Monday to Friday.

From Melksham at 07:17, change at Swindon, Paddington at 09:06
From Melksham at 19:47, change at Swindon, Paddington at 21:30

From Paddington at 17:45, change at Swindon, Melksham at 19:11
(This is the only viable train from London to Melksham)

Saturday

From Melksham at 09:18, change at Swindon, Paddington at 10:59
From Melksham at 15:19, change at Swindon, Paddington at 17:15

From Paddington at 14:15, change at Swindon, Melksham at 15:58
(Note - final timetable says 15:38 but seems to be a misprint!)
From Paddington at 20:00, change at Swindon, Melksham at 21:34

Sunday

From Melksham at 17:21, change at Swindon, Paddington at 19:10
From Melksham at 19:51, change at Swindon, Paddington at 21:40

From Paddington at 17:07, change at Swindon, Melksham at 18:57
(This is the only viable train from London to Melksham)

Melksham is a growing town - current population around 24000 - situated about 100 miles to the west of London, and served by the TransWilts railway line.  Services are limied at present - the timetable above represents the complete practical service for journeys to and from London.

FWG have replied to my email stating that the Swindon to Westbury evening service is being withdrawn from December!

Will do Lee.  It's on my home account so I'll try and remember to do it tonight.

I have just asked for Swindon to Melksham for 12th December (Wednesday) on the journey planner. For 17:00 departure it said "no suitable trains" and for 18:00 it gave me  06:18 the next morning ....

The 1845 is in the FGW timetable (link below.)
http://www.firstgreatwestern.co.uk/Documents/Custom/DEC%202007%20PTT/Swindon%20to%20Westbury.pdf

Lee as promised.  Sorry it took so long the weekend was hectic!

I completed the enquiry form on FGWs website on the 12 Nov saying something like:

I travel from Melksham to Paddington and return, the National Rail and FGW on line time tables are not showing the evening service via Swindon.  Please could you advise if the train still runs

I received the reply below addressed to a MS Thompson (not me) asking me to ring.

First Great Western
Customer Services Team
FREEPOST
SWB40576
Plymouth
PL4 6ZZ

Tel: 08457 000 125
Fax: 08456 008 363
fgwfeedback@firstgroup.com

www.firstgreatwestern.co.uk

Ref: 3571785

Dear Ms Thompson

Thank you for your email of 12 November 2007 regarding our new timetable.

I will be happy for you to investigate further however I need you to specify what services you currently catch. So I can find out how the timetable change will affect you.

Please contact me on the above number and quote reference number 3571785 to provide me with this information and I will be able to look into this further for you.

Thank you once again for contacting First Great Western and I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours sincerely

John Hallybone
Customer Services Advisor

FirstInfo Limited, registered in England and Wales
Registration number: 2180352
Registered address: 50 Eastbourne Terrace, Paddington, London, W2 6LX

**********************************************************************
This message is confidential. It may not be disclosed to, or used by,
anyone other than the addressee. If you receive this message in
error, please advise us immediately.

Internet email is not necessarily secure. First does not accept
responsibility for changes to any email which occur after the email
has been sent. Attachments to this email could contain software
viruses which could damage your system. First have checked the
attachments for viruses before sending, but you should virus-check
them before opening.

For more information on our range of services or to book your tickets
online, please visit:- http://www.firstgroup.com
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I rang on 15 Nov saying that I was not Ms Thompson and I was surprised they had to ask which trains I caught as there is only one.  This is the reply I received….


First Great Western
Customer Services Team
FREEPOST
SWB40576
Plymouth
PL4 6ZZ

Tel: 08457 000 125
Fax: 08456 008 363
fgwfeedback@firstgroup.com

www.firstgreatwestern.co.uk

Ref: FGW 3581620

Dear Ms XXXXXXX

Thank you for your telephone call of 15 November 2007. I am sorry that you weren't happy with the way we handled your recent complaint. I am grateful that you've taken the time to let us know how you feel.

We take excellent customer service very seriously, and having looked again at your comments and our reply, I believe you are right and I do apologise. Our response was not up to the usual standard we set ourselves and I assure you I have altered our records to show your correct contact details.

I understand from your correspondence that you are concerned about the availability of services between London Paddington and Melksham following the introduction of the new timetable in December. I can confirm that there will be an alteration to your journey as there will no longer be a connection from Swindon to Melksham in the evening. You will however be able to travel on the 1733 service from London Paddington via Westbury and you will arrive in Melksham at 1947. 

Thank you once again for contacting us and I trust I have clarified the matter for you.

Yours sincerely

Simon Elliott
Customer Services Team Manager

FirstInfo Limited, registered in England and Wales
Registration number: 2180352
Registered address: 50 Eastbourne Terrace, Paddington, London, W2 6LX

**********************************************************************
This message is confidential. It may not be disclosed to, or used by,
anyone other than the addressee. If you receive this message in
error, please advise us immediately.

Internet email is not necessarily secure. First does not accept
responsibility for changes to any email which occur after the email
has been sent. Attachments to this email could contain software
viruses which could damage your system. First have checked the
attachments for viruses before sending, but you should virus-check
them before opening.

For more information on our range of services or to book your tickets
online, please visit:- http://www.firstgroup.com
**********************************************************************

Agreed -  but what worries me is that "Joe Public" doesn't realise that elements of the service that provides information isn't getting it right .... he tends to believe what he's told by the TOC and National Rail enquiry service ... which I've just asked for London to Melksham on 12th December and it still gave me

Paddington 17:33, Melksham 21:47 [via Westbury].   Open Single ticket - sixty pounds and fifty pence (via Westbury is, of course, more expensive than via Swindon).   Booking ahead and there are some cheaper fares at the moment ...

Response from Andrew Griffiths :

"NR were alerted to this last week and asked to correct ASAP - and check for other missing / incorrect entries.  Our printed timetables (downloadable as pdf files from firstgreatwestern.co.uk) and posters etc are correct, despite NR controlling the timetabling process..."