Melksham - Swindon. Train v Bus v Car
I'm going to an event called "Social Enterprise and the railways" tomorrow - and I'm
Driving there - to Swindon. How silly can you get! But it's a case of the head ruling the heart.
I
could have left on the direct train at 19:50 tonight. I
could catch the hourly bus to Chippenham then the hourly train on tomorrow - but that would leave me with a 56 minute wait as the timetables have been designed to fail the through traveller.
Amongst the speakers is Anne Snelgrove - local MP and PPS to the Transport Secretary Ruth Kelly. It will be very interesting to hear what she has to say about the provision of public transport that is
capable of meeting the disparate range of travel requirements we have in this area.
Here are some recent links on the "train subject":
A new TransWilts Study
Campaign handout - what we have now and what we should have and separate
what we have and
what we should have sheets.
Travel Watch South West handout to Save the Train
First Great Western Coffeeshop flyer
Recent Pictures (written 2008-03-07, updated 2008-03-10)
Associated topics are indexed as below, or enter http://melksh.am/nnnn for individual articles
G101 - Well House Consultants - Getting to and from Melksham [3752] Melksham Visitors Map - Bus routes and train lines to and from the town - (2012-06-04)
[3751] Public transport for international arrivals into Melksham - (2012-06-04)
[3276] International travel to the UK - coming to Melksham - (2011-05-03)
[2791] Bath to Melksham buses - times - (2010-06-03)
[2789] Melksham to London (Heathrow, and Central London) - (2010-06-02)
[2634] London to and from Melksham by public transport - (2010-02-13)
[2493] Melksham buses to/from Chippenham, Trowbridge, Bath, Devizes, London - (2009-11-05)
[2367] Learning to program - how to jump the first hurdles - (2009-08-20)
[2057] Train and Coach fares from London (and airports) to Melksham - (2009-02-26)
[1997] Travelling to a course - station pickups - (2009-01-16)
[1802] Motorcycles welcome at Well House Manor - (2008-09-19)
[1723] Bath - Melksham - Devizes. Bus route changes, new timetable - (2008-07-26)
[1594] Please support improvements in our train service - (2008-03-28)
[1511] Buses from Well House Manor, Melksham, to Bath - (2008-01-18)
[1428] Travel Across Wiltshire - the game - (2007-11-11)
[1085] Lawrence Webb's Melksham Taxi service - (2007-02-18)
[952] Coming from London to Melksham by train for a course - (2006-11-28)
[856] The train returns for a few weeks - (2006-09-05)
[814] Melksham Railway Calendar 2007 - (2006-07-25)
[796] Busy day in Melksham - (2006-07-08)
[790] Shadow Transport Minister to visit Melksham - (2006-07-02)
[715] First way to get rid of customers - (2006-05-09)
[606] Train service from December - (2006-02-14)
[538] A company we can work with - (2005-12-23)
[486] Rail services under threat - Swindon, Melksham ... and Newquay and Bicester too - (2005-11-05)
[413] Save the train - (2005-08-13)
[187] a popular bus number - (2005-01-23)
[154] Railway train service, Melksham station - (2004-12-17)
[40] Take the train to training - (2004-09-06)
Z501 - Public Transport - Rail [4110] TransWilts meeting ... - (2013-06-07)
[4105] Our day trip by train from Swindon, Chippenham and Melksham to Weymouth - (2013-05-28)
[4104] Weymouth vis the TransWilts - the day out today - (2013-05-27)
[4080] Fancy a day at the seaside? Weymouth from Melksham - (2013-05-06)
[4040] Report on the last year - Melksham Railway Developement Group for Melksham Without Parish Council - (2013-03-11)
[4022] A request for all of Melksham transport groups to work integrated - (2013-03-01)
[3995] Onward from Brussels - (2013-02-04)
[3994] On board Eurostar - a running commentary - (2013-02-04)
[3993] Two trains a day ... how many fares to London? Guess! - (2013-02-04)
[3986] Rail services in Wiltshire - up in the air? We need to say what is best required. - (2013-01-20)
[3942] Santa Trip - Melksham Railway Development Group, 2012 - (2012-12-03)
[3938] A long overdue meeting - a steeping stone towards coordinate transport user inputs - (2012-12-02)
[3937] Agenda for Wiltshire Link Travel groups meeting, Saturday 1st December 2012 - (2012-11-27)
[3923] 35 minutes is only a slight delay on our railway service - (2012-11-15)
[3904] Want to help us improve transport in Wiltshire? Here is how! - (2012-10-26)
[3899] Father Christmas to be on train in Melksham - (2012-10-19)
[3893] Public Transport across Wiltshire - a new map - (2012-10-13)
[3890] Here comes Santa - on the train from Melksham to Swindon on 2nd December 2012 - (2012-10-13)
[3882] Community Transport - Pewsey, Taunton, and the whole picture too - (2012-10-06)
[3881] Wiltshire Public Transport User Group co-ordination - (2012-10-05)
[3879] Mixed mode travel - Information systems - (2012-10-03)
[3873] Henbury loop, Bristol - a freight railway line with passenger potential? - (2012-09-29)
[3872] Trains across Wiltshire - an update on the TransWilts - (2012-09-28)
[3860] Melksham to Steam in Swindon, by train - great day out - (2012-09-16)
[3826] TransWilts trains - what the next franchise period will bring - (2012-08-04)
[3815] The Melksham News - July 2012 - Part 2, TransWilts Rail, Wilts and Berks Canal - (2012-07-23)
[3804] Scenes from commuting by train - (2012-07-14)
[3802] What a difference a year makes - (2012-07-10)
[3795] Like a bathroom company with no plumbers - (2012-07-04)
[3793] Excellent Rail News - what it really means - (2012-07-01)
[3786] Improving Wiltshire Rail Offer - it WILL be happening - (2012-06-28)
[3784] Steam train calls at Melksham - Pictures - (2012-06-26)
[3765] Christmas in June? Melksham hotel bookings and Santa train - (2012-06-15)
[3761] Melksham - placed 2254 out of 2255. What can be done about it? - (2012-06-11)
[3736] Abstraction - (2012-05-19)
[3728] The future needs for rail services to Melksham - change needed; current service an insult - (2012-05-11)
[3699] Bristol 50? Bristol 25? - (2012-04-17)
[3671] Future train services in Wiltshire - please write in to support a better service - (2012-03-24)
[3668] Kings Cross - new concourse - between Python in Cambridge and Objective C in London - (2012-03-22)
[3642] Wiltshire Travel Times - Chippenham, Trowbridge, Salisbury and other places too - (2012-03-07)
[3631] Getting around Dublin by public transport - some observations - (2012-03-01)
[3626] There is so much to see travelling by train - (2012-02-26)
[3601] Rail Travel - has it become more unreliable? - (2012-02-02)
[3579] Transport in Cambridgeshire - seen by an outside observer. What can Wiltshire learn? - (2012-01-15)
[3565] What would an appropriate train service on the TransWilts line mean - (2011-12-31)
[3564] I wish I was not a special case - (2011-12-29)
[3550] Provide a useable train service, and people will use it! - (2011-12-11)
[3538] Santa Train - another successful trip - 4th December 2011 - (2011-12-04)
[3501] Santa Claus - on the train from Melksham on 4th December 2011 - (2011-10-30)
[3493] West Wilts Rail User Group - Walk yesterday from Bradford-on-Avon to Trowbridge - (2011-10-23)
[3487] Public transport - road and rail - (2011-10-19)
[3486] How important is public transport to people in the Melksham area? - (2011-10-19)
[3452] Which or ATOC - who reads train fares right? - (2011-09-22)
[3434] Sundays - and over eating - (2011-09-11)
[3410] A review of the Summer Sunday extra trains on the TransWilts line - (2011-08-29)
[3408] Journey home by public transport for a Bank Holiday - (2011-08-27)
[3403] Last chance this summer - Swindon and North Wiltshire to Weymouth by through train - (2011-08-22)
[3392] What costs 8.20 from Melksham, or 22.30 via Chippenham? - (2011-08-14)
[3378] New product - ensuring that supply matches demand - (2011-08-03)
[3371] From Wiltshire to Weymouth on Sundays - (2011-07-27)
[3370] Standing Challenge - (2011-07-26)
[3364] Dogs Legs on the Dogleg - (2011-07-20)
[3362] Swindon, Chippenham and Melksham to Weymouth - Sunday Train Service Starts - (2011-07-19)
[3336] Efficient travel - from Melsksham to Edinburgh by Sleeper Train - (2011-06-26)
[3331] Comparing Alloa and Melksham - stations and services - (2011-06-23)
[3328] Summer Sundays - days out by train from Swindon on the TransWilts - (2011-06-18)
[3318] Summer Sunday Trains - outings from Swindon, Chippenham, Melksham, Trowbridge and Westbury - (2011-06-05)
[3274] Small scale improvement - big scale gain. And they CAN be done with local knowledge - (2011-05-02)
[3273] Wanted - a look to the future - (2011-05-02)
[3198] TransWilts rail - coming together, wanted and needed - (2011-03-10)
[3187] Past and Present - Melksham Station - (2011-02-27)
[3178] The cost of roadworks on the economy of our town - 1800 pounds per hour? - (2011-02-20)
[3176] Comparing German, Dutch and British Railways - (2011-02-19)
[3171] Train and boat journey - the passenger accommodation - (2011-02-15)
[3167] Can I take my dog by train? And other questions - (2011-02-12)
[3161] TransWilts rail - what picture represents us - (2011-02-08)
[3141] Wiltshire Rail services - a golden opportunity - (2011-01-21)
[3135] A time to be brave? We should ask for what is best for our area. - (2011-01-16)
[3119] TransWilts - some things to see and do - (2011-01-03)
[3114] Transwilts Link - both Wiltshire and beyond - (2010-12-30)
[3113] Trowbridge and Melksham to Chippenham - more roadworks, even slower journey over the winter - (2010-12-30)
[3111] TransWilts Link - Days out from Swindon to Weymouth? - (2010-12-28)
[3080] Santa Special - rather more special than usual - December 2010 - (2010-12-07)
[3079] TransWilts Rail News ... Melksham (Santa Special) Edition ... 5th December 2010 - (2010-12-04)
[3033] Rail services back to Radstock? - (2010-11-07)
[3031] Get all your ducks in a row ... and they may turn into swans - (2010-11-06)
[3017] Seventh day traveller on the six day railway - (2010-10-27)
[3006] Santa announcement, 5th December 2010, Melksham - (2010-10-20)
[2982] Travel, Transport and Tourism - A vision for Melksham, 2026 - (2010-10-03)
[2955] Melksham Railway Station - new information point - (2010-09-13)
[2954] Railway meetings, trips and meetups this autumn - (2010-09-12)
[2931] Syncronise - software, trains, and buses. Please! - (2010-08-22)
[2930] Walk - Tilehurst to Pangborne - (2010-08-21)
[2919] London to Calne, Corsham, Melksham, Bradford-on-Avon, Chippenham by public Transport - (2010-08-13)
[2908] How Green is my train? - (2010-08-07)
[2901] Ambassador or Anorak? - (2010-08-03)
[2855] Train Services - Melksham to Bath and Bristol (and airport) - (2010-07-05)
[2808] From home to Nurnberg - journey pictures - (2010-06-13)
[2696] Garlic bread without garlic - (2010-03-27)
[2678] Reaching out to the community - a good case for support - (2010-03-15)
[2664] Oliver Cromwell at Bristol Temple Meads - (2010-03-06)
[2662] Is Melksham public transport actually used? - (2010-03-05)
[2658] Save the Train - a significant change in approach - (2010-03-03)
[2627] Saturdays out from Melksham - to Oxford, to Didcot or to Swindon - (2010-02-07)
[2626] On Malachite Green - (2010-02-06)
[2568] Forums for your Melksham and open source discussions - (2010-01-09)
[2557] Rail Campaign - response to core consultation - (2009-12-31)
[2556] Railway Station Survey - please complete today or tomorrow - (2009-12-30)
[2533] Five guests, three groups, one car - (2009-12-11)
[2529] Santa Special, 2009 - (2009-12-06)
[2522] Integrated public Transport - what could be done for Melksham - (2009-12-01)
[2513] Wiltshire Council purchases Melksham Station Land - (2009-11-26)
[2511] The story of the railway land at Melksham Station - (2009-11-24)
[2486] Santa Special - Trowbridge and Melksham to Swindon - (2009-10-31)
[2477] By train ... - (2009-10-25)
[2473] Exploring Old Railways - (2009-10-24)
[2457] Railway Arithmetic - (2009-10-16)
[2438] Listening to The Minister - (2009-10-05)
[2395] From Lymington by train - last of the slammers - (2009-09-05)
[2391] Great Western Route Utilisation Strategy - Draft for Consultation - (2009-09-02)
[2372] Public Transport from (and to) Melksham on Sundays - (2009-08-23)
[2328] Melksham - no trains, no southbound buses through the town - (2009-08-08)
[2318] For Lua Programmers AND for Town Planners - (2009-08-02)
[2268] Westbury Bypass Refused - looking forward - (2009-07-04)
[2133] Bigger and better this year! - (2009-04-20)
[2042] Wiltshire Rail Service Update - (2009-02-15)
[2026] Melksham Climate Friendly Group - (2009-02-05)
[2024] Carry on Training - in spite of the weather - (2009-02-03)
[1999] How low can you sink? - (2009-01-17)
[1966] Background to the TransWilts Train Fiasco - (2008-12-29)
[1965] How much does a train service actually cost - (2008-12-29)
[1964] Why hasnt the fiasco been put right - (2008-12-29)
[1905] A Gold Star for First Great Western Customer Service - (2008-11-24)
[1858] Camera with night vision, youth with no vision - (2008-10-28)
[1848] 30th November - Santa Trip from Melksham - (2008-10-19)
[1757] Preserved railways - struggling to the future? - (2008-08-17)
[1729] Back from the future - (2008-07-30)
[1708] A Train Service Update for Melksham Party in the Park - (2008-07-13)
[1616] Not daring to be an anorak - (2008-04-19)
[1558] Getting somewhere with the train service - (2008-02-28)
[1530] Railway Acronyms and Abbreviations - (2008-02-03)
[1452] Santa on the train to Melksham - (2007-12-01)
[1424] Closer than you think - the next step - (2007-11-08)
[1382] First Great Western - information for customers - (2007-10-07)
[1358] Look forward with a new broom - Wiltshire Train Service - (2007-09-19)
[1314] Business travel by train in the USA - (2007-08-22)
[1303] Heading Upstate New York - (2007-08-14)
[1291] Day trip to Weymouth - (2007-08-05)
[1274] Radio coverage for railway issues - (2007-07-23)
[1273] Melksham or Weymouth? Meal or day out? - (2007-07-23)
[1228] Some progress on the train campaign - (2007-06-10)
[1139] Overcrowded trains around Bristol - (2007-04-08)
[1097] Train and business balls all in the air! - (2007-03-02)
[1093] Wiltshire Train - can YOU come on 5th March? - (2007-02-25)
[1076] Save the Train - an update - (2007-02-12)
[1069] Rail trouble forced me to buy hotel - (2007-02-07)
[1063] Bradford-on-Avon - 150 years of passenger trains - (2007-02-03)
[1045] Bang! Train campaign hits home - (2007-01-19)
[1044] Call for appropriate train services - Swindon, Bristol, Bath, West Wilts, Severn Beach etc - (2007-01-18)
[1033] Empty at Easleigh, Missing at Melksham, Overflowing at Oldfield - (2007-01-14)
[976] Santa at the station - (2006-12-09)
[974] The last commuter train through Melksham - (2006-12-09)
[877] Yes, but what do we do now?? - (2006-09-24)
[803] Not shouting - (2006-07-16)
[697] For any North and West Wilts and Swindon Readers - (2006-04-23)
[688] Are you free on Friday evening? - (2006-04-18)
[648] West Wilts Railway Users Group and trains to Lacock - (2006-03-16)
[634] Real chance to make a difference - (2006-03-05)
[632] Moral dilemma - (2006-03-04)
[527] Greater Western Franchise Awarded - (2005-12-13)
[524] Santa comes to Melksham - (2005-12-11)
[521] Proof needed? Please just use common sense! - (2005-12-08)
[488] Looking for railway groups and users - Swindon, Salisbury, Southampton - (2005-11-06)
[447] Tomorrow's meeting. - (2005-09-19)
[434] Through public transport connection, Chippenham to Salisbury, to cease - (2005-09-02)
[428] Swindon - Chippenham - Melksham - Trowbridge - Westbury train service - (2005-08-29)
Z511 - Public Transport - Road [4111] Zigzag bus - forward for the future, or decaying service? - (2013-06-09)
[4108] The painful cost of local travel to Melksham - (2013-06-01)
[4032] Easier public transport from Melksham to Bristol Airport - (2013-03-06)
[4023] Melksham to Chippenham (Station) bus services - times and routes - (2013-03-01)
[3951] Christmas Bus Schedule for Melksham - First Bus - (2012-12-14)
[3929] Melksham Bus Issues - to be raised at First Bus Customer Panel - (2012-11-21)
[3877] Public Transport Services - from and to Melksham - (2012-10-01)
[3866] Celebrate! Buses from Meksham to Bath - (2012-09-18)
[3850] Bus times - Chippenham Station to Melksham, with London connections - (2012-08-25)
[3849] New bus times - Melksham to Bath - (2012-08-25)
[3580] Melksham Area - buses, trains, cycles, and roads. Meeting, 17.1.2012 - (2012-01-15)
[3523] When competition is not a good idea - Melksham Bus Absurdity - (2011-11-16)
[3504] Coaches from Trowbridge and Melksham to London - (2011-11-01)
[3471] Vintage Bus Running Day in Warminster. An example of good bus practise. - (2011-10-09)
[3404] Buses on the Cambridge Guided Busway - (2011-08-24)
[3301] Using public transport - USA style - (2011-05-25)
[3290] Changes (and no changes) at Melksham bus stops - (2011-05-15)
[3194] Buses - what they cost and their future direction in the SW and in Wiltshire - (2011-03-06)
[3126] Car Parking in Melksham - thoughts on the proposed scheme, and wider thoughts too - (2011-01-09)
[2983] Strong arm tactics in the bus industry? Poor result for the customer! - (2010-10-03)
[2958] What do these road markings mean? Could Confusion Kill? - (2010-09-17)
[2933] Bath - Melksham - Devizes buses from September - (2010-08-23)
[2903] Bath to Devizes bus via Melksham - changing again in September - (2010-08-04)
[2857] Park and Ride at Batheaston - will it solve Wiltshires Ills? - (2010-07-06)
[2771] Melksham to Calne by public transport - (2010-05-20)
[2672] Dear Planners, please provide viable alternatives - (2010-03-11)
[2515] Why we have two buses an hour - but not a half hourly service - (2009-11-28)
[2431] Moving busstop! - (2009-09-30)
[2083] Do you support a decent train service? Please sign up! - (2009-03-15)
[2075] Supporting Parkinsons and Trains - (2009-03-11)
[1777] The Rise and Rise of First Bus Fares - (2008-08-29)
[1668] Talk on TransWilts train service to Green Party - (2008-06-07)
[1560] HST Power Car TravelWatch SouthWest - (2008-03-01)
[1315] Two years of campaigning for a train service - (2007-08-22)
[1254] Comparing bus stops - (2007-07-01)
[1125] Train service - petititon reply - (2007-03-31)
[818] Heard, yes. Considered, no. The case for the train. - (2006-07-30)
[764] Journey planning - Xephos v Transport Direct - (2006-06-16)
[474] Vintage Bus Day - (2005-10-23)
[459] Kiss and Ride - (2005-10-09)
[119] PHP course. Come by train. - (2004-11-15)
5367
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