Daytime Traffic on the TransWilts

[whole diary]

[grahame]

I travelled home on the TransWilts about 10 days ago - Thursday, 17:36 off Swindon.    The regulars were apologetic - "sorry - not as busy as usual - we're only standing in carriage end tonight - not all the way up the carriage".  Made it about 95 on that evening - as usual, busier from Chippenham to Melksham than Swindon to Chippenham.   Good - timetable's designed to do that!

On yesterday afternoon, I suspect (educated guess) that it was because it was POETS^▸ (As in "Poets day". Friday. (Push Off Early - Tomorrow's Saturday).) day. (Piss off early - tomorrow's Saturday).

[grahame]

Friday, 8th April 2016.

16:27 to Swidnon ... 4 off and 4 on at Melksham then 71 passengers on; 3 off and 8 on at Chippenham making it 78 from there - 75/8

17:20 from Swindon ... 228 on board on departure; estimated 114 off at Chippenham and 41 on (counted 155 on leaving). 30 off and 4 on at Melksham - 159/34

With Swindon to Portsmouth trains serving the TransWilts this week, the figures tell us nothing about the naturally TransWilts traffic - except those figures for Melksham cannot be due to the engineering can they? It does serve to remind us how lucky we are that the line survived for the occasional freight services and passenger diversions from 1966 through 1985 - and indeed how the diversionary status has remained important and ensured quality running lines.

People pushing through the train to get to the single opening door at Melksham on the 3 car 158, and the need for the conductor to the open a second door too (manually via the platform) for cycles and people finding it hard to push all the way through indicates the need to step up to a platform capable of having all doors opened.  With a 2012 figure of 2 or 3 people (averages) getting off and on each train that called, it worked fine, but with the average up to about 10 off and on, and longer trains that won't tit like the 153 does due to arrive next May, the situation needs to be (and is being) addressed.

[TaplowGreen]

Friday, 8th April 2016.

People pushing through the train to get to the single opening door at Melksham on the 3 car 158, and the need for the conductor to the open a second door too (manually via the platform) for cycles and people finding it hard to push all the way through indicates the need to step up to a platform capable of having all doors opened.  With a 2012 figure of 2 or 3 people (averages) getting off and on each train that called, it worked fine, but with the average up to about 10 off and on, and longer trains that won't tit like the 153 does due to arrive next May, the situation needs to be (and is being) addressed.

.......damn those trains that refuse to tit! 

[John R]

Digging through posts back to October, 22 left the equivalent service at MKM^» (Melksham (Station code) - next trains), yesterday was 30, both being in school hols so probably slightly down on normal numbers. So evidence of continued growth in commuter traffic two years into the trial period.

Curious about the reference to the 153 due to arrive next May. Surely the current stock is a 153?  Is the plan to double up with two and then off peak step down to just one unit? 

[grahame]

Digging through posts back to October, 22 left the equivalent service at MKM^» (Melksham (Station code) - next trains), yesterday was 30, both being in school hols so probably slightly down on normal numbers. So evidence of continued growth in commuter traffic two years into the trial period.

Curious about the reference to the 153 due to arrive next May. Surely the current stock is a 153?  Is the plan to double up with two and then off peak step down to just one unit? 

Yes - looking through the fog of diversions, it does seem that local traffic continues to do well. A couple of other lots of sensible numbers this morning, with 18 off and 4 on to the southbound 10:44, and 8 off and 5 on to the northbound 11:26.   Southbound swelled by the Wiltshire Ramblers group; northbound no significant  'out of the ordinary' group.

Very poor writing on my part about the 153.   The 153 (which fits in Melksham platform ) goes off lease next May, to be replaced by a 2 car train.  Good to see yesterday and today that turn back as Swindon is working for the longer trains (150926 all the way up from Portsmouth this morning, and headed back down there) ... even before the Gloucester / Cheltenhams all become through services from London.

[John R]

Ah, yes I see now.  Thanks for the clarification.

30 (and still rising) off or on through one door will start to increase dwell times too, although I suppose that would be speeded up with the wider turbo door.  On it's own that wouldn't be enough justification for platform lengthening, as it's probably one one train each way with that sort of numbers, but does marginally add to the case.

[grahame]

And calls today:
10:44 (Southbound) -18 +4 (most off for an organised walk)
11:26 (Northbound) -8 +5 then 75 on to Chippenham - 83/13
19:26 (Northbound) 61 on into Melksham, -8 +3 there - 64/11

Yes, single door takes distinctly longer.   11:26 was 150926 (all the way from Portsmouth, and heading back there) and the Melksham stop wouldn't have been as delayed if it wasn't for passenger issues.

[grahame]

To a very great extent "no news is good news" and I have been keeping an eye on TransWilts loadings during the day at regular times - with big thanks also to those who feed the numbers back to me - really appreciated.  Headline is "gently growing" - though what I regard as gentle for the TransWilts could be regarded as explosive elsewhere!

I travelled on the 12:03 from Melksham yesterday - business meeting to do with my IT training across beyond London and was one of 12 people joining the train at Melksham; a further 7 joined at Chippenham (and 10 got off) and I made it 26 users on the "TransWilts section".

Coming back on the 17:36 from Swindon, I'll admit to being disappointed at just 56 passengers - but then a further 30 got on at Chippenham, with a few (in single figures) getting off there.  It was "POETS^▸ (As in "Poets day". Friday. (Push Off Early - Tomorrow's Saturday).)" day (P*** off early - tomorrow's Saturday) and I understand from train crew that there had been 45 on the 15:12 from Swindon on part of the route.  About 30 off the 17:36 at Melksham.

I got off at Melksham Station and hung around there (chatting with a community team chap, more anon) until the train came back at 18:48 ... 6 or 7 off, 3 or 4 on.

[grahame]

With the timetable change last weekend, new (mini)timetables are available ... and I spend the first hours of this morning's service handing them out and seeing how we were dong with passengers, also dropping by the statin at Melksham later - a happy co-incidence as the 18:03 called

07:48 ... +0 -3 => 9  (12/3)
08:37  -4 + 13 => 26 @ MKM^» (Melksham (Station code) - next trains) (30/17)
09:02  21 ex CPM^» (Chippenham - next trains); -4 +5 @ MKM (26/9)
09:48 18 + 9 -1 @ MKM ; (27/10)
18:03 -12 + 4 => ~35 @ MKM (~47/16)

A damp Saturday, outside the football season save it was FA cup final day (Sadly, Crystal Palace didn't win  ) so I would have expected below average numbers ... the figures here aren't too shabby!

[Chris from Nailsea]

A damp Saturday, outside the football season ...

Erm, no: the football season won't be over until next Monday week: http://www.plymouthherald.co.uk/Plymouth-Argyle-Derek-Adams-surprised-rush/story-29298513-detail/story.html 

[grahame]

Don't know whether to laugh or cry ... very poor showing indeed for day trippers to Weymouth on the first running of the 09:26 Swindon to Westbury today for the summer season.  On the other hand, a total of 46 different passengers used the train on its round trip between Trowbridge, Melksham and Chippenham for all sorts of other journeys, including between 15 and 20 who would use it on a regular basis all year.   And remember - this was the first run of this train this year, so we've not built up yet.

[grahame]

A damp Saturday, outside the football season ...

Erm, no: the football season won't be over until next Monday week: http://www.plymouthherald.co.uk/Plymouth-Argyle-Derek-Adams-surprised-rush/story-29298513-detail/story.html 

As far as I'm concerned, the season's over when Palace are knocked out of the cup 

[bobm]

Some of us are already working on next season. 

[Chris from Nailsea]

Yes, but you have funny shaped balls. 

[grahame]

Sunday 29th ...

08:46 at Melksham toward Swindon 8 on, none off -> 43   43/8
09:53 at Melksham toward Westbury. Arrived with 36, 2 off 14 on -> 48 50/16

Nice sunny bank holiday Sunday.   Lots of longer distance journeys ... London, Weymouth, Didcot, Bristol all mentioned in passing.