December Timetable at Melksham

[whole diary]

[paul7575]

Available now on opentraintimes:

Weekdays:  (Melksham (Station code) - next trains)/2013-12-16/0000-2359" target="_blank">http://www.opentraintimes.com/location/MKM/2013-12-16/0000-2359

Shows 16 trains per day - was that expected to happen this December?

Saturday:  http://www.opentraintimes.com/location/MKM/2013-12-20/2355-2354

Sunday:  http://www.opentraintimes.com/location/MKM/2013-12-21/2354-2353

Paul

[grahame]

Available now on opentraintimes:

Weekdays:  (Melksham (Station code) - next trains)/2013-12-16/0000-2359" target="_blank">http://www.opentraintimes.com/location/MKM/2013-12-16/0000-2359

Shows 16 trains per day - was that expected to happen this December?

Saturday:  http://www.opentraintimes.com/location/MKM/2013-12-20/2355-2354

Sunday:  http://www.opentraintimes.com/location/MKM/2013-12-21/2354-2353

Paul

Not entirely unexpected, Paul.  There has been a lot of activity in recent months - big-time cooperation between various parties with a view to something like this.  You'll note CRP^▸ (Community Rail Partnership) activity building up, for example.  I'm remaining quietly optimistic as various clues emerge, but at the same time I'm remaining cautious as I'm aware that remembering that planned things can and have changed with as little as two weeks notice in the past.

[paul7575]

Encouraging though? 

Although the now abandoned GW^▸ (Great Western) ITT^▸ (Invitation to Tender) did mention in the Priced Options section that they hoped for a Dec 13 start if it could be resourced, I thought there'd be extra rolling stock needed for the service, and that would be the excuse not to start as proposed.

Paul 

[grahame]

Encouraging though? 

Very encouraging indeed ... there are indications that the various elements needed to run a successful service (in addition to the timetable slots) have indeed been taken properly into account.  There's some joined up thinking going on. I'm very positive indeed, but just not counting chickens for fear of breaking eggs by doing that counting.  I considered moving this thread to "The Rumour Mill", but that wouldn't be appropriate with the multiple independent sources pointing in a similar direction.

A true celebration would be at 10:46 on Sunday, 8th December, as the first train on the enhanced service draws in.   Before that, we have the busiest of Autumns in getting ready at / via the CRP^▸ (Community Rail Partnership) and I'm really looking forward to it. We're working closely with technical experts at the council and the TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company).

[anthony215]

Encouraging though? 

Although the now abandoned GW^▸ (Great Western) ITT^▸ (Invitation to Tender) did mention in the Priced Options section that they hoped for a Dec 13 start if it could be resourced, I thought there'd be extra rolling stock needed for the service, and that would be the excuse not to start as proposed.

Paul 

Certainly I am pleased to things are moving. Lets hope this improved service will be another sucess story like many others before it. Congratulations to all parties for getting things this far.

As for the rolling stock required. I wonder if perhaps the suggestion that FGW^▸ (First Great Western) may return loco hauled trains to the Cardiff - Taunton route this autumn rather than in 2014 may be true after all

[John R]

Has the relevant variation to the Track Access agreement been applied for yet?

And if it does start in December, will it have to be curtailed for a few weeks sometime in 14 or 15 when the route via Box is closed for wiring work?

[grahame]

I believe that the Open Train Times web site takes its data feed from Network Rail, and I am aware that the issue of major engineering works coming up is something that the parties involved are fully concerned with.  The thinking is all being joined up ... 

[anthony215]

I do hope to visit the line on the 1st monday the new services start running if everything goes to plan.

Certainly the improved service makes it easier for me and everyone else to visit the area. Certainly I think many will be celebrating   on the 1st day of the improved service.

Lets hope the reliability issu'e are sorted out however as although it is reliable most of the time you only need one or two events to put some people off using the train which will be a great shame considering how much many have put into getting this imrpoved service.

[trainer]

It looks like congratulations are due to all those who have and still are campaigning for a decent service to Melksham.  I had to visit by car last time.  Next summer I will be able to arrive by train for my cream tea at a particularly well-coming establishment  .

(Other establishments are available)

[grahame]

I'm remaining quietly optimistic as various clues emerge, but at the same time I'm remaining cautious as I'm aware that remembering that planned things can and have changed with as little as two weeks notice in the past.

Following up my own post here ... quoting a rail forums thread:

http://www.railforums.co.uk/showthread.php?t=87702&page=2

changes on ott are not cast in stone yet but open to stakeholders for consultation,

and

OTT^▸ (Open Train Times website) are only using proposed consultative timings supplied by TOCs^▸ (Train Operating Company) on disc to them and other stakeholders.

I believe we're in that stage of news gathering where it's clear that there is news, but that the news may yet come up with twists and turns before there's cast iron authority in it.  Open Train Times shows a very very marketable service. There are a couple of "WIBNIF"s in there ("Wouldn't it be nice if ..."); tweaks and fine tunes that could make it even better, but may very well not work for operational reasons I'm not aware of, or may break something else that we hadn't noticed.  But then that applies to any and every service.   Let's support the service as proposed, but not consider it cast in stone just yet through we would endorse it if that were the case.

[Btline]

Excellent news!

[bobm]

Slightly worrying piece in the latest issue of RAIL Magazine.

It has a small story on page 21 suggesting the ORR^» (Office of Rail and Road formerly Office of Rail Regulation - about) is "aware of FGW^▸ (First Great Western)'s aspirations" regarding Westbury-Swindon but has "yet to receive a formal track access application".

What is the deadline for such things....

[Phil]

Well, given that their deadline for submissions is 21 days before the date of publication (in this case, 04/09/13), I'd suggest that "things have moved on some" since that was written.

[bobm]

I certainly hope so.

However my post was slightly ambiguous, the deadline I intended to refer to was the one required by the ORR^» (Office of Rail and Road formerly Office of Rail Regulation - about) to allow a service to start in December.

[paul7575]

AIUI^▸ (as I understand it) there is only a straightforward application to NR^» (Network Rail - home page) required, because the main route (ie Swindon - Westbury) is already allowed at 2 tph each way per day in the existing Track Access Contract (TAC^▸ (Track Access Contract)).  So it's a 'change to quantum' only, and will probably only need a rubber stamping exercise.   I also believe that additional services on already existing routes have a short term provision for increases anyway, albeit only around 90 days.

I've seen similar precedents for these sort of timescales, IIRC^▸ (if I recall/remember/read correctly) the XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) extensions (south of Reading) only appeared as a TAA when they were already in the public online planners...

Thought I'd just add that the vast majority of consultations are now fully delegated to NR.  ORR^» (Office of Rail and Road formerly Office of Rail Regulation - about) apparently only deals with contentious decisions.

Paul