Those services that use the Rhubarb curve are a remnant of the services introduced when Filton Abbey Wood was opened together with the MOD which brought many passengers fram Bath who were transferred there from their various scattered locations in that city.
That makes sense. And there were quite a lot of people who boarded at Filton, some in uniform.
There is a significant flow of commuters
past Bristol Temple Meads - from the Avon Valley (Keysham, Oldfield Park, Bath, Freshford) and the upper Avon Valley (Avoncliff, Bradford-on-Avon, Trowbridge and beyond) to Filton Abbey, Patchway and Aztec West ... and the remaining Rhubarb train suits the inner sections of those flows, for people who have jobs which they can leave earlier than the traditional 5 p.m. finish. So much stronger in passenger use than many "parly"s.
How / whether services from Wiltshire through to Filton Abbey Wood / stations beyond to Newport, avoiding Temple Meads, are justified in their own rights is an interesting question - perhaps a case for commuter time trains but additionally having good off peak service at Patchway, Aztec West, Pilning, Severn Tunnel Junction, Magor, Newport and St Mellons even with a delay / reversal at Temple Meads. That way, you have a commuter service that is relatively fast, supplemented by a service that takes 15 minutes longer for those who sometimes have to travel away from the peak.
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