Graham Ellis - my blog
Melksham train (lack of) reliability - letter to MP
The train service at Melksham has become unreliable - so prone to cancellation that it’s unpromotable to new users and a challenge for existing customers. Some other stations also have problems but Melksham is by far the worst. I have written - at the request of the Melksham Transport User Group and the West Wiltshire Rail User group- to our MP asking him to use his ability to oil wheels to help bring our service up toward scratch. We have had 33% weekend cancellation and 11% all week this summer against a local standard of 7% and 4%.As well as my cover letter to Brian Mathew, I have written up the issue in detail, and with some questions and suggestions, copy report at https://www.mtug.org.uk/lib/bmmp20251006.pdf. From many years involvement, I do know many of the players involved and indeed was part of a timetable briefing for next year with them on Friday - where their planning manager notable failed to address questions about how timetable changes might effect our reliability. And I am not relying just on Brian to follow through on this.
Town Councillor - my vote goes to ...
I have a choice to make - to vote for Tom Price or Jon Leach for the vacant seat on Melksham Town Council. With my community hats on, I look forward to working as may be appropriate with whomever should be elected in addition to our other councillors in the ward.Whichever you (the electorate) chose, he will have a strong mandate. He will be one of only three of our (14 or 15) councillors voted into office by the residents across the town, and the only one voted in for the South Ward.
I knew both candidates a little before the election campaign - Tom in his former role as a Town Councillor and Mayor from which he stood down in May, and Jon from his role in the launch, promotion and continued growth of "Man Down".
The two candidate's campaigns / engagement has been starkly contrasting. I am really impressed by Jon Leach - his literature / reach, his willingness to listen, challenge and engage, and his committent to communication.
Political party has very little to do with the choice our parish level, so although at a national level neither candidate would be my "cup of tea", for Melksham South I shall be voting for Jon Leach.
Published Thursday, 2nd October 2025
My ideal parish councillor - qualities
For me ... an ideal parish councillor ...* Lives in or very close to the ward he represents
* Somewhat prioritises ward matters over parish, over wider area.
* Is visible, reachable, answers or at least acknowledges messages
* Has the popular vote, or failing that was prepared to stand for it
* Has time, motivation and ability to actively serve as a councillor for 4 years
* Helps keep people informed and published decisions made and to be made
* Has a financial prudence, but is prepared to invest in the future for everyone
* Is trustworthy and consistent; if changing tack, explains why
* Shares my political views or has a degree of independence to his own views
* Looks out for everyone, quality of life and the environemnt around
* Has a practical medium and long term view as well as a short term one
* Encourages, supports, leads, directs those around him including staff and volunteers
My postal vote for the Melksham South Ward Town Council seat that's vacant has arrived and I have a choice between two candidates, one "Local Conservative" and one "Reform". You'll note, though that I rank political views as a small part of what's going to effect my parish decision. I am reading, listening, observing, learning and in due course (election is 9th October) I will make my choice. I have no clear favourite at the moment, and my decision also needs to bear in mind that this new councillor will sit alongside the other three in the ward and the four between them should be a wide balance of experiences, views, abilities and interests.
Use of the male gender in this post is because it applies to both candidates. Melksham Town Council has 13 other councillors, of both genders, and their gender makes no difference to their abilities.
Published Thursday, 25th September 2025
20 years - "Save the Train" and we did SAVE THE TRAIN - next 10 years?
This weekend it is 20 years since the foundation meeting of "Save the Train" which marked my baptism into public transport campaigning.
This weekend it is 20 years since the foundation meeting of "Save the Train" which marked my baptism into public transport campaigning.It would be very easy to be depressed at the moment with the elephant (or several elephants, plural) in the room - but if I take a look back, so much has been achieved - not by me personally, but by helping oil the wheels and letting common sense prevail. I was on trains and a bus yesterday that were not available 15 years ago, and they were all busy beyond the minimum target levels set.
I have noted my headlines of what has changed (wins and losses) over the past decades ...
For Melksham at https://www.passenger.chat/mtug_update.pdf
For West Wilts at https://www.passenger.chat/wwrug_update.pdf
Across the South West at https://www.passenger.chat/cs_update.pdf
Wow - looked back at, there are quite some changes, and remaining issues, there! And at each of the three levels - local, regional and subnational, I have added suggestions of what remains to be done and how we can move on past the elephants in the room, indeed using those elephants as the heavyweight levers to make further improvements over the next decade.
Within the last two months, I wrote an overview piece to inform developments in Melksham - a strategy for public transport - which has been received by Melksham Town Council and adopted by Melksham Without Parish Council. It's online at
https://www.passenger.chat/bstrat_1.0.pdf and I have also posted an accessibility review for Melksham at https://grahamellis.uk/blog1638.html
From elements which may be within our powers to campaign for and influence locally:
* Reliable train service which is a MUST before we can
* Build up local knowledge / information and public transport use
* Hourly or better trains each way
* Better walking and mobility routes to station and more closer residences
* Town buses to serve station and to connect to and from trains
* Increased town bus service and serving new areas
* Easier-to-find taxi booking service
* Cafe / staffing / loos / better information at station
* Better train connections (Weymouth, Bristol)
* Interchangeable bus and train tickets and understandable fares
THE elephant in the room remains railway reliability, with scarcely a day going by without a train being cancelled - and that's a serious issue when next train doesn't come for another 2 hours, there are no staff present, and the help point team is polite but ineffective. I've not seen any improvement nor anything more that a placatory response from GWR to the Melksham Town Council letter or concern of over a year ago - copy at https://www.passenger.chat/MTC2GWR_20240902.pdf
MTUG Committee level meeting, 18:30 (arrive from 18:00) on 25th September 2025 - also on Zoom, and with a running time expected of perhaps 2 hours. Agenda for 25th September to include
1. Welcome and introductions of those present
2. Apologies for absence
3. Updates on current status
- bus services, train services
- train and bus stops, information, access
- other moving around including taxi, walking, cycling, mobility, and private car
- policy work - the official and unofficial frameworks and partnering groups and bodies
4. Diary ahead - public meetings to note
30th September - MEG
9th October- MTUG is in my diary (t.b.a. on 25th)
24th October - TWSW
5. Looking ahead at what’s coming up and what the group should be doing (This is the biggie!).
a. Short Term - Christmas Lights event, Newsletter, Public meeting, Station and Stop adoption
b. Liaison with other groups, including official bodies and industry
c. Our own arrangements such as organisational, dates for 2026
d. Communications - between ourselves, with transport users and wider publicity
d. Medium and longer term - our areas, strategies and when public transport heads
6. Any other Business
7. Date of next meeting
Published Sunday, 21st September 2025
Town Council(lor) - considerations on my vote
I have a choice to make between Jon Leach and Tom Price as to whom I vote for on 9th October to join the councillor team on Melksham Town Council (South Ward) where we are also represented by Emma Calland, Jenny Crossley and Andrew Griffin. I await any election literature and contacts that come my way before deciding which way to vote - at this stage, please consider me a floating voter. Looking forward for Melksham and for my own (now) more specialised and limited involvements, what will I be looking at as I consider the candidates and resulting 4 strong team?1. Planning ahead - getting around including public, mobility and active transport, with an emphasis of why and where we want and need to go and the quality and ease of doing so to, from and within a prosperous Melksham and growing Melksham. This is the area / expertise I remain active
2. Providing / sponsoring / supporting indoor and outdoor community facilities and events for the Melksham area - for residents, visitors, businesses at sensible cost to community members, and helping ensure that our community is safe and enjoyable.This is an area where I will be an observer unless asked. I am concerned at the apparently unequal playing field when it comes to decisions between outdoor and indoor activities - "cost" outdoors v "loss" indoors, and also at the potential high cost of tearing down and rebuilding the Assembly Hall and Blue Pool where a 25 year life could be provided for a tenth of the cost
3. Acting as an effective information switchboard and where appropriate providing a helping hand of assistance in reducing complexity and making and explaining compromises and progress. This (and the above) for all members of our community, longstanding, more recent arrivals, with especial note for those who need a little more assistance or a little less visible than average.This area is especially frustrating to me ... I am probably best not to detail the frustations here; suffice to say I do not see the sort of thing from Melksham Town Council that I know is possible, having been involved in these topice professionally for many years.
The Melksham (South Ward) Facebook Group is something I set up at the start of 2024 when there was no other active group for the ward. One of your current town councillors, and your Wiltshire councillor too have contirbuted and all are welcome to do so - beyonf the usual "legal decent and honest" restrictions, please keep contributions to South Ward matters. Political talk for the ward is fine; no limits set with that regard even if I do not agree. Business posts are welcome too without being limited to one day a week. As I specialise more in the travel an transport elements, I find myself wondering where this group goes - probably sensible to look at that further after the byelection, and once the new communications officer with MTC is fully up, running, and directing things in a direction that's clear.
Published Wednesday, 17th September 2025
By-election, Town Council 9.10.2025. Candidates.
A byelection has been called for the South Ward of Melksham Town Council, with voting to take place on Thursday 9th October 2025. Nominations closed on Friday 12th September, and there are two candidates:LEACH, Jon - Reform UK
PRICE, Tom - Local Conservatives
I look forward to voting early next month, and seeing a new Town Councillor who (simply based on the descrition given for both candidates) will widen the scope of views at Melksham Town Council. The full details of the election are at https://elections.wiltshire.gov.uk/Home/Division/9158
Our Town Council meeting agendas now include the following text for elected (or co-opted) Town Councillors: "All members are reminded of their duty under the code of conduct to uphold the Seven Principles of Public Life: selflessness, integrity, objectivity, accountability, openness, honesty, and leadership.". They are sensible principles and I look forward to casting my vote based to a great degree on how I see the candidates upholding them in practise.
Published Sunday, 14th September 2025
Melksham trains - useless has improved, but only to thin and unreliable
Westbury Station is a hub - trains head off in five different directions. I found myself there yesterday at just after half past two in the afternoon, looking to get home to Melksham. And it reminded me how grossly imbalanced, shoddy, thin, our train service is at Melksham.
100 minutes to wait for the next train to Melksham. And in the meantime, there are 5 trains to Warminster, 5 trains to Bradford-on-Avon, 2 trains to Frome and 2 trains to Pewsey. All of which are smaller towns than Melksham. Much of our currwnt very thin service is a result of history, somewhat perpetuated by our geography, but still is it any wonder that the train use to and from Melksham is - pathetic - compared to the use from other towns, and to the detriment of our local economy?
The train from Westbury to Melksham does not only serve Melksham. It also serves Chippenham, and Swindon. And it needs to be run every hour at least - not just every coupleof hours. People who have the choice will simply drive rather than get stranded at Westbury for long periods. And we are not helped by a very high train cancellation rate - 12% over the last 12 weeks. It's not as if there wold be another train along in a few minutes. It needs to run with a cancellation rate not in excess of 2%.
I am - grateful - to GWR and the powers that be for the movement over the years from a nearly-useless service of 2 trains a day (07:05 and 19:35 from Westbury) to 9 services timetabled, but that's just a step along the way. An extra service at 15:23 in my example would do wonders. And reliability needs to be addressed - the railway seems incapable of providing enough staff to run the trains, enough trains in working order, or of providing information about alternative ways of getting around when they don't provide a service.
Stop Press - here we (don't) go again ... even after waiting the 100 minutes ... had it been today, I would have found the train cancelled ...
| 16:23 Westbury to Swindon due 17:06 will be cancelled. This is due to a shortage of train crew. 17:35 Swindon to Westbury due 18:19 will be cancelled. This is due to a shortage of train crew. |
Published Friday, 12th September 2025
Moved from Senior to Disabled Railcard
I have posted (in private) about my adventure in moving from a senior railcard to a disabled one, which has slightly more savings associated with it. And comment was made that - even though the reason is my total deafness in one ear, I was still required to phone in to complete the purchase. In reply to a friend, "I found that ironic." but also an opportunity to explain where I am litied, so that I am not over-asked.With a phone pressed against my remaining good ear, I can talk very well on the phone and indeed be cut off as I do so from the world around me. Even radio interviews work well like this. I advocated Melksham Station the other week for the World Cup of Stations as it has made an enormous difference - personal story.
I have no directional sound understanding any longer. I can't hear where a sound is coming from. "Hello, I am home" no longer results in an "I am here" shout back from Lisa; she has learned to reply with her location in the house. More seriously, crossing the road means that I have to look much more carefully all around so that I can see the lie of the land around me, and that also applies to standing on train and other platforms out of the way. Never a good idea to be near the edge of the platform, but on an island like Chippenham it keeps me closer in than it used to, when added to ...
I have virtually no sense of balance as my inner ear is also dead. Stairs and standing around are an issue - much easier to be walking, though even there I wobble, apparently drunkenly. And it's now necessary for me to have light - I can't walk around in the pitch black, as I use my sight to see how I am balanced far more than I ever used to, and I have a significant risk of falling if I move around in the dark.
As a net result, larger echo-ey rooms, meetings with multiple people present and talking, leave me saying "pardon" all the time, apparently ignoring people who are addressing me, and inversely asking people if they are talking to me when they are not. I (unconsciously) lipread when I can see people quite a bit which helps, but in many cases I remain puzzled / half-guessing what is said. There are limits to the number of times I can say "pardon" and I have gotten to understand that when I think someone had said something silly or funny, they probably haven't - I have just misheard them and should not react to what I think they said.
All of which leaves me as an awful person to run/chair a meeting or to engage a crowd - far better to specialise in the backroom; my brain still works (I think) and my thoughts (I thinks) are sharp. The need to use my sense of site to compensate for my lack of ability to hear and to balance is also tiring - leaving me switching on for shorter times and frustratingly off for longer periods - I can't do anything like as much ss I would like to, and I know I let people down ... well, even if forgiven and accepted for what I now am, I let my own standards down.
Posting ... for information and a bit of understanding, and not (please!) for sympathy. I struggled to hear and be heard in Melksham Town Council chamber, and I think my colleagues on the council labelled me as "thick" and unresponsive as a result. It was also very competitive in there; a few good people are / were understanding, and most knew of my issues - I certainly made no secret of them. The public and professionals, engaging often on a one on one are lovely and it's been a real pleasure over the fortnight (after my return from Covid) engaging with people in Melksham, and out and about on the way to Weymouth, to Bristol and to Frome.
Published Thursday, 11th September 2025
Day trips to Weymouth by train - September 2025
Out and about yesterday - first time in a month - and a trip on a Heart of Wessex Day Ranger ticket taking me from Melksham to Swindon, to Weymouth and to Redland. My intention was to do even more on the train, and to sit and write as I watched the scenery go by. But the best laid plans ... can be so much improved on. The weather in Weymouth was glorious, and a short stay there extended to four hours taking pictures of the wide variety of scenes through the heart of the day. I only left when getting tired; so much more I could have done should I have had the energy. And on the trains - no writing - rather an opportunity to chat with friends who happened to be travelling too - "K" on the way down, catching up on matters transport and West Wiltshire, and "S" on the way back, talking Wessex Wanderers, Community Rail and its future. Together with new friends who joined us at Chetnole on their way home to Doncaster, having walked from Maiden Newton as one leg of a long distance walk from the South Coast to the Humber.
No, the day did not go as planned. Yes - it was better!
All the trains ran. Longest delay, 15 minutes (cow on the line at Thornford). Pretty much all of them were busy - in habit, I walked through the Weymouth train after it had left Melksham and there were around 100 passengers on board. And on the way back in, I switched to the 273 bus from Bath to Melksham - the first Saturday evening with an improved timetable with a couple of big gaps plugged. I took one of the retimed buses and we left Bath after the Guildhall pickup with most seats taken, which is promising on a first day. I head a couple of folks talking about "this is good" too. I had been going to wait for the final plug - the extra 22:10 from Bath Bus Station (the 23:20 still runs too) but I was feeling my current limits.
And so back in Melksham – in time to catch “The Fisheries” before it closed; I had been really tempted to get Fish and Chips in Weymouth but had been already full and the hankering had been brought home. Very interesting to hear a shout out across the chippie – “Been on the trains today, Graham” and, yes, “S”, I had been. I am so much in my element working with public transport – not always in agreement, but so much with the technical strength and respect of others around – what a wonderful confirmation (and contrast to other goings on) that makes me realise than my decision to concentrate on that aspect is 110% right.
The day out with a direct train from Melksham to Weymouth runs again next Saturday, and baring engineering work train you can make the journey any day except Christmas day with a change (and perhaps a significant wait) at Westbury, and there are though trains on Sundays all year. The £18.30 I paid gave me a third off the ranger ticket; if you are in a group, three or more adult tickets next Saturday just to Weymouth and back will cost (each) around £16.50 if you don't have a railcard.
Really good to see public transport working. We may (and will) grumble and look to improve, correct and provide a number of aspects, and we need to – but at the same time we use and celebrate what we have and encourage others to use it too.
Published Sunday, 7th September 2025
(My) Melksham diary for September and October 2025
I have been having a look through the Melksham Town Council agenda pack for next Monday and have the following dates in my diary - not as a councillor now, but as an interested resident - so I will be "cherry picking" where interested. Copied here as the correlation may be useful to othersSeptember
+ A Night to Remember - Motown Show - Friday 5th September 2025
* Day trip by train to Weymouth (09:10 from Melksham Station) - Saturday 6th September 2025
+ Flower and Produce Show - Sunday 7th September 2025
** Melksham Town Council, Community Development Commiteee - Monday 8th September 2025
/ A look around in Frome - transport comparison to Melksham - Thursday 11th September 2025
*% Nominations for Town Council / vacant South Ward seat - by Friday 12th September 2025
* Final summer day trip by train to Weymouth - Saturday 13th September 2025
** Proms in the Park – Saturday 13th September 2025
+ Female of the Species - also Saturday 13th September 2025
++ "Mr Burton" film - Monday Movie Club - Monday 15th September 2025
/ West Wiltshire Rail User Group, including campaign update - Wednesday 17th September 2025
++ RAF Melksham Presentation (Historical Assoc) - Thursday 18th September 2025
++ Livestock Davies and the Lowdown Snakes - Melksham Rock 'n Roll - Saturday 20th September 2025
+ Clothes Swap - Sunday 21st September 2025
+ Quiz night - Thursday 25th September 2025
+ Laughter Craft Comedy - Friday 26th September 2025
+ Melksham Lions Club - Saturday 27th September 2025
* Melksham Makers Market - Saturday 27th September 2025
* Residents Survey - closing date Tuesday 30th September 2025
* Melksham and Devizes Business Network - sign up by 30th September 2025
* Melksham Environment Group (18:30, Library) - Tuesday 30th September 2025
October
* Town Tidy - Sunday 5th October 2025
++ Melksham Movie Club - Monday 6th October 2025
* Melksham Transport Group meeting - Wednesday 8th October 2025
*% By-election, Melksham South Ward - Thursday 9th October 2025
++ Peter Efford (deep trance medium) - Thursday 9th October 2025
++ Daytime Disco - Friday 10th October 2025
+ Abbamania tribute - Saturday 11th October 2025 2025
++ The Trials of Rev'd Barnwell (Historical Assoc) - Thursday 16th October 2025
++ The Meerkats - Melksham Rock 'n Roll - Saturday 18th October 2025
++ Melksham Movie Club - Monday 20th October 2025
* Melksham Environment Group - Tuesday 21st October 2025
/ TravelWatch SouthWest General Meeting - Friday 24th October 2025
+ The ELO Encounter - Friday 24th October 2025
++ Monster Ball - Saturday 25th October 2025
+ Simon Yates, my Mountain Life - Wednesday 29th October 2025
+ Seriously Collins - Friday 31st October 2025
November and December ... an early note of
** Remembrance - 9th November 2025
* Melksham Area Board of Wiltshire Council - 12th November 2025
/ Bus and Rail integration in West Wilts? - 26th November 2025
** Christmas lights switch-on - 6th December 2025
Key:
** - On the the Agenda for next Monday
* - Not on the agenda for next Monday, but in my diary
% - see (here)
+ - Melksham Assembly Hall event - see (here)
++ - At the Assembly Hall, all welcome, not on the event web site
/ - event relates to Melksham but out of town
Errors and Ommisions Excepted
** Remembrance and Christmas Lights are similar to events held in past years - through the Christmas Lights even last year was cancelled due to poor weather. Proms in the Park started last year, with a big screen bringing the Royal Albert Hall live to the KGV park. This year, "The programme will feature performances from local bands and ensembles, culminating in a traditional ‘Last Night of the Proms’ style finale" - so that's not a big screen relay this time, though "A full schedule will be released closer to the event date" - just a week away, but that should clarify what's happening.
And finally from the agenda pack - a welcome to Dominic Rutherood – Melksham Town Council’s New Communications and Marketing Officer.
Published Thursday, 4th September 2025