| Archived Save the Train forum articles - 2005 to 2010. See below
FGW lay on 60 extra services for Glastonbury - 2589/5705 Written by courgettelawn on Sunday, 17th June 2007 Castle Cary, Swindon and Taunton rail users won't know themselves this Wednesday and next Monday. Enjoy the 60 extra services promised by FGW for the Glastonbury festival goers... http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/wiltshire/6761753.stm This is clearly a money-spinning and publicity-drawing opportunity. Shame they can't see the benefits of running extra services on a regular basis - evidently the 'capacity' _is_ there! Re: FGW lay on 60 extra services for Glastonbury - 2589/5711 Written by admin (Graham Ellis) on Monday, 18th June 2007 Quote from Andrew Griffiths at the Melksham Railway Development Group AGM on Friday, 8th June, when we asked for the 09:00 [Sunday] from Westbury to Weymouth to be started back at Melksham (or Chippenham or Swidnon) for one day of his choice in the high summer. Re: FGW lay on 60 extra services for Glastonbury - 2589/5733 Written by courgettelawn on Monday, 18th June 2007 As I said, money and easy feel-good publicity. This is worth quoting back at them, I think. Re: FGW lay on 60 extra services for Glastonbury - 2589/5742 Written by admin (Graham Ellis) on Tuesday, 19th June 2007 [quote author=courgettelawn link=topic=2589.msg5733#msg5733 date=1182190086] As I said, money and easy feel-good publicity. Re: FGW lay on 60 extra services for Glastonbury - 2589/5770 Written by courgettelawn on Wednesday, 20th June 2007 True, true. And in any case, it would be more than a full-time job to point out every inconsistency and contradiction, frustrating though it is to feel at every point side-lined. Re: FGW lay on 60 extra services for Glastonbury - 2589/5794 Written by whistleblower on Thursday, 21st June 2007 The extra services to Castle Cary are not being crewed by FGW. Re: FGW lay on 60 extra services for Glastonbury - 2589/5796 Written by Sion Bretton on Thursday, 21st June 2007 Yes there was a train At Swindon Virgin rolling stock and EWS each end. Going to Castle Cary Re: FGW lay on 60 extra services for Glastonbury - 2589/5804 Written by admin (Graham Ellis) on Friday, 22nd June 2007 Lisa went down to the station [Melksham] to meet me off the evening train (which did run last night from Swindon, but I failed to catch due to a late appointment that was nothing to do with the railway!) and noted a lot of activity - FGW special on the way up, Virgin marked special on the way down .... before the train that actually stopped came through. Re: FGW lay on 60 extra services for Glastonbury - 2589/5889 Written by courgettelawn on Monday, 25th June 2007 The control of rolling stock is clearly a major problem across the network, especially on a leased basis which is such a madness, it is difficult to know who to address concerns to on the matter. I believe, though do not have the source to hand, that some rolling stock has been 'paid for' and some due to leasing arrangements with banks. I don't think anyone is decrying the extra services put on because of the strain that big events like the festival put on the system, only that there are several hundred thousand people who would benefit from better planned services throughout the year, and would also help train operators profit. There is at least a small measure of iffy double standards here. Re: FGW lay on 60 extra services for Glastonbury - 2589/5890 Written by admin (Graham Ellis) on Monday, 25th June 2007 My understanding is that First own outright 5 (ish) of the HST sets ... and that's all they own on the FGW network. Re: FGW lay on 60 extra services for Glastonbury - 2589/5905 Written by Lee on Tuesday, 26th June 2007 [quote author=Graham Ellis link=topic=2589.msg5890#msg5890 date=1182804256]I think that South West Trains now own the trains that they operate from Ryde to Shanklin; I don't know of any of the other main TOCs who own the trains they run.[/quote] They do , and also own the ex - BR rolling stock that operates on the Brockenhurst - Lymington line. link to index of articles |
|||
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 | |||
|
|||
Further Information:
Home
Current Summary
Daily update
User forum
Consultation
Service now
Service future
Future Analysis
Recent Statistics
Recent letters
Letter to DfT
Save the train
Presentation
Support us
Other Maps
Station facilities
Station approach
Pictures
Trains diverted
History
About Melksham
Site Map
About this site