Informing the community - TransWilts CRP

[whole diary]

[Alan Pettitt]

Sorry that it's taken me over a month to give the new service a try but at last we did a trip to Melksham today! Reason?: because I had to show my girlfriend where Southern Electric Contracting is before she goes for an interview next wednesday, lets hope she gets the job as that will be one more regular passenger from Trowbridge to Melksham.

[grahame]

Sorry that it's taken me over a month to give the new service a try but at last we did a trip to Melksham today! Reason?: because I had to show my girlfriend where Southern Electric Contracting is before she goes for an interview next wednesday, lets hope she gets the job as that will be one more regular passenger from Trowbridge to Melksham.

You will have walked right past our door on Spa Road then - do drop in for a Coffee next time!   Hope the journey went well ... and that you didn't have the trains to yourself  ... early days yet, but after-christmas middle-day poor-weather services aren't going to be the busiest!

[Alan Pettitt]

Yes Grahame we are doing just that in the morning, I'm getting 0645 from Frome, collecting herself from Trowbridge and I've already phoned Well House to see what time we can pop in for a coffee (and maybe eats!). Avril wants to get the 0738 from Tro, sorry that I shall not meet you, I know that you are on your travels at the moment!

[grahame]

.. I've already phoned Well House to see what time we can pop in for a coffee (and maybe eats!). ...

Wish her good luck at interview ... and I see you're also expected at Well House from the staff log 

(Yes, I'm in Salford at the moment, and Elstree this evening)

[grahame]

UPDATE

1. Anyone who has paid the erroneous higher fare will get a refund of the difference.

2. As of now, staff are instructed to manually override the system to charge the new lower fare while systems are being sorted out

Written to the local press - deadline is 11 a.m. this morning ...

An update - the "via Melksham" train fares are now back on line.    And for sale at ticket offices and (where facilities don't exist to buy at stations) on trains too.   Lots of people are involved in setting, approving and updating fares, and National Rail, the Department for Transport and First Great Western have all worked with unprecedented speed to get this sorted out quickly.

You'll find attached a screen shot from the National Rail web site, showing 4 options from Trowbridge to Chippenham between 7 and 8 a.m.   The fare is just 6 pounds return on the trains at 07:10 and 07:38 via Melksham, and the journey time just 20 minutes.   The 07:15 and 07:44 trains, with a change at Bath, take 40 minutes and cost 9 pounds return.

This is just a sample of the "via Melksham" fares that are fully and permanently available from West Wiltshire to Chippenham and Swindon.  Not only are they significantly cheaper than travelling via Bath, but they are also much nicer to use (being on direct trains) and the journeys are much quicker.     A real "good news" story!

Of course, you read the story here first 

[JayMac]

However, National Rail Enquiries doesn't sell tickets, so may direct you to FGW^▸ (First Great Western)'s website.

Where the via Melksham fares are currently unavailable. They have been inputted into some other users of the same booking engine software as FGW, such as East Coast and TransPennine Express, and into booking engines that use thetrainline software, such as South West Trains.

So current advice needs to add, "Please don't attempt to buy online via FGW."

Strange that booking engines at East Coast. TPE^▸ (Trans Pennine Express) and SWT^▸ (South West Trains) (and others) have been updated, but not the one who you are most likely directed to by NRE^▸ (National Rail Enquiries); the website of the company that actually runs the trains on the TransWilts. 

[grahame]

Couldn't make it up, could you?    Ah - the dangers saying something until it's 111% certain.   I have a great deal of sympathy for operations staff who have to say how long something will take / how late a train will be, when in practise the answer is couched in probabilities and possibilities.   Almost there and I'm sure we'll look back on this discussion (soon, I hope) and it will all be water under the bridge.

[Ollie]

However, National Rail Enquiries doesn't sell tickets, so may direct you to FGW^▸ (First Great Western)'s website.

Where the via Melksham fares are currently unavailable. They have been inputted into some other users of the same booking engine software as FGW, such as East Coast and TransPennine Express, and into booking engines that use thetrainline software, such as South West Trains.

So current advice needs to add, "Please don't attempt to buy online via FGW."

Strange that booking engines at East Coast. TPE^▸ (Trans Pennine Express) and SWT^▸ (South West Trains) (and others) have been updated, but not the one who you are most likely directed to by NRE^▸ (National Rail Enquiries); the website of the company that actually runs the trains on the TransWilts. 

I've just made a change in WebTIS which if my theory on the fault is correct should mean the "via Melksham" fare will display from tomorrow.

[JayMac]

Thanks Ollie. 

I'll take a look tomorrow and feedback if necessary.

[Ollie]

No worries, I will make sure I do a check too.

[Ollie]

Unfortunately my change decided not to work.. I've gone back into the system and it's as if I didn't change a thing. Leave this one with me. I will see this one through to the end

I've done the change again, just in case it's something I did wrong..will check again at about 3am to see if it's worked.

[grahame]

Unfortunately my change decided not to work.. I've gone back into the system and it's as if I didn't change a thing. Leave this one with me. I will see this one through to the end

I've done the change again, just in case it's something I did wrong..will check again at about 3am to see if it's worked.

Thanks, Ollie - that hugely appreciated; it's at this critical early stage of the new service that people are especially sensitive to finding out what the price, seeing it consistent, and giving the train a try.

I was on the 20:12 off Swindon this evening ... with 6 passengers southbound when we left Chippenham.  This was always going to be the 2nd hardest train from Swindon to 'sell' ... and I'm actually quietly encouraged.  Mostly long distance passengers on their way home to West Wilts - Melksham, Westbury and Warminster.

[Chris from Nailsea]

As I never tire of posting: where would First Great Western be, without the excellent Ollie, eh? 

Thanks again, Ollie! 

[Ollie]

Hi All,

It looks like I've fixed it. I've only tested with a couple journeys though. So if you do spot any other issues please do let me know.

[JayMac]

Looks good to me. Well done Ollie!