Save the Melksham Train
Archived Save the Train forum articles - 2005 to 2010. See below
Chippenham Re-instatement of redundant platform line - 7942/12838
Written by Sion Bretton on Saturday, 3rd January 2009

Do you think this will happen?

2010/11 X Chippenham Re-instatement of redundant platform line Improved reliability and additional capacity for both
passenger and freight services
Network Rail
Discretionary

I found this on internet on the following site:

http://www.networkrail.co.uk/browse%20documents/StrategicBusinessPlan/RoutePlans/2008/Route%2013%20-%20Great%20Western%20Main%20Line.pdf
Page 29.

Re: Chippenham Re-instatement of redundant platform line - 7942/12840
Written by WyvusArconius on Saturday, 3rd January 2009

It would certainly be nice... and adds more flexibility for transwilts services!

Re: Chippenham Re-instatement of redundant platform line - 7942/12841
Written by Escargot on Sunday, 4th January 2009

Sorry to be negative, but doesn't it also say, at page 21, that the line via Salisbuty and Melksham is being considered for freight from Southampton (to the Midflands) - and there is no mention of increasing the capacity (eg by part or full redoubling of the Melksham section)! :(

Re: Chippenham Re-instatement of redundant platform line - 7942/12842
Written by admin (Graham Ellis) on Friday, 9th January 2009

With the current lack of holding facilities that don't block the main lines or single track at both Chippenham and Trowbridge, you have a major issue if operations get slightly out of step. Imagine a freight train coming up, slightly late, from Southampton and being held at Thingley on the "TransWilts" for 15 minutes to let an HST go through.

 
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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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