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Topic: New Draft (or daft) timetable (Read 3798 times)
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Graham Ellis
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Updated draft timetable (to be published in June once ratified by Network Rail). I'm told that Monday to Friday trains will call at Melksham at 06:46 and 19:46 in the Westbury direction, and 07:19 and 18:57 in the Swindon direction.
This means the approximate times will be as follows:
Westbury 07:04, Trowbridge 07:10, Melksham 07:19, Chippenham 07:29, Swindon 07:44
Westbury 19:30, Trowbridge 19:36, Melksham 19:46, Chippenham 19:55, Swindon 20:10
Swindon 06:20, Chippenham 06:36, Melksham 06:46, Trowbridge 06:55, Westbury 07:02
Swindon 18:32, Chippenham 18:47, Melksham 18:57, Trowbridge 19:07, Westbury 19:13
So that's an even longer day in Swindon for commuters ... and I do hope that the 07:04 from Frome has been move a few minutes earlier too so that there's a connection!
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« Last Edit: May 15, 2006, 06:29:24 PM by Graham Ellis »
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Graham Ellis
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Quote - from an employee of a railway company who knows a thing of three ... It’s a very poor situation and one that I can’t see easily being resolved unless there is a complete change in policy.Regretfully, I agree. But I never said it would be easy  |
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Sion Bretton
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yes and looks like a longer day for me as bad for me coming back from Bristol
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Nick Field
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its not a daft timetable, its a downright ludicrous one!! Clearly the times have been re jigged on the stroud valley train and trans wilts play second fiddle again! These times are very poor for commuters and not much good for leisure or shoppers along the route unless you are planning a very long day or an incredibly short evening out  I think that commuters will abandon the service and get back in their cars or perhaps lift share, or depending on where they are commuting too then they will drive to their nearest mainline station. I've often seen shoppers on our trains, especially in the school holidays but thats now out of the window. The only people I can see using the trains at these times are those travelling further afield and connecting for longer distance services. It almost seems if first / the dft are trying to run the whole thing down.  |
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Graham Ellis
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It almost seems if first / the dft are trying to run the whole thing down. 1. a) There's probably going to be a new rail freight terminal at Westbury and/or Plymouth b) The report for the terminal shows the line through Melksham as a part of the frieght network c) The line through Melksham is also the ONLY single track in the main part of that network d) First also run freight trains e) Freight is more profitable than passengers 2. a) There's a good rail service from Chippenham b) A lot of people park at a fiver a day at Chippenham to take the train c) It's a lot cheaper to provide a parking space than to run a train d) The extra rail fare for Melksham v Chippenham really isn't much e) If you can persuade people into their cars, they have to pay tax on fuel. f) First runs the bus service that parallels the railway and that has spare seats on it No, Nick, I'm sure that both DfT and First would love us to keep the train. After all, it's environmentally friendly, growing in use and popularity month by month, and provides extra capacity on the West Wilts corridor where the roads can scarcley cope. But First and DfT could be SEEN to be clean on this if they passed the service over to Stagecoach / South West trains when that franchise is placed. |
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Lee
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First do indeed operate freight trains. Details available in the link below. http://www.gbrailfreight.com/index.phpOther points to note : 1) The Melksham line is projected to achieve medium - level tonnage (which is traffic volumes , passenger & freight trains combined) growth to 2015. The neighbouring Bradford On Avon line is projected to acheive low - level tonnage growth to 2015 , despite the fact that Bradford On Avon is likely to have a far better passenger train service than Melksham. If the Melksham line is to grow at a higher level than the Bradford On Avon line , then it is difficult to see this growth coming from 4 (2 round trip) passenger trains per day. 2) The Melksham line (indeed the line from Southampton all the way to Thingly Junction) is W8 guage. The Bradford On Avon line is only W7 guage. Put simply , the Melksham line is more suitable for freight trains than the Bradford On Avon line is. The above information comes from the Network Rail Business Plan 2006 (link provided to the section that contains Melksham below.) http://www.networkrail.co.uk/Documents/BusinessPlan2006/Route%204%20Wessex%20Routes.pdf |
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Nick Field
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b) A lot of people park at a fiver a day at Chippenham to take the train Or as many people do you can park for free in Chippenham at the Hathaway Retail Park (Homebase / Halfords etc) which is only a couple of minutes walk. Someone (presumably the council or the owners of the retail park) got wind of this a few years ago and there was a crack down on it and some cars were clamped but it was only for a short period and a lot of people including one or two I know park there everyday. |
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