Daytime Traffic on the TransWilts

[whole diary]

[grahame]

A note of how valuable the 'intelligence' from the passengers is.  Certainly getting busier - I was on the prior train on Thursday of last week (15:12 off Swindon) and that too was distinctly busy; part of a group (of 6) and we had to split over quite an area - I estimate between 40 and 50 passengers in the single carriage - rather more using the train during its run as people got off and on at all intermediate stations.  Again the local intelligence very helpful - noted quite a few people off that 15:12 (which was retimed a few minutes earlier from last December) making the new connection to the Portsmouth train.

[grahame]

It seems to just grow ...

Full and Standing on the 09:02 from Melksham - 3 or 4 off and 15 on in Melksham;   so full that station duties delayed while everyone packed in, then had to pack in further to make space for the conductor ... left with somewhere just over 100 in a single carriage.

Oliver time.  "Please sir, I want some more"

[John R]

Looks like a 2 car unit can't come quickly enough. I know it was originally scheduled for next May but is there any concern that delays in electrification may put that at risk?

[grahame]

Looks like a 2 car unit can't come quickly enough. I know it was originally scheduled for next May but is there any concern that delays in electrification may put that at risk?

Yes indeed there is concern.

[grahame]

It seems to just grow ...

Full and Standing on the 09:02 from Melksham - 3 or 4 off and 15 on in Melksham;   so full that station duties delayed while everyone packed in, then had to pack in further to make space for the conductor ... left with somewhere just over 100 in a single carriage.

Oliver time.  "Please sir, I want some more"

Bit of an overcast day ... similar numbers at Melksham this morning, but pretty close to every seat taken rather than "heaving" with through passengers.   Just about perfect for the capacity we have - lots more opportunity to market it, though, should it be a bit longer and more exciting.

[grahame]

Another busy train this (Sunday) morning ... the 09:52 to Westbury arrived in Melksham with 54 on board and a further 16 joined - so up so 70.  2 coaches, so comfortable.

Wish we didn't have to wait another 2 hours for the first train from next month 

[grahame]

Reviving an old thread for public view ... I'm commuting Melksham to Didcot this week ... trains getting busier still.  28 joined and 6 left the 07:20 at Melksham on its way to Swindon this morning - educated guess that numbers were around 80 on the train into Chippenham - so 86/34.  Yesterday was much the same. And I suspect the next train - the peak one at 07:49 - is about the same.

Evening train back arriving Melksham at 19:15 had around 40 on it / 18 off and 3 on - 43/21. Reports of 17:36 off Swindon are "crammed" and the 15:12 is now being reported as "standing room only" from Chippenham, though I suspect there are still odd seats to be found.

[grahame]

Reviving an old thread for public view ... I'm commuting Melksham to Didcot this week ... trains getting busier still.  28 joined and 6 left the 07:20 at Melksham on its way to Swindon this morning - educated guess that numbers were around 80 on the train into Chippenham - so 86/34.  Yesterday was much the same. And I suspect the next train - the peak one at 07:49 - is about the same.

07:49 this morning ... 10 left and 33 joined at Melksham, then 84 on to Chippenham - 94/43

[John R]

Good to get readings of the two morning trains so close together.  From MKM^» (Melksham (Station code) - next trains) we seem to have around 60 on and 15 off (rounding slightly), so that's about a solid base of around 37,500 ons and offs a year just from those two services (and assuming they all return home in the evening).

In total north of MKM we now have around 160 -170 pax on the two trains, fortunately evenly spread.  But as is well documented, the evening load peaks on the 1736 ex SWI^» (Swindon - next trains) - hardly surprising when you consider the times of the trains on either side of it.

[grahame]

In total north of MKM^» (Melksham (Station code) - next trains) we now have around 160 -170 pax on the two trains, fortunately evenly spread.  But as is well documented, the evening load peaks on the 1736 ex SWI^» (Swindon - next trains) - hardly surprising when you consider the times of the trains on either side of it.

Somewhat over 100 tonight on the 17:36 ... some standing from Swindon to Chippenham where quite a few left the train but many more got on ... and thereafter there were 25 to 30 standing from what I could see, yet still with 2 or 3 seats not taken. Well over 30 off at Melksham - can't give you an exact number as I was in the middle of the carriage; 6 or 7 on, I believe.  Needless to say it took a bit of time even with 2 doors as standees to Trowbridge let seated people to Melksham pass them to get off.

[froome]

Just for info:

I was returning today from Portsmouth on the Cardiff train that was due to arrive at Westbury at 19.10, and the TM^‡(resolve) made it very clear in announcements that anyone travelling onward to Chippenham or Swindon was 'very strongly advised' to get off at Westbury and catch the 19.32 to Swindon rather than stay on to Bath Spa, due to the large numbers at Bath Spa station. I've not heard anyone advising that before on that route (and obviously it was advised today because of the Bath Christmas market). Anyone else aware of that advice being given (which was obviously sensible) and any idea whether most passengers travelling from Salisbury/ Warminster to Chippenham/Swindon do change at Westbury, or do most travel via Bath?

[grahame]

Anyone else aware of that advice being given (which was obviously sensible) and any idea whether most passengers travelling from Salisbury/ Warminster to Chippenham/Swindon do change at Westbury, or do most travel via Bath?

From Warminster, there is an encouragement to change at Westbury or at Trowbridge in the form of lower fares to Chippenham and Swindon "via Melksham" than "Any Permitted".  In the opposite direction, there are two through trains from Swindon to Salisbury each Monday to Friday, and with some other trains such as the 15:12 from Swindon you can see a body of people flow from the train when it arrives in Westbury to the platform for the Portsmouth train.    These are major flows and we at the TransWilts CRP^▸ (Community Rail Partnership) would welcome further though services and better connections too at Westbury.

Announcements which were once rare about connections onto TransWilts trains have much more common, and it's something we're encouraging.   Personally I travel into Swindon on the trains from London far more than on the trains into Westbury from Salisbury so my comment's much more about that service. 

[grahame]

69 on the 18:03 arrival into Melksham this evening (17:36 off Swindon). About 24 off and 12 on. 81/36. If those figures look a little lower than usual for the 17:36, note that today's a Saturday and there are no football matches / spectators anywhere in the area!

[Adelante_CCT]

and there are no football matches / spectators anywhere in the area!

Chippenham Town were at home! Though sadly the game didn't make the distance.

[grahame]

and there are no football matches / spectators anywhere in the area!

Chippenham Town were at home! Though sadly the game didn't make the distance.

Ah ... not a noticeable traffic on the TransWilts.  Perhaps some marketing / informing to be done?

18:32 off Westbury had 28 on into Melksham, 13 off and 4 on so 32/17. It seems really odd that this is the last Saturday direct train from Westbury to Swindon, yet there's on just after 19:30 every other day of the week ...