Save the Melksham Train
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Current news - Swindon - Melksham - Westbury - Salisbury


Update - this is now an archived page.

This section contains regular news updates, written personally - sometimes known as the "Save the Train" blog. You're more than welcome to comment on matters raised here on the Great Western Coffeeshop or look on our Save The Train forum archive.

Available entries ...

Welcome to News and Views
Three weeks ago, I launched "Save the Train" and in three weeks ... from a standing start ... I've had 300 visitors to the web site. Every day, I receive emails of encouragements to help Save the Train on the Swindon - Chippneham - Melksham - Trowbridge ...
2005-09-07
Welcome to News and Views
Every day, something crops up and I think "that's useful information" and ... then ... I often forget it. What better, then, than a diary / notebook / blog. Published, comments welcome. You can help keep me "on track" and the train running ... Swindon ...
2005-09-07
The story so far
History Closed in the Beeching era, Melksham Station was re-opened in the early 1990s with a limited service - a train to Swindon in the morning and a return in the evening. In May 2001, under (I believe) an agreement between Wiltshire Country Council ...
2005-09-08
Looking slightly wider
I've concentrated on Swindon to Westbury, with three intermediate stops - but there are other services / patterns outside the area that should be looked at / considered. Some are wild suggestions, others sensible. Some have major cost (Sponsorship ?) ...
2005-09-09
Don't let this become history!
Here's a picture of a daytime train just outside Melksham station; I'll intersperse this update and diary page with pictures from time to time as a picture paints a thousand words. Alas, times do move on - there are already historic aspects to this ...
2005-09-10
Meeting, 20th September - getting nervous
I'm getting a bit nervous - probably no bad thing. It's just over a week to go to the Open meeting I have called. I've had over 50 forms filled in on the site, and over 400 distinct visitors. Views expressed have ranged from the mildly supporting ...
2005-09-11
Encouraging traffic not just warm words
Last night, I had perhaps the most thought-provoking discussion so far ... the question of how to encourage people to USE the service that everyone says that they want. Perhaps this is the $64000 question; some ideas formulated ;-) .... There's no doubt ...
2005-09-13
Official (Government) view ... and I agree
From Transport Times The transport secretary [Alistair Darling] stresses that he is in favour of keeping open local branch lines if at all possible. “But there comes a time when a line is carrying two passengers in the morning and two in the evening, ...
2005-09-14
Excursion!
Have you ever driven round the central car park in Salisbury looking for a parking spot? I know I have! And yet ... Salisbury station is quite close to the centre and directly served from Melksham ... with further connections available. The 09:15 train ...
2005-09-15
Don't believe everything you hear
"It's just an empty stock working really" they told me about the train that calls at Melksham at 05:53 on its way up from Westbury to Swindon. And - foolish me - I believed them. This morning, there were three passengers on the train as it arrived in ...
2005-09-16
Old pictures. Not to be repeated event2005-09-18
Meeting!2005-09-19
Great meeting but just a start.2005-09-21
35% Growth in one year - Melksham ticket statistics2005-09-23
Swindon to Trowbridge2005-09-24
Regularity, Reliability, Realistic connections2005-09-25
Core meeting2005-09-27
Didn't you read page 52 of web document?2005-09-29
An easy timetable - Melksham to Chippenham and Swindon2005-09-30
Would this government close a station completely?2005-10-01
Quotes from Government2005-10-02
Tuesday, 18th October - Kiss and Ride day2005-10-04
Six NEW factors why the TransWilts train that serves Melksham should be enhanced and not cut2005-10-07
And more train users ...2005-10-08
Try the train on 18th October2005-10-09
Tracking codes for TransWilts stations2005-10-11
New stats prove it - the service IS used2005-10-12
Bump from Glasgow2005-10-14
Ready for Tuesday2005-10-16
Kiss and Ride report2005-10-18
A case of the tail wagging the dog??2005-10-20
The system is overcomplex - no wonder some odd things happen2005-10-21
Warminster Bus Running Day, 20052005-10-23
The storm's eye?2005-10-25
A disappointing letter2005-11-03
Some scenes at Melksham Station2005-11-06
Monday morning, Melksham Station2005-11-08
Busy train at Melksham2005-11-11
Forum Archives available2005-11-12
A THOUSAND visitors2005-11-15
What does it cost to run a train?2005-11-16
Timetable - Melksham to Reading and London2005-11-20
Plus a footnote - Melksham to London2005-11-21
A bustle before the 17:022005-11-24
STILL worth writing. To MP, To Dft, to bidders.2005-11-25
Keeping the campaign tail up2005-11-30
Don't drink and drive - drink and train.2005-12-02
Driving customers away?2005-12-04
Latest official answer2005-12-04
At Temple Meads today2005-12-05
Melksham and TransWilts train service - closure by stealth?2005-12-06
From the rumour mill2005-12-08
A Quandry2005-12-09
Santa Claus at Melksham Station2005-12-10
Train service fading away too?2005-12-12
Greater Western Franchise awarded2005-12-13
First Group - First answer on Melksham2005-12-14
First specific Melksham rumour ...2005-12-14
Virtually no service - or excellent service. Request the latter.2005-12-15
Should badgers be culled?2005-12-16
Melksham rail traffic up 33% in 3 months2005-12-17
Upside Down2005-12-18
Every journey has a story2005-12-19
New fares from 2nd January 20062005-12-20
No final decision yet2005-12-21
Even new stations don't always survive2005-12-23
A comparison across the world2005-12-24
Christmas service - unrequired, or just unprovided?2005-12-26
Update2005-12-29
New year, 20062006-01-01
Bustitution - buses for trains on Saturdays and Sundays2006-01-06
New Sign2006-01-08
The Meeting Season2006-01-11
Reply from MD of First Great Western2006-01-12
Wilts County Council could save the Melksham / Transwilts train2006-01-14
What does First pay the government for Greater Western?2006-01-15
Railway statistics and Melksham comparisons - how do we stand?2006-01-16
Winners and losers in the Devizes constituency2006-01-17
First want to hear your aspirations2006-01-19
Repeat - PLEASE write in with your aspirations2006-01-22
Were they purchasing votes?2006-01-29
Current status ...2006-01-29
Further threats2006-01-30
Keep watching - coming to the boil!2006-02-03
Recent Correspondence2006-02-05
From my postbag ...2006-02-07
Timetable consultation coming up2006-02-08
Waiting, with baited breath2006-02-09
Meeting with a local MP2006-02-11
Today or tomorrow2006-02-13
Draft Timetable is here2006-02-14
Out with the old users, in with the new2006-02-15
On the 05:52 this morning2006-02-16
Background and opinion2006-02-17
Draft timetables (continued)2006-02-21
Three and a half answers out of 42006-02-22
A week is a long time2006-02-26
Roger Jones answers 5 months later!2006-02-27
Safer current trains - the 06:56, 07:45 and 18:092006-02-28
INPUTS NEEDED by 8th March2006-03-05
Meetings and Consultation Responses2006-03-08
A whole pile of responses2006-03-08
Ploughing back OUR money, not theirs.2006-03-09
New pages and information2006-03-12
On supporting other campaigns ...2006-03-14
Not just the TransWilts and Melksham ...2006-03-21
Service failure looses more customers2006-03-22
The Waiting Game2006-03-29
Real time train monitoring2006-03-30
Someone can't wait!2006-03-31
High emotion2006-04-03
UPDATE - new timetables2006-04-03
An update - BAD, BAD news for Melksham ...2006-04-03
First - transforming travel2006-04-04
Constituency Changes2006-04-07
Southampton to Westbury RESTORED2006-04-11
Friday, 21st, Trowbridge2006-04-12
Meeting, Friday 21st2006-04-17
Celebrating a closure2006-04-17
Meeting, tonight2006-04-21
Friday's meeting2006-04-23
What SWPTUF says2006-04-23
Meeting, 21st - notes2006-04-23
Parliamentary Debate, 25th April2006-04-25
First back down or buses too.2006-04-26
Diary Date - 12th May2006-04-29
Waverley2006-05-04
RailFuture meeting today2006-05-06
RailFuture meeting - some gems2006-05-07
First way to get rid of customers?2006-05-09
Friday meeting - invite and details2006-05-11
It gets worse2006-05-15
Every so often, stop and look2006-05-16
Bus service costs 25 pounds per passenger to run?2006-05-18
Carrying fresh air around?2006-05-19
Home soon.2006-05-31
Put yourself in their shoes2006-06-01
Lies, damned lies and statistics2006-06-09
Our battle ....2006-06-12
... is part of a planned war2006-06-12
Political pressure - press release2006-06-15
How to catch the 18:48 from Chippenham - the DfT suggests2006-06-16
Internet connection issues2006-06-25
Selling off any possibility of improvement2006-06-27
Letter from Derek Twigg2006-06-28
Important but not refreshing meeting2006-07-05
Welcome for Michael Ancram and Chris Grayling2006-07-06
Visit by Chris Grayling and Michael Ancram2006-07-07
Friday, 7th July - Melksham2006-07-08
Rail future - the First Alternative2006-07-11
Pivotal decison - to grow or to strangle?2006-07-16
Bad news coming?2006-07-19
In praise of estate agents2006-07-22
Press Release - Open Access operator negotiations2006-07-26
Open Access case strengthened2006-07-30
A desire for honesty2006-08-03
Flowers for Melksham. Flowers at Melksham.2006-08-06
Has our publicity reached the right people?2006-08-10
One year on2006-08-14
A year on - an empty bank holiday2006-08-29
Bus connections to Melksham from Chippenham2006-08-29
Is this train used?2006-09-04
If its working well, change it so it doesnt.2006-09-15
20% service cut = 40% traffic cut?2006-09-17
A difficult choice for voters2006-09-23
Consultant's reports recommended a modest INCREASE2006-09-24
From Ystrad Mynach2006-09-26
Taunton meeting2006-10-04
More cancellations2006-10-10
Passenger or lemmings2006-10-11
Behind the new timetable2006-10-19
Is this fare?2006-10-26
Returning from their UK course2006-10-28
End of term - don't care2006-11-07
Current and future summary2006-11-13
2 weeks to go2006-11-21
Fading away?2006-11-26
Coming to a course in Melksham2006-11-28
Last Week - Press Release2006-12-05
Fizzle2006-12-08
They're gone ... but ...2006-12-10
New service - first impressions2006-12-14
"Told you so"2006-12-20
Christmas, 20062006-12-24
Welcome to 20072007-01-06
PLEASE LOBBY - First, Dft, County Council, your MP2007-01-10
Key players2007-01-17
Keeping the diary rolling2007-01-24
End game?2007-02-01
Save the Train v More Train, Less Strain2007-02-09
Invite letter - 5th March 2007 meeting2007-02-12
IMPROVED PUBLIC TRANSPORT LINKS ACROSS WILTSHIRE?2007-02-20
Passengers or Customers?2007-02-24
A fast-moving story?2007-03-02
The traveller, not the train!2007-03-04
Report - Monday night's meeting - press brief2007-03-07
What is happening?2007-03-18
Reply to Petition2007-03-31
Petition Response - detail, opinion, context2007-04-03
Government pressure to shut up. But let us look forward.2007-04-05
Asking for the political and part views2007-04-12
Helsinki and Heathrow to Melksham - Saturday2007-04-15
Gordon Dodge, Rest in Peace2007-04-16
An update2007-05-14
The way forward - improved service and improved station2007-06-01
A roundup from a MELKSHAM perspective2007-06-08
Update being updated!2007-06-08
News Roundup - a LOT is happening2007-06-09
Diary notes2007-06-20
New faces - mayors and chairs.2007-06-24
We have another hill to climb2007-07-14
Radio - tomorrow morning?2007-07-23
Weymouth, Poor Provisional, and Sunday2007-08-09
A Comparison - travel in the USA by train2007-08-21
The Ghost Train, Purton2007-08-23
How to fill platforms, and railway company coffers too!2007-09-01
FSB - North and West Wilts Commitee - Federation of Small Businesses2007-09-14
Frustrated but not depairing2007-09-21
Front page update2007-09-29
Comment on December timetables2007-10-03
A First to Stagecoach comparison2007-10-15
Does the new man want to play hard?2007-10-18
And the week ends with two more cancellations!2007-10-21
Comparing a Wiltshire town with a Norfolk one2007-10-24
Commutes are longer, and in the west we may know why2007-10-29
Campaigning Mantra - Philosophy behind the case2007-11-02
30 late, and a bus not a train ....2007-11-04
Staffing-go-round - but the campaigners carry on2007-11-08
Rail user groups do NOT represent rail users?2007-11-10
Cancellations, Changes and Crass Christmas2007-11-18
First Great Western's Melksham service branded "a disgrace"2007-11-23
A pile of 160 train tickets for tomorrow2007-11-30
Santa Claus spotted at Swindon Station2007-12-03
TransWilts trains ceased a year ago. Lets look forward2007-12-07
Trains to and from Melksham - Timetable from Dec07 to May082007-12-08
Happy Christmas everyone!2007-12-25
How have trains being doing in the last 48 hours?2007-12-30
Asda - an opportunity that can be used or squandered2008-01-14
Another slap in the face from First Great Western2008-01-16
On truthfully advertising the case2008-01-19
Fare Strike Day2008-01-28
Comparing a different part of the country2008-01-31
Where has our train gone?2008-02-04
Want to comment? You're welcome on the forum2008-02-06
An unusual journey for me - some observations2008-02-12
Milk producers2008-02-16
Meeting Season2008-03-02
The heart says "public transport", the head forces car2008-03-08
Not a Swiss clock railway this morning2008-03-21
Senseless service - could become sensible2008-03-27
Terminal 5 - a portent for the Olympics?2008-03-28
Loss of train - loss of job2008-04-03
Population growth, but congested roads2008-04-18
Road - busy ... railway - no trains, so no users2008-04-29
One long journey ends and another begins2008-05-11
Campaign update - news for December 08 / 09 / 10 / 11 ...2008-07-14
Preserved Railways - a look forward2008-08-17
Spring 2009 Campaign update2009-03-13


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