Train time changes from 12th to 30th August

[whole diary]

[grahame]

I understand that on Monday to Friday from 12th to 30th August (while Swindon to Kemble is closed for doubling), the 07:04 Westbury to Swindon will leave Westbury at 06:46 and will call at Trowbridge at 06:52, Melksham at 07:02 and arrive at Chippenham at 07:12 where it will terminate.  A connection at 07:25 will reach Swindon at 07:41 and London Paddington at 08:45.    As of the point of writing, this data is not fully reflected on the online timetables; when they're updated, I will check out the other trains too.

This is going to make for a very long working day for Swindon commuters!!  Arrive there at 07:41 and return at 18:44

[brooklea]

The 0704 from Westbury appears to be running as far as Chippenham, arriving at 0730, from the 12th to the 23rd August (according to the times given on realtimetrains.co.uk). The connection onto Swindon is at 0755 from Chippenham, arriving Swindon at 0810.

For the week beginning Monday 26th August (bank holiday) the train is retimed. On Monday it starts from Westbury at 0713, calling at Trowbridge 0719, Melksham 0729, Chippenham 0740 and runs through to Swindon arriving 0758. For the rest of the week it departs at 0646 from Westbury and terminates at Chippenham, as grahame has posted above.

[grahame]

Even official sources differ - 07:02 or 07:20 from Melksham from 12th to 23rd August, and I've gone back to one source to get it cleared up.

The bank holiday Monday is good news for that day, and I have that in several ways now.    We're going to be telling people ho two make good use of that as off peak tickets will be valid and it will be an excellent opportunity for a day out to Southampton, Portsmouth, Weymouth of Cardiff!

[bobm]

On Bank Holiday Monday you could have a nice trip to Weston-super-Mare from Melksham.  Arrive 09:22 (or leave at 08:38 and go via Westbury/Bath and arrive at 10:36) and then return at 18:08 and be back at Melksham at 19:17.  Some attractive fares too.

[Phil]

I'm organising a (rock/folk) music festival on 17th/18th August, nearest station Melksham (though Trowbridge isn't that far either). Public transport is being recommended, especially to the numerous overseas visitors coming to the event.

There's no bus services passing the venue on the Sunday so I was hoping to recommend rail services from nearby stations.

I'd really like to have some definitive train times to publish, if it's not too much to ask?

I'm sure I'm not alone in being frustrated at the lack of consistent information.

[grahame]

Hi, Phil ... I've been trying to get to the bottom of what's happening on buses and trains on the Melksham - Trowbridge section on the weekend of 16th and 17th August.

On Friday 16th August, there are trains as follows:

06:38 (Melksham) and 06:47 (Trowbridge) to Southampton (ex Swindon)
06:52 (Trowbridge) and 07:02 (Melksham) to Chippenham, where it terminates (ex Westbury)
19:17 (Melksham) and 19:27 (Trowbridge) to Southampton (ex Swindon)
19:36 (Trowbridge) and 19:46 (Melksham) to Swindon (ex Westbury)

On Saturday, 17th August:
09:10 (Trowbridge) and 09:20 (Melksham) to Swindon (ex Westbury)
15:11 (Trowbridge) and 15:21 (Melksham) to Swindon (ex Westbury)
16:38 (Melksham) and 16:48 (Trowbridge) to Westbury (ex Swindon)
21:34 (Melksham) and 21:44 (Trowbridge) to Westbury (ex Swindon)

On Sunday 18th August
17:15 (Trowbridge) and 17:25 (Melksham) to Swindon (ex Westbury)
18:45 (Melksham) and 18:55 (Trowbridge) to Westbury (ex Swindon)
19:42 (Trowbridge) and 19:52 (Melksham) to Swindon (ex Westbury)

Monday 19th - as Friday 16th.

Note that some of these times are NOT as shown in pocket timetables, etc; they are amended due to the closure of Swindon - Kemble for redoubling work.  Some online sources have now been changed as a follow up to earlier reports of inconsistencies, and I'm pretty sure the above is what is scheduled.   Usual warning - what happens on the day may vary ... 2 out of 3 trains got cancelled last Sunday because the train was "nicked" to fill in a gap i the hourly Portsmouth - Cardiff service caused by a fault on another train.

Buses - another post to follow on that.

[grahame]

Right, Phil ... buses.

The First Bus website has had forthcoming services "from 21st July until further notice" added.   It is my understanding that "further notice" will be 27th July.  For mid-august, I've attached the timetables that should be valid on routes 271 and 272 (Bath - Melksham - some service to Devizes) and 234 (Chippenham - Melksham - Trowbridge - Frome) from 28th July.    Service 235 will be withdrawn to be replaced by 236 by that point (Melksham - Trowbridge) and that service is attached too.

Next post - Faresaver!

[grahame]

And to complete the story - Faresaver and National Express:


Faresaver X34 - http://www.faresaver.co.uk/timetables/50f03a6468094.pdf
Chippenham - Melksham - Trowbridge ... Monday to Friday daytime ONLY

Faresaver X72 - http://www.faresaver.co.uk/timetables/50f03c0b19973.pdf
Bath - Melksham - Devized ... Monday to Saturday daytime only

Faresaver Zigzag - http://www.faresaver.co.uk/timetables/50e6a6ff807e7.pdf
Chippenham - Corsham - Melksham - Bradford-on-Avon - Trowbridge ... Mon to Sat day only

National Express 402 - http://www.nationalexpress.com/destinations/timetables/403.pdf
London - Devizes - Melksham - Frome (daily; only service no. 402 serves Melksham)

[Scott]

How do they terminate at CPM^» (Chippenham - next trains)?

[JayMac]

In on platform 2 as per usual then back to Thingley East Crossovers and onward to Westbury via Melksham. Running as an ECS^▸ (Empty Coaching Stock) move.

[grahame]

In on platform 2 as per usual then back to Thingley East Crossovers and onward to Westbury via Melksham. Running as an ECS^▸ (Empty Coaching Stock) move.

We asked if it is to run in service as it would make a very saleable day out ... but no play     some you win, some you loose - we were probably too late in asking by the time we heard about the reversal at CPM^» (Chippenham - next trains).  The Sunday ECS as-was is now a passenger train, and that's much more long-term significant.

It takes 11 minutes from arriving at Thingley to getting back past there after reversing at Chippenham (4 minutes there).  I've watched it through when it's been done before.  They probably need to allow 15, which is no great problem when things are on time with a 125 only every 30 minutes.   But it would not be robust at times of disruption and it's wise to run on to Swindon usually.

[grahame]

Timetable change sheet - during engineering works

http://atrebatia.info/FGW00420Melksham_Layout1.pdf

Additionally, the Saturday train from Swindon via Trowbridge is retimed from 15:22 to 16:12 and runs 50 minutes later throughout.  This becomes, therefore, a return working for the 15:06 Westbury to Swindon which would normally carry on to Cheltenham, with the 15:22 normally being the continuation of another working from Cheltenham.

[grahame]

Well ... the morning commuter train to Swindon Chippenham is running 18 minutes earlier this week ... there's no notice to that effect at Melksham, even though we had a proof copy of a poster - link in the previous post.   And here's the scene in the Chippenham ticket hall this evening:



I's scratching my head and trying to work out why this location has been selected ... At stations the train leaves from would seem more logical, or if it's where passengers change off the train (for Bath / Bristol at Chippenham, and this week for Swindon) on the platform where the changers will pass.   Booking hall seems a surprising choice unless I have failed to engage brain.

And why two copies beside each other?   Have I missed something?  Am I being dense?

[bobm]

I must admit it doesn't seem logical.

At Worcester Foregate Street someone has gone to the trouble of highlighting that the morning train from neighbouring Shrub Hill is not running by adding a stick on note to the closure poster.

[grahame]

On Saturday I found a huge poster on the platform at Chippenham - the final version rather than the prelim one that is shown twice in the booking office.   I was last at Melksha station last Friday, nothing there on that day.   And I was in Trowbridge this morning.   An A4 sign in the booking office tells of the changes:



Hugely better than nothing - it provides the information needed, and at the point people will buy their tickets for the train. 

Also - really nice to see the station flower planters looking so good