Great Western Coffee Shop

Sideshoots - associated subjects => Campaigns for new and improved services => Topic started by: grahame on April 10, 2007, 07:21:51



Title: Corsham Station reopening
Post by: grahame on April 10, 2007, 07:21:51
I have admired Anne Lock's campaign for a new station for Corsham since I got involved with the the railway business last year (TransWilts line / Save the Train).  Anne has been at it for much longer and, but for a cruel twist, would now be using the train from Corsham whenver she needed to visit Bath, Swindon or London.

Recent developments give certain new hopes to Anne's campaign - and the many others involved - and I'm happy to be providing a little information here, and a discussion board, so that they can use this electronic medium too.


Title: Re: Corsham Station reopening
Post by: grahame on April 10, 2007, 07:23:01
By the way - as well as thsi discussion board, we providing a "front page" at

http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/corsham.html



Title: Re: Corsham Station reopening
Post by: Lee on December 21, 2007, 16:34:49
People are being asked for their views on controversial plans to use money allocated for Corsham railway station to fund other projects in the town (link below.)
http://www.wiltshiretimes.co.uk/display.var.1915819.0.views_sought_on_town_cash_plan.php

Residents are being asked to write to town clerk David Martin with their comments following a town council meeting last week, at which only one councillor voted against the proposal.

The money was set aside as part of a section 106 agreement by the developers of Katherine Park to put towards a railway station for Corsham.

In October, North Wiltshire district councillor Christine Reid held a meeting in Corsham Town Hall to ask residents of the Katherine Park estate if they would like to see the ^252,000 go towards a community hall.

Residents voted in favour of the proposal, which angered campaigners for Corsham station.

People are now being asked to make their suggestions before the next leisure committee meeting at the town hall on January 9.

Corsham town councillor Peter Davis has been campaigning to get the station reopened for the past 25 years.

He said: "I am prepared to support an alternative use of the money if there is no possibility in any shape or form that the station is not going to materialise."

"Everyone is talking as if they are going to lose the money now, but this is not the case as it will be available for the next ten years."

"I said at the meeting that it is a very premature decision and I did say categorically that the decision to utilise the money for alternative uses should not really be considered at this stage."

Anyone wanting to comment on the proposals can write to town clerk David Martin at the Town Hall, High Street, Corsham SN13 OEZ.


Title: Re: Corsham Station reopening
Post by: Graz on December 23, 2007, 11:42:57
I have some good friends who live in Box, and currently if they go by rail they normally go to Chippenham. But they have said that a station in Corsham would be a lot easier to get to than there or Bath Spa. Box and Corsham are two fairly big places, and I feel the case for a station is very strong. Of course, the major problem is the availibility of trains that could stop there.

Unless the direct Bristol to Oxford services were reinstated, the only other solution I could think of would be some HST stops which may have to sacrifice calls other stations like Didcot Parkway. A shuttle service from Bath to Swindon probably wouldn't be viable enough just for the benefit of Corsham.

I hope the funding isn't withdrawn until serious talks are made by North Wilts council/ Katherine Park developers and FGW / the DfT over any possible solutions to providing services to the station.


Title: Re: Corsham Station reopening
Post by: grahame on December 23, 2007, 14:25:13
Unless the direct Bristol to Oxford services were reinstated, the only other solution I could think of would be some HST stops which may have to sacrifice calls other stations like Didcot Parkway. A shuttle service from Bath to Swindon probably wouldn't be viable enough just for the benefit of Corsham.

One of the ideas that it was suggested to me that I should suggest for the TransWilts service was Salisbury - Warminster - Dilton Marsh - Westbury - Trowbridge - Melksham - Chippenham - Corsham - Bath - Oldfield Park - Keynsham - Temple Meads (and perhaps on to Portishead).    Normally I might have ruled such a dogleg route out quite quickly, but it came from a gentlemen who has a lot of good ideas and knows and speaks to the transport ministers on, I gather, a quite frequent basis.  I'm sure some of you know him very well.

There's a degree of sanity.  Change at Chippenham for Swindon / London is fine off the TransWilts, as long as it's not a 55 minute wait. And a great deal of Melksham traffic (road as well as rail) is in the Bath / Bristol direction.


Title: Re: Corsham Station reopening
Post by: drew22299 on March 11, 2008, 18:02:41
Here is the petition:

http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/corshamstation/


Title: Re: Corsham Station reopening
Post by: corshamjim on March 26, 2008, 11:24:50
I spoke with Anne Lock about the station campaign a few weeks ago but have heard nothing back since.  Is there any plan to hold a public meeting soon?  The impression I get is that there are quite a few people in the town willing to get involved in the campaign if only it had more of a public face.

If you're able to do a press release about the petition and any other news about the campaign, please can you send it to me for publication on Corsham Diary (http://corshamdiary.org.uk)?


Title: Re: Corsham Station reopening
Post by: corshamjim on March 26, 2008, 11:28:48
Grahame, that front page seems to be largely broken now, and the link seems to point to an inaccessible forum topic.  Would you mind fixing it a little if you have a minute please, and if there's a particular forum I should be posting in for Corsham related topics let me know?

thanks,

Jim

Web Admin for Corsham Diary (http://corshamdiary.org.uk)


Title: Re: Corsham Station reopening
Post by: grahame on March 26, 2008, 13:21:51
Hi, Jim .... and welcome to the Forum.   I have corrected the page / links and I can confirm that this "campaign for new and improved services" is indeed the place for Corsham material / comments.  In fact I would be delighted to have a separate area for that campaign (as we have for the TransWilts serving Melksham) should it grow sufficiently.

Can you give us an update here, please, on the campaign?  I think a lot of it's off the web!


Title: Re: Corsham Station reopening
Post by: corshamjim on March 26, 2008, 15:51:30
I was hoping someone here might know how the campaign is going.  Last I heard was from Anne Lock a few weeks ago saying there was a committee meeting coming up at which time they would discuss holding a public meeting and possibly getting a web-site together too.  I'm not on the committee so am not 'in the loop' so to speak.  I'll see if I still have Anne's number and will give her a call if no-one else posts here in the next day or two.

Many thanks for fixing the web page - if I can point people in the direction of the discussion here, hopefully it will help to increase the numbers of people talking about it and help to keep everyone informed as and when the campaign can get a meeting together.

It seems the proposal to spend the money associated with Katherine Park on something other than the Station is firmly shelved for now.

North Wilts District Council have been spending what money they have left on various projects rather than hand over any spare cash to the new Unitary Authority for Wiltshire which is due to come in to existence soon.  They've allocated some money for research in to rail travel for Corsham people, but unfortunately this will concentrate on options for improving travel from Corsham to Chippenham station rather than actually reopening the station at Corsham.  It will be interesting to see if the research manages to come up with anything at all useful.


Title: Re: Corsham Station reopening
Post by: Lee on March 26, 2008, 16:14:36
CANBER is firmly in support of opening a station at Corsham, and we have recently been lobbying FGW on this and other matters (click on http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=1407.msg8181#msg8181) Their view is that there needs to be a suitable local service to call at the station.

Of course, this problem can be traced back to when the SRA withdrew the Oxford-Bristol service, which in turn prompted the SRA view that Corsham station could not be reopened because there was no longer a service that could call there. Things were actually looking very promising for Corsham up until that point.

We will keep plugging away though.


Title: Re: Corsham Station reopening
Post by: corshamjim on March 26, 2008, 17:01:41
Thanks Lee,

I've just been looking up CanBer on the web.  Is it's home still on the BBC action network?  I ask because it seems the BBC will be shutting the Action Network down shortly: http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/actionnetwork/A33049172 :(


Title: Re: Corsham Station reopening
Post by: Lee on March 26, 2008, 17:08:29
Thanks Lee,

I've just been looking up CanBer on the web.  Is it's home still on the BBC action network?  I ask because it seems the BBC will be shutting the Action Network down shortly: http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/actionnetwork/A33049172 :(

Yes, we are still on Action Network for the time being (link below.)
http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/actionnetwork/G1517

We aim to relocate elsewhere before the April 30 deadline, and I will let the Coffee Shop know when we do.


Title: Re: Corsham Station reopening
Post by: corshamjim on March 26, 2008, 17:12:52
Thanks Lee, FWIW, I registered my support anyway.  :)


Title: Re: Corsham Station reopening
Post by: Lee on March 26, 2008, 17:24:18
Thanks Lee, FWIW, I registered my support anyway.  :)

Many thanks  :)


Title: Re: Corsham Station reopening
Post by: Btline on April 01, 2008, 14:03:17
My problem with this, is that it would slow down (again, even more), FGW's HSTs.

Unless new services were started (e.g. Oxford to Bristol) - fat chance!


Title: Re: Corsham Station reopening
Post by: Lee on April 01, 2008, 14:21:45
My problem with this, is that it would slow down (again, even more), FGW's HSTs.

Unless new services were started (e.g. Oxford to Bristol) - fat chance!

Which is exactly the debate that we have been having with FGW  ;D

See archive quote below :

Regarding Corsham, research (backed up by source info) suggests that calling HST's there would take 3 minutes extra, and that there is approximately 3 minutes slack into Bath. Stage Two of my West Fleet plan takes this into account, and also makes provision for a seperate hourly daytime service calling at Corsham (link below.)
http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=1407.msg8181#msg8181


Title: Re: Corsham Station reopening
Post by: Btline on April 01, 2008, 16:25:39
I suppose so, but surely faster services are needed, then with additional local services!

In your "slack" example - 3 mins shorter journey time would be good!

But - it is a good observation. if trains can be called within slack time without affecting performance.....


Title: Re: Corsham Station reopening
Post by: John R on April 01, 2008, 18:21:13
But given the slack time is needed for to ensure decent PPM figures, the result would inevitably be an extra 3 mins on the timetable. 


Title: Re: Corsham Station reopening
Post by: Btline on April 01, 2008, 18:25:36
But given the slack time is needed for to ensure decent PPM figures, the result would inevitably be an extra 3 mins on the timetable. 

Of course, if the track speed was increased to 140 mph.....


Title: Re: Corsham Station reopening
Post by: Lee on April 01, 2008, 18:39:22
My rationale was to create a non-HST additional service as follows :

New hourly off-peak Chippenham-Worcester Shrub Hill service calling at Corsham, Bath Spa, Bristol Temple Meads, Filton Abbey Wood, Bristol Parkway, Yate, Cam & Dursley, Gloucester, Cheltenham Spa and Ashchurch for Tewkesbury. Some calls are also made at Oldfield Park, Keynsham, Lawrence Hill and Stapleton Road. During the "Bristol peak", services run to/from Westbury/Weymouth rather than Chippenham. The service also improves commuting opportunities between Bristol-Gloucester and Worcester-Cheltenham.

This would also have the benefit of increasing frequencies at stations further up the line towards Gloucester/Cheltenham/Worcester, when combined with other services.

HST's would only call at Corsham when the above service runs to/from Westbury/Weymouth rather than Chippenham. The HST services would run 3 minutes earlier between Bristol Temple Meads-Bath Spa. This timing alteration applies in the Bristol-London direction only.

It is worth noting that the only difference between my position and FGW's on the timing is that they came up with a 5 minute figure for the above calculation. I am happy to stick with mine, given that it was worked out by a very reliable source.

Running the non-HST service to/from Westbury/Weymouth during the peak would also have the effect of increasing service provision along that corridor when it is most needed.

Another part of my reasoning was that Corsham would likely require at least limited direct services to/from London.

See link below for full details. The proposal also requires the third platform to be restored at Chippenham.
http://www.raildocuments.org.uk/jan08/stage2.doc


Title: Re: Corsham Station reopening
Post by: Btline on April 01, 2008, 18:43:52
When I read you plans, I thought you had some good ideas (the above one for example). :)

But does anyone know of them? FGW? Net Rail? If so, what do they think? 8)


Title: Re: Corsham Station reopening
Post by: Lee on April 01, 2008, 18:58:01
When I read you plans, I thought you had some good ideas (the above one for example). :)

But does anyone know of them? FGW? Net Rail? If so, what do they think? 8)

On FGW, they have a long-held position that there needs to be a suitable local service to call at the station, and they dont want to call HST's there. It was always going to be a long shot to change that. To be fair, they have studied the plans in detail, and also responded to our counter-points. I am sure that we will have further dialogue on this and other issues.

The DfT have also considered the plans, but have not elaborated on what they think. However, their plan for FGW comes out in May, and we will be looking to see at least some of our ideas included.


Title: Re: Corsham Station reopening
Post by: John R on April 01, 2008, 19:57:07
But given the slack time is needed for to ensure decent PPM figures, the result would inevitably be an extra 3 mins on the timetable. 

Of course, if the track speed was increased to 140 mph.....

Actually, there is a way. Just reinstate 125mph running from Reading to Swindon and you gain the 3 minutes needed for the stop at Corsham. Travelling at 125mph from Stafford to Wolverhampton yesterday on a XC service you certainly notice it when they go above 100. 


Title: Re: Corsham Station reopening
Post by: corshamjim on May 07, 2008, 20:18:03
The Pound Art Centre, Pound Pill, Corsham is the place to be on Friday, 23rd May 2008 at 7.30 for 8.00 pm for all those people interested in the reopening of Corsham Station.

Edit by Conner: Now linked to Calendar.


Title: Re: Corsham Station reopening
Post by: grahame on May 16, 2008, 12:25:29
The "Official" poster ...

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


Title: Re: Corsham Station reopening
Post by: corshamjim on May 23, 2008, 23:54:48
Mike Greedy of Passenger Focus gave a witty and detailed presentation showing how the decision-making process works and giving some insights in to where we need to focus our efforts.

The Corsham Station Campaign website is now officially launched at http://corsham-station-campaign.org.uk  8)


Title: Re: Corsham Station reopening
Post by: Lee on June 05, 2008, 08:49:20
Link to the wider Liberal Democrat proposals.
http://www.libdems.org.uk/news/liberal-democrats-launch-radical-new-transport-policies.14392.html

Quote from: Liberal Democrats
The main proposals include:

Cutting fuel duty and abolishing VED over the next 10 years and introducing a cost-neutral road user pricing scheme on motorways and trunk roads

Building a high speed rail network paid for by introducing emissions-linked charges on road freight and internal flights

Introducing rolling contracts for train operating companies to increase long-term investment and improve services

Give power to control local bus services back to local authorities
 
Introducing a new fund for rural transport
 
Giving passengers a stronger voice to improve local transport services through a new passenger watchdog


Title: Re: Corsham Station reopening
Post by: Phil on November 14, 2009, 11:00:33
Dunno about "soon", but it seems they're not giving up altogether.

This from the Wiltshire Times website:

http://www.wiltshiretimes.co.uk/news/4737837.Corsham_station_bid_takes_centre_stage/?ref=eb

Quote
Corsham station bid takes centre stage

4:00pm Friday 13th November 2009

Corsham Station campaign members will be in the Martingate Centre on Saturday from 10am exhibiting statistics from the area.

The campaigners will be using a shop to display information and traffic figures to the public in a bid to drum up support for the re-opening of Corsham Station.

People will be able to find out more about the rail schemes across the area and to write their own response to Network Rail^s consultation on the future of rail services across the region.

Anyone planning on attending today?

Presumably when they say "People will be able to find out more about the rail schemes across the area" they're including the TransWilts campaign - have you been invited, Graham?


Title: Re: Corsham Station reopening
Post by: grahame on November 14, 2009, 14:12:54

Anyone planning on attending today?


I went along - very much welcomed by old friends and some good stuff which I'll follow up on later (I'm passing by and out again in 5 minutes).


Title: Re: Corsham Station reopening
Post by: grahame on November 15, 2009, 04:29:09
I popped in to the Corsham group's "booth" in the centre of Corsham yesterday - they had borrowed a shop that's currently unlet and were inviting shoppers in there to hear more about their campaign for a station ... and much more for a train service that passes through Corsham and is sufficiently un-express for whoever runs it to consider stopping it there.   There's only one train per day that's not a London -> Bristol and beyond (or vice versa) service at the current time.

(http://www.wellho.net/pix/ccamp0.jpg)

The group was gathering reply cards / names and addresses with a particular vies to the GWRUS response which is now due in within a fortnight. 

I'll leave their excellent bullet-point texts to speak for themselves initially:

(http://www.wellho.net/pix/ccamp1.jpg)

(http://www.wellho.net/pix/ccamp2.jpg)

(http://www.wellho.net/pix/ccamp3.jpg)

(http://www.wellho.net/pix/ccamp4.jpg)

(http://www.wellho.net/pix/ccamp5.jpg)

(http://www.wellho.net/pix/ccamp6.jpg)

The question was asked in another thread here whether the was going to be much "TransWilts" content at the event.  Well - several of the people there are old friends and very much supporters of the "TransWilts", but the campaign / issues are different but with parallels.

Comment on Corsham:

The GWRUS looked at a Bristol area -> Chippenham service which would have provided a suitable more local train through Corsham, and trains could then call there serving Bath (in one direction) and Chippenham (in the other), both of which are Corsham destinations.  However, the roads into Bath / Chippenham are in both cases less than fast, and the buses in both directions used to (still do?) go round the houses in places making a less than fast service.

From my reading of the RUS, the case for a Corsham station itself wasn't examined, and the idea of a Bristol -> Chippenham suburban route was rejected because of the cost of a bay platform at Chippenham in favour of an extra hourly Bristol -> Bath.  Without a bay at Bath, I do wonder if they have the capacity to turn trains around there.    Looking more bravely / wider ... why not make the service a Bristol -> Swindon suburban one, evaluate the case for a Wootton Bassett station on the Chippenham line, which would then have a 30 minute service (hourly via Corsham, hourly via Melksham) into Swindon.    Makes sense, bearing in mind Wiltshire Council's expansion plans for "West of Swindon" by 2026, along with Chippenham and Trowbridge.

I was reminded about the Corsham event by Duncan Hames' tweet (Duncan is the prospective Lib-Dem candidate for Chippenham / Melksham  / Corsham / Bradford-on-Avon ... and who should I run into at the meeting but Wilfred Emmanuel-Jones, the Conservative candidate.

(http://www.wellho.net/pix/ccamp8.jpg)

Support for this one is truely cross-party ... there were strong lib-dem and conservative supporters both manning the shop at the event.





Title: Re: Corsham Station reopening
Post by: signalandtelegraph on November 15, 2009, 20:28:20
... and who should I run into at the meeting but Wilfred Emmanuel-Jones, the Conservative candidate.




Perhaps he could campaign for improved services in Devon, where he lives  ;)


Title: Re: Corsham Station reopening
Post by: grahame on March 22, 2010, 12:26:25
I have been asked to comment on how Corsham "fits in with" the TransWilts / Community Rail Partnership.   In summary, it's on "the next line across" so isn't directly linked, except that there's so much we can do together, and the potential of alternate services up to Swindon looking w-a-y- ahead.    See my full answer:

http://www.savethetrain.org.uk/forum/index.php?topic=8106.0


Title: Re: Corsham Station reopening
Post by: Chris from Nailsea on January 29, 2012, 21:16:10
From the Wiltshire Times (http://www.wiltshiretimes.co.uk/news/latestheadlines/9498031.Corsham_rail_station_still_an_objective/):

Quote
Corsham rail station still an objective

A Wiltshire councillor is supporting some objectives proposed for Corsham in the Core Strategy.

Cllr Peter Davis has long campaigned for Corsham to have a train station after the previous one closed more than 25 years ago, and he was pleased to see plans to build a new one have been outlined in Wiltshire Council^s 360-page document.

Cllr Davis, who is also a Corsham Town councillor, said: ^ve endeavoured to get Corsham a new train station for 25 years. I think it would be a vital part of a prosperous future for the town. A new station would improve so many peoples^ lives, including those travelling for work, school and recreation.

^It would save so much time as, for example, we previously got so close to having a new Corsham station that timetables were printed saying how long it would take to get from here to Bath. It would have been eight minutes ^ most commuters haven^t even got their cars out of the garage in eight minutes.^

He said improving transport links would help to bring more tourism and enterprise to Corsham, another priority outlined in the Core Strategy, although he did not support the report^s plans for 670 new houses to be built around the town before 2026.

He said: ^There will undoubtedly be more residential properties in Corsham in the future but I think it could do with a rest for a while.^


Title: Re: Corsham Station reopening
Post by: eightf48544 on January 30, 2012, 11:24:53
One of the unintended benefits of the BR policy, pre and post Beeching. of closing intermediate stations on main lines was that it enabled Inter city to develope a fast frequent service between major centre cummulating in the HSTs. Now we have the problem of the success of these services and half hourly ICs to Bristol.

I am not sure if you build at station at Corsham how it would be served I would suggest that adding another stop would disrupt an already tight shecdule. Unless of course it was built as later GWR stations were with platform loops. That would make it extremely coatly as ideally you would want long loops with fairly high speed turnouts to minimise delay for train leaving the mainline. It would also require very smart operating for the IC to pass the stopper whilst it's stopped in the loop. Maybe the wonders of ERTMS.

I still wonder whether reopening the Bradford North curve, with a North Trowvbridge Parkway station and running a Bath Swindon stopper wouldn't benefit more people than re opening just one station.

 


Title: Re: Corsham Station reopening
Post by: Chris from Nailsea on February 01, 2013, 00:57:23
From the Wiltshire Times (http://www.wiltshiretimes.co.uk/news/10198465.Bristol_mayor_s_rail_plan_gets_Corsham_station_back_on_track/):

Quote
Bristol mayor's rail plan gets Corsham station back on track

Wiltshire Council has welcomed proposals by the new mayor of Bristol to reopen Corsham railway station.

George Ferguson, the independent elected mayor of Bristol, has approved funding for major improvements to the Bristol area railway network, which includes provision for a new station in Corsham. His proposals still need to be approved by Bristol Council before the bid goes before the Department for Transport, but, if successful, could mean the reopening of the station, which closed in 1963.

Wiltshire Council has strongly supported the proposal. Dick Tonge, the cabinet member for transport, said: ^We welcome this promising news about what has been one of Wiltshire Council^s priorities for many years. We are looking forward to working with the greater Bristol area consortium to help make this a reality and bring rail travel back to Corsham. After many years of disappointments, we really hope that the opening of Corsham station can happen this time. We very much support this exciting project.^

Corsham residents and town councillors have campaigned to reopen the station for many years.

Wiltshire councillor for Corsham Peter Davies, who also sits on Corsham Town Council, welcomed the news. He said: ^That would be wonderful. It^s something that I have been working towards for the last 25 years and it^s something that the people of Corsham desperately need and desperately want, in order to get in and out of the city without having to deal with all the congestion. We had the station designed, we had the plans passed and everything ready to construct the station, then the Government pulled the plug on the Bristol to Oxford service, so we had to stop. We are all ready to go. All we want is a train to service to stop at Corsham and we will be willing and able to get it built.^

Mr Ferguson has pledged ^1.8 million of Bristol Council funds to develop the business case for the scheme, which would require ^94 million of Government funding. He said: ^This is something around which the transport lobby seems to be agreed. It^s making use of current infrastructure and adding to it in places. Over the next 10 or 15 years, it enables us to make a more integrated approach to our transport and will, hopefully, lead to an integrated transport authority in the long term.^

The news comes as Transport Minister Norman Baker outlined plans to devolve decision-making on major local transport schemes to local transport bodies from 2015.


Title: Re: Corsham Station reopening
Post by: JayMac on February 01, 2013, 01:19:55
Hmm....

Bristol City council taxpayers funding a business case for a station that isn't in the area covered by Mayor Ferguson?

Corsham isn't even in a neighbouring authority area.

I'm all for studies into proposed reopenings but I'm at a bit of loss to understand why ^1.8 million of Bristol taxpayers money is being spent in Wiltshire. Mayor Ferguson appears to be beyond his remit here.

What benefits will a station at Corsham bring to Bristol? Some commuters may switch from road to rail if the station opens but that could be true of may places in the areas near, or not so near, Bristol.


Title: Re: Corsham Station reopening
Post by: swrural on February 01, 2013, 10:49:54
The money AIUI is for the whole Bristol area project.  Typical BEP misreporting.


Title: Re: Corsham Station reopening
Post by: JayMac on February 01, 2013, 18:27:58
The money AIUI is for the whole Bristol area project.  Typical BEP misreporting.

And that includes Corsham in Wiltshire?

Oh, and the article posted was from The Wiltshire Times not the paper formerly known as Bristol Evening Post.  ;)


Title: Re: Corsham Station reopening
Post by: Phil on February 01, 2013, 18:40:22
a.k.a. the Wiltshire Times - the paper formerly known as the Swindon Advertiser (as you'll see if you read the small print signing up to their website)


Title: Re: Corsham Station reopening
Post by: Phil on February 01, 2013, 18:47:36
Hmm....

Bristol City council taxpayers funding a business case for a station that isn't in the area covered by Mayor Ferguson?

Corsham isn't even in a neighbouring authority area.

I'm all for studies into proposed reopenings but I'm at a bit of loss to understand why ^1.8 million of Bristol taxpayers money is being spent in Wiltshire. Mayor Ferguson appears to be beyond his remit here.

What benefits will a station at Corsham bring to Bristol? Some commuters may switch from road to rail if the station opens but that could be true of may places in the areas near, or not so near, Bristol.

The one significant thing linking Corsham and Bristol is the Ministry of Defence, which has "headquarters" at both (Abbey Wood and Spring Lane). Where once however the MoD had the appetite and the money to invest in public transport infrastructure in an attempt to draw staff out of the London region and to relocate to Bristol, as they did when Filton Abbey Wood station was reopened or refurbished (I'm not sure if it ever did close, but it's certainly unrecognisable now from what it was 20 years ago), they have neither the money or the inclination or indeed the staff in need of relocation to re-develop Corsham Station in a similar manner.



Title: Re: Corsham Station reopening
Post by: swrural on February 01, 2013, 18:57:34
I do not think ^1.8 million is being spent on the Corsham project (or even ^1.8, perhaps ^1800) business case.  If it were, I would imagine a Queens Square riot would again break out. 

Apologies for my own misreporting (I see that standard format presentation and flip).   :D 


Title: Re: Corsham Station reopening
Post by: Trowres on February 01, 2013, 22:05:09
It's safe to assume that the ^1.8m is for development of the case for the whole Metro (possibly only stage 1?) and not for Corsham.

If Corsham improves the business case for the Metro phase 2 then its inclusion in the evaluation work would be money well spent.



Title: Re: Corsham Station reopening
Post by: paul7575 on February 02, 2013, 00:01:41
It's little different to the process that has seen Crossrail developed mainly by Tfl, even though it extends beyond the GLA boundary, such as to Maidenhead.

Paul


Title: Re: Corsham Station reopening
Post by: Red Squirrel on April 06, 2014, 17:39:31
Quote

Corsham Station plan on track

Corsham could have a working railway station again within five years, according to railway minister Stephen Hammond.

Mr Hammond MP visited the town on Thursday to discuss reopening the town^s abandoned station with campaigners and gave his backing to the scheme.

He said: ^The community^s case I have heard today is one of the most powerful cases I have heard.

See Wiltshire Gazette and Herald (http://www.gazetteandherald.co.uk/news/headlines/11124208._/) for full story



Title: Re: Corsham Station reopening
Post by: John R on April 06, 2014, 17:55:29
when Filton Abbey Wood station was reopened or refurbished (I'm not sure if it ever did close, but it's certainly unrecognisable now from what it was 20 years ago
The original Filton station was closed in the mid 90s, and the new one built just to the south.  The original station only had platforms on the Patchway line, being slightly north of the junction, so by moving it south, it could also be served by trains heading towards Parkway. You can still see the platforms, though they are somewhat derelict after 20 years of disuse.


Title: Re: Corsham Station reopening
Post by: Chris from Nailsea on September 03, 2014, 09:09:41
From This is Wiltshire (http://www.thisiswiltshire.co.uk/news/11446161._/?):

Quote
Crucial meeting over re-opening Corsham railway station 'within a month'

(http://www.thisiswiltshire.co.uk/resources/images/3235983.jpg?type=articleLandscape)
This Is Wiltshire: Michelle Donelan, Ben Howlett, Professor Christina Slade and Devizes MP Claire Perry at Corsham

A crucial meeting between government officials and campaigners about the re-opening of Corsham railway station will take place within a month, says Devizes MP Claire Perry.

The new Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Transport was at Corsham on Friday with the Conservative^s prospective parliamentary candidate for Chippenham, Michelle Donelan.

Mrs Perry said: ^What I^ve promised Michelle is to have a meeting in the next month in the department with officials and the people here today and really try and kick the tyres.^

^What we need is to get my department officials together with Network Rail and the campaigners here and I think a member from the train operating company and say, what do we need to know? What are the questions we haven^t answered? What needs to happen?^

The line between London and Bristol is being electrified over the next four years which should increase efficiency on the line and permit smaller stopping services in Wiltshire, including Corsham.

Mrs Perry stressed that any new station needed to be considered before the electrification process to prevent pylons inhibiting any future developments along the line.

She said: ^There^s lots of money going into this area and I have to say the case that has been put forward by Michelle and the others here today, the economic case, it^s not a political case, for re-opening Corsham station is really strong. There^s money to be spent on infrastructure at the moment which is, thank goodness, long overdue.^

Mrs Perry's predecessor Stephen Hammond had met campaigners in March.

As well as Miss Donelan, Ben Howlett, prospective parliamentary candidate for Bath, Wiltshire councillors for Corsham Dick Tonge and Phil Whalley and Bath Spa University vice-chancellor Professor Christina Slade were all present at the briefing.

Miss Donelan said: ^Corsham station is vital for the town, for the economy, for tourism, for education and all aspects of life. I have been surveying and everybody, over 90 per cent of people, support it and it^s something I am spearheading as a campaign to drive forward because now is the time that we can actually achieve it.^


Title: Re: Corsham Station reopening
Post by: grahame on September 03, 2014, 14:07:41
The Chippenham Parliamentary Constituency was what I would have described as a marginal one at the last election, with Duncan Hames for the Liberal Democrats narrowly defeating Wilfred Emmanual-Jones Standing for the Conservatives.  However, while there was a major tussle for votes between them, on transport subject and policy with regards to the TransWilts (and I believe with regard to Corsham too) there wasn't much of a difference.   Since the election, when Duncan Hames won the seat, he has been hugely supportive of the TransWilts and I'm of the opinion that without his help, it's probably that there would still be just a token service on the line, and 130,000 individual journeys would be effected negatively this year.  But yet Duncan has had help in this from the government, which is a coalition with the major partner being the Conservatives.

Cross Party Support for appropriate train services in Wiltshire has helped us move things forward so well, and can do in the future, so I really welcome Michelle Donelan's strong support for the TransWilts and for the Corsham campaign.   However, I have a degree of concern that transport - a very important factor to many in Melksham (see the JSA - Joint Strategic Assessment) may be being turned into something of a political battle ground;  I'm slightly concerned to read "Mrs Perry said: ^What I^ve promised Michelle is to have a meeting in the next month in the department with officials and the people here today and really try and kick the tyres.^" when I can't help thinking that's probably being going on very much in the background anyway.   This would all be very much easier to understand if we had traditional government and opposition, but I'll confess to being slightly confused between how to handle a coalition together on one front and electioneering against each other on the other.   And whilst I'm very happy to have the support from all around - which we need - I'm also a little concerned that we not forget the hard and often unnoticed work that's been done by our current member, and also the government members of both coalition parties.  Forgetting that hard work and buying into bright promises would be a risky strategy, and I feel that personally, and also with the TransWilts CRP hat on, we need to remain risen above the political fight for the seat and look to the constituency as a whole.


Title: Re: Corsham Station reopening
Post by: grahame on January 05, 2015, 13:47:57
From my mailbox

Quote
Saturday, January 03, 2015
Today, 50 years ago, the last train stopped at Corsham station on its journey from Swindon to Bristol. All the small stations enroute closed at the same time ^ January 4th 1965, with the date, but today with the actual happening."

Certainly, Peter Davis recalled that at that time passengers from Corsham had been petitioning for the provision of an extra carriage as the trains were so crowded.   When co-ordinating the original Travel Survey, Corsham residents at that time spoke of the shock and readjustments their families had to make, i.e. the purchase of a car and driving lessons.   Certainly Ian Nalder, Secretary of the RUCC (Rail Users Consultative Committee) informed me that Corsham was the one station for which that passenger body  insisted on an Inquiry into the closure, as it was seen to be so destructive to the lives of those living in the town."


Title: Re: Corsham Station reopening
Post by: Lee on February 18, 2015, 07:21:13
Well, 50 years on I take the First Bus 231 Service every day from the outskirts of Bath to work in Chippenham via Corsham, and it is noticeable how the bus always seems to go from empty to nicely loaded as it picks up passengers on its way round Corsham.

Also very interesting to observe this morning a lady getting on at the stop adjacent to where a reopened Corsham station would be situated, asking for a single to Chippenham Railway Station, clutching rail tickets and FGW timetable booklet in hand...


Title: Re: Corsham Station reopening
Post by: NickF on May 29, 2015, 14:24:40
Gadzette and Herald:
http://www.gazetteandherald.co.uk/news/towns/corshamheadlines/12977109.Strong_signals_for_Corsham_railway_campaign/


Title: Re: Corsham Station reopening
Post by: Phil on May 29, 2015, 18:42:01
This man (pictured) is a hero of mine. Nevertheless, I rather fear Ms. Donellan is riding for a fall if she's pinning her scones to the mast on this one. Unless significant amounts of money can be found, it's a non-starter.


Title: Re: Corsham Station reopening
Post by: paul7575 on May 30, 2015, 12:36:57
Is it wise to discuss 'TransWilts' and Corsham in the same article?   Or is there an acknowledged difference between the named organisation and the named route?

Paul


Title: Re: Corsham Station reopening
Post by: grahame on May 30, 2015, 14:07:35
Is it wise to discuss 'TransWilts' and Corsham in the same article?   Or is there an acknowledged difference between the named organisation and the named route?

Paul

There's a planned and acknowledged difference, Paul - but that acknowledgement, the background to it, and what it means needs to be much, much more widely publicised and described.

Taking your prompt / comment as a triggers (and with this weekend dedicated to all manner of catching up on things that need doing), I'm writing up this description and will post separately and follow up here, further, with a link.

Excellent question - many thanks for the platform on which to answer it  ;D


Title: Re: Corsham Station reopening
Post by: grahame on May 31, 2015, 07:31:44
Is it wise to discuss 'TransWilts' and Corsham in the same article?   Or is there an acknowledged difference between the named organisation and the named route?
Excellent question - many thanks for the platform on which to answer it  ;D

The core TransWilts Rail service runs from Swindon to Westbury, with two trips each way per day by trains running longer distance services, and a further six each way per day which have been running as a trial from December 2013 (to December 2016) run by a single coach train shuttling back and forth about every 2 hours.

The TransWilts Commununity Rail Partnership was set up to encourage passenger grown on this service, as a mechanism through with the community can work with the rail industry (most notable our train operator - First Great Western, but also others) and local authoriries (most notable Wilsthire Council, but also others)

Passenger numbers on the Swindon to Westbury trains (including passengers using the through longer distance servives) rose from 18,000 in 2012 to 183,400 in 2014 - far beyond the growth level that a volunteer team could easily administer with our initial structure.   And passengers are not making isolated journeys from one station to another - they're connecting onto other trains, and local buses and other transport on the local road, cycleway and footpath networks.  "Our" line isn't a branch to a town's terminus - it's all about network, and our trains are part of that network (the isolated digram for the trial service expected to become less isolated as the service is secured for the future).

The TransWilts Community Interest Company provides an encompassing framework for the TransWilts Community Rail Partnerhip - it allows us to pull in extra administration / resource and to look forward with a strategy for the future in addition to better looking after the tactics of immediate service promotion.  With the experience we already have in analysing and building cases up to a "shovel-ready" stage so that the stage is set for implementation when full funding opportunities become available, we can help with transport "to, from, within and through Wiltshire" - that's our scoping statement and it's exactly the same as the constitutional line drawn for the Community Rail Partnership.


Title: Re: Corsham Station reopening
Post by: grahame on May 31, 2015, 07:51:58
This man (pictured) is a hero of mine. Nevertheless, I rather fear Ms. Donellan is riding for a fall if she's pinning her scones to the mast on this one. Unless significant amounts of money can be found, it's a non-starter.

At this point, initial survey and analysis has been speculatively undertaken by well experienced, effective people - to a very great extent the people who did the same early stage stuff for the TransWilts. Call this stage 1.

Stage 2 is a requirement for a deeper analysis and involves come cost and ownership to be taken, in order to support (financially and locally) the building up of the scheme to having it shovel-ready.    That's a movement on from talking to analysis and investment - looking perhaps to town councils, area boards, big employers, Section 106 and CIL - not initially to fund a build, but rather to get plans in place.

Stage 2 needs to be undertaken even before stage 3 is (totally) clear - until there's a fully planned scheme available, there's no clarity about what it will cost, whether it will work, unplanned issued that may rise.   But that backgrounds's all needed so that funding opportunities can be taken when they offer themselves - typically these are doors which open for short periods so it's no use waiting for a door to be open before completing stage 2.

Stations such as the new one opening in Devon next week have been through these stages - as indeed the current TransWilts service did (with a shovel-ready scheme) so that we were able to take advantage of significant funding from LSTF.  But there hasn't been a (re)opened station in Wiltshire for over 30 years, and it does need not only  "we want and will ask for and promote the need for a station" but also "we'll put a bit of money into planning the detail of it" which is where it now stands.

Ms Donelan has made an excellent ask for the "not only" ... now that she's been elected, she's in the right place to help oil the wheels behind the scenes and provide the "but also". We know it can be done in the area - it has been done over the past five years by our team and supporters.   We're there to support - but in does need the seeding truly locally.


Title: Re: Corsham Station reopening
Post by: grahame on July 28, 2015, 08:51:27
I was reminded about the Corsham event by Duncan Hames' tweet (Duncan is the prospective Lib-Dem candidate for Chippenham / Melksham  / Corsham / Bradford-on-Avon ... and who should I run into at the meeting but Wilfred Emmanuel-Jones, the Conservative candidate.

(http://www.wellho.net/pix/ccamp8.jpg)

Support for this one is truely cross-party ... there were strong lib-dem and conservative supporters both manning the shop at the event.


An update on Wilfred, who didn't win in 2010.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3176309/The-Black-Farmer-stood-Parliament-vows-battle-cancer-causing-skin-lose-colour.html

From my personal pages ..

Quote
I have a great deal of time for Wilfred Emmanuel-Jones, who stood as the Conservative candidate for Chippenham in 2010; along with other candidates, I got to know him quite well and we ended up that year with a contest in which we were going to get an excellent MP, whichever of the front-runner won.

I was shocked to pick up the story of his cancer battle in the paper this morning and wish him well. Wilfred is a fighter - and I wish him all the very best in his continuing fight, even if he has to change to calling himself "the white farmer". And I hope to see him, speak with him, listen to one of his charismatic talk again some day in the not too distant future.



Title: Re: Corsham Station reopening
Post by: grahame on January 28, 2016, 23:21:47
http://www.connectingwiltshire.co.uk/news-events/corsham-railway-station-feasibility-study/

Quote
According to a new report there is a case for building a railway station in Corsham, but its viability would be reliant on securing a sustainable train service.

Last year, Wiltshire Council commissioned Atkins to carry out initial feasibility work on a possible station in the town. The main findings include:

   ^ There is an identified market for a rail station at Corsham particularly in relation to journeys to and from Bath and Bristol.
   ^ Forecasts indicate Corsham station could carry up to 400,000 passengers per year and that future development plans would be expected to further increase this number.
   ^ A railway station at Royal Wootton Bassett would generate up to a further 330,000 passengers per year.
   ^ Initial analysis indicates it could be viable to introduce a new hourly train service between Bristol and Swindon to serve a new Corsham Station, with possible extensions to Oxford or Cardiff. (Four possible service options have been tested: a new service from Bristol Temple Meads to Swindon; a new service from Bristol Temple Meads to Oxford; a new service from Cardiff Central to Swindon; and an extension of the MetroWest service from Bath Spa to Chippenham).
   ^ The main obstacle to a Corsham railway station is the provision of a suitable and viable train service:
      ^ A regular direct London service is not considered to be feasible primarily due to incompatibility with wider rail industry goals to improve the quality of intercity services on the Great Western mainline
      ^ For each of the four train service options considered, the estimated annual operating costs exceed the forecast annual revenue generated (to at least 2033/34)
      ^ The addition of stops at Corsham and Royal Wootton Bassett significantly improves the revenue generation of each train service option and in particular the Bristol to Oxford service option (although there is still the requirement for an initial eight year service subsidy of around ^1.8m).
   ^ Consideration of other economic benefits, such as journey time benefits and environmental benefits, may enhance the overall case for each service option

The report suggests the next steps should be to focus on demonstrating a suitable service could operate to serve Corsham station (and potentially a Royal Wootton Basset station) through engagement with key partners and further detailed analysis. Philip Whitehead, cabinet member for highways and transport, said: ^The study provides a robust and up-to-date analysis of the case for a Corsham Station. While it is clear that a station at Corsham would be beneficial and could be operationally viable, it is also clear that this can only be achieved when a suitable train service has been secured. ^We will now look to work with key partners such as Network Rail, Great Western Railway, the Swindon and Wiltshire Local Enterprise Partnership, and relevant neighbouring local authorities and local enterprise partnerships to gauge their support for a suitable train service. It should be noted, however, that this is likely to be a challenging and protracted process.^

The full report is still being examined and will be released in due course.


Title: Re: Corsham Station reopening
Post by: grahame on January 31, 2016, 21:39:24
http://www.bathchronicle.co.uk/Report-makes-case-railway-station-Corsham/story-28641139-detail/story.html?

Quote
There is a case for building a railway station at Corsham which could bring thousands of passengers a year to and from Bath, a new report has said.

Last year, Wiltshire Council commissioned Atkins to assess the case for a possible station in the town.

It has found there is an "identified market" for a rail station at Corsham particularly in relation to journeys to and from Bath and Bristol.

Forecasts indicate Corsham station could carry up to 400,000 passengers per year and that future development plans would be expected to further increase this number.

A statement from Wiltshire Council said: "An initial analysis indicates it could be viable to introduce a new hourly train service between Bristol and Swindon to serve a new Corsham Station, with possible extensions to Oxford or Cardiff.

"Four possible service options have been tested: a new service from Bristol Temple Meads to Swindon; a new service from Bristol Temple Meads to Oxford; a new service from Cardiff Central to Swindon and an extension of the MetroWest service from Bath Spa to Chippenham."

The report continued that the main obstacle to a Corsham railway station is the provision of a suitable and viable train service.

It found that a regular direct London service "is not considered to be feasible primarily due to incompatibility with wider rail industry goals to improve the quality of intercity services on the Great Western mainline."

In addition, for each of the four train service options considered the estimated annual operating costs exceed the forecast annual revenue generated up to at least 2033/34.

The report suggests the next steps should be to focus on demonstrating a suitable service could operate to serve Corsham station, and potentially a Royal Wootton Basset station, "through engagement with key partners and further detailed analysis."

Philip Whitehead, cabinet member for highways and transport, said: "The study provides a robust and up-to-date analysis of the case for a Corsham station.

"While it is clear that a station at Corsham would be beneficial and could be operationally viable, it is also clear that this can only be achieved when a suitable train service has been secured.

"We will now look to work with key partners such as Network Rail, Great Western Railway, the Swindon and Wiltshire Local Enterprise Partnership and relevant neighbouring local authorities and local enterprise partnerships to gauge their support for a suitable train service.

"It should be noted, however, that this is likely to be a challenging and protracted process."



Title: Re: Corsham Station reopening
Post by: TonyK on January 31, 2016, 22:09:47
And a year after the two stations open, they will gasp in wonder at passenger numbers 50% above forecasts as they receive petitions for extra carriages to relieve overcrowding.


Title: Re: Corsham Station reopening
Post by: patch38 on April 16, 2016, 19:06:57
http://www.gazetteandherald.co.uk/news/14432093.Corsham_station_could_be_open_in_three_years_say_campaigners/ (http://www.gazetteandherald.co.uk/news/14432093.Corsham_station_could_be_open_in_three_years_say_campaigners/)

Quote


A railway station could be ready for Corsham as soon as 2019, according to the chairman of the town^s train group project.

61 years after the station closed, momentum towards reopening it is accelerating down the track following the formation of a working group in the town late last month.

Corsham Town Council, MP for Corsham Michelle Donelan, Corsham Institute and the TransWilts Community Rail Partnership among others formed in late March to build a compelling region-wide case for reopening the station.

Forecasts from a Wiltshire Council study, the Atkins report, indicate that a Corsham station could carry up to 400,000 passengers a year with an identified for journeys [sic] to and from Bath and Bristol and Wiltshire too.

^We are really delighted by the amount of support we have received, both from Westminster and closer to home, the process is accelerating along nicely,^ said Councillor Peter Pearson, who is chairing the group.

^We cannot accelerate any more than we are. It is progressing nicely. At the earliest it could be ready for 2019 but more realistically between 2019 and 2021.

^This would be a hugely beneficial project to Wiltshire and further-a-field. We have a strong economic case here. A report will go to National Rail, who would fund it, in about 16 weeks.

^This has been in the public eye ever since it closed but now we are taking action. We are at stage two with the Governance for Rail Investment Projects (GRIP) process. It will not happen overnight but positive steps are being made.^

The need for a station could be accelerated with the news that Corsham has been earmarked to have a ^40m Ministry of Defence cyber security hub ^ creating jobs, more investment and a potential influx

Ms Donelan said: ^Surveys have shown record levels of demand for wanting a station, more than 80 per cent. On top of the MOD news, there is a huge case for this anyway.

^We do have a very pro-rail government. It is about persuading network rail that this is a viable but also a profitable enterprise and service. I have mentioned this several times in Parliament. We are trying to set up a meeting with the department of transport again.

^This is a local and a regional campaign with a lot of benefits and there is a lot of goodwill behind this project. I am confident we can push this forward but it is not an easy process, it is costly, time consuming but very worthwhile.^

Wiltshire Council said after the Atkins report: "An initial analysis indicates it could be viable to introduce a new hourly train service between Bristol and Swindon to serve a new Corsham Station, with possible extensions to Oxford or Cardiff.

"Four possible service options have been tested: a new service from Bristol Temple Meads to Swindon; a new service from Bristol Temple Meads to Oxford; a new service from Cardiff Central to Swindon and an extension of the MetroWest service from Bath Spa to Chippenham."


Title: Re: Corsham Station reopening
Post by: grahame on November 27, 2018, 12:16:03
A recent correspondence about a potential station for Corsham sent me looking back at the Coffee Shop archives and noting that the "Campaigns for new and improved services > Corsham Station reopening" thread hasn't been updated in a while. ("Corsham" has been mentioned by name in 15 other public threads on the forum already this year, mind you - see [[here]] (http://www.wellho.net/demo/csp.php?search=Corsham&submit=Search&advanced=0))

Corsham lies on the main London to Bristol line between Swindon and Bath Spa; the station there closed in 1965 together with the other stations on that line (except Chippenham) on the withdrawal of the local train service, and nowadays only London to Bristol (with some continuing beyond) expresses pass the site.  Corsham has a population of perhaps 14,000, compared to Chippenham which must be approaching 50,000 and Bath with estimates over 100,000.

For a few years around the turn of the century, a more local Bristol to Oxford train service ran in addition to the Bristol to London trains, and during that time proposals for a re-opened Corsham Station made excellent progress - very well into the planning process. However, that service was withdrawn in about 2003, and plans to open a station at Corsham foundered because there would be no suitable trains to stop there.  The extra time taken by a London express stopping at Corsham would slow that service down and that would be a greater detriment to the economies of places like Bath and Bristol than the gains for Corsham, and long platforms would have been needed too putting the costs right up.  And a station without trains is pretty much a white elephant!   Service problem to be sorted ...

Fast forward to the current decade. Rail passenger numbers have rocketed. Journeys to and from Bath Spa have risen by 72%, Chippenham by 54%, Melksham by 172% and Bradford-on-Avon by 113%. (2005 to 2017 / ORR data).  Corsham has grown and indeed become very much a digital hub. Bath has congestion and serious air quality problems which are not helped by people driving in from the east, and Chippenham station which is accessed purely through the town isn't ideal as a railhead for the wider North Wiltshire area.  The team involved ten to fifteen years ago is still very much pro-station and aware of the changes in the local economy. Newcomers are strongly advised to work with them and learn from their experience, while injecting fresh enthusiasm in a practical case.  Alas, they're also aware that a number of people and organisations were disappointed to extent of feeling very hurt when the previous plan collapsed, and also they're very much aware that wiht new standards required and austerity, new station prices have rocketed, funding has become even harder to find, and justification hurdles have been raised even higher as we live in a much more risk averse world.

"I would like a station for my town" is a natural desire of many people. "I would use it regularly" is likely to apply to only a small proportion of those. "I would worry about the station access traffic and all the extra development it might bring" is a concern too. "What benefits would it bring to the economy and how would it pay for itself" and questions that your local goverenment and indeed central government will ask, and the rail operators will ask "what will stop there?", "will there be enough capacity on the line" and "will there be enough space on the trains" as well as "do we need to buy, staff and run extra trains to do this".  Road transport operators will ask "is this going to compete with us and take away from our business".

Two locations have been mentioned in recent years for a Corsham Station.  One is near where the old station used to be, within the built up area of the town. I think that would have very limited parking, so be mainly for people living / working / visiting within the town and with limited use for "wider Corsham".  The second mention - very much a 'long shot' - has been at Thingley, about 2 miles to the east of the town.  As soon as you move the station away from residences, you're killing much of the local traffic - looking for a bus link, perhaps. But then there would be other opportunities for a "Parkway" such as providing a major park and ride opportunity.  A location at Thingley would raise other questions as to which line(s) the platforms were to be on - 1, 2, 3 or even 4 platforms - and what trains would call. The TransWilts services would be an option, but if they were the only ones to call they would preclude the new station being easily used as a park and ride for Bath.

From a personal viewpoint, I look at the case for a station in Corsham itself, with an extra train service to call there, and feel that its case might be made very much stronger when combined with other aspirations such as Royal Wootton Bassett, and Grove / Wantage. With those other extra stations, your new train has its cost shared over multiple catchments and will do them all economic good. On the "down side" of course you also have more ducks to try and line up. Also from a personal viewpoint - I'm writing this post to help document and update where things stand and not to have any signifiant element of involvement beyond that.

Anyways ... I'm going to take a pause at that point and invite my correspondent and others to follow up here ... and the discussion might well follow on from my general list of questions from the other day - updated to 12 questions to reflect member's comments.

Who do you want to use it?
How will they get to / from the station (bus, cycling, walk, car consideration)?
Is it a safe place for a station?
What trains will call there?
Will they be frequent enough?
Will there be enough space for extra passenger on the train?
Will they go to the right places?
Is there space on the line and in their schedules for the extra stop?
Who will pay for it?
Will it just abstract passengers from other stations?
Is there a wider economic, congestion, clean air benefit?
Who will take the lead in promoting it and the risk?

You'll note some of those are issues I've hinted at above already.   They're not new / unique to Corsham - there are very very many aspirations for new stations in the GWR area - indeed that was a point raised / discussed / commented on at the TransWilts Stakeholder meeting yesterday afternoon. Conclusion - while some can / will come to the top of the pile, many may not for a few or many years - or ever.  And the best cases (within that, local sentiment is a significant but minority measure) will happen ... eventually, this being rail where everything seems to take a long time.


Two pictures from the (rail) centre of Corsham

(http://www.wellho.net/pix/csitec_1.jpg)

(http://www.wellho.net/pix/csitec_2.jpg)


Three pictures from Thingley

(http://www.wellho.net/pix/csitet_1.jpg)

(http://www.wellho.net/pix/csitet_2.jpg)

(http://www.wellho.net/pix/csitet_3.jpg)

edit to add pictures


Title: Re: Corsham Station reopening
Post by: froome on November 27, 2018, 18:07:40
A station at Corsham would also serve villages like Rudloe, Box, Gastard, Neston and Atworth, and probably attract a few Melksham residents who wished to travel to Bath or Bristol directly. So potentially sufficient to justify the expenditure.

One point for consideration that Graham didn't mention is the endless debate in Bath about the lack of an eastern park and ride. In my view, I doubt whether a suitable site for one will ever be found, and if this was just accepted, then the case for a station here would become a lot stronger, as a train would be much faster than any bus could be as well as any car journey.


Title: Re: Corsham Station reopening
Post by: grahame on November 27, 2018, 18:38:48
A station at Corsham would also serve villages like Rudloe, Box, Gastard, Neston and Atworth, and probably attract a few Melksham residents who wished to travel to Bath or Bristol directly. So potentially sufficient to justify the expenditure.

That's provided that there is suitable access to the station from those outliers, mind

One point for consideration that Graham didn't mention is the endless debate in Bath about the lack of an eastern park and ride. In my view, I doubt whether a suitable site for one will ever be found, and if this was just accepted, then the case for a station here would become a lot stronger, as a train would be much faster than any bus could be as well as any car journey.

I did hint at it, mind, in relation to a Thingley Junction site.
The TransWilts services would be an option, but if they were the only ones to call they would preclude the new station being easily used as a park and ride for Bath.


Title: Re: Corsham Station reopening
Post by: ChrisB on November 28, 2018, 15:56:02
The need for a suitable local service train is as important.

The best in the short term (as it is already in the planning stage) is the Go-op proposal, but they seem to have stymied recently. If that can get started on their current proposal, stopping that more frequently will help pay for it....then proposals for extra stations might gain traction....but if Go-Op can't find the slots to run their train, for example, I think you can forget new station proposals


Title: Re: Corsham Station reopening
Post by: grahame on January 02, 2021, 23:14:43
The need for a suitable local service train is as important.

From Michelle Donelan MP, on FaceBook (https://www.facebook.com/MichelleDonelanChippenham/posts/2272184886249433) on 2nd January 2021

Quote
I was really disappointed to hear news that the submission to the 2nd tranche of the Department for Transport?s Restoring Your Railway Ideas Fund has not been successful. I sponsored this bid and rallied 4 other MPs who would benefit from the restoration of this line, including the reopening of a station at Corsham to also support the submission.

An expression of interest on restoring secondary train services to the Great Western Main Line was submitted on 22 May and the full submission (for appropriate initial study work to be undertaken) was sent on 19 June 2020.

As well as improving connectivity between Bristol to Oxford (and potentially further east) this would have helped realise new stations at Corsham and Royal Wootton Bassett / Swindon West. It would also potentially help realise new stations at Swindon East, Grove (Oxfordshire), Saltford and St Anne?s Park (West of England).

The fight is not over. Officers at Wiltshire Council worked hard to complete the submission and I firmly believe there remains an extremely strong case for the reopening of Corsham Station. I look forward to continuing the work on this project in the new year and continuing to lobby the Department for Transport.


Title: Re: Corsham Station reopening
Post by: grahame on March 10, 2021, 16:02:11
From Wiltshire Council (https://www.wiltshire.gov.uk/news/wiltshire-council-bids-for-funding-to-create-two-new-stations)

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Wiltshire Council bids for funding to create two new stations

Wiltshire Council has submitted bids to the Department for Transport (DfT) for funding to develop feasibility studies for two new stations in Wilton and Corsham, as part of the Restoring Your Railway Ideas Fund to link the two towns to the national rail network.

[snip]

In Corsham, the proposed new two-platform station would be situated on the Great Western Main Line, with potentially train service links to London Paddington, Bristol, Swindon and Reading, and would help to reduce traffic volumes in the town, as it would provide easy access to/from MOD Corsham, the largest employer in the town.

This bid also has widespread backing, with local MP Michelle Donelan and six other MPs in the region supporting the plans, along with other stakeholders such as Corsham Town Council, Bath & North East Somerset Council, Bath Spa University, Chippenham Town Council and MOD Corsham.

Cllr Bridget Wayman, Cabinet Member for Highways, said: "These are two excellent bids that, if approved and progressed further, will go some way to improving rail links in Wiltshire, and enable more people to travel by train to and from Wilton and Corsham.

[snip]

"The Corsham bid would also give the town a rail link to London, and would enable easy access to Bath, Bristol and Swindon. Commuters and visitors to the MOD site in the town could also come by train, reducing traffic on local roads.

"However, it's important to state that these are early days for each of the bids. If one or both are approved at this stage by the DfT in the next few months, we will be given funding to take the bids to the next step, which will see the preparation of strategic outline business cases. Only then could we start to get an indication of whether the bids will be a success, but we have submitted comprehensive bid applications, so we have high hopes.

"Both submissions are an excellent example of partnership working, with local council members, council officers, MPs and the town councils all working closely with other stakeholders to create these strong bids.

"If approved, it's expected that the Wilton project would cost around £20m and would look to be delivered sometime in the period 2024-2029 to fit in with other rail industry initiatives, while the Corsham project would cost in the region of £10m-£15m. Implementation of the station would be dependent on securing a suitable train service, which will involve work with the rail industry and key partners along the line."

Snipped bits are Wilton which I will post under that station


Title: Re: Corsham Station reopening
Post by: ellendune on March 12, 2021, 08:14:48
This appeared in the Swindon Advertiser (https://www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/news/19154301.bid-submitted-corsham-wilton-train-station-study/). It merely repeats the press release detailed below so I will not quote it all.

However on paragraph caught my eye

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"Implementation of the station would be dependent on securing a suitable train service, which will involve work with the rail industry and key partners along the line."

Metrowest services to Westbury cannot serve the station, obviously, but if there was a turnback at Chippenham could they not go alternate directions?


Title: Re: Corsham Station reopening
Post by: grahame on September 09, 2021, 07:56:32
I was writing yesterday on the Corsham Notice Board on Facebook (as one does!) concerning their buses and pointed someone at this thread ... to which he asks "is that current" - so time for a review?

Perceived direction at the moment for short term (and some of us fear longer term than short) is cost cutting even at the expense of existing passenger flows (BRI -> WAT services, FGH and others), and perceived problems at Corsham include lack of local trains to pass through there, and limited car parking space and private car access to station.  The business case for a new local service on a line stripped in the Beeching era or local stations to serve a single new local station is a tough one, and indeed we can see the "problems" the rail industry chooses to perpetuate in how it treats such stations that have survived - Dilton Marsh being our classic local example.

So - let's grasp the nettle of the lack of a regional service to call at the new station by redeignating one of the two hourly Paddington trains as "regional" and making it all stations, Bristol Temple Meads to Didcot - IETs are already used (or should be!!) on the Bedwyns - though with only "65 out of 80" diagrams running at present  (source - GWR - 1st September) and you have a service that can call at Corsham, Royal Wootton Bassett and Wantage Road (and St Annes and Saltford, South Marston and Box) - also restoring a direct service from Oldfiel Park and Keynsham to London if the December cut of that service is removed).  It could even stop at Ayes and Arlington for an integrated airport connection - or is that too forward thinking?  Or backward in terms of aircraft use?

For the station, we are seeing so many station car parks decimated in their use - some stats here - and will that continue?  If the town bus (10), the village buses (68 and 69) and the through interurban / local bus (x31), calling at the station too, perhaps no need for the big car park and private car access any longer and social change is melting the perceived problem away?   Lots more people are walking and cycling to the station - certainly here in the neighbouring town of Melksham - where car park use is down to about a fifth of what it was.  Special case in that car parking charges were introduced early in Coronavirus and so it's impossible to say why the drop has happened just from the numbers, or where it is likely to go.   Anyway - this is a Corsham thread!



Title: Re: Corsham Station reopening
Post by: Bmblbzzz on September 09, 2021, 09:12:55
Shouldn't we be getting a Metrowest service from Bristol to Swindon at some point, which would only make sense if all-stations?


Title: Re: Corsham Station reopening
Post by: grahame on September 09, 2021, 11:20:23
Shouldn't we be getting a Metrowest service from Bristol to Swindon at some point, which would only make sense if all-stations?

The idea (at one point) was five trains an hour from Temple Meads via Bath
- a "half hourly" stopper service to Bath, one of which carried on to Westbury and perhaps beyond
- a half hourly London express
- an hourly regional train - Temple Meads, Bath Spa then major stations via Salisbury

Turning a train at Bath - or at a new station at Bathampton - proved problematic and so the short stopper was proposed to extend - with Chippenham, Swindon and Westbury all mentioned.  Chippenham and Swindon would be enablers for Corsham; turning at Chippenham would have much the same robustness issues as turning at Bath or Bathampton - so Westbury selected where (haha) there is plenty of platform space to turn trains.  Westbury does have the serious advantage, though, of providing extra trains / capacity from Bradford-on-Avon and Trowbridge into Bath and Bristol, and could advantageous expand to a clock faced train to Frome too.

So where does that leave Corsham?  Not in MetroWest - BUT try
* a regular 20 minute stopping service from Bristol Temple Meads of which
- one carries on to Westbury and Frome, perhaps further
- one carries on to Westbury and Warminster, perhaps further
- one carries on all stations to Didcot then just 2 or 3 more stops to London
* an hourly London express
* an hourly regional train - major stations to Portsmouth Harbour, some dividing at Fareham with a Brighton portion

I have italicised the service for Corsham




Title: Re: Corsham Station reopening
Post by: grahame on November 15, 2021, 13:57:24
If you are a member of Corsham iHub on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/groups/723655134703221/posts/1421469961588398/ - or  CorshamWilts - https://www.facebook.com/groups/1451989915101738/posts/2756422744658442/ - you will have read this from Michelle Donelan

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Last week I spoke to Grant Shapps Secretary of State for Transport about the money we secured in the budget to progress Corsham Station.

This is an important step forward and I shall continue to work with the government and council to ensure we get Corsham Station re opened. #corsham #corshamstation

With a 53 second positive view in which Grant Shapps says what a good step forward this is and complements Michelle for her help.  There is no mention of other transport matters in the constitituency.   I have commented:

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Thank you, Michelle, did you raise the issue of the withdrawal of through services from London to Bradford-on-Avon from next month? What he say? All very well looking to gain one station at some point in the future, but how about safeguarding what we have today and use well? Over 1400 constituents have signed a petition on this - the most signed petition at present in Chippenham. See https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/598397

and will follow up here should she get back to me.


Title: Re: Corsham Station reopening
Post by: grahame on November 15, 2021, 14:38:16
and will follow up here should she get back to me.

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Thank you Graham Ellis. As you know, I have been in correspondence with the Secretary of State for Transport, the Rail Minister and SWR about this issue. I also spoke to Grant Shapps about this when I saw him last week. As your MP, I will fight for better public transport across our constituency. Thank you everyone for contacting me about the rail service - it really does help.

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Thank you - but $64,000 question - what did he SAY and what will he do about the Bradford-on-Avon trains he's ordered to be culled?  Please let me know through another route if this Corsham private page is not quite the place.  Really would like to see trains calling at a Corsham Station in a few years, but not at the expense of loosing a service already well used at B-o-A next month.


Title: Re: Corsham Station reopening
Post by: grahame on November 15, 2021, 15:02:35
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Thank you for your comments Graham Ellis please do drop me a email michelle.donelan.mp@parliament.uk and we can continue this conversation.



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