It may have been (on journey check) ... to be fair I rushed early to catch it and didn't check.   As per usual habit, travelled one train before I really needed to ensure I wasn't late for my meeting.

 
A bit of juggling behind the scenes during the night.

The 06:25 was "sacrificed" at Swindon to provide a set for the 06:40 to Cheltenham Spa.  (That should have been on Journeycheck from around 3am)

The set which was due to form the Cheltenham was sent to Swansea to work the 07:58 to Paddington as the train due to form that was out of miles before an exam (service) was due.

 

Could really have done with that service again this morning ... had to d-r-i-v-e to Chippenham, only to find that the 06:25to Paddington wasn't running beyond Swindon.   Due in Horseferry Road for an 09:00 meeting; at least the Circle Line at Paddington arrived as I walked down onto the platform.

I suspect that traffic will be surprisingly high when we get an early train back!

 
An extra note ... Melksham figures may also have been lowered during August of the year in question because of a reduction in the proportion of fares collected.   As the trains were significantly longer than usual (at least 3 cars and sometimes more) and carrying considerable through traffic, it was very much less practical to check all tickets or indeed even to reach everyone who may have been ready, willing and wanting to buy a ticket.

 
I'll admit it - I'm a little disappointed that passenger numbers using Melksham Station "only" grew by 17% last year. Sure, it was the top growth in the region, but I had hoped to be top by a nautical mile. And, yes, I know that being and remaining at the top of such a list is a hard act to repeat year on year.

So - what happened between April 2015 and March 2016 compared to April 2014 to March 2015?   Two factors come to my mind.

Firstly, we had two weeks in July with virtually no service while HSTs were diverted via Melksham and a reversal at Bradford Junction between Chippenham and Bath.  For sure we had well planned rail replacement buses, but thay loose a lot of traffic (anecdotally - the majority of traffic) and the fare collection regime on them is relatively weak, so that ticket sales figures dip magnifies the traffic loss.  Then there was a whole month (August) of the Cardiff - Portsmouth running as a Swindon - Portsmouth.  Yes, stops at Melksham at roughly the same time as "usual" but an awful lot of pubicity around the West Wilts area warning people of buses almost everywhere else, Our main promotion (and it won the national marketing award from ACoRP!) was the Weymoyth Wizard from Swindon and Chippenham to Weymouth ... which failed to stop at Melksham so wasn't reflected in numbers there.

Secondly, the Melksham Rail Link bus was withdrawn from 17th July.  This had been carrying an increasing number of passengers from Bowerhill, Snowberry Lane, the Skylark Road area, Melksham Forest and Melksham Town Cenre to the station on a daily basis, and most of them back home at the end of the day too.  In the short time it ran (Febraury 2014 to July 2015) this service which extended the diagram of a minibus (no extra vehicle needed) had grown to some dozen passenger journeys a day to and from the Station, with continued growth signs - indeed numbers had double between a "survey" carried out be a Wiltshire Councillor in January 2015 and its withdrawal in July.  The traffic carried didn't for the most part didn't find other means to reach the station ... the bus had been provided in the first place because there was no practical alternative. Provision of a new station car park - whilst welcome - wasn't / isn't much use to people without cars!

Guessing at the numerical effect of the above.  The disruption due to the engineering works probably accounts for around 4,000 journeys in the Melksham figures, though ironically it boosted the number of people travelling through over the 12 month period to, I would estimate, some 400,000 to 500,000.   The loss of the Rail Link Bus, which an educated and cautious guess tells me would have continued to grow but slower than in had been growing, accounts for a further 4,000 drop in Melksham figures for the 8.5 months involved. So taking those two losses into account, and making no allowance for the loss of summer marketing, I speculate that the new Melksham figure for the year to March 2016 should have been 68676 (up from 51858 - rise of 32.4%) rather than 60676 (rise of 17%).

It's no use crying over "spilled milk", but we can learn from the spillage. We knew ahead of time (even before the trial started) about the engineering works and that we would have some figures held back because of it, but the alternative of waiting for a trial after the electrification was unattractive. The Rail Link Bus cancellation remains, in my view, a travesty. And we'll see a further dampening of the percentages to account for around 1,500 journeys lost between April and July 2015 and April and July 2016 in the 2016/2017 figures.  In numerical terms, the figures for 2016-17 will be about 8,000 below where they could be, and the 2017-18 figures around 10,000 down, and so on.  The economic case suggested for the extra operational cost of a single run of this bus was £25 per day, and although run free from February 2014 to July 2015, passengers would pay a pound.  That means that it would be just about commercial in its own right next year, even before you look at the extra rail income from some 10,000 extra journeys on services that are running anyway - average journey cost of passenger using the service (say) as low at £3 - that's £30,000 of income thrown away, and with it some people's jobs and whole quality of life.

Looking ahead - we always said (and we've been more re-assured by evidence) that if everything's lined up properly the TransWilts service, and passenger numbers to / from Melksham, can continue to grow very strongly for a number of years to come.  But we have also said that it would just take a key component to go wrong to have a huge supression effect on the figures. The excellent change from a trial to a permannet service removes the obstacle of people feeling they can only use the service if they have a backup available if it's not around any longer,and hat's something that bodes really well for the future.

Looking at the passenger numbers getting on and off trains at the moment, and passing through, I believe that the figures for the current (2016/17) year should show good growth over 2015/16 - we're over 8 months into the 12 months and it would require a complete disaster of a start to 2017 for figures published next December to be poor.  For data for 2017/18 to continue to grow, what should we be looking at?

1. Increased capacity on existing trains and at the station

2. Improved information at Melksham (specifically) station especially when things aren't running 100%

3. Services to extend the day - in particular in the evening and on Sunday morning

4. Better reliability (don't mind short delays; cancellations and long delays an issue)

5. Service gaps filled to cater for flows available in those gaps and to allow walk-up traffic

6. Better connections to other trains and buses

7. Extension of trains beyond Westbury (benefits much more Swindon and Chippenham than Melksham)

8. Clarity in ticketing, removal of some of the anomalies, cross ticketing options

9. Continued reduction in ticketless travel

10. Continued marketing with a spread to further markets.

As I write those notes, many/most of the aspcts are already planned / well under way, and the other are identified / discussed.   Over the last few days, I've taken a look at the station usage figures for other places where services have been improved and I'm noting that some are continuing with strong growth and others peaking; with TransWilts (and with Melksham's figures) we have a market which is large compared to many others, and I feel confident that with everyone working together still, we can penetrate and grow that market increasingly for years to come. Make no mistake - there's still a lot to do.   I talked years ago about "regain and retain" an appropriate service, and said that "retain" would be the biggest part of the job.  Not only do I re-iterate that comment now, but also I suggest that the appropiate service for us to regain is hourly, daily, from early morning to late evening - and we're still working towards that first goal.

Edit correcting typos!

 

Yes, it's SLC 3a, on the first page of which it says from Dec 18.

The confusion arises because they use the "up to Dec 16" service with only two trains per day as the default, to be kept in place unless the decision is taken to add the new (optional) service to the SLC. That's kind of logical, though of course it isn't the service actually running at the moment. What isn't is to refer to the alternative as "from Dec 16" in a document that has nothing to do with that timetable change.

 

Which SLC is that?   I think it might be the one that comes in later when the IEP to London has taken over from the 15x units on the Stroud Valley.    We're anticipating this extra train - but not this December

 
Looking at the SLC from Dec 16:


Is this a mistake or has the SLC been changed and not publicised, as the first train from Melksham will still be the 07:48 arrival from December?

 
From the Swindon Advertiser

 

This week is the first time the various backgrounds have become visible in public. 

 
A GWR track access application that has just closed a couple of days ago reports, inter alia, that the 6 contingent rights to services sponsored by Wilts CC become firm rights from Dec this year; putting the 9 services on a firmer footing.

This was probably already known but it is good to see it in print...

http://www.networkrail.co.uk/browse%20documents/track%20access/1%20current%20consultations/2016-08-30-first%20greater%20western%20limited-3rd%20sa-section%2022-%20closes%2027th%20september%202016/form%20p%20dec%2016%203rd%20sa%20final%20for%20external%20consultation.pdf

Paul

 
BBC Breakfast illustrating this story with HSTs going through Sydney Gardens.  Well it's a train in the West of England I suppose.

 

That' not what the quote says. It says "Community rail provides some of our fastest growing and most reliable services".  It does not claim any correlation between designation and reliability.

The TransWilts is actually one of the most difficult shorter distance services to keep reliable; interchanges with lots of other trains at both ends, shared tracks with other long distance trains where disruption a long way away can be passed on, and a single track which is shared with freight.

 

The bit I've highlighted.

How exactly does community rail designation aid reliability?

Reliability should surely be a goal regardless of designation. You could argue that the flipside of that point is to say, because there's no group advocating use of trains in a particular area it's okay not to focus on reliability.

 
And from the BBC


Just to clarify - the LSTF grant covered a lot of other things too - in fact most of it was spend on other things than service support.

 
Justly deserved my congrats to all involved WP.

 
Suit goes back at midnight 

 
My hearty congratulations to all of those involved in that success story! 



And I note that your suit still fits, Bob - just!

 
The designation officially announced at the start of tonight's ACoRP Community Rail Awards in Southport by Paul Maynard, Under Secretary of State at the Department for Transport.





Pics:Erin Valko

 
At the very least there should be the opportunity for HQM to say 'Arise Sir Graham of Ellis' when the next lot of honours are given out.

 
From the DfT website:

consultation outcome:

https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/transwilts-line-community-rail-designation

press release:

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/community-rail-plan-for-line-between-swindon-and-westbury-to-go-ahead

and TransWilts entry from "about this line" section

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/transwilts-community-rail-line

 
from TransWilts CRP - our Way forward leaflet published today, carrying announcements made today.   Leaflet text follows.

As from Thursday, 29th September 2016, the TransWilts service is to become a Designated Rail Service.

And what had been a trial service will become an integral part of the Great Western franchise from December 2016.

---

December 2013 to December 2016, Passenger journeys have risen from around 18,000 per annum in 2012 to 235,000 in 2015 and (projected) over quarter of a million in 2016.

A special thanks to those who have made it possible:-
• Passengers
• Operational Staff
• Volunteers
• Great Western Railway management
• Department for Transport
• Wiltshire Council and its members and officers
• Town and Parish Councils
• Members of Parliament and candidates, present and past
• Advocates
• Press and publicity - broadcast, printed and online
• Campaign and Partnership groups
• Association of Community Rail Partnerships and TravelWatch SouthWest • Network Rail

and thanks:-
• to there being natural passenger flows that need and want to make the journey • to TransWilts being an all year, double ended, commuter and leisure line
• to an extra carriage running up to six more round trips a day

The trial service has worked well because each and every one of the groups and opportunities above have provided their support; in most cases over, above and beyond any call of duty.

Seed funding for this build up and trial has been provided as part of a Local Sustainable Transport Fund grant from the Department for Transport to Wiltshire Council. Community support has been channelled through the TransWilts Community Rail Partnership; a part of the TransWilts Community Interest Company, working with local groups such as the Melksham Rail Development Group and members of the West Wilts Rail Users Group.

---

What is a Designated Rail Service?

The Department for Transport designates routes as ‘Community Railways’. Designations are intended to clarify expectations and aspirations for the line. Designation can be either ‘Line’ or ‘Service’; the latter is generally used where there is heavy freight use, and that applies to the TransWilts.

Service designation changes the approach to franchise management, with more freedom given to the train operator working with the local community rail partnership. Service designation includes relevant stations too. In this case, Chippenham and Melksham are designated stations.

The Department for Transport, Network Rail and the Association of Community Rail Partnerships (ACoRP) have established a fund to help to support initiatives on designated community rail routes and services. The fund is administered by ACoRP and applications are be made by Community Rail Partnership officers responsible for officially Designated Community Rail routes.

What happens to the TransWilts service beyond December 10th, 2016?

The service becomes a contracted part of the Great Western Franchise, with the Department for Transport taking up options that are offered within the current agreement between the First Group and the Department. TransWilts joins well established Heart of Wessex, Severnside, and Devon and Cornwall services as community rail services within the franchise. All of these services have been well supported by the Department for Transport, their local transport authorities, the communities they serve, and by Great Western Railway and its predecessors leading to passenger volume and service growth far in excess of national averages.

From 11th December 2016, the train service continues to operate as it does at present, although the financial and administrative background are significantly altered. The current GWR franchise (under which it will operate) runs until April 2019.

As part of the ongoing modernisation of the Great Western, Thames Valley and main lines, newer and longer trains are scheduled for transfer to the TransWilts line during the franchise period. Some extra services are planned to operate in order to uncouple the TransWilts line from the Stroud Valley line, which will be moving to an hourly pattern of through trains from London to Cheltenham Spa.

The TransWilts service remains a strategic element in Wiltshire Council’s Local Transport Plan though to 2026.

Designation gives further opportunities, including a more formal ability to tune fares and other connecting public transport services at designated stations.

Part of the current Southwest franchise bid (covering the south of the county) requires the successful bidder to make recommendations for the chaining together of local services Swindon - Westbury - Salisbury - Southampton (Central and Airport). This move is strongly supported by both the TransWilts CRP and the Three Rivers CRP, who look after the Service south of Salisbury. There is already noticeable passenger traffic from Melksham and north thereof to the Southampton area, and this joining up (with the provision of hourly service on all parts of the route) is a logical future direction. One option for the Swindon-to-Westbury section is for all hourly trains to carry on to Southampton. An alternative proposal is for alternate trains to carry on via Frome to Taunton, and (from 2019) to be extended from Swindon to Oxford and north thereof (Banbury, Leamington Spa, Coventry and Nuneaton).

As part of Network Rail’s plans for the modernisation and handling of cascaded rolling stock, a number of platforms, including that at Melksham, are scheduled to be lengthened. Plans are being examined for enhanced capacity and robustness. Options available include intermediate signals and loop(s) and reopening of platforms at Chippenham and Westbury, but these are very much more in the future than the Melksham platform extension.

Under Great Western’s CCIF grant scheme, and with match funding from Wiltshire Council’s area board and town and parish councils, significant improvements are planned to the access to Melksham Station and the ability of the station forecourt to safely handle the further strong growth which is anticipated.