Recent Public Posts - [guest]
| Reminder - the Melksham service IS used In "TransWilts line" [365589/30734/18] Posted by grahame at 13:33, 15th September 2025 |      |
On Saturday, I went [from Melksham] to Weymouth for the day by train. Almost "routine" for me, but not for others met along the way.
I paid £15.70 for my ticket, and £15.70 for a companion ticket available with my type of railcard, purchasing the ticket from Chippenham rather than from Melksham as it's the same price, and that allowed us to return via Bath and the bus should we not want to co-ordinate our return with the infrequent service that calls at Melksham.
The Melksham service is used - we need to remind people of that!
There were 68 passengers on the 09:09 train when it left Melksham - I am always very much aware that our sideline does not attract as service users (m)any of the formal RACI people who are key to its ongoing provision and I take a look on each train I use on the line and gather data so I can inform people. The saying "Use it or lose it" is commonly used for all sorts of services - but there's a need to have some data about its use to inform all the RACI people as they review/develop/amend the service for the future.
I am aware that the railway line to Felletin (in France) closed a fortnight ago, and that our UK government has two railway headlines - "increased reliability" and "keeping taxpayer costs down" and they mention "simplifying fares". They have not headlined "maintaining the network at its current size", nor "maintaining service levels", nor "keeping fares down". Beware! Collecting evidence of use and ramming it down the throats or the R, A, C, and I people is a key community and user action to ensure they know that each train on our service has at least 20 times the number of passengers on it that the train I took to Felletin to try it out in July had (I was one of three). We are using it ... we could and would use it that much more if the service ran, reliably, at an appropriate level of at least one train per hour in each direction, all day and every day.
RACI - Responsible (who does the task), Accountable (who owns the task's completion), Consulted (who provides input), and Informed (who needs to be updated).
The Melksham service is used - we need to remind people of that!
I and my companion travelled a few miles to Dorchester in the afternoon, and returned from there. Utter chaos, with two successive trains from Weymouth via Westbury showing up as cancelled; a very long and off-topic story. Prior experience helped me sort out our journey and that for other people too; we left Dorchester in a train of 5 carriages, with 58 people in just one of them. It wasn't possible to walk the whole way through (no corridor between some of the carriages) but that train got use to Westbury, where we changed onto a train running via Melksham that was over an hour later - our intent was the 17:34 from Weymouth (quarter of an hour later at Dorchester) and we eventually dragged into Melksham at around 21:45 on a late-running final northbound train of the day. 28 people on that train into Melksham, 9 go off and a further 7 got on - so once again, and even with the disruption an order of magnitude busier than that Felletin train.
We need a more frequent and easy to use service. And that "easy to use" includes fare systems that are understandable, and reliability that is much improved and where passenger information and alternatives are well provided on the few occasions it does go wrong.
Pictured – people waiting at Dorchester as a train home eventually pulls in. And the group here was smaller than it might have been – this train had been adverised earlier as CANCELLED but had then been re-instated, and in the “Cancelled” period, I noted
* people booking and heading onwards in a taxi
* people going home and planning to make the journey the next day
* people calling up friends / family to give them lifts
* people transferring to Dorchester (South) to travel via Bournemouth and Southampton
* people headed for rail replacement buses which (if they existed / ran) would have been even later than the re-instated train
As an afterthought on our Melksham journey, it’s “all about” combining lots of journeys onto a single train. In the most recent data that I have, Dorchester is only the 95th most popular destination from Melksham (based on ticket sales – see https://www.passenger.chat/MKM.html?limit=1500&sortby=5 )
The top 5 journeys by train from Melksham are to Swindon, Chippenham, London, Bristol and Trowbridge.
The next five are to Bath, Westbury, Warminster, Salisbury and Weymouth. An explanation is needed for Bath being such a low number – it’s because the bus is far better for that journey – direct without a change, more frequent, and reliable.
The next dozen? … Cardiff, Frome, Bradford-on-Avon, Gloucester, Reading, Pangbourne, Stroud, Cheltenham Spa, Filton Abbey Wood, Dilton Marsh, Southampton and Oxford.
Notable other mentions within the top 50 – Weston-super-Mare (24), Swansea (25), Birmingham (26), Taunton (27), Exeter (32), Gatwick Airport(33), Plymouth (34), Stansted Airport (38), Torquay (39) and Paignton (43), Heathrow Airport (46) and Portsmouth (50).
| Re: On the rails to off the rails - part 1 In "The West - but NOT trains in the West" [365588/30730/31] Posted by grahame at 12:53, 15th September 2025 | |
3: From the flora and fauna, it would suggest the New Forest.
I thought members might be correctly sway-ed in that direction.
| Re: On the rails to off the rails - part 1 In "The West - but NOT trains in the West" [365587/30730/31] Posted by Oxonhutch at 12:51, 15th September 2025 | |
3: From the flora and fauna, it would suggest the New Forest.
| Re: On the rails to off the rails - part 1 In "The West - but NOT trains in the West" [365586/30730/31] Posted by CyclingSid at 11:56, 15th September 2025 | |
6. Victoria Park, Netley
Country park on the site of the former Queen Victoria Hospital
| Re: Weather updates, from across our area - merged posts In "Across the West" [365585/29177/26] Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 10:51, 15th September 2025 | |
From the BBC:
M48 Severn Bridge closed due to strong winds
The Severn Bridge remains closed in both directions due to strong winds.
The M48 was shut on Sunday evening between J2 and the A466 Wye Valley Link Road at Chepstow and J1 A403 at Aust.
A Met Office yellow warning for wind has been issued across most of England and all of Wales and is valid until 18:00 BST Monday.
National Highways has advised drivers to follow the diversion in place via the M4 Prince of Wales Bridge and "take extra care" on the roads.
Winds gusts of 45mph to 55mph are expected widely inland, with gusts of 60mph to 70 mph possible along exposed coasts and hills.
The Severn Bridge remains closed in both directions due to strong winds.
The M48 was shut on Sunday evening between J2 and the A466 Wye Valley Link Road at Chepstow and J1 A403 at Aust.
A Met Office yellow warning for wind has been issued across most of England and all of Wales and is valid until 18:00 BST Monday.
National Highways has advised drivers to follow the diversion in place via the M4 Prince of Wales Bridge and "take extra care" on the roads.
Winds gusts of 45mph to 55mph are expected widely inland, with gusts of 60mph to 70 mph possible along exposed coasts and hills.
| Re: On the rails to off the rails - part 1 In "The West - but NOT trains in the West" [365584/30730/31] Posted by grahame at 09:33, 15th September 2025 | |
Guess
9. Dorset County Museum in Dorchester
9. Dorset County Museum in Dorchester
No - and my goodness there might be lots of places where these translators can be found! I had probably better give the game away / wider clue by showing you this particular example in context
| Re: Caledonian MacBrayne ferries in Scotland In "Buses and other ways to travel" [365583/30034/5] Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 08:58, 15th September 2025 | |
From the BBC:
Campaigners call for direct award of ferry to Ferguson shipyard
The proposed design of the replacement Lord of the Isles would be smaller and less complex than the dual fuel ferries recently built in Port Glasgow
A campaign including community, civic and religious leaders as well as politicians from three parties is calling for more government help for the Ferguson shipyard.
An open letter to First Minister John Swinney says the nationalised firm in Port Glasgow should be directly awarded a contract for a new CalMac ferry, as it looks to move on from the controversy over two delayed and overbudget ships.
Local politicians from Labour, the SNP and the Scottish Conservatives as well as the Bishop of Paisley have signed the letter, drawn up by the GMB union.
Transport Scotland said any direct award would have to comply with rules on procurement and state subsidy in order to avoid a risk of legal challenge.
The campaign is asking the Scottish government to ensure a replacement for MV Lord of the Isles is manufactured at the nationalised yard, to help restore its reputation after a "bruising 10 years".
Ferguson Marine has been mired in controversy over the construction of two larger CalMac vessels, MV Glen Sannox and Glen Rosa, which involved a demanding specification and a gas propulsion system unfamiliar to UK yards.
The yard employs about 300 workers and apprentices in an area which has high levels of deprivation. In the space of 18 months recently it lost another 1,200 jobs as several major employers closed down or relocated.
Campaigners say that while the reasons for the yard's problems are still debated, the "skilled and committed workforce is entirely blameless".
The letter says that foreign firms with "bids underpinned by low wages" will always beat UK shipyards on cost, but the social and economic value of Ferguson Marine to Inverclyde "is incalculable".
(BBC article continues)
The proposed design of the replacement Lord of the Isles would be smaller and less complex than the dual fuel ferries recently built in Port Glasgow
A campaign including community, civic and religious leaders as well as politicians from three parties is calling for more government help for the Ferguson shipyard.
An open letter to First Minister John Swinney says the nationalised firm in Port Glasgow should be directly awarded a contract for a new CalMac ferry, as it looks to move on from the controversy over two delayed and overbudget ships.
Local politicians from Labour, the SNP and the Scottish Conservatives as well as the Bishop of Paisley have signed the letter, drawn up by the GMB union.
Transport Scotland said any direct award would have to comply with rules on procurement and state subsidy in order to avoid a risk of legal challenge.
The campaign is asking the Scottish government to ensure a replacement for MV Lord of the Isles is manufactured at the nationalised yard, to help restore its reputation after a "bruising 10 years".
Ferguson Marine has been mired in controversy over the construction of two larger CalMac vessels, MV Glen Sannox and Glen Rosa, which involved a demanding specification and a gas propulsion system unfamiliar to UK yards.
The yard employs about 300 workers and apprentices in an area which has high levels of deprivation. In the space of 18 months recently it lost another 1,200 jobs as several major employers closed down or relocated.
Campaigners say that while the reasons for the yard's problems are still debated, the "skilled and committed workforce is entirely blameless".
The letter says that foreign firms with "bids underpinned by low wages" will always beat UK shipyards on cost, but the social and economic value of Ferguson Marine to Inverclyde "is incalculable".
(BBC article continues)
| Re: On the rails to off the rails - part 1 In "The West - but NOT trains in the West" [365582/30730/31] Posted by ellendune at 08:44, 15th September 2025 | |
Guess
9. Dorset County Museum in Dorchester
| Re: Part 2 of "On the rails. off the rails" In "The West - but NOT trains in the West" [365581/30731/31] Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 08:28, 15th September 2025 Already liked by bradshaw | |
18. Melksham.
| Re: A new class of refund needed ...... In "Fare's Fair" [365580/30722/4] Posted by froome at 08:17, 15th September 2025 | |
I had to abandon a journey recently and was told to return to the station I bought the ticket in and make a claim there, which I did, and which went smoothly, as I could explain the reasons there. This is one of many reasons why we need to keep ticket offices open.
| Re: On the rails to off the rails - part 1 In "The West - but NOT trains in the West" [365579/30730/31] Posted by grahame at 08:02, 15th September 2025 | |
Eight out of twelve already correctly identified ...
1. St Ives (Cornwall) - GBM
2. Hayling Island - Oxonhutch
4. Exmoouth - eightonedee
5. Dorchester - Timmer
7. Paddington - stuving
8. Totnes - AMLAG
10. Hamble - TonyN
11. Bath - PhilWakely
Only ones remaining are numbered multiples of three
3.
6.
9.
12.
| Re: Part 2 of "On the rails. off the rails" In "The West - but NOT trains in the West" [365578/30731/31] Posted by grahame at 07:48, 15th September 2025 | |
My goodness that didn't take long - following all identified correctly:
13. Taunton (Bathpool) - stuving
14. Pilinng - Western Pathfinder
15. Cardiff Bay - ChrisB
16. Oxford - Mark A
19. Weston-super-Mare - eightonedee
20. Dundas - John D
21. Portsmouth - Surrey 455
22. Melksham - Oxonhutch
23. Swindon - Prestbury Road
24. Plymouth (Saltram) - Chris from Nailsea
remaining - just places with poor or no train service!
17.
18.
| Re: Christian transport walk In "Diary - what's happening when?" [365577/30733/34] Posted by grahame at 07:24, 15th September 2025 | |
Can any one advise how to post a picture of the flyer.
You have a choice ...
1. You could post a link to the flyer and website of Christian Climate Action Bristol - though looking at their Facebook Group at https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100066404681153 I see more a history of events they have supported and no sales pitch for 27th September
2. Click "Additional Options" which you'll find directly below the window into which you type or paste your contributions, and you'll be offered "Attach / Choose file" which will let you upload an image, or a .pdf, from your local computer / phone - you will need to have saved a copy locally first
3. If a picture of the flyer is available elsewhere on the web - either on another site, or on your own web space - you can include it within your one post within [ img ] to [ /img ] tags. A picture of s flyer, provided that you also add a link back to the organiser in some way (that's usually on the flyer anyway) is usually acceptable as their purpose at putting the flyer out is to get the widest possible exposure - however you need to be aware of copyright laws and make very sure that you're not sharing a picture that someone else owns and could get upset about you sharing.
| Re: Shortage of train crews on Great Western Railway - ongoing discussion In "Across the West" [365576/18719/26] Posted by bradshaw at 06:59, 15th September 2025 | |
Abbreviations and meanings, from Rail Forum UK website
VST - STP schedule under VSTP arrangements
VVR - VAR schedule under VSTP arrangements, note that this does not discriminate between a VST that has received a variation, a WTT that has received a VAR. You can also get stacks of VARs on top of each other in VSTP world. Or indeed a totally new schedule that has come through as a VAR.
VCN - schedule CANcelled under VSTP arrangements, sometimes they come with the nightly service plan agreement for the next day's services which appear as a PG cancel too, but sometimes not.
VVR - VAR schedule under VSTP arrangements, note that this does not discriminate between a VST that has received a variation, a WTT that has received a VAR. You can also get stacks of VARs on top of each other in VSTP world. Or indeed a totally new schedule that has come through as a VAR.
VCN - schedule CANcelled under VSTP arrangements, sometimes they come with the nightly service plan agreement for the next day's services which appear as a PG cancel too, but sometimes not.
So the missing Castle Cary - Weymouth service was cancelled the night before for some reason, crew? Thus not appearing on RTT and necessitating the cancellation of the 14.15 Weymouth-Castle Cary service to balance it.
Today starts with the cancellation of the 06.38 Weymouth to Gloucester between Weymouth and Bristol due to a train fault.
Soon followed by the cancellation of the 07.33 Weymouth to Bristol, crew delayed!
| Christian transport walk In "Diary - what's happening when?" [365575/30733/34] Posted by infoman at 05:51, 15th September 2025 | |
Christian Climate Action Bristol and region - Three Ports Pilgrimage - Saturday 27th September
Join us to pray for transport systems, climate and nature on a six mile walk from Portway Park & Ride, via Portbury Docks, to Portishead.
You don't have to be a Christian, or in any way religious, to join us. The "prayers" will help us to think about how human beings have interacted with the environment.
Meet at Bristol Temple Meads at 9.30 am, or at Portway Park & Ride at 10 am.
Return from Portishead to Bristol by Badger Line bus X4.
There will be options for a shorter walk, and also an opportunity for a picnic lunch, and there's a coffee shop at the end!
If you'd like to join us, or if you have any questions, please email:
christianclimateactionbristol@gmail.com
Can any one advise how to post a picture of the flyer.
| Re: 2025 - Service update and amendment log, Swindon <-> Westbury In "TransWilts line" [365574/29726/18] Posted by TaplowGreen at 05:38, 15th September 2025 | |
05:11 Gloucester to Southampton Central due 08:09
05:11 Gloucester to Southampton Central due 08:09 will be terminated at Westbury.
It will no longer call at Dilton Marsh, Warminster, Salisbury, Romsey and Southampton Central.
This is due to more trains than usual needing repairs at the same time.
| Re: Shortage of train crews on Great Western Railway - ongoing discussion In "Across the West" [365573/18719/26] Posted by grahame at 22:18, 14th September 2025 | |
Today, the 1415 Weymouth to Castle Cary was cancelled, due to a delay not investigated.The problem seems to be the timetable shows consecutive Weymouth departures.
Looking at next Sunday, which has the same Castle Cary /Weymouth service, it would appear they did not timetable a 15.50 Castle Cary to Weymouth. Since the service was being run by a single unit there has the be a return from Castle Cary before the next Weymouth.
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/search/detailed/gb-nr:MDN/2025-09-14/0200-0159?stp=WVS&show=all&order=wtt
Looking at next Sunday, which has the same Castle Cary /Weymouth service, it would appear they did not timetable a 15.50 Castle Cary to Weymouth. Since the service was being run by a single unit there has the be a return from Castle Cary before the next Weymouth.
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/search/detailed/gb-nr:MDN/2025-09-14/0200-0159?stp=WVS&show=all&order=wtt
Switching "CAN" services on, it reveals a round trip with a single unit every 2.5 or 3.5 hours Weymouth to Castle Cary, plus a working from Bristol to Weymouth in the morning and one back in the late afternoon. With the line from Castle Cary to Westbury not available, the Bristol service is cancelled, as is one of the 5 shuttles - leaving just 2 morning and 2 evening round trips. Next Sunday looks the same.
| Re: On the rails to off the rails - part 1 In "The West - but NOT trains in the West" [365572/30730/31] Posted by TonyN at 21:36, 14th September 2025 | |
10. Hamble-Le-Rice
| Re: Shortage of train crews on Great Western Railway - ongoing discussion In "Across the West" [365571/18719/26] Posted by bradshaw at 21:27, 14th September 2025 | |
Today, the 1415 Weymouth to Castle Cary was cancelled, due to a delay not investigated.The problem seems to be the timetable shows consecutive Weymouth departures.
Looking at next Sunday, which has the same Castle Cary /Weymouth service, it would appear they did not timetable a 15.50 Castle Cary to Weymouth. Since the service was being run by a single unit there has the be a return from Castle Cary before the next Weymouth.
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/search/detailed/gb-nr:MDN/2025-09-14/0200-0159?stp=WVS&show=all&order=wtt
| Re: On the rails to off the rails - part 1 In "The West - but NOT trains in the West" [365570/30730/31] Posted by PhilWakely at 20:51, 14th September 2025 | |
11. Halfpenny Bridge, Bath
| Re: On the rails to off the rails - part 1 In "The West - but NOT trains in the West" [365569/30730/31] Posted by RobT at 19:47, 14th September 2025 | |
2. Hayling Light Railway, Hayling Island
| Re: Portion for Weston super Mare today In "Portsmouth to Cardiff" [365568/30732/20] Posted by grahame at 18:25, 14th September 2025 | |
It seems 1F36 Portsmouth-Cardiff divides at Bristol TM (nothing unusual to lose a unit there), but today the second unit continues to Weston Super Mare.
Can't remember last time Trowbridge and Bradford on Avon had direct service to Weston S Mare. Might be a long wait (years ?) for a through train to bring people back though.
Can't remember last time Trowbridge and Bradford on Avon had direct service to Weston S Mare. Might be a long wait (years ?) for a through train to bring people back though.
Wasn't there a Sunday Weymouth that ran to or from Weston or Taunton a couple of years back?
Ah - here it is
20:02 arrival into Weymouth on Sundays May to December 2021 originated from W-s-M
https://www.firstgreatwestern.info/nrtt/2021_05/Table%20123.pdf
| Re: Part 2 of "On the rails. off the rails" In "The West - but NOT trains in the West" [365567/30731/31] Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 17:44, 14th September 2025 | |
24. Saltram House, a National Trust property just outside Plymouth.
| Re: Part 2 of "On the rails. off the rails" In "The West - but NOT trains in the West" [365566/30731/31] Posted by stuving at 17:39, 14th September 2025 Already liked by Mark A | |
1. Bathpool swing bridge on the Bridgwater and Taunton Canal.
| Portion for Weston super Mare today In "Portsmouth to Cardiff" [365565/30732/20] Posted by John D at 17:36, 14th September 2025 | |
It seems 1F36 Portsmouth-Cardiff divides at Bristol TM (nothing unusual to lose a unit there), but today the second unit continues to Weston Super Mare.
Can't remember last time Trowbridge and Bradford on Avon had direct service to Weston S Mare. Might be a long wait (years ?) for a through train to bring people back though.
| Re: Unease after village crowned world's most beautiful - Bibury, Gloucestershire In "Across the West" [365564/30727/26] Posted by eightonedee at 17:32, 14th September 2025 | |
As Bibury has been long touted as England's or the Cotswold's prettiest village, I doubt that this will make much difference (who reads Forbes Magazine?).
| Re: On the rails to off the rails - part 1 In "The West - but NOT trains in the West" [365563/30730/31] Posted by eightonedee at 17:29, 14th September 2025 | |
4 - The Strand, Exmouth
| Re: Part 2 of "On the rails. off the rails" In "The West - but NOT trains in the West" [365562/30731/31] Posted by eightonedee at 17:24, 14th September 2025 | |
19 - Alexandra Parade, Weston-super-Mare
| Re: On the rails to off the rails - part 1 In "The West - but NOT trains in the West" [365561/30730/31] Posted by AMLAG at 16:46, 14th September 2025 | |
8 = Totnes, quay on River Dart
| Re: On the rails to off the rails - part 1 In "The West - but NOT trains in the West" [365560/30730/31] Posted by grahame at 15:57, 14th September 2025 | |
9) is on seafront, adjacent to Harbour at West Bay
Oh ... perhaps those were mass produced. My picture came from somewhere else. Right county
