Save the Melksham Train
Archived Save the Train forum articles - 2005 to 2010. See below
More Anger At New First Great Western Timetable - 847/2431
Written by Lee on Friday, 15th December 2006

Anger is growing elsewhere , as the new FGW timetable takes effect (links below.)
http://www.rmtbristol.org.uk/2006/12/fury_over_fgw_rail_chaos.html#more
http://www.rmtbristol.org.uk/2006/12/tough_luck_on_the_rail_commute.html#more
http://www.rmtbristol.org.uk/2006/12/anger_over_cut_to_early_mornin.html#more

Quote :

"It used to be a lottery to get a seat, now it is a lottery to get on a train."

Re: More Anger At New First Great Western Timetable - 847/2445
Written by Graz on Friday, 15th December 2006

Even more, this time from the Bath Chronicle:
Stranded commuters vent fury at timetable changes
Click

Re: More Anger At New First Great Western Timetable - 847/2471
Written by Lee on Sunday, 17th December 2006

Passengers stranded at Trowbridge (link below.)
http://www.rmtbristol.org.uk/2006/12/passengers_stranded_on_platfor_1.html#more

Oxford commuters desert rail & switch to coach services (link below.)
http://www.rmtbristol.org.uk/2006/12/rail_commuters_switch_to_buses.html#more


Re: More Anger At New First Great Western Timetable - 847/2557
Written by Lee on Wednesday, 20th December 2006

A general (but Thames Valley MP sponsored) early day motion has been tabled on this (link below.)
http://edmi.parliament.uk/EDMi/EDMDetails.aspx?EDMID=32188&SESSION=885

The same group of MP's have described the timetable changes as causing "travel chaos" (link below.)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/berkshire/6196785.stm

Re: More Anger At New First Great Western Timetable - 847/2580
Written by Nick Field on Friday, 22nd December 2006

[quote author=Lee link=topic=847.msg2471#msg2471 date=1166361682]
Passengers stranded at Trowbridge (link below.)
http://www.rmtbristol.org.uk/2006/12/passengers_stranded_on_platfor_1.html#more

Oxford commuters desert rail & switch to coach services (link below.)
http://www.rmtbristol.org.uk/2006/12/rail_commuters_switch_to_buses.html#more

[/quote]

There was a big news item on BBC Radio Wiltshire this morning about the Trowbridge passengers.  Interviews with passengers facing crowded trains or unable to board and small 2 coach trains during peak hours (no online link yet)

Here is a link relating to the Oxford problems:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/berkshire/6196785.stm

Also on Points West earlier in the week there was news item about traffic problems in Bristol, where average speeds are only 8mph (apparently only London is worse).  David Redgewell featured and talked about trying to encourage people onto buses (no Rail or Tram mentioned) Here is a related link:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/bristol/content/articles/2006/12/19/first_prices_feature.shtml



 
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


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