A Status update on TransWilts services via Melksham - posting here on the TransWilts board and pulling together all the various things you might find in all sorts of places. I will share and lock this post on the public board - follow ups here to allow discussion of various options without (for example) people turning up for trains that don't exist in suggestions we're posting.
* Until December 2013 - 2 trains each way per dayMonday to Friday, southbound (Melksham call times) 06:38 and 19:14, northbound at 07:20 and 19:47
Saturday southbound at 15:48 and 21:38, northbound at 09:20 and 15:21
Sunday, southbound at 18:20 only, northbound at 17:20 and 19:20 (time may be a little off)
Annual passenger numbers - around 18,000 on line of whom 3,000 left / joined at Melksham
Passenger numbers low due to very limited round trip / day return opportunities
Due to ticketing irregularities,
ORR» figures show much higher passenger numbers for Melksham
* From December 2013 to December 2016 - 8 trains each way per dayExisting service PLUS six extra round trips (4 extra on winter Sundays and 5 on summer Sundays)
"Target" to raise the 18,000 journeys to 120,000 over three years
Achieved 215,000 in year to April 2016 / 247,000 in year to April 2017
Melksham Passenger numbers up to 60,000 in year to April 2016. Year to April 2017 figure to be published December 2017
Ticketing irregularities largely removed, and in any case now far less significant in figures
Also* Sunday trains recast from December 2015 to integrate service with existing trains.
* Extra train added from May 2016 on Monday to Friday, breaking a lunchtime gap
* One service extended to Frome to fill a gap in service there.
As of now - May 2017* New services are run using a class 153 single carriage train
* Train can only be in one place at a time. Scheduled for good commutes to Chippenham and Swindon
* Busiest section of line Melksham to Chippenham
* 15:29 and 17:53 from Chippenham are full and standing to Melksham, and big gap between
* Onward connections at Westbury are key to success - via Salisbury, via Yeovil, via Taunton
* 07:49 from Melksham also full, but original 2 car train at 07:20 taking much of the commuter load
* Other "shoulder peak" trains also busy, including the original morning trains
* Saturday and Sunday services also very well used; much more even traffic but quiet in middle of day
* Service became a permanent part of the franchise in December 2016
* Service designated - rail minister visited March 2017 to celebrate
Looking forward* Untapped markets identified for southbound trains (Melksham times about 08:14, 17:03, 23:03)
* Untapped markets identified for northbound trains (Melksham times about 08:54, 17:45, 21:36)
* Later northbound train desperately needed on Saturday
* Need for extra capacity (i.e. longer and / or more trains)
* Need for extra capacity (Melksham Station road approach and other safety issues)
* Desire for earlier Sunday train that runs all year
* Better address Swindon and Chippenham to Warminster, Salisbury, Southampton and Airport
* Connections from Frome and Weymouth and also to Exeter and West of to be addressed.
* Dilton Marsh issues - now with many residences close by, but still an odd service
* Desire for clockface and hourly services to allow the train to be always available as natural travel choice
* Connectivity from Melksham Station to town for those not driving to the station or having lifts
* Marketing for visitors to the area to get more passengers onto quieter services
* Resolving fare perversities left over from olden days - e.g. day return Chippenham to Salisbury
* Continue marketing travel options to residents; each town a different case.
Edit note: Several minor typos corrected, for clarity. CfN. 
