Coming up for ten years since our service stepped back up to usable ...
1848 09 02
Melksham Station Opened (thread
http://www.passenger.chat/26688)
1890 ?? ?? Converted from broad to standard gauge
1923 01 01 PreGrouping - railway became big 4.
GWR▸ at Melksham
1948 01 01 Nationalised - "British Rail"
1966 04 18
Melksham Station Closed (thread
http://www.passenger.chat/27401)
1967 09 ?? Line reduced to single track
1985 05 13
Melksham Station reopened (thread
http://www.passenger.chat/27481)
1990 17 03. Direct line to Bath (Bradford North Curve) removed
1996 06 25 Founding of Melksham Railway Development Group (
http://www.wellho.net/mouth/4699_.html)
1996 10 13 Train operation privatised - Wales and West / Prism Rail
2005 09 20 Save the Train inaugural meeting (thread
http://www.passenger.chat/27899)
2006 09 09
Final commuter train before service went parliamentary2010 03 26 Press proposal for TransWilts
CRP▸ (thread
http://www.passenger.chat/6374)
2010 04 17 Formation committee meeting, TransWilts CRP (thread
http://www.passenger.chat/27401)
2011 07 03 TransWilts Summer trips to Weymouth (thread
http://www.passenger.chat/9113)
2013 12 08
Restoration of trial services under LSTF▸ (thread
http://www.passenger.chat/13307)
2014 02 07 Baroness Cramer launches new service (thread
http://www.passenger.chat/13559)
2014 02 10 First run - Melksham Rail link bus - (thread
http://www.passenger.chat/13592)
2015 01 20 TransWilts becomes a Community Interest Company (thread
http://www.passenger.chat/15215)
2015 07 17 Final run - Melksham Rail Link Bus (at
http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/mirror/savethebus.pdf)
2015 08 ?? Ticket Vending Machine switched on at Melksham (thread
http://www.passenger.chat/16162)
2016 09 29 Designation
(service made permanent) and marketing award (thread
http://www.passenger.chat/17488)
2017 03 02 Visit by rail minister Paul Maynard, Wilton (thread
http://www.passenger.chat/18048)
2018 06 14
Community Rail Swindon - TransWilts celebration (thread
http://www.passenger.chat/19245)
2018 07 20 Platform at Melksham extended to 3 carriages (thread
http://www.passenger.chat/20082)
2018 10 08 Self replaced as TransWilts CRO (thread
http://www.passenger.chat/20495)
2020 03 16 Coronavirus lockdown (thread
http://www.passenger.chat/17488)
2020 08 28 Car parking changes introduces Melksham Station (thread
http://www.passenger.chat/23858)
2021 03 29 Melksham Hub cafe and cycle hire opens (thread
http://www.passenger.chat/24824)
2021 11 11 Melksham cycle hire discontinued (thread
http://www.passenger.chat/24824)
2023 03 13 Melksham Hub cafe closure announced (thread
http://www.passenger.chat/24456)
2023 05 15 All day, every day service returns for summer (thread
http://www.passenger.chat/27548)
2023 09 16
Now all day, every day all year service (thread
http://www.passenger.chat/27887)
In 2017 I wrote
Looking forward
Updates in bold ...
* Untapped markets identified for southbound trains (Melksham times about 08:14, 17:03, 23:03).
we have a 22:54* Untapped markets identified for northbound trains (Melksham times about 08:54, 17:45, 21:36)
we have a 21:36* Later northbound train desperately needed on Saturday
Yes - 20:06 not 18:35 off Westbury* Need for extra capacity (i.e. longer and / or more trains)
1 carriage trains replace by 2 or 3 carriages* Need for extra capacity (Melksham Station road approach and other safety issues)
* Desire for earlier Sunday train that runs all year
Yes, all year 08:11 round trip from Warminster* Better address Swindon and Chippenham to Warminster, Salisbury, Southampton and Airport
Warminster and Salisbury a little better* Connections from Frome and Weymouth and also to Exeter and West of to be addressed.
* Dilton Marsh issues - now with many residences close by, but still an odd service
Big recent improvements* Desire for clockface and hourly services to allow the train to be always available as natural travel choice
* Connectivity from Melksham Station to town for those not driving to the station or having lifts
* Marketing for visitors to the area to get more passengers onto quieter services
* Resolving fare peversities left over from olden days - e.g. day return Chippenham to Salisbury
Some addressed* Continue marketing travel options to residents; each town a different case
So - which of these should be addressed next?
What do we need to add to the list and what should be deleted if anything
Which are the most practical and can bring significant results?
