Diary Of A Reasonably Frequent Rail User

[whole diary]

[Bob_Blakey]

BSO^▸ (Brake Standard Open (carriage)) (Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, not an old coach!) Concert At The University - 24/11/2022

Ticket
Senior Railcard Anytime Day Return £2.55

Outward
DIG 1815>EXC 1823 (2T29 EXM>PGN) : 2 x 150/2 (4 Cars)
My pre-travel check using RTT^» (Real Time Trains - website) showed that the prior Exmouth-bound service (2F26) had been cancelled at NTA^» (Newton Abbott - next trains) (Newton Abbot) due to an unspecified train crew issue. Wouldn't have been a problem as the subsequent EXM>PGN service, 2T30, would still have allowed me to arrive at the venue in time albeit having to forego my usual pre-performance refreshment! However 2F26 reappeared on RTT as an EXD^» (Exeter St Davids - next trains)>EXM 'VST' service and when 2T29 arrived at DIG it became obvious the original unit had run ECS^▸ (Empty Coaching Stock) from NTA to EXD and then proceeded as scheduled.
From DIG I was sat behind a group of three youths, one of whom was boasting, quite audibly, to his mates that he was travelling without a valid ticket.

Return
EXC 2246>DIG 2255 (2F36 PGN>EXM) : 2 x 150/2 (4 Cars)
Service on time.

No ticket / railcard checks on either leg of this journey save for the EXC New North Road entrance exit barrier.

[Bob_Blakey]

A (Somewhat Disrupted) European Rugby Weekend - 09/12-12/12/2022 - Castres Olympique v Exeter Chiefs
A welcome return to the Occitanie region of France but which was extended by a day due to weather disrupted transport. I had intended to make the trip entirely by rail but even trying to book well in advance proved prohibitively expensive - thanks Eurostar! - so it was partly ‘par avion’. This trip was undertaken with my eldest son, which proved very useful later on!

Tickets
Senior Railcard Advance Single DIG>PAD^» (Paddington (London) - next trains)» £20.90
TfL^» (Transport for London - about) Oyster^▸ (Smartcard system used by passengers on Transport for London services) Single Paddington>Heathrow T4
TfL Oyster Single Heathrow T4>Heathrow T5
Toulouse Tram/Metro Single Airport>Matabiau Station €1.80 
SNCF^▸ (Societe Nationale des Chemins de fer Francais - French National Railways) Walk-Up Single Toulouse Matabiau>Castres €10.00
SNCF Walk-Up Single Castres>Toulouse Matabiau €10.00
Toulouse Metro/Tram Single Jean Jaures>Airport €1.80
TfL Oyster Bus Single Heathrow T5>WDT 
Senior Railcard Super Off-Peak Single WDT>DIG £35.80 (Originally dated Sunday 11th December but amended online to 12/12 at no extra cost.)

Outward
Itinerary 09/12-10/12/22
DIG 1514>EXD^» (Exeter St Davids - next trains)» 1524 (2T23 EXM>PGN) : 166/2 (3 Cars)
EXD 1540>PAD 1807 (1A89 EXD >PAD) : 1 x 802/0 (5 Cars)
(Break For Dinner Near Paddington)
TfL Elizabeth Line Paddinton>Heathrow T4
(Overnight Stop at Heathrow T4 Premier Inn)
TfL Piccadilly Line Heathrow T4>Heathrow Central (Change)>Heathrow T5
(BA0372 LHR>TLS)
Toulouse Tram Line T2 Airport>Arenes + Metro Line A Arenes>Marengo-SNCF
SNCF TER #872406 Toulouse Matabiau 1344>Castres 1351 - 6 Cars (2 x 3 Car Hybrid Units) - Arrival 25 minutes late.
 
The trains up to London ran pretty much to time although 1A89 arrived 4 late because of delays (?congestion) after Old Oak Common. Even when GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) check tickets they are still seemingly not asking to see railcards. There was some very rough riding on the approach to WSB^» (Westbury - next trains). As this was my first trip to London for some time I attempted to have my Crinklies Railcard ‘attached’ to my Oyster card; at the new Elizabeth Line station it was ‘sorry mate we don’t have the access to do that, try the guys at the Bakerloo Line entrance’. There the one person on duty told me only his mate could do it but he was on a break and his return time was not known. UK^▸ (United Kingdom) customer service at its best!
BA372 arrived into Toulouse 50 minutes late; the delay was caused by 1) the aircraft being parked at the wrong airfield location overnight and having to be towed to the terminal, 2) the loaders managing to jam one of the large metal baggage containers on the loading ramp and presumably having to go and fetch a bigger sledgehammer, and 3) waiting for the plane to be de-iced. Which is obviously absolutely essential so I reckon Heathrow need to have a look at the efficiency of this service.
Travelling between TLS (Toulouse Airport) and Matabiau, or vv, best avoid the dedicated bus service which currently costs €8.50 single - the Tram/Metro journey mentioned above is quicker and much cheaper.

Return
Itinerary 11/12-12/12/22 (This was supposed to be a one-day journey but we were stuck in Toulouse for any extra day due to the snow induced closure of Heathrow airport.
SNCF TER TER #872458 Castres 1051> Toulouse Matabiau 1201 - 4 Cars ) - Ran about 60 minutes late throughout.
(Break For Lunch In Toulouse City Centre)
Toulouse Metro Line A Jean Jaures>Arenes + Tram Line T2 Arenes>Airport
(Enforced Extra Overnight Stop At Toulouse Airport Pullman Hotel - Fortunately courtesy of British Airways)
(BA0379 TLS>LHR + TfL Bus 350 Heathrow T5>West Drayton
WDT 1955>SLO 2004 (9N12 ABW>MAI^▸ (Maidenhead station)) : 1 x Class 345 (9 Cars)
SLO 2004>RDG^‡(resolve) 2017 (1W05 PAD>HFD^» (Hereford - next trains)) : 1 x Class 800/3 (9 Cars)
RDG 2029>EXD 2228 (1C96 PAD>PLY^» (Plymouth - next trains)) : 1 x Class 800/3 (9 Cars)
EXD 2240>DIG 2256 (2F36 PGN>EXM) : 1 x 150/2 (2 Cars)

Timekeeping on the Toulouse-Castres branch seems to have deteriorated and on our return to Toulouse tickets weren’t checked which is unusual for France in my experience.
While having lunch in Toulouse we were advised by BA^» (British Airways - about) that their 379 TLS>LHR flight had been cancelled due to fog at Heathrow (I have seen the pictures and they weren’t joking)).
Because we were unable to travel back to the UK on Sunday as scheduled due to the fog & snow at Heathrow BA provided written details of what could be spent on a hotel and food if we decided not to accept their default offer. Under the circumstances the BA staff in Toulouse did pretty well.
There was a thought that BA were going to be able to bring a plane down to TLS either later on Sunday or early Monday morning but it proved impossible. We therefore spent most of Monday in the airport lounge courtesy of my son’s BA Executive Club status; a wander around the centre of Toulouse would have been nice but it was too bloody cold!
The ‘shortcut’ route to Reading via WDT isn’t for everybody - depending on the bus / train schedule it can take longer than going via Paddington. In this case we were fortunate that 1W05 was running a bit late so a quick dash change at SLO was possible.
1C96 lost time after Castle Cary to the extent that what should have been a comfortable connection into 2F36 at EXD was pretty tight. No obvious reason for the delay.

For future trips to the south of France I will be reverting to E2E rail travel!

[Bob_Blakey]

Weekly Exeter Farmers Market Trip - Too Icy & Cold For The Bike - 15/12/2022

Ticket
Senior Railcard Anytime Day Return £2.55 (Via GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) App)

Outward
DIG 0943 (On Time)>EXC 0951 (On Time) (2T12 EXM>PGN) : 2 x 150/2 (4 Cars)
The Avocet^▸ (Branch line from Exeter to Exmouth) Line is only being provided with an hourly service today. The train was therefore pretty busy with some passengers standing - but only because seated passengers were not being asked to move bags off otherwise vacant seats. Plenty of pax with suitcases obviously taking the opportunity to travel elsewhere on a non-strike day; I have never seen that many people waiting to board a train at SJP (students returning temporarily to the hotel of mum & dad!).
 
Return
EXC 1054 (1059)>DIG 1103 (1108) (2F13 PGN>EXM) : 1 x 166/2 (3 Cars)
2F13 was held at DWW to allow the late running 2U14 to pass hence the delay. Judging by the number of passengers disgorged on arrival at EXC it must have been absolutely rammed.
It had to happen eventually - the TM^‡(resolve) checked tickets and railcards.

[Bob_Blakey]

Post Christmas Trip Into The City - 29/12/2022
Accompanied by our two sons so used the train rather than the bus (which is slower & more expensive than the train).

Ticket
Senior Railcard Anytime Day Return £2.55 (Via GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) App)

Outward
DIG 1342 (On Time)>EXC 1350 (1354) (2T20 EXM>PGN) : 2 x 150/2 (4 Cars)
Service delayed by a signal check at Exmouth Junction to allow the late running SWR^» (South Western Railway - about) 1L29 to clear the line. Train was very well loaded with plenty of suitcase laden passengers. No ticket/railcard check.
 
Return
EXC 1554 (On Time)>DIG 1600 (On Time) (2F23 PGN>EXM) : 1 x 150/2 (2 Cars)
Unsurprisingly with only 2 coaches service was full and standing at least as far as DIG. No ticket/railcard check.

At least one member of GWR train despatch staff at EXC is now using a 'wireless' microphone to make passenger announcements. Very useful innovation.
On Wednesday 28/12 the full EXM<>PGN half-hourly service ran with no cancellations and only a couple of late running instances. On Thursday 29/12 the only cancellation seems to have been last train of the day 2F36 from EXD^» (Exeter St Davids - next trains) to EXM and the return 2E39 back to EXD. 

[GBM]

..............
At least one member of GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) train despatch staff at EXC is now using a 'wireless' microphone to make passenger announcements. Very useful innovation.
.................

To make platform announcements, but query what sort.
The usual platform announcements are "Next train is xxxx to abc", etc, but those are automated.

[Bob_Blakey]

To make platform announcements, but query what sort. .....

In this instance to encourage intending passengers, who were crowded around the stairway access of Platform 3, to move along the platform to where the 2 coach train was actually going to stop; to this end he specified the two defined platform zones that the train was going to occupy. NB. The delivery of this basic information via the overhead PIS^▸ (Passenger Information System) screens at EXC P3 has become intermittent, to say the least, but is almost always provided on P2. System fault, staff laziness, or something else?

[Bob_Blakey]

Bicycle Replacement Train (Due To Heavy Rain!) - 12/01/2023
Weekly trip to the Exeter Farmers Market

Ticket
Senior Railcard Anytime Day Return £2.55 (Via GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) App)

Outward
DIG 0913 (On Time)>EXC 0922 (0924) (2T11 EXM>PGN) : 1 x 166/2 (3 Cars)
12 pax boarded at DIG. Service held briefly at SJP for no obvious reason. Ticket & railcard checked.
 
Return
EXC 1055 (On Time)>DIG 1100 (On Time) (2F13 PGN>EXM) : 1 x 166/2 (3 Cars)
Service very lightly loaded. Tickets & railcards were being checked but the guard had already passed the section of the train where I boarded. Given that 2F13 is one of the hourly limited stop trains that runs non-stop EXC>DIG I did not expect to see the guard because EXC is obviously fully gated.

[Bob_Blakey]

Bicycle Replacement Train (Due To Ice On Untreated Cycleways (AKA^▸ (also known as) All Of Them)) - 19/01/2023
Weekly trip to the Exeter Farmers Market

Ticket
Senior Railcard Anytime Day Return £2.55 (Via GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) App)

Outward
DIG 0843 (On Time)>EXC 0852 (On Time) (2T10 EXM>PGN) : 2 x 150/2 (4 Cars)
30+ pax boarded at DIG. On boarding I noticed that the guard was obviously in the process of taking the details of a ticketless - either no or invalid ticket - ('young adult') passenger. Details were being recorded with the aid of a notepad & pen; is it not about time this process was updated to use some form of digital kit? The service was probably about 80% full. Ticket & railcard checked. I will mention that post-pandemic I have only ever had my railcard checked on any GWR service by a female member of on-train staff. Curious?
 
Return
EXC 1019 (On Time)>DIG 1027 (On Time) (2F12 PGN>EXM) : 1 x 166/2 (3 Cars)
Service very lightly loaded. No sign of the guard on this trip.

[Bob_Blakey]

BSO^▸ (Brake Standard Open (carriage)) Concert At Exeter University - 19/01/2023
In an ideal world I would use my (free) Bus Pass for such journeys but the evening schedules do not provide usable timings.

Ticket
Senior Railcard Anytime Day Return £2.55 (Via GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) App)

Outward
DIG 1815 (1814)>EXC 1823 (On Time) (2T29 EXM>PGN) : 2 x 150/2 (4 Cars)
Service very lightly loaded, as would be expected on a freezing cold January evening. Famous last words!; Ticket & railcard checked by a male guard thereby, at least partially, invalidating my recent implication that GWR's female guards were possibly more diligent in respect of revenue protection than their male colleagues. 
 
Return
EXC 2247 (On Time)>DIG 2256 (On Time) (2F36 PGN>EXM) : 2 x 150/2 (4 Cars)
Disappointed that I had to challenge an intending passenger who thought it was OK to leave their bag unattended on the station concourse while they nipped outside for a fag. Invisible guard again when, given that the EXC ticket gates were open, revenue protection should obviously transfer to the on-train staff.

[Bob_Blakey]

Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra (BSO^▸ (Brake Standard Open (carriage))) Concert At Exeter University - 02/02/2023

Ticket
Senior Railcard Anytime Day Return £2.55 (Via GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) App)

Outward
DIG 1815 (1816)>EXC 1823 (1824) (2T29 EXM>PGN) : 2 x 150/2 (4 Cars)
About a dozen pax boarded at DIG. Very minor delay due to the alighting of a passenger on a mobility scooter - the platform at DIG is only just wide enough to allow deployment of the portable ramp so for any and all new stations this needs to be better dealt with during the design phase. Ticket & railcard checked. This service was, encouragingly, carrying two on-train staff - possibly because they knew in advance about the aforementioned disabled passenger? At DIG 2T29 is advertised as dividing at EXD^» (Exeter St Davids - next trains) with the rear unit going forward to PGN and the front unit terminating whereas it actually forms the 2K13 1845 service to OKE. Is there a specific reason why this information is not included in the public timetable (both portions depart from P3)?
 
Return
EXC 2247 (On Time)>DIG 2256 (2257) (2F36 PGN>EXM) : 2 x 150/2 (4 Cars)
Ticket, but not railcard, checked. Held for a short time at Exmouth Junction while the late running 2T38 cleared the branch.

[Bob_Blakey]

A Few Days In West Yorkshire - 09/02/2023 > 12/02/2023

The main event being the initial suit fitting for a wedding in May (not mine!).

Tickets
2 x Senior Railcard Advance Single DIG>PAD^» (Paddington (London) - next trains) £20.90
2 x TfL^» (Transport for London - about) Railcard Oyster^▸ (Smartcard system used by passengers on Transport for London services) Card Fare PAD>KGX £1.65
2 x Senior Railcard First Advance Single KGX>LDS £31.85
2 x Senior Railcard Advance Single LDS>GLH £3.00
2 x Senior Railcard Advance Single GLH>LDS £3.00
2 x Senior Railcard Advance Single WKF>LDS £1.45 (Booked less than an hour before boarding)
2 x Senior Railcard First Advance Single LDS>KGX £31.85
2 x TfL Railcard Oyster Card Fare KGX>PAD £1.65
2 x Senior Railcard Advance Single PAD>DIG £20.90

Outward: 09/02/2023
DIG 0843 (On Time)>EXD^» (Exeter St Davids - next trains) 0856 (On Time) (2T10 EXM>PGN) : 2 x 150/2 (4 Cars)
The service was very busy with lots of Exeter College students and, presumably, shop/office workers heading into town so it cleared out significantly at EXC.

EXD 0915 (On Time)>PAD 1129 (1136) (1A76 PNZ>PAD) : 1 x 800/3 (9 Cars)
Noted some significant engineering / track relaying at the eastern end of Newbury Racecourse station.
Delayed after Slough having caught up with the late running 1P22 - GMV>PAD - and arrived at PAD 7 minutes late.
While at Paddington we finally found a member of staff who was able to connect our National Railcards & Oyster Cards.

(TfL Hammersmith & City Line Paddington>King's Cross/St. Pancras)

KGX 1303 (1302)>LDS 1516 (On Time) (1D15 KGX>LDS) : 2 x 801/1 (10 Cars)
Service delayed / platform changed for Peterborough arrival but the time was all made up by Retford.
The LNER^» (London North Eastern Railway - about) 1st Class Advance fares have increased somewhat but we still think the service provided is worth the extra cost.

LDS 1558 (On Time)>GLH 1623 (1622) (2F21 LDS>KNO) : 1 x 158/7 + 1 x 150/2 (4 Cars)
Not the speediest train journey we have ever had!

Local Journey - 10/02/2023
GLH 1226 (On Time)>LDS 1255 (1253) (2F54 KNO>LDS) : 1 x 150/2 (2 Cars)
Although both the PA^▸ (Public Address) & PIS^▸ (Passenger Information System) at GLH were insisting that the service was formed of 4 cars; I don't understand how this sort of thing happens if the TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company) staff are paying attention.
We returned to our Glasshoughton hotel by road.
 
Return: 12/02/2023
WKF 1109 (On Time)>LDS 1124 (1121) (1D07 KGX>LDS : 1 x 801/2 (9 Cars)
Service was full & standing when it arrived at WKF due to the large number of pax travelling to the Leeds v Manchester United game. All very well behaved.

LDS 1305 (On Time)>KGX 1527 (1526) (1A31 LDS>KGX : 1 x 801/2 (9 Cars)

(TfL Circle Line King's Cross/St. Pancras>Paddington)

PAD 1701 (On Time)>EXD 1912 (1915) (1C90 PAD>PNZ) : 1 x 802/1 (9 Cars)
Judging by the coach we were in the train was about 90% full from PAD. The service was routed into P10, rather than the usual P7, at RDG^‡(resolve) at the last minute and the TM^‡(resolve) had to make a series of PA calls to ensure that all the confused London-bound pax had got back off the train. Tickets & railcards all checked but the Standard Class trolley service was 'static' due to a staff shortage. Service was signal checked just west of CLC^▸ (Castle Cary) as it caught up with 1C89 (1C90 was running 4 minutes early) at which time the TM announced that we were running 8 minutes late; perhaps he would benefit from some of Mr. Sunak's extra maths tuition. Late departure from TAU^» (Taunton - next trains) - Tom Jones has a song about this - and a further slight delay at TVP resulted in a 3 minute late arrival at EXD.

EXD 1953 (On Time)>DIG 2005 (On Time) (2F24 PGN>EXM) : 2 x 150/2 (4 Cars)

So as far as the rail travel was concerned a pretty good trip with just a few minor and/or inconsequential delays.

[Bob_Blakey]

Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra (BSO^▸ (Brake Standard Open (carriage))▸ ) Concert At Exeter University - 16/02/2023

Ticket
Senior Railcard Anytime Day Return £2.55

Outward
DIG 1815 (1816)>EXC 1823 (1826) (2T29 EXM>PGN) : 2 x 150/2 (4 Cars)
A reasonably healthy +/- 20 pax boarded at DIG. When the train arrived at DIG the brakes on 150221 were making an awful high-pitched screech. There was a further delay at POL which I guess could have been related. No ticket/railcard check.
 
Return
EXC 2247 (On Time)>DIG 2256 (2255) (2F36 PGN>EXM) : 1 x 158/9 (3 Cars)
No ticket/railcard check. It really is about time the on-train PIS^▸ (Passenger Information System) font size was reduced so the messages are displayed in a sensible fashion.

[Bob_Blakey]

04-05/03/2023: Rugby Big Game 14 Harlequins Women & Men v Exeter Chiefs Women & Men At Twickenham
Travel was originally supposed to be 03-04/03/23 until Harlequins put the KOs back by 2 1/2 hours. As noted elsewhere I had an issue amending my Advance EXC>BSK^▸ (Brake Standard Corridor (carriage)) ticket from 04/03 to 05/03. First Delay Replay claim in 2023.

Tickets
Senior Railcard Anytime Single DIG>EXC £2.20 - Trainline App eTicket
Senior Railcard Advance Single EXC>BSK  £16.60 - GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) App eTicket (Amended to a Paper Ticket at EXC ticket office)
Senior Railcard Off-Peak Day Return BSK>TWI £20.50 - Trainline App Paper Ticket
Senior Railcard Off-Peak Day Single BSK>RDG^‡(resolve) £5.10 - Trainline App eTicket
Senior Railcard Advance Single RDG>DIG £17.00 - GWR App eTicket (Amended online from 04/03 to 05/03 at no extra cost.)

Outward
Itinerary 04/03/23
DIG 0744 (On Time)>EXC 0754 (0753)  (2T08 EXM>PGN) : 1 x 150/2 (2 Cars)
EXC 0828 (On Time)>BSK 1055 (1056) (1L32 EXD^» (Exeter St Davids - next trains) >WAT) : 2 x 159 (6 Cars) to SAL, 3 x 159 (9 Cars) thereafter
(Basingstoke stopover)
BSK 1155 (On Time)>CLJ 1235 (1236) (1L36 EXD>WAT) : 2 x 159 (6 Cars)
CLJ 1243 (On Time)>TWI 1256 (On Time) (2U33 WAT>WNR) : 2 x 450/0 (8 Cars)
TWI 2023 (On Time)>RMD 2027 (On Time) (2U64 WNR>WAT) : 2 x 458/5 10 Cars)
(Break Of Journey For Dinner)
RMD 2158 (On Time)>CLJ 2208 (2209) (2U70 WNR>WAT : 2 x 450/0 (8 Cars)
CLJ 2212 (2214)>BSK 2247 (On Time) (1B73 WAT>POO) : 1x 444 (5 Cars)
 
On 1L32 my ticket, but not Railcard, was checked after departure from AXM and manually on arrival at BSK when it was declined by the gate. Apart from operating the gate prior to leaving BSK on1L36 there were no other checks on any sector.
1L32 gradually became fairly well loaded on the run to SAL and was very busy after that even with the extra coaches.
1L36 was very busy. Not surprisingly 2U33 & 2U64 were full & standing.
1B73 was about 90% full.
 

Return
Itinerary 05/03/23
BSK 1028 (On Time)>RDG 1047 (1044) (1J30 SAL>RDG) : 2 x 158/8 (4 Cars)
RDG 1103 (On Time)>EXD 1313 (1320) (1C79 PAD^» (Paddington (London) - next trains)>PLY^» (Plymouth - next trains)) : 2 x 802/0 (10 Cars)
(Missed connection into 2F11 EXD>EXM @ 1318)
EXD 1350 (On Time)>DIG 1359 (On Time) (2F12 PGN>EXM) : 1 x 166/2 (3 Cars)

1C79 only had a refreshment trolley in the front unit - this was blamed on a ‘technical fault’ - and just prior to arrival at SWI^» (Swindon - next trains) the TM^‡(resolve) used the PA^▸ (Public Address) to  suggest any rear unit passengers desperate enough should transfer forward during the station stop.
Ticket, but not Railcard, checked while stopped at SWI.
Service started to lose time just prior to CPM^» (Chippenham - next trains) and was 5 late passing Bradford Junction. It gained a little on the run to TAU^» (Taunton - next trains) (+3) but crawled through the Wellington crossovers and was 7 down on arrival at EXD. Not for the first time I saw my intended DIG connection depart from P1 as I was walking along P3/4 towards the footbridge. This was bloody annoying but at least the 1C79 TM warned intending passengers that 2F11 had been instructed to leave as scheduled. On the + side my Delay Repay claim was approved within 24 hours.

(PS. Given how well the Chiefs Women played in their game - a 54-25 win - they might have given the Harlequins Men a sterner test than the Chiefs Men managed!  )

[Bob_Blakey]

Monday 20/03/2023 - City Centre Dental Appointment
Another Bicycle Replacement Train due to inclement weather

Ticket
Senior Railcard Anytime Day Return £2.70
An increase of 5.88% - as expected - since my previous equivalent trip.

Outward
DIG 0813 (On Time)>EXC 0824 (On Time) (2T09 EXM>PGN) : 1 x 166/2 (3 Cars)
At DIG around 25 pax boarded and at least double that number disgorged. I would guess service about 70% full. Held briefly at Exmouth Junction to allow the slightly late 1L03 SAL>EXD^» (Exeter St Davids - next trains) to clear. Usual - at this time of day - scrum going up the P2 staircase and through the ticket gates.
 
Return
EXC 0957 (On Time)>DIG 1002 (On Time) (2F11 PGN>EXM) : 2 x 150/2 (4 Cars)
4 cars when even a Parry People Mover would still have had plenty of room!

[grahame]

Reading your "some trains busy, some quiet" story, I suspect that you're seeing a morning flow predominantly from Exmouth into Exeter ... that 4 car train that "could have been a PPM^‡(resolve)" was probably rather busier on its return trip into Exeter, and indeed if the incoming train had come up from Paignton I suspect it might not have been quiet.   This is a "classic" pattern for services into cities / unbalanced routes;  I suspect that morning peak trains to Severn Beach and to Gunnislake also arrive at destination carrying fresh air ...