| Archived Save the Train forum articles - 2005 to 2010. See below
So why cant they stop at Melksham? - 138/326 Written by Nick Field on Friday, 3rd February 2006 It's been mentioned in others threads that when first embargo the Melksham line to divert their express services they wont stop their trains at Melksham even if local services have had to make way for them. I was reading an article in Modern Railways magazine about the line that runs from Yeovil Junction to Exeter. First were diverting their expresses down that line instead of running via Taunton due to engineering works. Large streches of that route are single track so there were not enough paths for both the diverted First services and the South West Trains services who normally operate along that route. Because of this first were stopping at some of the local stations they do not normally serve. (There is a picture of a HST at rest at Pinhoe station. (on the outskirts of Exeter) I guess the reason they can stop there is because these stations did not close then reopen like Melksham and are not subject to the ridiculous Heath and Safety rules? Re: So why cant they stop at Melksham? - 138/328 Written by admin (Graham Ellis) on Friday, 3rd February 2006 [quote author=Nick Field link=topic=138.msg326#msg326 date=1138978127] I guess the reason they can stop there is because these stations did not close then reopen like Melksham and are not subject to the ridiculous Heath and Safety rules? [/quote] Yep, I've been told that by several people, including Wessex Trains employees. Pretty sure it's true. The amazing thing is that someone actually goes to the trouble to know which stations opened when to inforce what is in effect an arbitary rule. link to index of articles |
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Save the Train was the campaign to bring an approriate train service back to and through Melksham. Most big contributors are still around writing at the Coffee shop forum where new members are very welcome. The train has been saved - sort of - we have stepped back up from an unusable service to a poorish one but it's doing very well. We did that through setting up the TransWilts Community Rail Partnership. That fulfilled its early objectives; it has been taken over by local and regional government types who are now doing medium and long term work. The team from this forun can also be found at the Melksham Rail User Group (which was the Melksham Rail Development Group at the time these articles were written and we had no users. We mustn't loose sight, though, that the train service remains poor and needs our community support in marketing and campaigning to keep it going in a positive direction ... and all the more so when we're expecting to find a different normallity once we get out of the Coronavirus Pandemic and head for zero carbon via the climate crisis. Yes, it's saved ... it's now a key community facility ... the need for enhancement and the strong and near-universal local support remain, and the rail industry and goverment remain slow to move and provide the enhancements even to level us up with other towns. Please support the Melksham Rail User Group - now very much in partnership rather than protest with the rail industry and local government, including GWR, TransWilts and unitary and town councils. And please use the trains and buses, and cycle and walk when you can. -- Graham Ellis, (webmaster), February 2021 | |||
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