Melksham's Train services until end of January 2025

I have updated the Melksham Transport User Group web page to link to the latest train timetables for Melksham at https://www.mtug.org.uk :

All local trains - https://mtug.org.uk/B5M_2024-2025.pdf
The same trains with London connections - https://mtug.org.uk/BL_2024-2025.pdf
The same trains with Salisbury, Southampton and Weymouth connections - https://mtug.org.uk/B5_2024-2025.pdf

Please do not attempt to use the trains in these timetables until the last week in January 2025. Staff shortages in the lead up to Christmas, then engineering works until 24th January, make these documents more fiction than fact.. General comment on current service below, after date specific advice

If you want to travel over the next five weeks

1. Services planned to run to timetable up to and including 24th December.Please note early changes announced already:
1a. No trains nor replacement buses on 25th and 26th December
1b. No trains on 27th, 28th, 29th December (buses provided)
1c. Only trains for 30th December to 23rd January are 08:02 to Swindon and 18:00to Weymouth, Mondays to Fridays only. Buses provided.
Where buses are provided, they are roughy at the time the trains would be, but slower so that connections will differ - check at https://www.gwr.com . And note that buses do not run to Swindon - if you are going there, you will need to change to a train at Chippenham.

2. Check on the day on JourneyCheck https://www.journeycheck.com/greatwesternrailway/ and keep checking at https://tiger.worldline.global/MELKSHM/cisds

3. Have a backup plan ... the x34, 271, 272 and 273 buses will accept train tickets to / from Melksham for from 27th December to 23rd January, and they are always an alternative. Note that only the 273 (Bath) runs in the evening. And if a train gets cancelled on the day, it is the responsibility of GWR^▸ to get you there if asked. But they do have to be asked / reminded, and it may not be quick; if the cancellation is due to bad weather and the roads are dangerous too, however, they don't have to get you there.

Beyond 23rd January 2025

The trains will be back and should run to the published timetables from 24th January onward. Much of the current disruption is due to staff shortage, and that's because of a lack of staff wanting overtime in the lead up to Christmas. So whilst there will be no magic return to a full reliable service from that date, it should be hugely improved.

On 1st and 2nd February 2025, there are also engineering works - we understand to complete works at Westbury / as new track has bedded in for a week.

General Comment

The train service at Melksham has been exceptionally unreliable of late - and I don't know whether to have a mirthless laugh or to cry. This subject has been raised on a number of occasions with GWR, most recently in a meeting with 5 GWR managers and 2 community reps last Thursday - 12th December 2024.

Meetings alone cannot solve the problems with the train service - which GWR admit is well below standard. I strongly pointed this out to them (I have done so before) and gave them six suggestions as to how to make it much better. No demand for perfection, but a request form them to make some small changes that will make a huge difference, both in service delivery and in how they deal with the problems the rail industry has.

GWR did a lot of explaining in the meeting - and that is useful but not an end in itself. Saying why things aren't working may help string the customers along in the belief that it will get better, but without any look forward to what can be done and without a will to getting it done, we won't get anywhere. Lack of a reasonable reliable train service to a timetable published well in advance crucifies the service, and with it impacts the personal lives of so many people, the economy of the area, the jobs of the people who operate the service and the reputation of the managers who are paid to make sure it works.

The meeting moved on to look at plans to put things right. None can be instant. Some are small changes that can make a big difference, others longer term. But "look at plans" is necessary doesn't really implement a solution either and the proof of the pudding will be in the eating.

The GWR managers have gone away to look at what they can do. They aren't shocked at the items and suggestions raised and some are already underway (or at least in the work plan). Many of them apply wider than just Melksham / TransWilts line - right across the GWR contract area or indeed right across the UK^▸ .

I have no magic wand I can wave. Nor do many of the managers - they are influencers rather than decision makers and it's much easier for them at times to explain why something cannot be done than to look for ways of actually doing it. Having said which, their hearts are often in the right place and they know a lot more about rail than you or I, and the unintended consequences of implementing what may be a simplistic idea. So we need to continue to partner with them; we should all be on the same side. We may be able to help us all by bringing in higher support - Brian Mathew, Sarah Gibson, Andrew Murrison and Heidi Alexander - our MPs^▸ for the line. The problem is wider that Melksham.

Finally - we are statistically NOT the worst. Over the past 4 weeks, Melksham is rated at number 2380 of 2625 stations in Great Britain. Problem is that when a train is cancelled at Melksham, there isn't going to be another one going the same way for 120 to 150 minutes and there are no staff on site to help you. When a train is cancelled at Westbury, or Trowbridge, or Bradford-on-Avon, there's going to be another along in 20 to 30 minutes, and there will be staff on hand to help and give advice at busy times.

Here are those stats shown in various graphics:

So

* the majority of trains (that are left in the timetable after engineering cancellations) do run - bun 1 in 4 is canceled on the day
* it's not just a weekend thing!
* it's not just during storms like Bert or Darragh - it's daily
* it's been going on for months - (6 month figures almost a bad)
* cancellations tend to come in batches - if your train's cancelled, chances are that the next one will be too!

Edit - to add graphic