Interesting day in Bristol yesterday ... just a note to compare / contrast my journeys there and back.

07:17 train down,  60 minutes to Bristol (arr 08:17).   Change at Chippenham, both trains crowded.  Delayed on run to Chippenham by "late running HST ahead of us" which was given priority at Thingley - so it took no less than 25 minutes for the Melksham -> Chippenham stretch.  Around 25 to 30 in my carriage (2 car train, the majority of whom got off to change at Chippenham).

15:00 train back, 110 minutes to Melksham. (arr 16:50). Change at Bath into the bus.  Bus due to leave Bath at 4, but didn't even arrive at the bus station until about quarter past.   Then delayed on road by traffic and didn't get to Batheaston bypass until 16:30.  Then went like the clappers with everyone hanging on to stay in their seats (contrast to trains, where the ride was good enough for people to work on their laptops).

Talking with other regular bus users, they quite often run a bit late, but this was one of the worse cases. Almost undoubtedly, the incoming delay had been from Batheaston where even the bus lane isn't solving the whole issue - there are non-buslaned sections, and often a queue to the roudabout at Batheaston where the lights always seen to generate a huge queue.  Most buses on the route are quite nice these days - but this was an old "boneshaker"; a regular vehicle on the run, I understand, with an LED destination display inside that's been broken and playing funny text for weeks.

Overall fare?  9 pounds train return, Melksham to Bristol.  Plus 3.65 single on the bus, Bath to Melksham.   The Bath information point declined to exchange my train ticket for a bus one when I asked if they could, although I explained to the lady that there wasn't a train for 3 hours and it's the same company.   In total, 12.65's not bad for the peak time return trip, but it would be lovely to have an easy and flexible system rather than ending up with a feeling that you've had to waste part of the fare because the train company isn't actually providing an appropriate service when you need it.