April 2026 - Melksham Public Transport news and new timetables

[whole diary]

[grahame]

1. Melksham Transport News - a four page bus and train newsletter filling you in on many current travel issues in and around Melksham - available to view / download at: https://www.mtug.org.uk/newsletter_202604.pdf  . Easy print-at-home format.



2. Melksham Public Transport Timetables for the summer and autumn - back from the printers yesterday and available to collect from tomorrow morning at the Tourist Information, Library, council offices and other outlets. For those of you who run halls, community groups, etc - happy to supply a quantity of these for you to help distribute too. 40 pages including the timetables of all six operators. Buses current now; new train timetable from 16th May. NOT easy to print-at-home - please pick up a copy but it *is* online at https://www.mtug.org.uk/mrug_ttbook_202605.pdf

[JohnM]

Thanks for the heads up.

That change to the weekday Swindon evening peak from 17:35 to 17:45 is a pain - it means arriving at Melksham at 18:09 instead of 17:59. On a Monday evening I need to leave the house at about 18:35 for band rehearsal in Bristol, and by the time I've walked the 1.6 miles back home from the station it's already a bit tight. It doesn't help that it's not unusual for that service to be delayed by a few minutes - 2 mins yesterday.

Looking at earlier options from Bristol (currently 17:00) - both the 15:00 (via Chippenham) and 15:45 (Trowbridge) have scheduled connection gaps of only 5 mins, which isn't ideal. I'll take a look at the bus timetables to see which might provide the best plan B.

[grahame]

I'll take a look at the bus timetables to see which might provide the best plan B.

Beware that from late May until November, the 271/272/273 will not be serving the Bus Station in Bath - see https://www.mtug.org.uk/ruh.html

[JohnM]

I'll take a look at the bus timetables to see which might provide the best plan B.

Beware that from late May until November, the 271/272/273 will not be serving the Bus Station in Bath - see https://www.mtug.org.uk/ruh.html

Yes I'd seen that in another post and was discussing it with my wife this morning; thanks for the reminder. Actually I had the buses from Chippenham (X34) and Trowbridge (X34 & 69) in mind, but indeed the Bath buses would be an option if it already looked like I'd miss the connection further down the line.

Of course this change is a bit inconvenient on the other 2 days I commute as well. It's already a 25 min connection at Chippenham, so adding another 10 minutes doesn't really help, just delays my tea time

[JohnM]

That change to the weekday Swindon evening peak from 17:35 to 17:45 is a pain - it means arriving at Melksham at 18:09 instead of 17:59.

I mentioned this to a couple of fellow Bristol-Melksham commuters in Chippenham waiting room yesterday evening, and they weren't too happy about it either. One did suggest taking a later train from Bristol to at least reduce the 35-odd minute wait. I hadn't considered that, but it sounded like a good option for allowing more time doing something useful in the office instead of loitering in the (see-your-breath cold in winter) waiting room.

But naturally the timings aren't great - the 17:29 from Bristol is scheduled to arrive at 17:56, leaving a gap of only 4 mins before the Melksham train will be departing, and it's not an official connection

[grahame]

I'm not thrilled either.  I think I know why they have done it - to find a path for a new train from Oxford to Bristol at 17:00 and which has been awaiting signoff to start mid-May and still waits.  But a prewarning - even at the briefings of even a consultation would have been polite and appreciated and did not happen.   This is not the only "little" change made in West Wilts in the last six months with no heads-op and GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) seem to be slipping on telling the community, or being considerate of small groups who rely on specific trains against the alters of long distance traffic.

If the Oxford service starts (and I'm not convinced it will) in 3 weeks, on data I have there could be an extra train from Temple Meads at around 17:15 offering a far better connection at Chippenham.  And - although my data is less clear on it - the 07:21 from Melksham may offer a better official connection at Chippenham on to Bristol.  I have to say that these connections feel to be randomly added / available, and I'm aware that the final stage of actually RUNNING a train service often gets delayed - by example, the new Oxford to Milton Keynes line has been ready for an age, trains ready to go, but staffing not yet agreed.

[JohnM]

If the Oxford service starts (and I'm not convinced it will) in 3 weeks, on data I have there could be an extra train from Temple Meads at around 17:15 offering a far better connection at Chippenham.  And - although my data is less clear on it - the 07:21 from Melksham may offer a better official connection at Chippenham on to Bristol.

Those would be great if they materialize. But wouldn't they have to be in the timetables already? Or isn't there a minimum period between a timetable update and a (non-emergency) service change?

[grahame]

If the Oxford service starts (and I'm not convinced it will) in 3 weeks, on data I have there could be an extra train from Temple Meads at around 17:15 offering a far better connection at Chippenham.  And - although my data is less clear on it - the 07:21 from Melksham may offer a better official connection at Chippenham on to Bristol.

Those would be great if they materialize. But wouldn't they have to be in the timetables already? Or isn't there a minimum period between a timetable update and a (non-emergency) service change?

Changes like these have been made at as little as 2 week's notice in the past, but don't hold your breath. All the timetabling work has been done - there were a couple of issues on some of the trains - the trains earmarked for the purpose, and even "small" adjustments made to other train times to let it happen. My understanding is that it is awaiting someone to press a button labelled "Go Ahead"

[JohnM]

...  And - although my data is less clear on it - the 07:21 from Melksham may offer a better official connection at Chippenham on to Bristol.

Just spotted that from Mon Jun 1 the official 07:21 Melksham - Bristol option is scheduled to arrive at 08:20; it's currently 08:39. As you say, it looks like they're squeezing a new 07:47 service from Chippenham between the existing 07:33 (unofficial connection, risky) and the 08:09 (official, safe due to long gap). Woohoo!

I think it's originating from Swindon; pretty sure it's not from Paddington anyway. So I guess it's not an IET^▸ (Intercity Express Train - replacement for HSTs (manufactured by Hitachi in Kobe, Japan))?

[ChrisB]

From Oxford? In which case, a 5car IET^▸ (Intercity Express Train - replacement for HSTs (manufactured by Hitachi in Kobe, Japan))

[JohnM]

From Oxford? In which case, a 5car IET^▸ (Intercity Express Train - replacement for HSTs (manufactured by Hitachi in Kobe, Japan))

Ah yes - 07:00 Oxford - 08:20 Bristol direct via Swindon, Chippenham & Bath (no Keynsham).

[JohnM]

From Oxford? In which case, a 5car IET^▸ (Intercity Express Train - replacement for HSTs (manufactured by Hitachi in Kobe, Japan))

Ah yes - 07:00 Oxford - 08:20 Bristol direct via Swindon, Chippenham & Bath (no Keynsham).

...but can't see a corresponding (direct) return trip for the commute back...

[ChrisB]

If the Oxford service starts (and I'm not convinced it will) in 3 weeks, on data I have there could be an extra train from Temple Meads at around 17:15 offering a far better connection at Chippenham. 

[JohnM]

If the Oxford service starts (and I'm not convinced it will) in 3 weeks, on data I have there could be an extra train from Temple Meads at around 17:15 offering a far better connection at Chippenham. 

Yes, that's what I was looking for, but it ain't there, yet...

[IndustryInsider]

From Oxford? In which case, a 5car IET^▸ (Intercity Express Train - replacement for HSTs (manufactured by Hitachi in Kobe, Japan))

Ah yes - 07:00 Oxford - 08:20 Bristol direct via Swindon, Chippenham & Bath (no Keynsham).

...but can't see a corresponding (direct) return trip for the commute back...

Currently just in the systems for that week and the following Monday.  Alongside that is a return working at 09:08 from BRI^▸ (Bristol Temple Meads station (that is the formal station code - see also BTM^▸ (Bristol Temple Meads station (strictly, it should be BRI) but BTM is a commonly used alternative))), or Bristol Royal Infirmary (hospital), depending on context)-OXF^▸ (Oxford station), and a rather unusual 1Z52, 05:47 EXD^▸ (Exeter St Davids station )-OXF that runs via Bristol.

That coincides with Severn Tunnel engineering works, so the bad news is that it might well only run for those six days to support that closure.

The good news is that when the OXF<>BRI service commences properly, that train will run daily, along with a 17:12 BRI-OXF return working.

See post #140 here:  https://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=28355.msg374552#new

It's also possible that an inital 4-hourly service on the OXF<>BRI corridor with operate if only one unit can be released from the delayed Class 175 introduction.  In which case you would expect both of those services at 07:00 from Oxford and 17:12 from Bristol to feature with a service pattern from Oxford at 07:00/11:03/15:04 and 19:04 and from Bristol at 09:08/13:09/17:12 and 21:10.

Time will tell.