Save the Melksham Train
Archived Save the Train forum articles - 2005 to 2010. See below
To Widen the scope? - 253/667
Written by admin (Graham Ellis) on Monday, 12th June 2006

We've been campaigning here ... with little end result, it seems, for nearly a year.

Re: To Widen the scope? - 253/1146
Written by admin (Graham Ellis) on Wednesday, 9th August 2006

You'll have noted that we have somewhat widened the scope,

Re: To Widen the scope? - 253/1148
Written by Graz on Wednesday, 9th August 2006

Keynsham and Oldfield Park also previously had an hourly service but now there is a two-hour gap between both stations in the middle of the day to allow the Brighton train to go to Cardiff Central-- as if there's not enough trains to Cardiff on that route already >:( what makes it even worse is that I was promised by Derek Twigg before FGW bought the franchise that the hourly service would be kept.

What annoys me further is the shortening of trains on routes to/from Southampton and Bristol. FGW are happily upgrading trains to London, at expense, but the Portsmouth-Cardiff services became very busy and Wessex had the good idea of adding an extra carriage onto these trains, from 2 to 3. They're now comfortable to travel in (albeit still standing room only at peak). But FGW are now very stupidly reducing them to 2 again. One of the worries I had when FGW bought the franchise is that they'd be too focused on Paddington HST trains, and that's just what's happening.

Re: To Widen the scope? - 253/1165
Written by Lee on Friday, 11th August 2006

It should also be remembered that Keynsham & Oldfield Park lie on the approved Bristol - Bath A4 Showcase Bus Route. (links below.)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/bristol/4747277.stm
http://www.savethetrain.org.uk/forum/index.php?topic=291.msg789#msg789

Here is some information on Worle station :

1) 180 car parking spaces available.
2) Lies on the approved Bristol - Weston - Super - Mare Showcase Bus Route.
3) Is next to Junction 21 of the M5.
4) Is next to the main Weston - Super - Mare approach road.
5) Is situated just before the point where the Weston - Super - Mare line branches off the Bristol - Taunton line.

Here is some of the land listed by BRB (Residuary.) on their website.

http://www.brb.gov.uk/property/property_listings?keyword=Pilning
http://www.brb.gov.uk/property/property_listings?keyword=Patchway
http://www.brb.gov.uk/property/property_listings?keyword=Melksham
http://www.brb.gov.uk/property/property_listings?keyword=Frome
http://www.brb.gov.uk/property/property_listings?keyword=Yatton
http://www.brb.gov.uk/property/property_listings?keyword=Severn+Beach
http://www.brb.gov.uk/property/property_listings?keyword=Weston+Super

Re: To Widen the scope? - 253/1167
Written by Lee on Saturday, 12th August 2006

The former sidings at Weston - Super - Mare are on the Bristol - Exeter line and are up for sale with the following restriction :

"ONLY AVAILABLE FOR RAIL FREIGHT USE"

Here are some more examples of BRB (Residuary) website listings with similiar resrictions.

http://www.brb.gov.uk/property/property_listings?keyword=Aldermaston
http://www.brb.gov.uk/property/property_listings?keyword=Alloa
http://www.brb.gov.uk/property/property_listings?keyword=Blaenau+Ffestiniog
http://www.brb.gov.uk/property/property_listings?keyword=Carlisle+Cumbria
http://www.brb.gov.uk/property/property_listings?keyword=Great+Yarmouth
http://www.brb.gov.uk/property/property_listings?keyword=Greenford
http://www.brb.gov.uk/property/property_listings?keyword=Irvine
http://www.brb.gov.uk/property/property_listings?keyword=Iver+Berkshire
http://www.brb.gov.uk/property/property_listings?keyword=Langley+Mill
http://www.brb.gov.uk/property/property_listings?keyword=Market+Harborough
http://www.brb.gov.uk/property/property_listings?keyword=Newhaven
http://www.brb.gov.uk/property/property_listings?keyword=Plymouth
http://www.brb.gov.uk/property/property_listings?keyword=Sunderland
http://www.brb.gov.uk/property/property_listings?keyword=Theale
http://www.brb.gov.uk/property/property_listings?keyword=Toton
http://www.brb.gov.uk/property/property_listings?keyword=Mossend
http://www.brb.gov.uk/property/property_listings?keyword=Westbury
http://www.brb.gov.uk/property/property_listings?keyword=Law+South+Lanarkshire

There is even a brochure (link below.)
http://www.rfg.org.uk/news/?pid=3158&lsid=3159&edname=21022.htm&ped=21022

Here is a quote from the Weston - Super - Mare section of the brochure.

"The site is on the up side of the Bristol to Exeter line. There are no rail connections and early consultation with Network Rail to determine connectivity and the availability of train paths is recommended."

A further example from the brochure can be found at Westerleigh , near Yate (link below.)
http://www.brb.gov.uk/property/property_listings?keyword=Westerleigh

Yate also lies on an approved Bristol Showcase Bus Route.

Re: To Widen the scope? - 253/1514
Written by admin (Graham Ellis) on Sunday, 24th September 2006

"The battle for 2006 is lost, but the war is far from decided".

 
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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