Great Western Coffee Shop

A week into the new TransWilts service, and a good point to look at how it's been going.  Although I've personally been a long way away, the wonders of the internet and our marvellous team of volunteers and passengers informing one another and our network.

98% of trains ran, and around 94% were on time.  Buses laid on to cover the cancellations. Maximum delay was, I think, about 15 minutes.

From a standing start - what were loadings like?  A lot higher than we might have guessed; reports are that the new peak trains are doing well ("up to 60 on the 17:36 from Swindon"), and even during the day we're into double figures.  The 18:50 off Swindon (18:44 in the old timetable) has slipped back a bit, mainly because the timing wasn't right for some users who have moved to the 17:36.   Other trains ... mostly into double figures.   All sorts of journeys being made.

I got back from my week away and arrive at Swindon today (Sunday) in time to see the 11:16 arrival - delighted that 28 got off the train.  19 on board when it left again at 11:36 for Westbury; destinations included Exeter, Chippenham, Yeovil Junction, Trowbridge, Melksham, Westbury, Warminster, Southampton (two groups) and Salsibury.  Bit of a swap around at Chippenham, but no great change in numbers.  Most journeys their first on the new service - about half the people realised it was new and the other had come across it on the journey planner - "never gone this way before".  One person on his third journey already, and will be a regular user of all sorts of different services, often to / from London.

Our marketing and information is flowing out - both proactive and in response to requests;  this week up to Christmas and over the New Year will probably be hard to judge from, and we'll see how the new year starts and help it along with more reminders.   The wide variety of journeys I saw even on a Sunday lunchtime shows just what a lot of different journeys are covered, and some of the flows are not going unnoticed.

Oh - didn't see a single person there today "just to ride the new service".  Good - we're looking at a starting permanent patronage!

And ... now that it's public knowledge I can report that Ben Prater of BBC Wiltshire was one of the passengers on my trip yesterday; not pre-planned, but he recorded an ad-hoc interview that's available for listen-again for the next week. BBC Radio Wiltshire, around 07:25 this morning. 

And ... oh my goodness ... https://www.facebook.com/BBCWiltshire

I just noticed that the new "Connecting Wiltshire" services are being advertised on ebay.

Whatever next ?!?  :o :D ;D

Thinking about the idea of a later evening service, I wonder whether a service leaving Westbury around 2135 for Chippenham would be viable. It would then return forming a connection into the 2200 arrival from Paddington, and also connect into the 2215 to Paddington.

This would provide a much later/connection from Swindon to Melksham, Trowbridge and Westbury and also from London to Melksham. (Doesn't particularly improve the London to Trowbridge flow because of an alternative via Newbury.)

It would also provide a much later service from Bristol to Melksham.

By only running to Chippenham it would reduce costs, with the return trip taking about an hour. I'm presuming that the turnaround at Chippenham is fully signalled, and that performance isn't an issue. Though the question of what happens if the train from London is late would need to be addressed, as the unit would then be blocking the up platform (assuming it was held!)

Have I missed anything glaringly obvious?

Facebook ... https://www.facebook.com/TransWilts

Well, I did ask ...  ::) ;D

Does anybody know how passenger numbers have been faring recently ?

I looked at the peak trains on Monday, and a single train (the 17:36 off Swindon) yesterday / Friday.  Loading at Melksham for the 17:36 is over 50%, with the majority of passengers carrying on through to Trowbridge, but a good number getting off at Melksham too.   The temporary extension to car parking at Melksham is certainly already required and in use, even though a high proportion are walking ... and truly in use for rail purposes rather than convenient parking for nearby businesses too  ;D

The 19:17 (18:50 off Swindon) had dropped a bit on Monday from what it was (at 19:11) prior to 9th Decemeber, when it was the only southbound train of the day after the 06:38.  Not a huge drop, and the numbers were distorted on Monday by the departure of the train from Swindon prior to the arrival of the official connection from London ... newcomers waited for the 20:12 off Swindon, and weren't best pleased.

General reaction is very positive; there does seem a view that even if buses are 45 minutes late / cancelled because of flooding, trees down, etc that trains should still be able to run on time.  And a view that a train every 2 hours doesn't provide the flexibility everyone needs - actually, I've a lot of sympathy with that latter view and I'm coming to realise that (in theory - don't expect it in practise (yet)) that a second 153 buzzing up and down, passing the first one we've just got at Chippenham every hour, would probably load well and indeed would make so many more journeys possible that it would load the first train more too.