Melksham station - facilities, services, improvements and incidents - merged posts

[whole diary]

[matth1j]

Sadly, it's a "VAR" (varied timetable change) and the "WTT^▸ (Working Time-Table)" - (Working TimeTable) remains at 07:34.

Thanks grahame - I suspected it was too good to be true

No harm in asking for a tweaking in December.

How do I do that?

[grahame]

Sadly, it's a "VAR" (varied timetable change) and the "WTT^▸ (Working Time-Table)" - (Working TimeTable) remains at 07:34.

Thanks grahame - I suspected it was too good to be true

No harm in asking for a tweaking in December.

How do I do that?

You sorta have done.  There have been a number of tweaks and adjustments that are really good for customers and the customer base over the years - they're in everyone's interest - and they get fed through and looked at a couple of times a year.  This connection at Chippenham is on that radar, and you amplify it. Please note, though, that any suggestion that adds a couple of minutes to the elapsed time between leaving Paddington and arriving into Bristol has quite a hurdle to jump before it gets serious consideration.
 

[matth1j]

Please note, though, that any suggestion that adds a couple of minutes to the elapsed time between leaving Paddington and arriving into Bristol has quite a hurdle to jump before it gets serious consideration.

Understood. How about bringing the Worcester Foregate Street service forward a minute? (I believe that would be sufficient based on your previous comment http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=27514.msg334333#msg334333.)

[grahame]

Please note, though, that any suggestion that adds a couple of minutes to the elapsed time between leaving Paddington and arriving into Bristol has quite a hurdle to jump before it gets serious consideration.

Understood. How about bringing the Worcester Foregate Street service forward a minute? (I believe that would be sufficient based on your previous comment http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=27514.msg334333#msg334333.)

Taking a look.  Considerations - how tight would it be over Thingley Junction behind the express to London, and whether it would need to (and be able) to leave Salisbury earlier; there is no slack at Westbury.  No problem with it sitting an extra minute at Swindon, but not sure on pathing over the junction at Royal Wootton Bassett.  If it was leaving Salisbury at 06:30 rather than 06:35, usefully add a stop at Dilton Marsh.   Leaving Westbury even a minute earlier may, though, be an issue with it very close behind the Frome to Cardiff service ... and while I'm raising concerns, that train vacates a platform to let the Salisbury to Worcester come in.  Platforms and potential conflicts in the station throat to be looked at.

[grahame]

Coming up for ten years since our service stepped back up to usable ...

1848 09 02   Melksham Station Opened (thread http://www.passenger.chat/26688)
1890 ?? ??    Converted from broad to standard gauge
1923 01 01   PreGrouping - railway became big 4. GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) at Melksham
1948 01 01   Nationalised - "British Rail"
1966 04 18   Melksham Station Closed (thread http://www.passenger.chat/27401)
1967 09 ??   Line reduced to single track

1985 05 13   Melksham Station reopened (thread http://www.passenger.chat/27481)
1990 17 03.  Direct line to Bath (Bradford North Curve) removed
1996 06 25   Founding of Melksham Railway Development Group (http://www.wellho.net/mouth/4699_.html)
1996 10 13   Train operation privatised - Wales and West / Prism Rail
2005 09 20   Save the Train inaugural meeting (thread http://www.passenger.chat/27899)
2006 09 09   Final commuter train before service went parliamentary

2010 03 26   Press proposal for TransWilts CRP^▸ (Community Rail Partnership) (thread http://www.passenger.chat/6374)
2010 04 17   Formation committee meeting, TransWilts CRP (thread http://www.passenger.chat/27401)
2011 07 03   TransWilts Summer trips to Weymouth (thread http://www.passenger.chat/9113)

2013 12 08   Restoration of trial services under LSTF^▸ (Local Sustainable Transport Fund) (thread http://www.passenger.chat/13307)
2014 02 07   Baroness Cramer launches new service (thread http://www.passenger.chat/13559)
2014 02 10    First run - Melksham Rail link bus - (thread http://www.passenger.chat/13592)
2015 01 20   TransWilts becomes a Community Interest Company (thread http://www.passenger.chat/15215)
2015 07 17   Final run - Melksham Rail Link Bus (at http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/mirror/savethebus.pdf)
2015 08 ??   Ticket Vending Machine switched on at Melksham (thread http://www.passenger.chat/16162)
2016 09 29   Designation (service made permanent) and marketing award (thread http://www.passenger.chat/17488)
2017 03 02   Visit by rail minister Paul Maynard, Wilton (thread http://www.passenger.chat/18048)
2018 06 14   Community Rail Swindon - TransWilts celebration (thread http://www.passenger.chat/19245)
2018 07 20   Platform at Melksham extended to 3 carriages (thread http://www.passenger.chat/20082)
2018 10 08   Self replaced as TransWilts CRO (thread http://www.passenger.chat/20495)
2020 03 16   Coronavirus lockdown (thread http://www.passenger.chat/17488)
2020 08 28   Car parking changes introduces Melksham Station (thread http://www.passenger.chat/23858)
2021 03 29   Melksham Hub cafe and cycle hire opens (thread http://www.passenger.chat/24824)
2021 11 11   Melksham cycle hire discontinued (thread http://www.passenger.chat/24824)
2023 03 13   Melksham Hub cafe closure announced (thread http://www.passenger.chat/24456)
2023 05 15   All day, every day service returns for summer (thread http://www.passenger.chat/27548)
2023 09 16   Now all day, every day all year service (thread http://www.passenger.chat/27887)

In 2017 I wrote

Looking forward

Updates in bold ...
* Untapped markets identified for southbound trains (Melksham times about 08:14, 17:03, 23:03).we have a 22:54
* Untapped markets identified for northbound trains (Melksham times about 08:54, 17:45, 21:36) we have a 21:36
* Later northbound train desperately needed on Saturday Yes - 20:06 not 18:35 off Westbury
* Need for extra capacity (i.e. longer and / or more trains) 1 carriage trains replace by 2 or 3 carriages
* Need for extra capacity (Melksham Station road approach and other safety issues)
* Desire for earlier Sunday train that runs all year Yes, all year 08:11 round trip from Warminster
* Better address Swindon and Chippenham to Warminster, Salisbury, Southampton and Airport Warminster and Salisbury a little better
* 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 Big recent improvements
* 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 peversities left over from olden days - e.g. day return Chippenham to Salisbury Some addressed
* Continue marketing travel options to residents; each town a different case

So - which of these should be addressed next? 
What do we need to add to the list and what should be deleted if anything
Which are the most practical and can bring significant results?

[grahame]

From the Melksham Hub

We are offering bike hire from Melksham Hub as of Tuesday 30th March 2021.

This came up on my time line ("On this Day") Yesterday.  Leading edge stuff, or even "Bleeding Edge" - too early with the result that the initiative floundered?

I bring you three pictures I took yesterday at another station (Rostock Hbf) where there are loads of private cycles, hire cycles, and hire electric scooter - and a bus interchange and trams, but that's another story, at the station.







Nothing especially unusual about this; similar to be seen in the UK^▸ (United Kingdom) now.   Is it time for it to be brought back to Wiltshire on a three year trial, which is the time the DfT^» (Department for Transport - about) tell us that's needed to establish and evaluate a new service.

[TaplowGreen]

Excellent idea.

A pushbike is currently much more likely to get you to your destination than GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway).

[CyclingSid]

Unfortunately a push bike is more likely to be stolen than a train.

[grahame]

Unfortunately a push bike is more likely to be stolen than a train.

Indeed, though trains have been stolen in the past and a recent attempt was thwarted last year

The Borno State Police Command on Saturday averted the theft of some train coaches at the Maiduguri Railway Terminus.

A source who confided in our correspondent said the officials, acting on a tip-off by Good Samaritans in the area, also apprehended the suspects.

The source said, “A suspected theft of train coaches of the Nigerian Railway Corporation was foiled at the Maiduguri Railway Terminus following a tip-off by Good Samaritans. The suspects were also apprehended by the police.”

as quoted from PunchNG (and, yes, I am posting this tonight and not on the morning of 1st April)

[bobm]

We have talked a lot about the fact IETs^▸ (Intercity Express Train) on diversion are unable to call at Melksham.   It has been suggested this is because the software hasn't been programmed to allow it.

At Par I noticed the sign below on platform 3 - the one normally used for the Newquay branch.   However there is a route west towards Penzance which I imagine doesn't get used that often for passenger service (at the moment).  However it seems to indicate it could be used by the longer IETs under a special arrangement.



Could this be a possibility for Melksham?  A sign would be a cheaper option that a software upgrade, but are there other factors in play?

[grahame]

Could this be a possibility for Melksham?  A sign would be a cheaper option that a software upgrade, but are there other factors in play?

It shows that where there's a will, there's a way.   Signs of this sort would show that the rail industry / train operators really have thought and care for their TransWilts / Melksham customers, even if they are not used very often.  In fact we don't want them used very often in the short or medium term, because we want the local service to run to timetable!

[IndustryInsider]

There is a difference, albeit a subtle one, between a station in the database with a platform with unusual characteristics and one that is not in the database at all.

The TMS will recognise it's at Par, whereas it would not (currently) recognise Melksham.  As I’ve said before though, a manual door release is perfectly possible where you can choose any individual door on the train to release if you wish.

It’s best practice, where possible, to have the system do it for you rather than the risk the driver selects the wrong doors by mistake as it’s not very often they have to do it.

[IndustryInsider]

A pleasing development for Graham I’m sure, but the latest SDO^▸ (Selective Door Opening) database update now includes Melksham, with doors 1-5 opening.

Marsh Barton has also been added (doors 1-9) and London Euston (all doors).  Both Melksham and Marsh Barton require further validation work before IET^▸ (Intercity Express Train) trains are permitted to stop there, but at least they are now in the database.