On Wednesday evening (14.9.2026), Peter West, OBE, will be speaking to the West Wiltshire Rail User Group in Trowbridge (at the Bethesda Church Hall). All welcome.

Peter was the Rail Sector Commercial and Strategic Manager at the Department for Transport who looked after the First Great Western franchise from the time that First took over the Greater Western franchise from Wessex Train in our are right thorugh the shock of the covid changes and beyond. 

At a time of rail industry re-organiastion - a time of great opportunity but also grear risk - Peter will be giving us an talk on "The Rail Review - update" - looking at where we are and where we are headed.  This is one not to miss.

Doors open 19:00 for tea / coffee and Peter will be "first up" when we start at 19:30.  There's planned to be an opportunity to ask questions too.  The Church Hall is just across from Trowbridge Station - up the street behind Trinity Church off the Bath-bound platform.  The meeting is organsised by the West Wiltshire Rail Users Group (WWRUG). For paid up WWRUG members, the meeting is included in your £8 subscription. Guests welcome, with a £2 donation requested - why not join instead on the night?

We'll be finished by 21:10 - in time for "carriages" at 21:18 (to Bradford-on-Avon, Bath and Bristol), 21:22 (to Melksham, Chippenham and Swindon), 21:31 (to Westbury, Frome, Yeovil), 21:52 to Avoncliff and local stations to Keynsham, and 21:58 to Dilton Marsh, Warminster and Salisbury.  Many connections further afield (in and out) too but, sorry, no direct trains from London these days.

Event on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/events/1719354635990390 - it would be appreciated if you're not a regular but intending to come if you could let us know there, but like the trains in our area at the moment, you can still just come along and pay on the evening.

 
Posting here, simply to 'bump' this topic / event.

It looks to be a very interesting talk from the guest speaker, and the venue is very convenient for train travellers to and from Trowbridge - the meeting times are tailored accordingly.

CfN. 

 
Indeed he is. But he's still responsible for ordering & specifying the IET....

 
It should be a very interesting evening.  I have met Peter a number of times - both during and after his time with the Department for Transport; he was always very professional, and since his DfT days my respect for him has grown further.

 
Responsible for the order, not necessarily being a responsible civil servant!

 
Hmmm. 

At the risk of possibly causing offence to Peter West: I amended grahame's original post, where he had referred to Peter West as 'the franchise manger at the DfT' - and is there any such entity as a 'responsible civil servant'?

I apologize for any offence I may cause by posting this, my personal opinion, not an official view from the Coffee Shop forum.

CfN. 

 
ooooohhh....wsh I could be there.

I've always wanted to know why he ordered IETs that are so not suited to the Wests railways.....and he  was the responsible civil servant

 
Our speaker at WWRUG on 16th September will be Peter West, who was the franchise manager at the DfT for many years.  He is now a member of the board at the Severnside Community Rail Partnership.

WWRUG meets at the Bethesda Church Hall in Trowbridge - open from 19:00 for networking and coffees, with the speaker at 19:30.   It's only 100 yards or so from Trowbridge station and we finish in time for "carriages' - for you to connect with trains home around 21:15.    Meeting costs are include in West Wiltshire Membership fees (which are a bargain) but guests are welcome too at £2 a head.



Edit note: I have corrected one of grahame's trademark typos here, for clarity. CfN.