Chippenham Re-instatement of redundant platform line

[whole diary]

[Btline]

Although the loss of sidings has been positive - more car parking, more passengers.

[eightf48544]

Although the loss of sidings has been positive - more car parking, more passengers.

Yep I agree to an extent, although perhaps there would be less lorries on the roads if there were more sidings handling freight.

However, it is the loss of running lines and loops, coupled with the additonal car parking on redundant sidngs  and hence more passengers that is now causing many of the problems posted on this board.

Including the loss of the platform at Chippenham and the singling of the Melksham line.

Reinstatement of the third platform at Chippenham hopefully extended to take a HST^▸ (High Speed Train (Inter City class 43 125 units)) with bi-directional through running   on at least one line would be a good idea in its own right. However, it doesn't necessarily solve the Melksham line problems.

[autotank]

Is not one of the problems associated with increasing services on the branch Thingley Junction? From what I can see as a passenger Up trains coming off the Melksham line have to travel a reasonable distance along the down line before the crossing over. I would have thought with a more regular service this could create problems when services are running late.

A third platforn and terminating at Chippenham does seem to make sense though as it would remove the risk of 75mph DMU^▸ (Diesel Multiple Unit)'s clogging up the busy Wootton Bassett - Swindon section. The problems in the short term is where is the extra rolling stock going to come from? New units should initially be deployed on congested Bristol local services.

[thetrout]

Almost like the Frome Branch, That used to be double track. The second platform is still at Frome Station