Save the Melksham Train
Archived Save the Train forum articles - 2005 to 2010. See below
Main Line Between Swindon And Bristol Will Close For Nine Days This Summer. - 246/634
Written by Lee on Thursday, 25th May 2006

Here is an article on this.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/wiltshire/5010194.stm

Re: Main Line Between Swindon And Bristol Will Close For Nine Days This Summer. - 246/635
Written by Lee on Thursday, 25th May 2006

Still , it is nice to see Network Rail investing this kind of money on the network.

Here is a further article on Network Rail.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/5015022.stm

Re: Main Line Between Swindon And Bristol Will Close For Nine Days This Summer. - 246/639
Written by Nick Field on Friday, 26th May 2006

I understand the work involved is at Wootten Bassett Junction, however I notice that lots of rail has been placed along side the existing track through Chippenham and beyond (I was woken by the engineeering train in the middle of the night) I wonder if this section of line will be replaced at some point as well?  They have also been replacing the steps and pathways up the embankments to the track.
Does any one know how trans wilts trains will be affected during the blockade?  I guess they will be cancelled and replaced by buses as they always seems to take the easy option.


Re: Main Line Between Swindon And Bristol Will Close For Nine Days This Summer. - 246/640
Written by Nick Field on Friday, 26th May 2006

I have been able to enter my own question as I have had a letter through my door today, main details as follows:

From the 13th of May until the 26th August 5 miles of track is to be replaced  between Christian Malford and Corsham.
Most of the work will be undertaken at night and on the weekends.
The nature of the work involves a large rail borne machine .

Basically they are warning residents who live close to the track that some noise may occur throughout the night.
I suppose I better prepare for a few sleepless nights this summer then!

I have no idea how this might effect Trans Wilts trains but I suspect the late evening one may be replaced by buses.



Re: Main Line Between Swindon And Bristol Will Close For Nine Days This Summer. - 246/641
Written by Sion Bretton on Friday, 26th May 2006

Could it be a Bus link before, we could hope the train runs up to Chippenham and then goes back

Re: Main Line Between Swindon And Bristol Will Close For Nine Days This Summer. - 246/643
Written by admin (Graham Ellis) on Sunday, 28th May 2006

"The work will start on the August Bank Holiday weekend" ....

Sh*t.  I'm sure you've seen some of my busy pictures of trains at Melksham / on the service at Swindon.  Many of them were taken over last year's very busy bank holiday.

They couldn't have chosen a worse time if they had tried as far as the "TransWilts" service is concerned!

Re: Main Line Between Swindon And Bristol Will Close For Nine Days This Summer. - 246/650
Written by Nick Field on Thursday, 1st June 2006

I agree it Its not a good time and I am also concerned it might be used as an excuse to run the trans wilts service down early  >:(
I think there is never a good time to carry out the enginnering works, it will always inconvenience someone. At least they have given quite a bit of notice so folks can plan alternatives early.  I also think it's best to carry out the work in one hit (and probably more cost effective too) rather then disruption over several weekends.



Re: Main Line Between Swindon And Bristol Will Close For Nine Days This Summer. - 246/657
Written by Nick Field on Tuesday, 6th June 2006

I have found soem more detail on FGW's website about the 9 day blockade in August.

Re: Main Line Between Swindon And Bristol Will Close For Nine Days This Summer. - 246/658
Written by Sion Bretton on Tuesday, 6th June 2006

Lets hope the trains run even if it only up to Chippenham.

 
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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