Journey log - Southampton (Cruise Terminal) to Melksham (home)

Trip report, Australia Deck (deck 12) room A631 on Ventura at Ocean Terminal, Southampton to our residence at Spa Road, Melksham. Lisa, Graham, set of 3 heavy cases, one moderate backpack and one rollator.. Posting here because of transport content on this route

Off the ship

Around 07:15 from the cabin to 11:25 at our home. 5 lifts planned but only 3 available; 1 taxi, 1 train, 1 bus. And a lot of walking.

We chose to "self disembark" rather than put the luggage out into the corridor the previous evening and pick it up in the vast hangar of Ocean Terminal. Part of that "package" is an ability to disembark from 7 to 8 a.m. rather than in the following couple of hours, and to do so without taking part in the queuing system which controls the flow through the hall where people are searching for their luggage.

So - luggage push past a dozen cabins to the lift lobby, and a significant wait there for a lift with space headed down to deck 5. Very busy taking others leaving later up to breakfast on deck 15. Down then to deck 5. Signage pointing around the back of the lifts to queueing area in the main lobby area, but a member of staff unclipped the crowd control and let us bypass that / sensible as there was no-one queuing and we "swiped" our cruise cards one last time and exited the ship.

Zig Zag sloping bridge into the upper deck of the terminal - 3 leg; these things designed to be accessible and work with reasonable slope at any state of the tide. Walk along the glass corridor on the upper deck of the terminal, and another 3 leg zig zag slope to get us to the lower level. Lift use denied by a smiling staff member because bottom of lift blocked by work in progress setting out lots of luggage for later folks. We popped out into the big luggage hall at one corner, at the far end from the customs exit. Walk half way across the narrow end, there able to pick up a luggage trolley. And a push right through the walkway up the middle of the hangar between luggage laid out on both sides.

Customs to station

Into the green channel and (never seen it before) a cluster of customs officers in a usually empty hall and in the very thin flow through a number of groups (including us) "randomly" selected for a chat and more with a customs officer. "Do you know you're in the green channel"; "yes". "Do you know your limits on alcohol, tobacco and perfume"; "no" followed by explanation "we don't have any". "Have you any knives or sharp object?"; "pair of manicure scissors". "Can I see inside your bags" ... and we had to open two of our three cases and the chap went through them - not in detail, but he did empty the spare back pack in one of the cases - perfunctory; nothing of any interest there, and the third case and the pack on my back not inspected. But then the previously-carefully-packed content would not go back in and our inspector 'friend' added his weight to forcing the case closed; a strong case but it distorted as he eventually got it sealed. Lisa was moved to jest he should pay for it if he broke it; I commented that I believe he's not obliged to do so and a potentially tense moment was passed over with a smile.

I wonder why inspections were happening yesterday where they have not happened before. Random? Changes mean they happen to all ships these days? Length of our trip (35 days)? Because we had been to central America and / or the USA?. No passport or ID checks beyond the cruise card, which IS linked to photoID on the ship's computer so probably not easily dodged, and was issued a month ago after a passport check.

Only a few minutes, but felt longer, and we walked out of the terminal and directed to the taxi rank that's perhaps 20 yards from the door. Plenty of taxis available. The rollator is awkward to load but we, the cases, and it had a short (if seemingly twisted as always) across the city centre to Central Station; I noted that our driver only asked where we were headed by train after he had passed the turn to the west side of the station. Never mind - by that time I expected to be on platform 3B in the middle anyway. And so, kerbside drop, £10 including tip.

Ticket purchase

Single tickets required, as we were away for over a month - beyond a "period" return. Used a TVM^▸ as there was a line at the ticket office. "Bath Spa" (I'll tell you why not Melksham later) had to be keyed in via A-Z and auto-help complete, and offered a fare of £113.50 for one "any permitted" ticket. Don't like that so spotted a "via Salisbury" button and that brought the offer down to about £33, added a second passenger and then added railcard. But only railcard not greyed out was Veteran's card - no senior on offer. So ... backed up and something gave me the clue to reduce the purchase to one ticket and that then offered senior card - just over £22, which I purchased on card.

Process repeated for Lisa's ticket. I won't bore readers with a repeat of the description just above.

And so (on)to the train

With customs delay and with time taken spending just £44 rather then the fastest buttoning £227, the Cardiff train was pulling out and lost off the departure board as we completed our purchase. Never mind, we knew (as I'm sure everyone would have done) that the 08:23 Great Malvern train would be fine and indeed after The intervention of our customs friend, the service I expected we would use. The 08:23 shown on the board, as I would have expected, on the middle platform at the "B" country end as if it apologises for its very presence as it creeps in fro Swindon and turns round to head back home.

Luggage through wide barrier and we knew where the bridge lift is hidden behind the stairs, and lift up to the accessible bridge. Good, AOK. But then the lift to the centre platform had a barrier across it. Walked across to the top of the stairs. A couple of SWR^» staff standing at the far end (base of the stairs) and I called to them for an "alternative lift". "There isn't one. You'll have to use the stairs. Can you manage?" Well - yes - just about; I don't know what would have happened if not. The SWR folks did come up the stairs, very helpful with luggage and Lisa struggled down the steps. And so along the platform and out towards Millbrook ;-) to where our train already waited.

I left Lisa at the first door of the train with the luggage while I walked forward to find the door by the luggage rack. Good on a fellow passenger for coming out and offering to help her load at the rear door; all friendly and happy as I explained I had found the luggage door and (I think it was the driver) also cane along while we were loading and helped. And so we settled into the train. My complements to the friendly approach of all the staff we encountered at Southampton Central Station.

Train Journey Report

Just a sprinkling of passengers on our service when it left ... few on and off at Salisbury (and a 10 minute dally there), and the biggest change over of people prior to Westbury was Dilton Marsh where the number in our carriage more than doubled. Another 10 minute dally at Westbury, as we fell back into the regular stopper path to Bristol.

From Southampton to Westbury, this is the return working of the 06:11 Swindon to Southampton which is a busy school train on its final stretch. But is absurd to it be charged at anytime fares back up to Westbury, when nearly empty and clearly post-peak for that line, to become off-peak on the sector into Bath when it was much busier.

A nearly empty train into Westbury ... good number picked up there, big crowd at Trowbridge, more at B-o-A and even a crowd at Freshford (just one at Avoncliff) and into Bath Spa on time. I was prepared with luggage stacked but not blocking train door, so we unloaded without delay and (thank goodness) the lift was working and we know where the wide exit gate-line is. Gateline in operation for once / staff watching.

That final stage home

A twenty minute change at Westbury would have brought us to Melksham, and as we say there outside the waiting and meeting rooms on platform one with our engines throbbing and the smell of a diesel train, the Swindon train was at Platform three. We chose NOT to take that as we did not want to end up with heavy luggage at a liftless, carless, busless, taxiless Melksham Station with no-one there to help us; without luggage and alone, I would have chosen this route with a 20 minute walk home.

Bath offers an easy transfer - if you know where to go - to the bus. They leave every 30 minutes to the stops outside our home in Melksham - alternate buses via a longer, slower route and we chose NOT to rush for the 10:15 bus on that route, but rather sat out in the sun for a few minutes before heading in to the bus station for the 10:45 Devizes service. Labelling and information remains wanting - no timetables at bus stops ("we are working on these" signs) and the live departure board mean that stops 1-8 and 9-14 are on separate displays so you need to know which stop. One end has a display for buses directly outside on the street, but other stops in the bus station area are not shown at all.

Boarded fine and Faresaver drivers have so much improved in their helpfulness an attitude in recent years; I'm delighted. Of course (!) we knew people on the bus ... really good talk on "things Melksham" on the way home. Quiet-ish bus from the bus station, but soon got busy - quiet a juggling game with all our stuff and with two pushchairs with babies and another young child. Got chatting with Mum, off to see dinosaurs in Devizes, heard about Melksham Town bus issues (and desire of bus from Melksham station) and connections to Royal United Hospital.

And so the stop which is across the road from us at home (that's why Bath and 271 or 272 - the final mile is done for us!), wriggling past children and pushchairs and off the bus, over the road, up the drive and greeting a couple of rather excited dogs - but that's beyond the end of this journey log. I have written long because there are lots of learning as education points, as well as at the request of friends who are wondering whether to try this. Home now, dog resting his head on my arm. And getting back into normal life.