Save the Melksham Train
... is part of a planned war

[Read this after the slightly earlier post "Our Battle", which talks of the specifics of the Southampton to Swindon / TransWilts / via Melksham services - link to earlier article]

Under the Greater Western Franchise, services are slashed ...
* Swindon to Westbury
* Trains stopping at Ivybridge
* Tamar Valley (Plymouth to Gunnislake)
* Liskeard to Looe
* Par to Newquay
* The Salisbury to Southampton local service only has a 1 year repreive
* The train service from Bristol to Severn Beach remains off peak only

In each case, one of the reasons outlined in my previous article for the "powers that be" to want to withdraw the service completely could be made. So I'm predicting a glooms future for these lines - I expect in 2 years time to see Ivybridge passengers for Plymouth taking the bus, and cars running over the viaduct at Bere Ferrers rather than trains. Express trains will fly past the site of Dean and Dunbridge stations, and extra freight will trundle through between. Severn Beach will be served by a bus running where the railway line used to be, and if you go down to the old site of Melksham station you'll find the railway land sold off for housing, and you'll hear the new residents in "Spencer's Gate", being built as I write, complaining about the all night noise of First's freight trains.

Will this happen elsewhere in the country too? I'm no expert, but I've just been looking through the new proposals for the East and West Midlands franchises, and the corresponding freight proposals, and the following services cause me concern:
* Watford to St. Albans
* Bletchley to Bedford
* Coventry to Nuneaton
* Walsall to Wolverhampton
* Stourbridge junction to Stourbridge town
* Birmingham to Stafford via Rugeley
* Stafford to Stoke on Trent local trains (already "temporary" buses to 2009)
* Crewe to Derby
* Nottingham to Skegness
* Nottingham to Mansfield
* Lincoln to Cleethorpes
* Derby to Matlock
* Doncaster to Peterborough via Lincoln
* Leicester to Loughborough local trains
* Cleethorpes / Grimsby to Barton on Humber
* Gainsborough to Grimsby

I have steered away from direct comparisons that say "our service is better used than theirs" in the past - I do not want to point fingers and I don not know of local issues. I suspect that some of these services mentioned will be lost because paths are needed for proposed freight services, others will be lost because a monopoly public transport operator wishes that to be, and that perhaps some will be saved because they're serving marginal constituencies.

East Midlands link
West Midlands link
Rail freight link - GB Rail
Government Rail Freight link
Freight on Rail

Written 2006-06-12 05:29:31

Available entries ...

Welcome to News and Views
Welcome to News and Views
The story so far
Looking slightly wider
Don't let this become history!
Meeting, 20th September - getting nervous
Encouraging traffic not just warm words
Official (Government) view ... and I agree
Excursion!
Don't believe everything you hear
Old pictures. Not to be repeated event
Meeting!
Great meeting but just a start.
35% Growth in one year - Melksham ticket statistics
Swindon to Trowbridge
Regularity, Reliability, Realistic connections
Core meeting
Didn't you read page 52 of web document?
An easy timetable - Melksham to Chippenham and Swindon
Would this government close a station completely?
Quotes from Government
Tuesday, 18th October - Kiss and Ride day
Six NEW factors why the TransWilts train that serves Melksham should be enhanced and not cut
And more train users ...
Try the train on 18th October
Tracking codes for TransWilts stations
New stats prove it - the service IS used
Bump from Glasgow
Ready for Tuesday
Kiss and Ride report
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Busy train at Melksham
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Santa Claus at Melksham Station
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Current status ...
Further threats
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Recent Correspondence
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Draft timetables (continued)
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New pages and information
On supporting other campaigns ...
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The Waiting Game
Real time train monitoring
Someone can't wait!
High emotion
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An update - BAD, BAD news for Melksham ...
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Meeting, 21st - notes
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Carrying fresh air around?
Home soon.
Put yourself in their shoes
Lies, damned lies and statistics
Our battle ....
Political pressure - press release
How to catch the 18:48 from Chippenham - the DfT suggests
Internet connection issues
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Visit by Chris Grayling and Michael Ancram
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Rail future - the First Alternative
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In praise of estate agents
Press Release - Open Access operator negotiations
Open Access case strengthened
A desire for honesty
Flowers for Melksham. Flowers at Melksham.
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One year on
A year on - an empty bank holiday
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Is this train used?
If its working well, change it so it doesnt.
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From Ystrad Mynach
Taunton meeting
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End of term - don't care
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Fading away?
Coming to a course in Melksham
Last Week - Press Release
Fizzle
They're gone ... but ...
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"Told you so"
Christmas, 2006
Welcome to 2007
PLEASE LOBBY - First, Dft, County Council, your MP
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Report - Monday night's meeting - press brief
What is happening?
Reply to Petition
Petition Response - detail, opinion, context
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Helsinki and Heathrow to Melksham - Saturday
Gordon Dodge, Rest in Peace
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A roundup from a MELKSHAM perspective
Update being updated!
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Diary notes
New faces - mayors and chairs.
We have another hill to climb
Radio - tomorrow morning?
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The Ghost Train, Purton
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On truthfully advertising the case
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Want to comment? You're welcome on the forum
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Campaign update - news for December 08 / 09 / 10 / 11 ...
Preserved Railways - a look forward
Spring 2009 Campaign update

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