Erth to make a trip through unnecessary.
4. St. Ives Station Arrival - Both entrances/exits in operation which was good, disembarking another challenge for Social Distancing, as was crowding towards the units by intending returning pax.
5. St. Ives Station Departure - Ticket check on entrance to station. As before both entrances available, which at this time of year from early afternoon is usually unheard of. This prompted a much more spreadout pattern of intending departing passengers. Much better behaviour with the unload and load operations people clearly exhibiting SDing.
6. St. Ives - St. Erth - Some barmy gathering of passengers around the doors leaving seats further into the carriages unfilled. Revenue Protection walkthrough after Carbis Bay. All Pax enquired of but without actual physical document/app check.
7. St. Erth Station Arrival -Disembarking sensibly done too, with much fewer pax at St. Erth travelling to St. Ives in the afternoon.

That sums it up.

I was in St Ives for the first 2 weeks of August. I'm used to going there in holiday seasons and it being busy, but it was really busy.

Observing various webcams around the town over the last few days it appears to be nearly as busy as we approach mid-Sept, so not surprised the trains are still busy aswell.

A good thing for the town and the local economy  :)  (as long as people are sensible). When we were there most of the hospitality venues we visited were observing the rules and managing things well. The caravan site we use, especially well (which was one of the main reasons why we were happy to go).

West Dorset has had its busiest summer for years!

Our place in North Devon has been booked solid since 4 July.