Thanks for the replies. The TrainLine gives an error message if I try to specify via Temple Meads so that backs up theory that it's not a valid route. Maybe I'll try the Exeter/Honiton another day when I have more time!

Off to the station this evening to see if they can find a way of getting me home on the Temple Meads train.

I'm pretty sure that the convenience store at junction has gone now, shows how often I've used it. There's always the fine selection of take aways along Station Road though. Always far too much of a temptation to pick something no-to-healthy up on the way home from the station in the evening. Not a good plan if I'm cycling home from the station however.

The new barriers were in use when I went through yesterday morning at peak time, it's the first time I've seen them in action. I've been through the station a number of times recently but always at quieter times when they have been locked open.

Tomorrow (Thursday 28th Feb) I have to travel to Romsey and back from Taunton. Normally when I do this route I travel from Taunton on the 07:06 changing at Westbury and return via the same route and a long cold wait at Westbury.

On this occasion I need to be home earlier in the afternoon/evening for various child related taxi service duties. I plan to travel out as usual on the 07:06 from Taunton and come back leaving early afternoon. Looking at National Rail enquiries it shows a return leaving Romsey at 13:21, but changing at Temple Meads rather than Westbury then getting into Taunton at 15:44, which  - despite being slightly long winded - fits perfectly.  Moving onto the Trainline website it doesn't show that service, First Great Western shows a routing also leaving Romsey at 13:21 but changing at Salisbury and Exeter! Now that is mad, a nice train ride I admit but I won't have time for that tomorrow.

Cutting to the chase would a 'normal' anytime return (currently ^32.50) from Taunton permit traveling back via Temple Meads? Is that covered by the 'Any permitted' route specified on this ticket?

Thanks in advance

I'll happily take our cat down there to do a bit of 'bird control' for ^25,000 a year, she's very good at it, too good as far as the household authorities are concerned. It would have the added bonus that she doesn't get to dump the gizzards on the hall floor for me to discover bare foot in the morning.

The article on the pigeons in the printed County Gazette this week talks about the netting being replaced with a mesh, so maybe they are considering something stronger to replace the netting? Cue traffics jams again while they sort it out  Time to start cycling to the station again.

The household authority has gone out this evening so have been working my way through several episodes of "Great British Railway Journeys". The children gave up and went to bed early in disgust (or was it despair?).

I've just watched Monday evening's Paddington - Warminster episode, I was intrigued by the editing/continuity  that allowed MP^▸ (Member of Parliament) to get on a Turbo at Hungerford, then showed him sat on an HST^▸ (High Speed Train) on his way to Westbury. Heading west from Hungerford I didn't think you could do that?

On to the next episode....

Thinking about it, I've not seen them at the station for a good while. I've spoken to them a few times and never felt uncomfortable, even when carrying the selection of electronic junk that I seem to have to drag around with me.

Tonight I got off the train and managed to remember to gather up all of said junk, cursed and grumbled about the train coming in on platform 3 so I had to  lug all that and my grossly overloaded wheely bag down the stairs and back up again to get to the taxi rank, and then realised I'd left or dropped my ticket on the train, which is the first time I can remember doing that. Fortunately there were no ticket checks this evening  I must be more careful.

More muttering and grumbling when booked taxi didn't show up and I had a three line whip to be home by 8pm. I made it at 7:57.

I hope they don't send everyone on the get p**ped on by the pigeons walk under the bridge either, especially as the long term car park and main bike racks are the down  side. Said pigeons that someone (allegedly) spent loads of money trying to evict and caused weeks of traffic chaos in the process - and it looks like they failed.

I witnessed the nice new looking barriers on the up side when I left on Sunday afternoon - open an unmanned then. Will be interesting to so see what is happening on the down side when I get back to Taunton tomorrow evening and what level of Friday evening chaos that creates.

Rumour on a Taunton facebook thread reports that the builders on the Old Cider works site next to the railway in Norton Fitzwarren have cut or dug through a gas main, again. They did this a couple of years ago and it was chaos then.

Thanks for all the replies, all will be revealed in due course I suppose. I did have my ticket checked leaving the taxi rank exit yesterday evening off the 17:49 arrival from Reading,

One advantage of ticket barriers and the south car park gate being manned I can see is that the bike racks would then be 'rail side' of ticket checks, that might make them slightly more secure. Although I must say I've never had any problems leaving my bike there (yet).

Thanks for the advice EBrown, unfortunately I didn't read that until I got back last night. 

Quite right about the Gold card, I wish I had as I had to stand for the 30min ride in each direction, but it was refreshing to see how many men would give up their seat for standing women or 'people less able to stand'. I nearly made the mistake of trying to get into the ladies only carriage when rushing to catch a connection. I got firmly shooed away by an official, which judging by what you say about fines, was fortunate! I was wondering if my shorts and T shirt fell into the category of 'dressing respectfully' but I saw plenty of other blokes dressed the same way so I guess that was OK. I will check the list if I use the metro again this week.

I have found that the Deira City mall has the shop my wife wants me to visit and that is only (a slightly sweaty) walk from my hotel, so off there tonight.

Now back on topic.

Gloucester, if I remember correctly only has one entrance and exit, but it may well have changed since I went through their regularly. If it does still have one entrance then that's nice and simple from a gate perspective. Cheltenham, from what I recall of living their and using the station 15 years ago has an entrance on either side so it will be interesting to see how they do that. But I seem to remember back in the days of ticket checks at Cheltenham there were two footbridges across the tracks, one that didn't give access to the platforms but gave access to the ticket office, so I guess that would sort that out. Taunton is a bit different as I can't see how they could divide the tunnel to allow ticketless access to the ticket office.

I'm sure all will revealed in due course.

Thanks for the replies, I'm not going mad then I did read it somewhere. It will be interesting to see how this one works out and if I (and others) will need to add to our already finely timed park bike/car, buy ticket,  get (expensive) coffee and get on train routine when the barriers are introduced. Must remember to keep hold of my return ticket when I get off the train in future!


Well there is a newish metro system here (I'm in Dubai for the week) so I might go and explore that tonight, I'm told I need to find some shops. Using the metro has to be a less stressful and nail biting option than the taxi drivers I've experienced so far.

5 minutes outside here and I'm dripping wet but for different reasons!   

I've been through Taunton station a couple of times in the last week and my ticket was checked at the ticket office side entrance to the tunnel below the platforms, from what the guys manning the check said, they were doing it on both sides of the station. I've never seen this before in the the 14 years that I've been using Taunton on and off.

This got me wondering if this is a precursor to the introduction of ticket barriers at Taunton as both Temple Meads and Exeter have them so Taunton must be a bit of a hole in the system, and I'm sure I read somewhere (maybe on here) that is was being planned. That in turn got me wondering how they would implement barriers without making life a bit awkward as both the main station car park and bike racks are on the down side while the ticket office is on the up side only (reasonably) connected by the tunnel. I can't see how they could put barriers on both entrances without making things a bit awkward. I can't be the only person that uses the car park or bike rack and then walks across to get a ticket. I suppose a TVM^▸ (Ticket Vending Machine) on the down side would be one answer.

Does anyone know if barriers are in the plan for Taunton - and if so how the long walk around under the bridge (with the pooping pigeons back in residence) will be avoided.

(OK so I'm sat in a hotel and bored - can you tell?)

on my bookshelf I think, if you mean the one by O.S Nock that is!

An interesting program, I wonder how many of the Voyagers (my most hated train) will last anywhere near as long?

I had an iPhone and I loved it, until it fell out of my pocket while cycling across London a couple of weeks back and got run over by a couple of cars before I could retrieve it 

I think the "being in touch" thing also depends on who you work for, my lot don't expect me to be reachable every waking hour but I know folks working for other outfitts where it is expected. Fac chance of me being contactable all the time with the lack of phone signal between Taunton and Reading!