It was eyes down rather than heads down for a group from Melksham this week, as a train journey through Wiltshire turned into a rolling game of bingo.
Fifteen adults from the Shine Friendship Café, a weekly social group for people with learning difficulties, swapped their usual hall for the carriage of a Great Western Railway service, thanks to support from TransWilts Community Rail Partnership.
Boarding at Melksham railway station, the group set off on a circular trip taking in Swindon and Westbury before returning home — with bingo calls echoing through the carriage along the way.
Leading proceedings was GWR conductor Henry-Arthur Freeman, who took on the role of caller as numbers were marked off and prizes no doubt keenly contested. For many on board, it was more than just a game.
The Shine Friendship Café provides a regular space for socialising, offering bingo, karaoke and quieter sessions for those who prefer a calmer environment. This outing, however, added a new dimension — combining familiar fun with the experience of rail travel.
Centre manager Carolyn Fernandes, who joined the trip, said the day had struck exactly the right note.
“It was a lovely day, very inclusive and everyone very much enjoyed the experience,” she said. “They all enjoy bingo at Shine and so quickly got into the game, even helping Henry call the numbers.”
For some, the journey held an added layer of excitement. “A couple of our members are transport enthusiasts and were very chuffed to have a behind-the-scenes tour of the train,” she added.
Beyond the enjoyment, there was a practical benefit too. Experiences like this can help build confidence for those who may otherwise feel anxious about travelling independently.
“Now having been on the train in such a fun way, I think if any of the group needed to get another train it will have lessened their anxiety,” Carolyn said.
That aim sits squarely with TransWilts’ wider work across the county. The community rail partnership focuses on improving access to rail services and encouraging more people to consider the train as a viable option.
Sophie Martin, the organisation’s community partnership manager, said initiatives like the bingo train are about more than novelty.
“Having fun on the train is a great way to boost people’s confidence in travelling this way again,” she explained. “By helping our local communities access Wiltshire’s railway lines we can take the worries away from travelling.”
The partnership supports services along the Swindon to Westbury route and beyond, connecting communities to the wider rail network while promoting more sustainable travel.
For those on board this particular journey, though, the focus was simpler: a good game, good company and a trip out to remember — with perhaps a few calls of “house” along the way.
