Great Western Coffee Shop

A write in the local paper reflects on the irony of going to a model railway show by car, and laments the lack of provision of trains to the local station so serve the show:

http://www.wiltshiretimes.co.uk/yoursay/letters/8918202.Get_the_train_/

TrainWest web site:

http://www.trainwest.org.uk/

From the Wiltshire Times (http://www.wiltshiretimes.co.uk/news/8948949.Melksham_train_show_resorts_to_bus_service/?ref=mr):

Think I might come have a look at that. :)

Me too, Saturday. Now I know I can get to and from Chippenham for free!

Interestingly, from Bristol and Bath you CAN do it by train on the Saturday ...


Saturdays Only.

BRI -> MKM  08:23 -> 09:20, Change TRO

MKM -> BRI  15:21 -> 16:15, Change CPM
MKM -> BRI  15:48 -> 16:49, Change TRO

Off peak day return - 9.60


I'm on "early"s on Saturday ... exhibitor's breakfasts ... will be along later and maybe we can meet up. At the least we can offer a coffee

It just struck me ... next weekend, we have some of the exhibitors staying at our hotel that's halfway between Melksham Station and the venue - Christie Miller Sports Centre, Bowerhill.  Checking back as I wrote this, there are 2 rooms (double / twin) available on Friday night, 3 rooms on Saturday night, and plenty on Sunday.

If anyone who's a frequent poster feels like staying overnight,  I can cut 23 pounds off the regular room rate for "probably the best hotel rooms in Melksham" and "better than the Ritz" (those are past customer reviews) - so that's 72 pounds per room per night, double or twin, including our superior continental breakfast.  All the usual Ts & Cs like offer "subject to availability" and an unusual offer - complimentary pickup from Melksham station from the arrivals at 19:11 or 19:47 on Friday, 09:20, 15:21, 15:48 or 21:34 ... and drop off back to any of those, or to the 17:25, 18:45 or 19:52 on Sunday, or the 06:40 or 07:11 on Monday.

* Hotel website - http://www.wellhousemanor.co.uk/
* Click on the arrival date to take you to the booking system
* Say "delegate" in the coupon code box for the 72 pound rate

Well I won't be able to make it. other commitments.  :(

Nice to see the exhibition getting some more press coverage:

From This Is Wiltshire (http://www.thisiswiltshire.co.uk/news/headlines/8963107.Trains_at_Melksham_to_delight_all_ages/?ref=rss):


....although I'm sure a few people of 'all ages' would be delighted to see more full size passenger trains at Melksham!!

Indeed.

From around 1600 members of the public who filled in our online survey, 515 said they would use the service at the weekends from "3 to 6 times per year" for shopping, and 301 would use it 7 to 12 times for shopping.  That's just from the sample who came to the TransWilts Rail website, and just for shopping.  You should then add in the 782 who'll use it to get to special events once or twice a year, and so on ...

(http://atrebatia.info/comrep/weekends2.png)

Of course, the real underlying high volume traffic would be the commuter.   And in the same sample, 664 people said that a reliable service on the TransWilts would be an alterative for them instead of driving

(http://atrebatia.info/comrep/commuter_users.png)

That is a significant offer of new daily users - not just transfers from other trains (the dogleg via Bath for Trowbridge to Swindon traffic).

Data such as this helps to show just how / why there's such a strong case for a train service on the TransWilts that's better than the current "tokenistic" one. [Not my word choice originally - it came from someone who's senior in the industry and concerned in his job with the service on the line]

Further details from the report: http://atrebatia.info/report.html

Pictures of the show at http://www.wellho.net/mouth/3239_TrainWest-2011-in-pictures-Christie-Miller-Bowerhill-Melksham.html

Thinking of going to visit tomorrow :)

From This is Wiltshire (http://www.thisiswiltshire.co.uk/news/headlines/8977354.On_track_for_success_in_Melksham/?ref=rss):

I have to say, the above doesn't accurately reflect my experience of the event.

I did enjoy the layouts - some more than others; a few were simply stunning - and I picked up a few books and useful bits and bobs, so overall it was far from a waste of time. However, the organisers really do need to pay a little bit more attention to making it a truly family friendly event.

Just one example (of several minor ones) sums it up, really. Each was insignificant and it would be churlish of me to list them all here, but taken together they add up to something needing to be tightened up - and I say this as an experienced events organiser myself, knowing from bitter experience how hard it is to get everything spot-on on the day.

There was a bit of a queue at the entrance when we got there. No more than four couples, the first of which was being issued with tickets and sold a programme, so the wait was minimal really. The point is though that there were two people manning the front desk. Both wore badges and matching shirts with logos on, so it was obvious they were organisers (this is a point in their favour). One was all smiles and helpfulness, chatting with the couple he was dealing with and happily answering their questions. The other chap though was sat with his head buried in a railway magazine, pointedly ignoring the other people standing in front of him patiently waiting. After a couple of minutes someone actually said to the friendly looking bloke, "Excuse me, can't your colleague there sell us a ticket?", at which the miserable git looked up and actually scowled! He sighed heavily and without a word (or needless to say a smile) peeled off two tickets and thrust his hand out, obviously longing for nothing more than to get back to his desperately interesting magazine article.

OK so I know it's a minor incident; but really - the front desk sets the tone for the whole visit, and at ^7 a time it's the paying public who very much enable these guys to hold events like this and get together with their friends. If people are made to feel like they're an inconvenience they simply won't turn up any more.

A five minute briefing session before the doors open, reminding everyone of their responsibility to the hobby (let alone the event) along with a reminder of the fire regulations and location of the first aid point etc is all it needs.

The miserable git shouldn't be front of house if he doesn't want to help the visitors to the show.   Don't get me going, Phil ... this sort of thing (IMHO) is far too common and indeed I was thinking of writing a "customer service" blog when I read your post.  I went to a meeting (rail) - group I didn't know - recently.  It was advertised in the railway press, and as requested I phoned ahead and actually had a good chat with the secretary.  Quite the reverse when I got there.  One gentleman checking off regulars on a list, another gruffly asks me for 2 pounds (visitors fee I knew I would have to pay). No "welcome".  No "do you live nearby".  No intro to a guest host. Just left to find a seat.   Interesting guest speaker in first half, slightly spoiled by audience discussing their own views on what he was saying amongst themselves.   Meeting faded at end - no "next meeting", no "will you be back / would you like to join" and indeed (come to think of it) there had been no "welcome to our guests".

Part of me wonders how they keep their membership up ... but then part of me thinks that perhaps they don't - they'e comfortable in their ways and don't want new blood which is significantly younger and more active than their own average (I can rarely say that these days).

I hope TrainWest stay in Melksham.  I'm aware of the closure of Christie Miller in a couple of years. We (that's us what lives in Melksham) should be looking to steer our forthcoming single site Campus which replaces it into something that can truely replace it - and all the other services that are being combined - with something that meets virtually every need and aspiration.

From the Wiltshire Times (http://www.wiltshiretimes.co.uk/news/9644863.Model_railway_show_returns_to_Melksham_this_weekend/?):

Thanks for posting this, Chris.   I'll almost certainly pop in.

Graham

The Trainwest model railway exhibition is on again soon.

Saturday 13th and Sunday 14th April 2013. Again held in the Christie Miller Sports Centre, Melksham.

On the Saturday only, a free shuttle bus will run between Chippenham station and the venue.

Full details including admission prices, exhibitors, opening times etc. at the following link:

http://www.trainwest.org.uk/