The summer time blues loom

And there you all were thinking I'd gone... but no, still here, still keeping an eye on all things First Great Western. Just been away for a while so not had a chance to put fingers to keyboard. And, to be frank, things have been going pretty smoothly of late. Very few delays, very few cancellations. Well done Andrew Haines for getting things back on track. (Pun intended, ho ho!)

But, to be truthful, there are a few things I now needto bring to your attention.

First, another month has gone by and still no new ticket machines in Chippenham Station car park. I'm beginning to think the whole thing is just some sort of long-winded joke at motorists' expense. Will our promised new wonderful chip-and-pin machines ever make an appearance?

Second, the Shell tanker drivers strike. Dunno about where you live, but in sunny Chippenham we went from normality to Mad Max in the course of 24 hours. Having made a decision not to panic buy, did I ever regret it on Saturday morning when all of my four nearest petrol stations were either closed or out of diesel, my fuel of choice. This weekend coming I will be panic buying. To hell with stiff upper lips and British restraint.

Third and finally, the fate of my much loved 7.05am Chippenham-Paddington over the summer months. I, like many of my fellow commuters, have migrated from the 6.55am to the wondrous 7.05am because it's proving to be more reliable and, as it's fast from Swindon to Paddington, you stand a fighting chance of having a double seat to yourself all the way. Fantastic.

Imagine my horror, then, when on the platform this morning, a fellow commuter and like-minded soul told me that the 7.05am is being suspended over the summer holiday. Surely not, I cried, but a quick flick through the timetable section of the FGW website proved me wrong. They are suspending it - from June 27 to September 8. Nightmare! That means I'll be forced back onto the inhumanly early 6.55am. which will no doubt to packed to capacity.

What kind of train company cancels its services just because it's the summer holiday? The whole point of the summer holiday is that you actually get a nice bit of room on your train for six weeks and get to remember what a normal train service should be like.

Come on First Late Western, how mean can you get! And how many other services are going to be canned over the summer holiday? Not the spirit at all.

Anyway, on this blog at least, normal service is about to be resumed. Catch yer later, commuters.