Just some observations having made a trip today as I wanted to get a bit of a walk and ride the restored service
Bought a return from Milton Keynes Central MKC to Aspley Guise and took train from MKC to Bletchley to catch the 10:45 train to APG. While waiting on platform 5 at BLY for the train an orange and brown West Midlands Railway eight car with pantograph with Bedford as its destination at the front (as it came into platform 5) pulled in. I was somewhat surprised at this as the BLY-Bedford line isn't electrified and has some quite short platforms! After a few minutes said train reversed out again.
10:45 then arrived, two cars and no pantograph as expected. Probably a dozen people boarded.
On the journey I noticed that the signs at Bow Brickhill station say "For Caldecotte and Tilbrook" - other than locals I wonder who would have heard of either of these areas of MK, other than those who follow Red Bull.
I was the only person to alight at APG and noticed that there was a ticket machine on the Bedford direction platform but that it didn't appear to take cash.
I did a pleasant walk and arrived at Woburn Sands WOB for the 12:18 back to BLY. Some nice local history posters in the waiting shelter but no ticket machines even though there's a large PENALTY FARE warning poster at the side of the platform. Sign near the road has a smallish sign saying the station is unmanned and to buy ticket on the train.
Real time display panel about half way along Bedford direction platform but on the Bletchley direction side the display is by the road and too far away to be read from even half way down the platform so had to keep walking back towards the road to read it. One other passenger waiting at this point and he felt there should maybe be a panel by the road showing info for both direction plus one half way along the platform on each side.
Third person arrived just before the train so three of us boarded and my carriage had at least one person in every bay of seats.
Arrived into Bletchley on platform 6 - the one with no lift, only stairs. Bemused lady with a largish suitcase standing wondering how she was going to get to her platform for her onward train realised she'd have to carry the suitcase up the stairs. Lady with a pram standing at bottom of stairs also wondering how she proceeded - I didn't see any staff offering any help or suggestions. I offered to help with the pram but it was too heavy for me so another lady offered and they managed to get it up the stairs. It's really not good enough for the train to arrive or depart from platform 6.
No ticket check in either direction.
So an interesting and enjoyable trip out - going to see if I can find a day to do the whole trip BLY-Bedford and back before too long.