The 21:40 train to London left Bristol yesterday evening with just ONE person in each of the first three passenger coaches ... First class carriages running nearly empty stock.  At that time of the evening, there's just one train an hour on this route though frequency has been increasing with extra trains during most of the day, and I understand that the December 2006 timetable will be up to half hourly all day.

I changed into the train that left Chippenham at 22:27 for Melksham, Trowbridge and Westbury.  There were NINE people in that one coach.

It strikes me as odd that the lowly loaded coaches are to be increased further and the more highly loaded one is under threat.  I hear talk of a lack of rolling stock, making best use of assets, etc.   And whilst I understand that those three first class coaches can't be uncoupled and run on their own, I do heartily agree that a shakup that stock that's typically carrying just one or two passengers should be re-assigned to services where there's more demand, and where the current service is so inconveniently infrequent.