TransWilts new services - plans for the next two weeks

[whole diary]

[grahame]

The first service will be greeted along the way at Melksham (I'll still believe it when I see it!) ... here's a summary of the diary for the next few weeks. (Draft) email to go out over the next couple of days ...


It's just a week away ... the start of an improved train service on the TransWilts line. The following are quick links to First Great Western's timetables:

Westbury to Swindon services:
    http://twcrp.info/times

London to Trowbridge and Westbury via Melksham
   http://twcrp.info/central1

Southampton and Salisbury to Swindon and Chippenham via Melksham
   http://twcrp.info/central3

** 4th / 5th December

Volunteers will travel on the early morning Westbury to Bath trains to hand out flyers and new timetables to commuters doglegging to Chippenham and Swindon.  And on 5th December, we've got a final lead-up meeting and Santa present wrapping session in the evening.   Also distribution of timetables around businesses.

** 8th December

The first new train leaves Westbury at 10:30 on Sunday, 8th December.  When it gets to Melksham (10:44), there will be a brief welcome before it's waved on its way up to Chippenham and Swindon.  Please do come along and see the train off!

If you want a ride, further trains leave Westury at 13:32, 16:29 and 18:50 on the Sunday (5 minutes later from Trwbridge, or 15 later from Melksham), and each of these returns from Swindon after a few minutes there.   Please avoid the 17:16 from Westbury / 17:30 from Melksham, as that train will be full of prebooked passengers and children coming to see Santa on the train.

** 9th December

The first morning commuter / business trains from Westbury - at 07:04 and 07:28.  Duncan Hames MP^▸ (Member of Parliament) joining at 07:38 in Trowbridge and will travel on train to Swindon, returning to Chippenham on the 08:49 to Chippenham.

** 9th to 13th December
** 16th to 20th Decemeber

Eight trains each way per day.  Please try out the service

** Saturdays 14th and 21st December
** Sundays 15th and 22nd December

Saturday and Sunday service - last minute Christmas shopping?  The Outlet Center in Swindon is just 10 minute walk from the station.[/quote]

[anthony215]

I expect these services to be getting used by a good number of railway enthusiasts who require teh section of line between Chippenham & Trowbridge via Melksham.

I know some members Rail UK^▸ (United Kingdom) forums who are local to the Melksham area are planning to spend a day bashing the new services. I myself should visit at some point before christmas when I am not working.

[Chris from Nailsea]

That's very good news, anthony215!

Please do encourage everyone to mention these enhanced services to all of their family and friends - the more people who know about it, the greater its success will be!

CfN. 

[Lee]

Having just witnessed it personally, I can confirm that the safe route for pedestrians and cyclists is being marked out along the Melksham railway station access road as I post this.

[grahame]

I have some pictures ...

I'm not on site ... bit concerned that we were told there would be "a handful of extra spaces" - i.e. the existing 10 up to perhaps 15, but there appears to be just a "handful of spaces".  Not sure what the big "Keep Clear" is for - turning area for pick up and drop offs, perhaps?

[grahame]

A further image confirming Lee's lining comment.

As far as I can see, Melksham Station now offers
- 1 disabled parking space
+ 1 space marked Taxi
+ 4 or 5 spaces for general parking.
but that's from a necessarily limited view via a handful of pictures

[grahame]

Here's what the Connecting Wiltshire site says (only have a screen capture where I am ...)



... and I suppose on reading it back, it's an assumption on my part that "improving" meant "more", backed up by verbal assurances that a handful of extra spaces would be provided prior to launch.  Looking at what appears to have been done, "improving" means slightly longer and more clearly marked out spaces (but less of them).   Oops

See http://www.wellho.net/mouth/4201_Looking-to-the-future-at-Melksham-Station.html for my personal forecast of how many spaces will be needed ...

[phile]

I expect these services to be getting used by a good number of railway enthusiasts who require teh section of line between Chippenham & Trowbridge via Melksham.

I know some members Rail UK^▸ (United Kingdom) forums who are local to the Melksham area are planning to spend a day bashing the new services. I myself should visit at some point before christmas when I am not working.

In one way I would not like to see too many enthusiasts on the new services as they are only formed by a 153.    When 37 & Coaches worked on a Saturday via Heart of Wales Line at the start of the 90s there was no room for genuine passengers as it was too full of "Bashers".

[grahame]

In one way I would not like to see too many enthusiasts on the new services as they are only formed by a 153.    When 37 & Coaches worked on a Saturday via Heart of Wales Line at the start of the 90s there was no room for genuine passengers as it was too full of "Bashers".

There should be plenty of space ... we're not looking at a single working, but rather at a single carriage (yes) lots of times.  I've highlighted one or two pinch-points in this message which I'll be emailing out when I get back to the UK^▸ (United Kingdom)

It's just a week away ... the start of an improved train service
on the TransWilts line. The following are quick links to First
Great Western's timetables:

Westbury to Swindon services:
    http://twcrp.info/times

London to Trowbridge and Westbury via Melksham
   http://twcrp.info/central1

Southampton and Salisbury to Swindon and Chippenham via Melksham
   http://twcrp.info/central3

** 4th / 5th December

Volunteers plan to travel on the early morning Westbury to Bath trains
to hand out flyers and new timetables to commuters doglegging to
Chippenham and Swindon.  And on 5th December, we've got a final
lead-up meeting and Santa present wrapping session in the evening.

** 8th December

The first new train leaves Westbury at 10:30 on Sunday, 8th December.
When it gets to Melksham (10:44), there will be a brief welcome
before it's waved on its way up to Chippenham and Swindon. 
Please do come along and see the train off!

If you want a ride, further trains leave Westury at 13:32, 16:29
and 18:50 on the Sunday (5 minutes later from Trwbridge, or 15
later from Melksham), and each of these returns from Swindon after
a few minutes there.   Please avoid the 17:16 from Westbury /
17:30 from Melksham, as that train will be full of prebooked
passengers and children coming to see Santa on the train.

** 9th December

The first morning commuter / business trains from Westbury -
at 07:04 and 07:28.  Duncan Hames MP^▸ (Member of Parliament) joining at 07:38 in
Trowbridge and will travel on train to Swindon, returning to
Chippenham on the 08:49 to Chippenham.

** 9th to 13th December
** 16th to 20th Decemeber

Eight trains each way per day.  Please try out the service

** Saturdays 14th and 21st December
** Sundays 15th and 22nd December

Saturday and Sunday service - last minute Christmas shopping?  The
Outlet Center in Swindon is just 10 minute walk from the station.

** Christmas and New Year period

24th December - normal service

25th December - no service

26th December - no service

27th December ^ the six new services run.

28th December - 08:20, 09:06, 10:33, 12:36, 16:01, 17:32 and 18:22
Return at 08:36, 10:36, 13:05, 16:17, 17:36, 19:36 and 21B00

29th December - normal Sunday service except final train is bus

30th December - trains into Swindon at 08:01, 16:48 and 19:36,
return at 08:22, 17:06 and 19:01. extra journeys by bus each way

31st December near normal service but First train not running

1st January - service starts with 10:34 arrival into Swindon

2nd January - normal service

Initial feedback as you use the service will be much appreciated -
whilst there's been a lot of planning going on, things may crop up
that we should be aware of.

Hope to see you in the trains or at the stations.  Enjoy!

Graham

[rogerw]

All set to catch the first service tomorrow from Trowbridge for a round trip to Swindon.

[rogerw]

Just returned from my trip to Swindon to christen the new Trans-Wilts service.  Fifteen boarded at Trowbridge and over thirty on board on departure from Melksham.  Although some were just going for the ride it was clear that many were going for a day in Swindon.  A nice touch from FGW^▸ (First Great Western) offering mulled wine or orange juice with a mince pie to all passengers.  As expected the return working was more lightly loaded but still in double figures.  Nice to see the CIS^▸ (Customer Information System) showing the words "via Melksham" and also the cheaper "via Melksham" fares now available.  Trowbridge to Swindon half the fare "via Bath".

[grahame]

Just returned from my trip to Swindon to christen the new Trans-Wilts service.  Fifteen boarded at Trowbridge and over thirty on board on departure from Melksham.  Although some were just going for the ride it was clear that many were going for a day in Swindon.  A nice touch from FGW^▸ (First Great Western) offering mulled wine or orange juice with a mince pie to all passengers.  As expected the return working was more lightly loaded but still in double figures.  Nice to see the CIS^▸ (Customer Information System) showing the words "via Melksham" and also the cheaper "via Melksham" fares now available.  Trowbridge to Swindon half the fare "via Bath".

An excellent first service, Roger ... and more than just a handful on the second train (13:58 off Melksham to Swindon).  What's really good is that even at these brand new times, there are people using the service as part of a normal journey - Melksham to London, Melksham to Hove on the very first trains that I spoke to. We know it's going to be a wedge to build up, but it's good to see we've started with a thin end rather than nothing even on the very first trains.

[phile]

Just returned from my trip to Swindon to christen the new Trans-Wilts service.  Fifteen boarded at Trowbridge and over thirty on board on departure from Melksham.  Although some were just going for the ride it was clear that many were going for a day in Swindon.  A nice touch from FGW^▸ (First Great Western) offering mulled wine or orange juice with a mince pie to all passengers.  As expected the return working was more lightly loaded but still in double figures.  Nice to see the CIS^▸ (Customer Information System) showing the words "via Melksham" and also the cheaper "via Melksham" fares now available.  Trowbridge to Swindon half the fare "via Bath".

Was it a 153 ?

[phile]

Forget my post.   I have found the answer on another thread together with a picture of the 153..