Avonmouth to Melksham direct?

[whole diary]

[Bmblbzzz]

Yesterday, Saturday, at about 11am, I was walking along Hampton Park, from which you can see both tracks in Clifton Down station. And both were occupied. The eastbound train had just left the station and I just had time to read one of the scrolling names on the destination board: Melksham. I was surprised! Can there really be a direct service from the Severn Beach line to Melksham? If so, what's its destination? A search on nationalrail doesn't show anything, so was it simply a mistake on the sign or a one-off for some reason (a Grahame special perhaps)?

[Timmer]

Nothing of note of a service from Clifton to Melksham on RTT^» (Real Time Trains - website).

[stuving]

Yesterday, those trains were terminating at Lawrence Hill, with no train connections to anywhere else that I can see. So maybe the scrolling information was saying "get the bus to" either Bristol Parkway or Temple Meads "for onward connections to" ...

[Bmblbzzz]

Yesterday, those trains were terminating at Lawrence Hill, with no train connections to anywhere else that I can see. So maybe the scrolling information was saying "get the bus to" either Bristol Parkway or Temple Meads "for onward connections to" ...

That sounds more likely! I only saw the one word "Melksham".

[Red Squirrel]

There is no such service, nor is there likely to be one in the near future. I have however seen some very eccentric station names come up on the scrolling displays on trains on that line.

I suppose given the choice of confusing passengers of 'failing' the train, the former option is better!