Welcome to News and Views
Three weeks ago, I launched "Save the Train" and in three weeks ... from a standing start ... I've had 300 visitors to the web site.
Every day, I receive emails of encouragements to help Save the Train on the Swindon - Chippneham - Melksham - Trowbridge ... | 2005-09-07 |
Welcome to News and Views
Every day, something crops up and I think "that's useful information" and ... then ... I often forget it. What better, then, than a diary / notebook / blog. Published, comments welcome. You can help keep me "on track" and the train running ... Swindon ... | 2005-09-07 |
The story so far
History
Closed in the Beeching era, Melksham Station was re-opened in the early 1990s with a limited service - a train to Swindon in the morning and a return in the evening.
In May 2001, under (I believe) an agreement between Wiltshire Country Council ... | 2005-09-08 |
Looking slightly wider
I've concentrated on Swindon to Westbury, with three intermediate stops - but there are other services / patterns outside the area that should be looked at / considered. Some are wild suggestions, others sensible. Some have major cost (Sponsorship ?) ... | 2005-09-09 |
Don't let this become history!
Here's a picture of a daytime train just outside Melksham station; I'll intersperse this update and diary page with pictures from time to time as a picture paints a thousand words.
Alas, times do move on - there are already historic aspects to this ... | 2005-09-10 |
Meeting, 20th September - getting nervous
I'm getting a bit nervous - probably no bad thing. It's just over a week to go to the Open meeting I have called. I've had over 50 forms filled in on the site, and over 400 distinct visitors. Views expressed have ranged from the mildly supporting ... | 2005-09-11 |
Encouraging traffic not just warm words
Last night, I had perhaps the most thought-provoking discussion so far ... the question of how to encourage people to USE the service that everyone says that they want. Perhaps this is the $64000 question; some ideas formulated ;-) ....
There's no doubt ... | 2005-09-13 |
Official (Government) view ... and I agree
From Transport Times
The transport secretary [Alistair Darling] stresses that he is in favour of keeping open local branch lines if at all possible. “But there comes a time when a line is carrying two passengers in the morning and two in the evening, ... | 2005-09-14 |
Excursion!
Have you ever driven round the central car park in Salisbury looking for a parking spot? I know I have! And yet ... Salisbury station is quite close to the centre and directly served from Melksham ... with further connections available.
The 09:15 train ... | 2005-09-15 |
Don't believe everything you hear
"It's just an empty stock working really" they told me about the train that calls at Melksham at 05:53 on its way up from Westbury to Swindon. And - foolish me - I believed them.
This morning, there were three passengers on the train as it arrived in ... | 2005-09-16 |
| Old pictures. Not to be repeated event | 2005-09-18 |
| Meeting! | 2005-09-19 |
| Great meeting but just a start. | 2005-09-21 |
| 35% Growth in one year - Melksham ticket statistics | 2005-09-23 |
| Swindon to Trowbridge | 2005-09-24 |
| Regularity, Reliability, Realistic connections | 2005-09-25 |
| Core meeting | 2005-09-27 |
| Didn't you read page 52 of web document? | 2005-09-29 |
| An easy timetable - Melksham to Chippenham and Swindon | 2005-09-30 |
| Would this government close a station completely? | 2005-10-01 |
| Quotes from Government | 2005-10-02 |
| Tuesday, 18th October - Kiss and Ride day | 2005-10-04 |
| Six NEW factors why the TransWilts train that serves Melksham should be enhanced and not cut | 2005-10-07 |
| And more train users ... | 2005-10-08 |
| Try the train on 18th October | 2005-10-09 |
| Tracking codes for TransWilts stations | 2005-10-11 |
| New stats prove it - the service IS used | 2005-10-12 |
| Bump from Glasgow | 2005-10-14 |
| Ready for Tuesday | 2005-10-16 |
| Kiss and Ride report | 2005-10-18 |
| A case of the tail wagging the dog?? | 2005-10-20 |
| The system is overcomplex - no wonder some odd things happen | 2005-10-21 |
| Warminster Bus Running Day, 2005 | 2005-10-23 |
| The storm's eye? | 2005-10-25 |
| A disappointing letter | 2005-11-03 |
| Some scenes at Melksham Station | 2005-11-06 |
| Monday morning, Melksham Station | 2005-11-08 |
| Busy train at Melksham | 2005-11-11 |
| Forum Archives available | 2005-11-12 |
| A THOUSAND visitors | 2005-11-15 |
| What does it cost to run a train? | 2005-11-16 |
| Timetable - Melksham to Reading and London | 2005-11-20 |
| Plus a footnote - Melksham to London | 2005-11-21 |
| A bustle before the 17:02 | 2005-11-24 |
| STILL worth writing. To MP, To Dft, to bidders. | 2005-11-25 |
| Keeping the campaign tail up | 2005-11-30 |
| Don't drink and drive - drink and train. | 2005-12-02 |
| Driving customers away? | 2005-12-04 |
| Latest official answer | 2005-12-04 |
| At Temple Meads today | 2005-12-05 |
| Melksham and TransWilts train service - closure by stealth? | 2005-12-06 |
| From the rumour mill | 2005-12-08 |
| A Quandry | 2005-12-09 |
| Santa Claus at Melksham Station | 2005-12-10 |
| Train service fading away too? | 2005-12-12 |
| Greater Western Franchise awarded | 2005-12-13 |
| First Group - First answer on Melksham | 2005-12-14 |
| First specific Melksham rumour ... | 2005-12-14 |
| Virtually no service - or excellent service. Request the latter. | 2005-12-15 |
| Should badgers be culled? | 2005-12-16 |
| Melksham rail traffic up 33% in 3 months | 2005-12-17 |
| Upside Down | 2005-12-18 |
| Every journey has a story | 2005-12-19 |
| New fares from 2nd January 2006 | 2005-12-20 |
| No final decision yet | 2005-12-21 |
| Even new stations don't always survive | 2005-12-23 |
| A comparison across the world | 2005-12-24 |
| Christmas service - unrequired, or just unprovided? | 2005-12-26 |
| Update | 2005-12-29 |
| New year, 2006 | 2006-01-01 |
| Bustitution - buses for trains on Saturdays and Sundays | 2006-01-06 |
| New Sign | 2006-01-08 |
| The Meeting Season | 2006-01-11 |
| Reply from MD of First Great Western | 2006-01-12 |
| Wilts County Council could save the Melksham / Transwilts train | 2006-01-14 |
| What does First pay the government for Greater Western? | 2006-01-15 |
| Railway statistics and Melksham comparisons - how do we stand? | 2006-01-16 |
| Winners and losers in the Devizes constituency | 2006-01-17 |
| First want to hear your aspirations | 2006-01-19 |
| Repeat - PLEASE write in with your aspirations | 2006-01-22 |
| Were they purchasing votes? | 2006-01-29 |
| Current status ... | 2006-01-29 |
| Further threats | 2006-01-30 |
| Keep watching - coming to the boil! | 2006-02-03 |
| Recent Correspondence | 2006-02-05 |
| From my postbag ... | 2006-02-07 |
| Timetable consultation coming up | 2006-02-08 |
| Waiting, with baited breath | 2006-02-09 |
| Meeting with a local MP | 2006-02-11 |
| Today or tomorrow | 2006-02-13 |
| Draft Timetable is here | 2006-02-14 |
| Out with the old users, in with the new | 2006-02-15 |
| On the 05:52 this morning | 2006-02-16 |
| Background and opinion | 2006-02-17 |
| Draft timetables (continued) | 2006-02-21 |
| Three and a half answers out of 4 | 2006-02-22 |
| A week is a long time | 2006-02-26 |
| Roger Jones answers 5 months later! | 2006-02-27 |
| Safer current trains - the 06:56, 07:45 and 18:09 | 2006-02-28 |
| INPUTS NEEDED by 8th March | 2006-03-05 |
| Meetings and Consultation Responses | 2006-03-08 |
| A whole pile of responses | 2006-03-08 |
| Ploughing back OUR money, not theirs. | 2006-03-09 |
| New pages and information | 2006-03-12 |
| On supporting other campaigns ... | 2006-03-14 |
| Not just the TransWilts and Melksham ... | 2006-03-21 |
| Service failure looses more customers | 2006-03-22 |
| The Waiting Game | 2006-03-29 |
| Real time train monitoring | 2006-03-30 |
| Someone can't wait! | 2006-03-31 |
| High emotion | 2006-04-03 |
| UPDATE - new timetables | 2006-04-03 |
| An update - BAD, BAD news for Melksham ... | 2006-04-03 |
| First - transforming travel | 2006-04-04 |
| Constituency Changes | 2006-04-07 |
| Southampton to Westbury RESTORED | 2006-04-11 |
| Friday, 21st, Trowbridge | 2006-04-12 |
| Meeting, Friday 21st | 2006-04-17 |
| Celebrating a closure | 2006-04-17 |
| Meeting, tonight | 2006-04-21 |
| Friday's meeting | 2006-04-23 |
| What SWPTUF says | 2006-04-23 |
| Meeting, 21st - notes | 2006-04-23 |
| Parliamentary Debate, 25th April | 2006-04-25 |
| First back down or buses too. | 2006-04-26 |
| Diary Date - 12th May | 2006-04-29 |
| Waverley | 2006-05-04 |
| RailFuture meeting today | 2006-05-06 |
| RailFuture meeting - some gems | 2006-05-07 |
| First way to get rid of customers? | 2006-05-09 |
| Friday meeting - invite and details | 2006-05-11 |
| It gets worse | 2006-05-15 |
| Every so often, stop and look | 2006-05-16 |
| Bus service costs 25 pounds per passenger to run? | 2006-05-18 |
| Carrying fresh air around? | 2006-05-19 |
| Home soon. | 2006-05-31 |
| Put yourself in their shoes | 2006-06-01 |
| Lies, damned lies and statistics | 2006-06-09 |
| Our battle .... | 2006-06-12 |
| ... is part of a planned war | 2006-06-12 |
| Political pressure - press release | 2006-06-15 |
| How to catch the 18:48 from Chippenham - the DfT suggests | 2006-06-16 |
| Internet connection issues | 2006-06-25 |
| Selling off any possibility of improvement | 2006-06-27 |
| Letter from Derek Twigg | 2006-06-28 |
| Important but not refreshing meeting | 2006-07-05 |
| Welcome for Michael Ancram and Chris Grayling | 2006-07-06 |
| Visit by Chris Grayling and Michael Ancram | 2006-07-07 |
| Friday, 7th July - Melksham | 2006-07-08 |
| Rail future - the First Alternative | 2006-07-11 |
| Pivotal decison - to grow or to strangle? | 2006-07-16 |
| Bad news coming? | 2006-07-19 |
| In praise of estate agents | 2006-07-22 |
| Press Release - Open Access operator negotiations | 2006-07-26 |
| Open Access case strengthened | 2006-07-30 |
| A desire for honesty | 2006-08-03 |
| Flowers for Melksham. Flowers at Melksham. | 2006-08-06 |
| Has our publicity reached the right people? | 2006-08-10 |
| One year on | 2006-08-14 |
| A year on - an empty bank holiday | 2006-08-29 |
| Bus connections to Melksham from Chippenham | 2006-08-29 |
| Is this train used? | 2006-09-04 |
| If its working well, change it so it doesnt. | 2006-09-15 |
| 20% service cut = 40% traffic cut? | 2006-09-17 |
| A difficult choice for voters | 2006-09-23 |
| Consultant's reports recommended a modest INCREASE | 2006-09-24 |
| From Ystrad Mynach | 2006-09-26 |
| Taunton meeting | 2006-10-04 |
| More cancellations | 2006-10-10 |
| Passenger or lemmings | 2006-10-11 |
| Behind the new timetable | 2006-10-19 |
| Is this fare? | 2006-10-26 |
| Returning from their UK course | 2006-10-28 |
| End of term - don't care | 2006-11-07 |
| Current and future summary | 2006-11-13 |
| 2 weeks to go | 2006-11-21 |
| Fading away? | 2006-11-26 |
| Coming to a course in Melksham | 2006-11-28 |
| Last Week - Press Release | 2006-12-05 |
| Fizzle | 2006-12-08 |
| They're gone ... but ... | 2006-12-10 |
| New service - first impressions | 2006-12-14 |
| "Told you so" | 2006-12-20 |
| Christmas, 2006 | 2006-12-24 |
| Welcome to 2007 | 2007-01-06 |
| PLEASE LOBBY - First, Dft, County Council, your MP | 2007-01-10 |
| Key players | 2007-01-17 |
| Keeping the diary rolling | 2007-01-24 |
| End game? | 2007-02-01 |
| Save the Train v More Train, Less Strain | 2007-02-09 |
| Invite letter - 5th March 2007 meeting | 2007-02-12 |
| IMPROVED PUBLIC TRANSPORT LINKS ACROSS WILTSHIRE? | 2007-02-20 |
| Passengers or Customers? | 2007-02-24 |
| A fast-moving story? | 2007-03-02 |
| The traveller, not the train! | 2007-03-04 |
| Report - Monday night's meeting - press brief | 2007-03-07 |
| What is happening? | 2007-03-18 |
| Reply to Petition | 2007-03-31 |
| Petition Response - detail, opinion, context | 2007-04-03 |
| Government pressure to shut up. But let us look forward. | 2007-04-05 |
| Asking for the political and part views | 2007-04-12 |
| Helsinki and Heathrow to Melksham - Saturday | 2007-04-15 |
| Gordon Dodge, Rest in Peace | 2007-04-16 |
| An update | 2007-05-14 |
| The way forward - improved service and improved station | 2007-06-01 |
| A roundup from a MELKSHAM perspective | 2007-06-08 |
| Update being updated! | 2007-06-08 |
| News Roundup - a LOT is happening | 2007-06-09 |
| Diary notes | 2007-06-20 |
| New faces - mayors and chairs. | 2007-06-24 |
| We have another hill to climb | 2007-07-14 |
| Radio - tomorrow morning? | 2007-07-23 |
| Weymouth, Poor Provisional, and Sunday | 2007-08-09 |
| A Comparison - travel in the USA by train | 2007-08-21 |
| The Ghost Train, Purton | 2007-08-23 |
| How to fill platforms, and railway company coffers too! | 2007-09-01 |
| FSB - North and West Wilts Commitee - Federation of Small Businesses | 2007-09-14 |
| Frustrated but not depairing | 2007-09-21 |
| Front page update | 2007-09-29 |
| Comment on December timetables | 2007-10-03 |
| A First to Stagecoach comparison | 2007-10-15 |
| Does the new man want to play hard? | 2007-10-18 |
| And the week ends with two more cancellations! | 2007-10-21 |
| Comparing a Wiltshire town with a Norfolk one | 2007-10-24 |
| Commutes are longer, and in the west we may know why | 2007-10-29 |
| Campaigning Mantra - Philosophy behind the case | 2007-11-02 |
| 30 late, and a bus not a train .... | 2007-11-04 |
| Staffing-go-round - but the campaigners carry on | 2007-11-08 |
| Rail user groups do NOT represent rail users? | 2007-11-10 |
| Cancellations, Changes and Crass Christmas | 2007-11-18 |
| First Great Western's Melksham service branded "a disgrace" | 2007-11-23 |
| A pile of 160 train tickets for tomorrow | 2007-11-30 |
| Santa Claus spotted at Swindon Station | 2007-12-03 |
| TransWilts trains ceased a year ago. Lets look forward | 2007-12-07 |
| Trains to and from Melksham - Timetable from Dec07 to May08 | 2007-12-08 |
| Happy Christmas everyone! | 2007-12-25 |
| How have trains being doing in the last 48 hours? | 2007-12-30 |
| Asda - an opportunity that can be used or squandered | 2008-01-14 |
| Another slap in the face from First Great Western | 2008-01-16 |
| On truthfully advertising the case | 2008-01-19 |
| Fare Strike Day | 2008-01-28 |
| Comparing a different part of the country | 2008-01-31 |
| Where has our train gone? | 2008-02-04 |
| Want to comment? You're welcome on the forum | 2008-02-06 |
| An unusual journey for me - some observations | 2008-02-12 |
| Milk producers | 2008-02-16 |
| Meeting Season | 2008-03-02 |
| The heart says "public transport", the head forces car | 2008-03-08 |
| Not a Swiss clock railway this morning | 2008-03-21 |
| Senseless service - could become sensible | 2008-03-27 |
| Terminal 5 - a portent for the Olympics? | 2008-03-28 |
| Loss of train - loss of job | 2008-04-03 |
| Population growth, but congested roads | 2008-04-18 |
| Road - busy ... railway - no trains, so no users | 2008-04-29 |
| One long journey ends and another begins | 2008-05-11 |
| Campaign update - news for December 08 / 09 / 10 / 11 ... | 2008-07-14 |
| Preserved Railways - a look forward | 2008-08-17 |
| Spring 2009 Campaign update | 2009-03-13 |
