Daytime Traffic on the TransWilts

[whole diary]

[bobm]

I can certainly confirm a train arrived at 08:21 - I saw it as I waited over on Platform 4 for the 08:27.

[grahame]

... and the 11:13 at Melksham arrived from Swindon with 11 passengers on board.  2 more joined and 5 got off - that's 13 passengers on the Chippenham - Trowbridge section.

[John R]

Not so much "daytime" traffic ... 2 off and 8 on at Melksham at 07:48 this morning, 37 through passengers making a total of 47 using the Trowbridge - Chippenham section in some form.   That's a train that didn't exist a few months back.

Hmmm: 3 records of that service in March and in chronological order, loadings north of Melksham have been: 50,47,43.  Not quite the trend I was hoping for.

[John R]

... and the 11:13 at Melksham arrived from Swindon with 11 passengers on board.  2 more joined and 5 got off - that's 13 passengers on the Chippenham - Trowbridge section.

That means we now have observations on 7 of the 8 southbound services, with only the last service missing. The most recent record of each service gives a total of 143 passengers between Chippenham and Melksham, with 34 passengers alighting at Melksham.  That would imply around 18,000 entries and exits on Monday to Friday alone, compared with 12,000 in the recent ORR^» (Office of Rail and Road formerly Office of Rail Regulation - about) figures (which includes weekends.)

[grahame]

From a reliable source - yesterday

0849 Swindon-Westbury.

Swindon 9 on.
Chippenham 5 off, 5 on.
Melksham 2 off, 1 on.
Trowbridge 4 off, 0 on.
Westbury 4 off.
=15

0948 Westbury-Swindon.

Westbury 14 on.
Trowbridge 0 off, 5 on.
Melksham 1 off, 2 on.
Chippenham 10 off, 6 on.
Swindon 16 off.
=21

1047 Swindon-Westbury

Swindon 9 on.
Chippenham 0 off, 5 on.
Melksham 5 off, 0 on.
Trowbridge 2 off, 2 on.
Westbury 9 off.
=14

And first hand

18:03 at Melksham
9 off and 4 on at Melksham leaving 53 on the train
=62

[John R]

On the 25th Feb there were 20 people on the 0849 south of Chippenham, so only 9 today is surprising for what should have a core of commuters. However, the 1736 from Swindon (1803 at Melksham) seems to be steady at around 60 pax south of Chippenham. That's around an 80% loading on the TransWilts section.

We haven't had a report of the  0948 ex Westbury before, so good to see healthy loadings on that service. I'm guessing it probably loads well with shoppers, being the first service after the peak.

[grahame]

On the 25th Feb there were 20 people on the 0849 south of Chippenham, so only 9 today is surprising for what should have a core of commuters. ...

Alas ... this train is slightly too late for peak commuters ...

I stand by / support the decision to run the additional train up from Westbury at around 07:30 to Swindon at 08:18 - that's a large commuter flow and it's joined-up thinking to have the two morning trains up and two afterwork trains back including the peak 17:36 (first peak train for years!) which as you comment is doing nicely.

However ....

Having got to Swindon at 08:18, I would love to see it set back off at 08:36 rather than 08:49, and follow the same timing pattern in the hours that the 17:36 does.   That means ...
Chippenham at 08:53 (rather than 09:06)
Melksham at 09:03 (rather than 09:13)
Trowbridge at 09:13 (rather that 09:31)
Westbury at 09:21 (rather than 09:42)

Advantages:
* Staff at major employer near to Trowbridge station with flexitime / core time from 09:30 would be able to use the train.
* Makes train a practical way to get to Melksham for 09:30 business meetings (and training courses  )
* Connection at Westbury - forward at 09:28 to Weymouth and at 09:39 to Salisbury / Waterloo
* Possible connection at 09:16 at Trowbridge to Bath Spa, Bristol Temple Meads, Filton Abbeywood and South Wales

Disadvantages:
* Earlier London departure (07:30 rather than 07:45) to connect into this train

Potential operations issues:
* Freight path needs to be modified - here's a Westbury pass.
0921      Didcot T.C.   DR   FRGT^▸ (FReiGhT)   ZZ   Warminster Mod (Army) Sdgs   0923   (Q)
"As Required" - how often does that run???
* Platforming at Westbury on days when services are delayed; (?) slightly less robust
* Break of 31 minutes at Swindon reduced / may effect staffing rostas and break periods

However, the 1736 from Swindon (1803 at Melksham) seems to be steady at around 60 pax south of Chippenham. That's around an 80% loading on the TransWilts section.

It's getting to the point (grumble, grumble  ) where people are having to move up to make more seating room for others.   And it's getting up to its full quota of bicycles too.

John - many thanks for your work in keeping tabs on these figures / reports - it's helping to fill in the picture for us!

[John R]

I managed to do half an observation of the 1736 ex Swindon on its departure from Chippenham this evening. I counted at least 62, and there may have been another couple standing out of sight, so very consistent with the loading seen on 27th March. Appeared to be between 15 and 20 boarding at Chippenham although as I was distracted by a phone call so I couldn't get an exact number.

Then it was back to Swindon to get the laptop that I forgot when leaving the office this evening. 

[grahame]

Then it was back to Swindon to get the laptop that I forgot when leaving the office this evening. 

OOps ...

Numbers looking good.

Today - "16:31" from Melksham / actually left at 16:40.   4 off and 5 on at Melksham leaving 15 on the train. So that makes 19 users for all or part of the Trowbridge to Chippenham stretch.

6 off and 14 on at Chippenham, by the way.

Melksham taxi driver reports ... "I have been to the station more times in the last six weeks that I had in the past six years".

[John R]

So that makes 19 users for all or part of the Trowbridge to Chippenham stretch.

...compared with 12 in the early part of March.

[grahame]

20:12 from Swindon, today, 3rd April ... just three passengers from there.  Plus six on at Chippenham (and minus none).  Two off and two more on at Melksham, making 11 passengers using the train on the Chippenham - Trowbridge section.

[John R]

Thank you. First record for this particular service. Not particularly surprising that numbers are low given its the last train.

We now have a complete set of records for each Mon to Fri southbound service. The latest record of each service totals 146 passengers between Chippenham and Melksham, which seems quite respectable for a service that's only been going for 4 months.

[grahame]

Thank you. First record for this particular service. Not particularly surprising that numbers are low given its the last train.

It's a journey that's additionally important for those users who need a "plan B" if they're delayed from their normal travel time - late at the office for an international conference call, going to Alison's leaving "do", etc. If in doubt about the ability to get home late, these people will drive to Chippenham - or drive every day - and these potential passengers will be lost from not only the occasional journey on the 20:12, but also from lots of other journeys on other services.

[grahame]

Saturday 5th April 2014.  Not really a special day in any way. Overcast with some light to middlin rain.
07:47 ex Melksham ... -2 +1 -> 10 = 12 on Trowbridge to Chippenham section
16:48 ex Melksham ... -3 + 2 -> 7 = 10 on Trowbridge to Chippenham section

[bobm]

Heard for the first time on a Bristol bound HST^▸ (High Speed Train) arriving at Swindon (19:00 ex PAD^» (Paddington (London) - next trains) last night) "Change here for Melksham, Trowbridge and Westbury"