| Archived Save the Train forum articles - 2005 to 2010. See below
Routed via Bath - even when a direct train is available! - 4967/9035 Written by admin (Graham Ellis) on Thursday, 13th December 2007 I had a customer returning to Southampton by train yesterday evening, and First had sold him a train-specific ticket from Chippenham at 18:45, changing at Bath (depart 19:07) and Westbury (depart 19:40) ... Oh Gawd ... that's three sides around a square, so I ran him over to Trowbridge to catch the train there, at 19:28 ... the one coming off Bath at 19:07 and the only train on which his ticket was valid. A question. Why ON EARTH didn't the website offer him the 19:01 from Chippenham - a through train to Southampton (20:45 arrival) ? Especially as - as far as I can see - that is the very train he changed onto at Westbury anyway! Is it just me, or do you get the impression that First are trying to encourage traffic away from the direct route via Melksham ... are we back in to a "closure by stealth" scenario here? .... Re: Routed via Bath - even when a direct train is available! - 4967/9049 Written by admin (Graham Ellis) on Thursday, 13th December 2007 I have received a very quick response - with more to follow - on this subject. [quote]To hear this 'closure by stealth' stuff yet again is depressing. "....." c) everyone agrees that the route has potential for development. [/quote] I couldn't agree more - it IS depressing. But it will continue to be asked by people who are seeing the services offered for the first time - the current awful service, official national rail information that misses out half of the few remaining trains, and tickets sold that route people away from direct services over the line onto other services that require multiple changes and take longer - and wonder why. The way to clear this stuff is to provide an appropriate service. And if that will take yet another year, then to pre-announce witha big fanfare that service that will be provided and help us build up to it. And I'm delighted to see that last segment - "everyone agrees that the route has potential for development". I am cheered that we have come a very, very long way. Re: Routed via Bath - even when a direct train is available! - 4967/9055 Written by Industry Insider on Friday, 14th December 2007 Who are you quoting, Graham? Looking forward to the more to follow... Re: Routed via Bath - even when a direct train is available! - 4967/9057 Written by admin (Graham Ellis) on Friday, 14th December 2007 [quote author=Industry Insider link=topic=4967.msg9055#msg9055 date=1197594125] Who are you quoting, Graham? Looking forward to the more to follow... [/quote] I wanted to get in quickly with that positive rather than let the "closure by stealth" sit there for too long ... but with the current service that looks like it's designed to drive people away (when in fact it is designed to save a train by using "marginal" or spare time of a unit) keeps having newcomers make that suggestion. There will be more to follow as I get clearance and further comment back. The "everyone agrees that the route has potential for development" is NOT news to me - but it's great (no, I'll say it stronger - it's GLORIOUS!) to see it writ in an email from one of the main players. And it shows just how far we have come back towards a sensible approach. I look forward to 2008. Re: Routed via Bath - even when a direct train is available! - 4967/9062 Written by Lee on Friday, 14th December 2007 I remain dubious myself. While there is no concrete evidence (but plenty of circumstansial) that an official plan exists to run down the service , the current mad situation could lead to equally mad decisions being taken in the relatively near future. I would agree though , that the best way to kill this notion off is to provide an appropriate service , and I remain ever ready to play my part in that process. Re: Routed via Bath - even when a direct train is available! - 4967/9063 Written by Sion Bretton on Friday, 14th December 2007 Is this why so many services this week have been cancelled, with the start of new timetable? 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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