Templecombe to Swindon, bignosemac & Finn trip report.

[whole diary]

[Bmblbzzz]

First train home. 1852 Swindon to Salisbury.
[Image from here is not available to guests]

I like the way he seems to know to wait behind the yellow line. 

Oh, and when you say "he's pooped", I do hope that wasn't on the train... 

[JayMac]

I like the way he seems to know to wait behind the yellow line. 

Well trained.

[JayMac]

... and we're home.

[Image from here is not available to guests]

The final train from Salisbury was the only one of the day to experience a delay. We were held in Tisbury loop for a late running (trespassers near Pinhoe) up service. Only a 6 minute delay though. Of course, if the line was fully doubled we wouldn't have been delayed at all.

Overall, a grand day out. My thanks to bobm for the lunch, beers and chat. And my thanks to South Western Railway, CrossCountry and Great Western Railway for providing an excellent service.

If only the journey could be done more easily by rail. I'll have to wait for the S&DJR^▸ (Somerset & Dorset Joint Railway) to reopen to Bath for that!

[JayMac]

... except, perhaps, that patio heaters now raise ethical issues.

Isn't that dependent on how cleanly generated the electricity used to power them is?

[chuffed]

Never in the field of human journeys was such a trip away awaited, by so many, for such a satisfying result!

 A rather verbose way of saying, glad you had such a good day!

[grahame]

If only the journey could be done more easily by rail.

For the general traveller, yes. In your particular case, I fear there's an element of difficulty adding to the adventure and attraction.

[TonyK]

... except, perhaps, that patio heaters now raise ethical issues.

Isn't that dependent on how cleanly generated the electricity used to power them is?

So long as the landlord has a 100% "Green" tariff, and a picture of a wind turbine on the bill, it's fine. According to the advertising.

[JayMac]

As a postscript, I bought a car today. That does mean I'm much more likely to make trips to see Wiltshire friends by road. More convenient, but far fewer beers!

Despite having a station here in Templecombe the destinations I can get to by train with ease are limited. Getting to family in Taunton means a long, dogleg journey via Exeter - two hours plus each way - versus 45 minutes each way by car. To visit my daughter in Street by public transport is two buses - again, a dogleg journey via Yeovil upwards of two hours each way. 35 minutes each way by car.

I'm not abandoning rail - where convenient, and when I fancy a bash, I'll still use trains.

Sorry Earth for increasing my carbon footprint again.

[MVR S&T]

I wonder what Greta's solution would be?

[Lee]

I wonder what Greta's solution would be?

This, apparently.

[TonyK]

This, apparently.

I've always wanted to do that, but it is a bit too expensive. I wouldn't mind sailing aross the Atlantic, too, if anyone has room in their yacht. I have watched a few episodes of Hornblower, and can use a bucket.

[broadgage]

... except, perhaps, that patio heaters now raise ethical issues.

,

Isn't that dependent on how cleanly generated the electricity used to power them is?

Only up to a point. Even if the electricity used by the patio heaters is claimed to be 100% green, then I am still rather opposed to such use. There is at any instant in time, only a finite supply of green electricity, any demand in excess of this is met by burning gas. Therefore any EXTRA demand for say electric patio heaters is met by increased gas burning.