Great Western Coffee Shop

Melksham Rail User Group summer and autumn timetable has gone off to the printers. Proof copies have been flying around - to MRUG officers, moderators/admins here, and our local CRO.  Huge thanks for feedback from MRUG and from the Coffee Shop team - a number of sillies were spotted before it went to print, and some excellent suggestion, many of which were adopted. 

First outings of the new leaflet - I should be taking them round to usual Melksham outlets (went round and got initial stock orders yesterday) on Thursday and they'll be at the Shaw Summer Fair on Saturday. Once they're on hand in printed form, I'll share the URL for the final online version.

From "Community Rail in the City", I have limited remaining stock of leaflets for three other CRPs - very relevant to village fetes as they give destination data, so they'll be there. If anyone is available to help on Saturday 22nd June, member Reginald25 (http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?action=profile;u=2286) would love your help.

Fair details.

(http://www.mrug.org.uk/ssf.png)

Range of MelkshamAreaCentric literature (including places to go from Melksham by train) available at Shaw on Saturday:

(http://www.wellho.net/pix/mkm_range_summer19.jpg)

Multiple copies of Melksham Train Guide available - take a handful to stock the literature rack in your tourist cafe, museum, bus station, or shop.  Valid until mid December 2019.   Significant volumes available from me, also quantities of the Coffee Shop leaflets.

Thanks to the MRUG team for their support at the MRUG stand at Shaw. Lots of interest and hopefully the excellent local timetables, produced by Grahame, handed out will generate some new users.

Time was we used to count passengers much more frequently ... that flood of how-doing data is now much less.  I do have various numbers, but this morning offered an unusual opportunity to count further.

25th June 2019.  Melksham Rail Group Leaflet to early morning passengers at Melksham.  We (thank you Reginald 25 for your help) took the opportunity to count the number of passengers getting on and off each train, and to count car park volumes too.   Weather - quite warm and very wet - more or less continuous (but not heavy) rain. Not attractive weather for most leisure trips, midweek and not half term.

Train calling at 06:36, on time (arrived a couple of minutes early)
Gloucester to Southmapton service, 3 car class 158
3 passenger on. 2 passengers off

Train due at 07:20, called at 07:25,
Westbury to Cheltenham Spa service, 3 car class 158
15 passengers on, 8 passengers off

Train due at 07:49, on time
Westbury to Swindon service, 2 car class 150
16 passengers on, 7 passengers off

Train due at 09:18, called at around 09:29
Swindon to Westbury service, 2 car class 150
9 passengers on, 2 passengers off

Train due at 10:02, on time
Westbury to Swindon service, 2 car class 150
10 passengers on, 4 passengers off

Car park vehile count:
main   outside   station   cycle
1   0   0   1   06:20
1   0   1   1   06:40
8   2   4   2   08:00
14   2   6+   2   09:30
14   2   6   2   10:10
+ - includes 1 in disable space correctly displaying blue badge

General comment?   Not enough data to draw any conclusions at all, but enough to suggest when you multiply it up that we're not doing too badly - especially considering the weather and the none-school-holiday conditions.  I'm noticing the flows on the first off peak services, and also the flows into Melksham.   As you would expect, lots of through passengers between Westbury / Trowbridge and Chippenham / Swindon

Most passengers took leaflets; some feedback such as:
* need for more trains
* need for later train back from Swindon
* desire for advance fares not to be offered only on very close connection - "self defeating"
* problems of getting taxi drivers to accept rail replacement jobs at Chippenham when a last train connection fails