Great Western Coffee Shop

When I first got involved in rail campaigning, it was twelve years ago. I picked up the case of Melksham Station, at that point at the tail end of an unpromoted, sparse and unreliable service that had just been specified for reduction to a useless service for the next franchise. It was being made an example of - being cut on principle to show that money could be saved by cutting trains. When I stuck my head up and asked “is there any chance” I was laughed at, taken aside and told “be careful not to get involved in this because you won’t get anywhere”.

I don’t see a new / re-opened station at Lacock working in the near (or indeed) foreseeable future.  But then, my vision may not be as far into the future as the vision of others, and things can change, and perhaps you and others have a longer vision / wider view?    I and others have taken a look - in some cases very much a casual look - at other places between Chippenham and Trowbridge as potential new passenger stations, and none of them is in the TransWIlts top five - Wilton, Devizes, Porton, Corsham and Royal Wootton Bassett. There are a couple of other potentials that we can see that could make a “feasible” list, but Lacock is not one of them either, I’m afraid.

Network Rail are the custodian of the infrastructure, and with their desire for systems and infrastructure that seems to be twice as solid, three times as safe, and four times as much pre-planned as other may think justified have become seen as the organisation above all that stand in the way of new stations. No doubt if Network Rail didn’t take that role, someone else would, though.  In any case you would need to convince most of the Department for Transport, the local authority (for planning), train operator(s) to have their services call, the LEP, and the local population of the business and the operational case to the extent of supporting you and funding you from somewhere. A Cranbrook or Copplestone model, with significant housing around the station, is another way to get the station, using CIL / section 106 funding, but in most cases that garners little local support.

If Lacock Halt had survived the 1966 closure, or if the track running past the old platform had been slewed over and the station reopened on the cheap along with Melksham in 1985, I have no doubt that we would have a station there to this day.  And like Dilton Marsh which “should not have survived” it would be being improved, and indeed have good prospects.  Thinking of those around any scheme / campaign you may have for a re-opening, we would be looking to develop tourism traffic for Lacock, and potentially park and ride for Corsham - perhaps with a bus.   I believe that the station would be in the Corsham community area.  With a station, there is also scope for further development - residential and business, and indeed it’s my understanding that the wedge of land between the old A350 and the Chippenham bypass may be being developed?

Wilshire Council used to support the evening bus between Chippenham and Trowbridge, but withdrew their support and it ceased in August 2014 - they managed to let it be lost in amongst commercial route changes that were going on at the time.   Yes, last bus off Chippenham to Lacock is now around 17:30 and anyone who finishes work in Swindon at 5 p.m. cannot get home by train / bus any longer.

As a request stop, it’s unlikely to be considered.  With just one halt, train timings would need to assume a stop. It’s not line the Heart of Wales line where there are up to 5 request stops between stations and train timings allow for 2 or 3 stops to be made.  Further, if traffic were to be so sparse that a lot of trains wouldn’t even stop (zero pick up, zero drop off) I don’t think that a convening business case could be made.

The old platform is still in place but away from the track - unlike other old halts that have gone completely.  There is a slope down on one side / remains of steps (?) on the other but in practice the costings would look more like new station cost that there being any saving from refurbishment.  At least no high embankment or deep cutting to dig out. You'll find an earlier look at Lacock halt, with pictures, at http://www.wellho.net/mouth/4250_Lacock-Halt-former-TransWilts-Station.html

(http://www.wellho.net/pix/lacockhaltmap.jpg)
1 - site of old Lacock Halt
2 - Lacock National Trust village centre
3 - Corsham (town centre / Corsham Court)

(http://www.wellho.net/pix/lacockhalt02.jpg)