0635 Salisbury - Worcester Foregate Str thru Melksham keeps running late

[whole diary]

[grahame]

Missed the connection again today; that's 5 times in a row now (for my commute). Doors on the 0734 Bristol train closed as we pulled in  Probably would have been ok if we hadn't got held up behind the late running Paddington service.

This is getting ludicrous.  Are you coming along tomorrow (14:30 or 18:30 at The Campus) - not a bad idea to have dealing with this on the agenda of ideas.   Something we can apply some gentle pressure on to get a few seconds hold on a train that doesn't conflict with anything else on its way into Bristol and just sits there for 10 minutes ...

I am minded of all those signs we see around these days saying "don't abuse our staff and be considerate of them" ... but apparently it's OK for staff who are 'just following the rules' to take inconsiderate actions like locking train doors in passenger's faces.    Please take that as a comment on modern society and how things are managed, and not on individual operational staff.

[grahame]

No idea when Chippenham's other platforms were taken out of use

There used to be a line running to Calne https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chippenham_and_Calne_line which the disused platform served.

It wasn't [always] that simple.  I recall that at one time, the out of use platform was the main line towards Bristol, and the centre platform where the Bristol line now runs was two terminal platforms - one in each direction.   That arrangement was taken out to simplify the track and to allow faster non-stop running on a straighter line. 

Times have changed again and all regular scheduled trains (I think) now call at Chippenham - there may be just one early Sunday morning train London to Penzance that's routed via Swindon and Westbury that does not.  Perhaps it would make sense to re-instate the 3rd platform as the main through road, with the current Bristol platform having access at both ends off both lines - a "W" arrangement.  Provide a lay-by in either direction, and a terminal platform in either direction that can be entered and left without effecting trains in the other direction.  I believe there may be a precedent for this layout at Arnos Grove.

[matth1j]

Are you coming along tomorrow (14:30 or 18:30 at The Campus)

Thanks for the heads up - will try to make the 1830.

I don't know where else you have publicized it, but might be worth mentioning it on the Nextdoor website if you haven't already. Seems to be quite popular: https://nextdoor.co.uk/

[grahame]

Are you coming along tomorrow (14:30 or 18:30 at The Campus)

Thanks for the heads up - will try to make the 1830.

I don't know where else you have publicized it, but might be worth mentioning it on the Nextdoor website if you haven't already. Seems to be quite popular: https://nextdoor.co.uk/

It's already on "Next Door" - BUT there is so much material out there that it's hit and miss whether you'll see it.    Also on Facebook, signs in the bus stops, various group emails, and in the Melksham News.   Past members have been emailed and community transport contacts and both Melksham Town and Melksham Without have helped spread the word.   

There is so much news / information out there these days that there are going to be people missed ... I recall when I was on the SCOB (Shadow Campus Operation Board) we counted ten publicity channels and still had people say "we hadn't heard" ... and in those days / on that group we had a budget where we could spend a few £ to reach people.

Could always do more ... at this point, please tell friends, familiy, colleagues and even people you don't like but could work alongside ;-) ... I am in process of getting final stuff together ...

[grahame]

It's already on "Next Door" - BUT there is so much material out there that it's hit and miss whether you'll see it.    Also on Facebook, signs in the bus stops, various group emails, and in the Melksham News.   [[[ snip - etc ]]]

P.S.   I sometimes publicise things through my LinedIn account too, and through TravelWatch SouthWest and other regional and industry feeds.  As a meeting for the Melksham Community to look at getting our own house in partnership and campaigning order for the future, I have chosen not to shout loudly about these particular meetings at those places.  Anyone welcome - but I would hate industry /operato and regional specialists to turn up and be disappointed at the more local nature of the proceedings.

[brooklea]

Each of the 3 times I've caught it this week it has departed Salisbury on time at 0635, but has accumulated delays through Warminster, Westbury and Trowbridge to end up being at least 4 mins late by the time it reaches me at Melksham.

No, 4 mins isn't that bad, but it means I (and others) miss my unofficial connection at Chippenham, where its departure time of 0731 is 3 mins before the Paddington - Weston-super-Mare 0734 that I catch to Bristol, ideally. Missing that means hanging around Chippenham station for ~30 mins for the next 0809 Bristol service (the official connection).

I would normally expect to catch the 0734 at least 2 out of 3 times per week, and I think missing it 3 times in a row is a first.

Anyone know if there is anything going on that might explain this eg. engineering work?

Most of last week apparently there was a temporary speed restriction delaying trains into Trowbridge from Westbury - it’s been removed now I understand.

[matth1j]

Most of last week apparently there was a temporary speed restriction delaying trains into Trowbridge from Westbury

Ah - well I guess that would explain it, and today's delay wasn't on that line. Thanks for the info

I'm going to be working from home next week due to the absence of direct Chippenham/Bath-Bristol trains. (The official route if I catch the usual 0721 Salisbury-Worcester service at Melksham is to continue on to Swindon before changing to one that goes to Bristol Temple Meads via Bristol Parkway I think. At least there's no bus replacements )

[matth1j]

Oh dear ... please keep logging.

Made it!! 6th time lucky

Only by the skin of my teeth though; 3 minutes late departing Melksham so I didn't rate our chances, but those were improved by the Paddington train being cancelled (shortage of train crew) so no additional delays into Chippenham. Boarded the Bristol train moments before the doors closed.

[grahame]

Oh dear ... please keep logging.

Made it!! 6th time lucky

But it really should NOT be this game and big smileys as to whether a daily commute works!

Image from ... https://www.trophiesplusmedals.co.uk/fun-smiley-face-centre ... where you can buy them as stickers

[ChrisB]

This is exactly why it isn't a booked connection though.

[grahame]

This is exactly why it isn't a booked connection though.

If you're saying that to make it a connection by adjusting the time of the Bristol train (or putting a short "hold" order on it if the supposed incoming connection was crossing in front of it) would be operationally inconvenient, yeah, I agree. But the railway is there for the passengers not for the convenience of those who run them. 

And, yes, were it a booked connection (and it would be at so many other stations that have same-platform connections - see my Hove / Worthing / Chichester example upthread) without a hold order, it could get expensive on delay/repay.  But I can't help feeling that the tail is wagging the dog on this one.

[ChrisB]

With respect, there may ne a good reason that these trains aren't a booked connection - maybe it makes an important connection in Bristol say? More people are likely to need that to work than the odd (Sorry Mat, I'm sure you aren't, but you know what I mean) customer might be making a connection from Melksham. Trains make connections all over the network, and these connections have to be prioritised, of course.

[grahame]

With respect, there may ne a good reason that these trains aren't a booked connection - maybe it makes an important connection in Bristol say? More people are likely to need that to work than the odd (Sorry Mat, I'm sure you aren't, but you know what I mean) customer might be making a connection from Melksham. Trains make connections all over the network, and these connections have to be prioritised, of course.

With respect, Chris, these issues have been raised and addressed already in this thread for this particular "connection".  The little matter of why Chippenham remains a "5 minutes needed to change" station when it's just a single Island has been conveniently overlooked.  It seems to come down to "we can't run trains reliably and it would cost us too much in delay/repay to make them a connection in any of the three ways suggested by the customer'.  There are times I feel that we are having wool pulled over our eyes, and perhaps this is one of them - done this time by applying blanket rules to which there are exceptions elsewhere to justify the status quo.

[grahame]

...  than the odd (Sorry Mat, I'm sure you aren't, but you know what I mean) customer might be making a connection from Melksham ....

Passenger journeys between Melksham and Bath / Bristol by train are over 12,000 per annum, and those are the 3rd and 5th most popular destinations from Melksham, even though a change of trains is required.  In fact they are the two most popular destinations beyond the TransWilts service - even more than London, Salisbury, Warminster ...

[Mark A]

Having travelled that way a couple of times in the past, both missed, the first one because the Melksham train came alongside at Chippenham a little late and the connecting train was leaving.

The second time, a little late but less so, and the Melksham train sat at the platform for a full minute until the Bristol train's doors locked at which point we were allowed off (and the Bristol train then sat, doors locked, for what felt like another minute.)

That second event event caused me to mutter the words of a friend's father (whose work included being deployed to various ports and commercial docks along the south coast...)

"GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) always made sure they never connected with anything".

(Things seemed to have progressed that day, in that case they didn't connect with themselves...)

Mark