Daytime Traffic on the TransWilts

[whole diary]

[grahame]

Not sure if exactly "daytime" but 06:38 at Melksham this morning ... 3 off, 12 on ... 26 on board to Trowbridge
29/15

Big changeover at Trowbridge - lots of people off and on there. And again lots off and on at Westbury.

[grahame]

Not sure if exactly "daytime" but 06:38 at Melksham this morning ... 3 off, 12 on ... 26 on board to Trowbridge
29/15

And certainly daytime - the 09:48 off Westbury / 10:04 at Melksham.  Just 15 into Melksham, 2 off and 20 on - so that's 35/22

[grahame]

07:20 from Melksham this (Friday 6th January 2017) morning.  -3 + 20 -> 60. 63/23

[bobm]

From Journeycheck

12:20 Westbury to Swindon due 13:05

Facilities on the 12:20 Westbury to Swindon due 13:05.
Will be formed of 3 coaches instead of 2.

A bonus!

[grahame]

Not really "daytime" but rather the 19:36 off Swindon this Saturday evening. I thought we were under performing with just 2 off Swindon ... but rose to 18 at Chippenham; 8 off and 2 on at Melksham which makes it 20/10.   

On the way up - the 13:48 / I didn't count but it was plenty over twenty, and when you think about it the 20 is the average we look(ed) for so I would expect to be a few down on some trains. In fact the 19:36 on a Saturday off Swindon and the 06:12 on Monday to Friday are perhaps the least likely to make target - but I've used both this week and they both have!

[grahame]

Still a'counting ... just not quite as frequently. Still keeping note of passengers and traffic with a view to spotting opportunities and issues and learning where to target promotion.

11:48 Melksham to Swindon, -4 +5 at Melksham -> 30  34/9

17:36 Swindon departure was with 42 (Saturday, Swindon town playing away).
-4 +11 at Chippenham
-11 +5 at Melksham
54/16

Noting virtually no ticketless travel - good checking but (apart from Melksham joiners, as the TVM^▸ (Ticket Vending Machine) is out of order) no fares taken.

[grahame]

06:38 this Tuesday morning. +8 -> 16 at Melksham headed toward Trowbridge.  16/8
Not brilliant, but we must remind ourselves that 3 was the average for this train before extra services were added.

[grahame]

Monday Morning ... the 07:49 at Melksham dropped off 10 and gained 29.  Full and standing to Chippenham - estimated passenger numbers 95. 105/39. Conductor tried to get through but only able to get about half way along the carriage by Chippenham, where I counted 37 off and a further 20 on.  Still standing on our way to Swindon, though a few seats occupied by bags for which I presume a ticket has been bought 

Passenger count toward Swindon confirms above numbers above estimate about right.

[grahame]

We got problems.  "Couldn't get through to count" ... message to be about passengers on the 17:36 ex Swindon between Chippenham and Melksham.    But I counter 40 off and 5 on at Melksham (where I joined the train) and there were then 70 on to Trowbridge.  So I make that 110/45

New user joining train ... as it pulled in she said "we're never going to get on that" but I re-assured her there would be plenty getting off ...

[Chris from Nailsea]

We got problems...

Hmm. 

Someone ought to be able to invent a really catchy new phrase to sum up that situation.

Perhaps something memorable like, 'You've become the victim of your own success'.   

[grahame]

Saturday 1st April 2017, and the 11:02 to Trowbridge and Westbury pulls into Melkhsam



Four people got off, 33 people got on, and the train left for Trowbridge with 48 on board. 52/37

Whisper it very quietly, but the canal and river side walk back from Trowbridge was a huge marketing success - with lots of people being made aware of the opportunity and responding positively to the idea.  But as they were otherwise engaged today, that walk was a flop from a sales view point, and the numbers above weren't effected by more that 2 as a result of that activity.  Ironically, "spray transport use" was generated for the x34 bus - returning from Melksham to the villages between Trowbridge and Frome.    Shows up the whole "network thing".

[grahame]

Friday 16th June 2017

19:32 from Westbury to Swindon

26 from Westbury; 2 off and 4 on at Trowbridge; 10 off and 2 on at Melksham.  30/12

Had to remind myself that had this been 16.6.13 not 16.6.17, I might have reported 5/3 and considered it above average.

[grahame]

Friday 16th June 2017

19:32 from Westbury to Swindon

26 from Westbury; 2 off and 4 on at Trowbridge; 10 off and 2 on at Melksham.  30/12

Had to remind myself that had this been 16.6.13 not 16.6.17, I might have reported 5/3 and considered it above average.

From today ... depressing news - of far more concern than it would have been 4 years ago ...

19:41 Westbury to Swindon due 20:26
19:41 Westbury to Swindon due 20:26 has been cancelled.
This is due to a fault on this train.

[John R]

I guess what's important is what provision has been put in place for passengers to and from MKM^» (Melksham (Station code) - next trains) and how well that has been communicated, particularly for those waiting at MKM.

[grahame]

I guess what's important is what provision has been put in place for passengers to and from MKM^» (Melksham (Station code) - next trains) and how well that has been communicated, particularly for those waiting at MKM.

On this occasion, JourneyCheck said nothing (sometimes it does these day, which is good). 

The help point at Melksham is one of many which is intermittent at best and limited in what it can do.  Upgrades are planned to make these units much, much more reliable and to be able to make an announcement to those standing nearby.  We have put in a plea for Melksham, which is unstaffed and where virtually every train - including the ones at the quietest of times of day - has people waiting for it to be amongst the first.

A note that as well as Melksham, thought should be given to ensuring that people waiting at Trowbridge - also unstaffed at that time of day - would be informed not only about the cancellation but also about what do do to complete their journey.

Personal note ... I'm on that train tonight (it runs six days - Saturday excepted for some weird reason!) and really hope it's AOK ... as it is, it's a journey start that won't see me to my hotel until nearly midnight!