Daytime Traffic on the TransWilts

[whole diary]

[grahame]

I'm going to revise my figures bearing in mind observations of numbers yesterday (Sunday - see http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=14052.0 ), and an expectation that Sunday numbers at present are around average - they will rise in the summer (as some flows were missing yesterday) and they will fall in the winter.

252 "regular" weekday in year ->  totals 92,988/25,956 (measured 15th May 2014)
52 Saturdays -> 21,840/11,180 (measured 17th May 2014)
52 Sundays -> 16,536/3,588 (measured 25th May 2014)
6 Bank Holidays -> 1,200/200 (estimated)

Grand total (52 weeks / 362 days) -> 132,564/40,924 ... if the current pattern was repeated over a full year.

First figure in each pair is the number of passenger journeys on Swindon - Westbury services on the Chippenham - Trowbridge section of the line (i.e. this number excludes incidental journeys from Swindon to Chippenham and from Trowbridge to Westbury, for which other services are available)

Second figure is the number of passengers leaving or joining trains at Melksham station - the intermediate station between Chippenham and Trowbridge which is served only by trains on this line.

In most years, a significantly number of passengers also used the Chippenham - Trowbridge section of line on long distance express trains diverted onto the line due to engineering works or operational incidents.  These passengers are not counted in the number above.   Where a volunteer has been travelling with the purpose of counting passenger numbers or otherwise evaluating the service, that volunteer has not been counted either.

[grahame]

Tuesday 3rd June.
07:20 at Melksham +13 -1 -> 54 .. 55/14
07:48 from Melksham observed at Chippenham was -25 + 10 -> about 40 thereafter (%)

Wednesday 4th June.
11:47 from Westbury with 11 on. -2 + 13 at Trowbridge. -3 +5 at Melksham .. 27/8

Thursday 5th June.
06:38 at Melksham -1 +4 -> about 15 (%)

(%) - Observed through windows / approx count only.

[John R]

That seems like a very encouraging loading for a lunchtime train?

[thetrout]

12 off at Westbury from the 15:14 Swindon - Westbury yesterday (05/06/2014)

Connection into 1C86 worked well also for those to the West Country (Certainly 2 Passengers heading beyond Exeter St Davids from that train)

However it just misses 1J99 to London Paddington. That is a real shame as that train calls at Pewsey, Hungerford, Newbury, Great Bedwyn, Thatcham and Theale.

So You could complete the TransWilts triangle by retiming 1J99 slightly. It sits in WSB^» (Westbury - next trains) for 5 minutes and has a few minutes slack between WSB and RDG^‡(resolve).

That being said 1J99 Allows passengers from Taunton, Castle Cary and Frome to Connect to Melksham and beyond

[grahame]

That seems like a very encouraging loading for a lunchtime train?

Indeed ... and from today, a couple of extremes:
06:38 from Melksham -0 +2 -> 9 ... 9/2  
16:15 from Westbury ... 46 on from Trowbridge, at Melksham -11 +4 ... 50/15  

[John R]

The 1615 northbound from Westbury is interesting. I've noted four observations, with pax numbers between Trowbridge and Melksham as follows:-

10 (March)
14 (April)
25 (May - the all day survey)
46 (June).

[grahame]

The 1615 northbound from Westbury is interesting.

Indeed .. this is the train I hanked for being 15 minutes later, but I'm now slightly less sure of that hankering.  Perhaps it's because it's a Friday?  Summer?  ... that it got so busy today?  I do suspect that the return journey (17:36 off Swindon) may have been a bit slacker than usual (POETS^▸ (As in "Poets day". Friday. (Push Off Early - Tomorrow's Saturday).) day) judging by the lack of cars parked at Melksham when I got there, but having been out since 06:30 and in adrenaline-coarsing presentations and discussions, I was too tired to hang around.

[grahame]

This morning (Friday, 20th June). Lovely sunny day.
06:38 at Melksham. 10 on into Melksham, -0 +4 = 14/4
07:20 at Melksham. 38 on into Melksham, -2 +6 = 44/8
07:48 at Melksham. 35 on into Melksham, -2 +10 = 47/12

I travelled on the 06:38 to Trowbridge to drop papers off in the town, back on the 07:10.  Nine of the passengers got off the 06:38 when we got to TRO^» (Trowbridge - next trains) - 5 heading into the town and 4 over the bridge for Bath / Bristol services.  An about 10 more got on.

The 07:10 coming back dropped off three people arriving from Westbury, and picked up 25.

Lots of cycles from Trowbridge on the 07:10 ... when I got off at Melksham, 3 on the cycle stands there too.  Looking rather green    ... lots of people appearing at the station on foot too!

[grahame]

07:48 at Melksham.  5 got off, 13 got, train left with 48 passengers. 53/18 <-see discussion / correction in following posts

20:12 from Swindon, left there with 8. 7 more on at Chippenham, 4 off (none on) at Melksham. 15/4

Of the 13 who joined the morning train
4 arrived at the station on the rail link bus
2 got a lift there (1 car)
1 cycled
3 drove and parked
3 walked

All 4 who got off the evening train walked from the station

[John R]

48 north of Melksham on the 0748 is well down on the number seen on the 15th May (60). [note subsequently discovered was actually 50, not 60] I wonder whether recent unreliability has taken its toll given the flurry of evening cancellations? On the flip side, 13 boarding at Melksham is the highest yet for the service (7 in March, 9 in May, now 13.)

The 2012 from Swindon looks good, with 15 south of Chippenham also a new record.

[bobm]

Just for the record.

Wednesday (25th) 18:32 Westbury to Swindon diverted via Bathampton, not calling at Melksham.

Thursday (26th) 14:15 Westbury to Swindon 21 minutes late at Chippenham.

Both due to signalling problems on the single line.

[grahame]

48 north of Melksham on the 0748 is well down on the number seen on the 15th May (60). I wonder whether recent unreliability has taken its toll given the flurry of evening cancellations? On the flip side, 13 boarding at Melksham is the highest yet for the service (7 in March, 9 in May, now 13.)

I have another (slightly embarrassing) explanation.   The count was given to me by the conductor vey shortly after we left Melksham, and rather than walk through what was a very busy train I accepted his number.  In hindsight, he hadn't had time to count post-Melksham (hadn't been through the train) and the on / off numbers were perhaps too high for his to note / adjust during the loading / unloading.   So that may have been 48 into Melksham ... minus 5, + 13 -> 56 on board north of Melksham. So 61/18.   From all the various counts I've done on 153s, that is probably the real number ... in fact I'm almost certain.

I tend not to report third hand generalities, but i understand the 17:36 back from Swindon was "heaving" last night - that from crew who did the 20:12 too.  No numbers, but that fits the "busy day" scenario with trains well loaded in both peaks.

[John R]

I have another (slightly embarrassing) explanation.  

If it makes you feel any better - I noticed this evening an error in the recording of the 0748 on the 15th May. The number north of Melksham was 50, not 60, which is somewhat embarrassing for someone who's job involves numbers.  I'll edit my post of yesterday to set the record straight.

[grahame]

Today - 2nd July, Wednesday
11:13 to Westbury arrived with 11 on.   2 got off and 9 more got on. 20/11
Business types arriving (not together); leaving were groups, Mums and babies / leisure.

[grahame]

TransWilts yesterday - some passenger numbers

4th July ... 07:48 at Melksham.  -2 +8 -> 55 = 57/10
A lot off and a lot more on at Chippenham - 90 into Swindon - a late running HST^▸ (High Speed Train) was behind rather than in front of us

18:32 from Westbury. 11 ex Trowbridge; -6 +3 at Melksham -> 14/9