| Archived Save the Train forum articles - 2005 to 2010. See below
Timeline - 295/796 Written by admin (Graham Ellis) on Saturday, 8th July 2006 15th June 2006 - the Department for Transport finds the money to fund extra train services into Plymouth (calling at Ivybridge) - a positive outcome at least in the short term, and some great headlines 22nd June 2006 - the Labour party candidate, James Anthony Kirk, wins the by election at Southway for a seat on Plymouth City Council by just 106 votes. Plymouth City Council is very evenly balanced between Conservatives and Labour. Just the ONE seat changes control from one party to another. I note that more tickets are sold per train calling at Melksham than at Ivybridge. Re: Timeline - 295/821 Written by Lee on Monday, 10th July 2006 Here is a link to an article on this. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/devon/4975076.stm Quote from the above link : "However, there is a by-election due in Southway ward which means Labour could win back a slim majority." Re: Timeline - 295/1475 Written by Lee on Wednesday, 20th September 2006 [quote author=Lee link=topic=464.msg1393#msg1393 date=1157475110]It also leaves Falmouth & Penryn. There are two ways of looking at the situation there. 1) Quote from the Network Rail Business Plan 2006 (Page 9 of the link below.) http://www.networkrail.co.uk/documents/3110_Route%2012%20Reading%20to%20Penzance.pdf "We plan to increase capacity between Truro and Falmouth by introducing a train passing facility and extended platform at Penryn station. This will permit two trains to operate on the branch at one time instead of the one train operation that currently exists." 2) Quote from the link below. http://www.moorestephens.co.uk/website/uk.nsf/pages/sectors.shipping.ports "We performed a feasibility study into proposals to develop a container terminal in Falmouth." The guage is more suitable for freight trains from Falmouth eastwards.[/quote] The Falmouth line received an "improved" service as a result of the FGW December 2006 Timetable Consultation. Of the "improvements" made regarding the Cornish Branch Lines , the Truro - Falmouth service "improvement" is the only one not listed as subject to either review or confirmation (link below.) http://www.firstgreatwestern.co.uk/Content.aspx?id=378 By an uncanny coincidence , Falmouth & Camborne is a 3 - way marginal constituency (link below.) http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/vote2005/html/248.stm Re: Timeline - 295/2051 Written by Lee on Friday, 24th November 2006 DfT (from an FOI Ivybridge request.) - "The Ivybridge service reductions have met with strong adverse public criticism. Our public line is that "we are examining whether there are options for providing additional services" ; although this is non-commital , there is a public expectation of some changes." 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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