This week, there's no 07:17 to Swidnon ... it's 09:20.   And there's no 18:45 back ... it's 21:20.    Anyone who wants to commute is going to be in a right mess as the Monday to Friday service has been replaced by the trains that nornally run on a Saturday.  And apparently that's all right under the contract that First have with the DfT, as the full "service level committment" doesn't actually apply this week and they can run the trains cheaply rather than when they'll be used.

But I thought, before I posted an unmoderated "stinger" here, that I should check my facts .. and I went down to the station (Melksham) this afternoon to see the 14:49 to Swindon (that's the other train that runs in addition to the 09:20 on a Saturday).   No cluse on the signs as the station to tell us there was even such a train running - there's the Monday through Friday, Saturday and Sunday timetables implying that - bring a Wednesday - it was a Wednesday service.   There's a poster telling you that there are a few changes, and that you should phone [number given] to find out more.   Of course, there isn't actually a payphone at the station anyway. And there's anothe part of the notice where it tells you that you can collect a booklet listing the changes from a station ... but I see no sign of the booklets (or any leaflets) anywhere.

Press the "information point" button, and a red light comes on. But that's all.  No information;  it's out of order.

Any yet ... the train that called had - I counted - some 18 to 20 people in the single coach and I find myself wondering it it was incredibly clever scheduling by First and a lot of publicity that I had missed ... or perhaps an indication that the line is so desparately in need of trains that they'll collect passengers at whatever outlandish times they run!