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Not daring to be an anorak

Archive - Originally posted on "The Horse's Mouth" - 2008-04-19 21:26:49 - Graham Ellis



It's two class 20 locomotives on the front of a rake of early Mark 2 coaches, with some later mark 2 coaches and a class 57 on the rear, passing through Melksham this morning on an Oxford to Weymouth excursion train. It was only just on time as the single line at Thingley was cleared 5 late by the 143 on the scheduled service

Now here's the sad part. If I admit to knowing all of that to certain of my contacts with whom we're working for an improved train service, they'll take everything I say with a pinch of salt and discount my suggestions because I'm then classified as an "enthusiast" or "anorak". Curious, isn't it? What other business would so water down the comments and suggestions of its most faithful customers so that they feel restrained in the support they offer?

Let me rephrase my initial statement.

Here is a long train of a type I don't think I've seen before going through Melksham. It was a long train and well loaded, and going quite fast as the track is in good condition. The platform behind the train serves the town of Melksham Wiltshire which has a population or around 24000, but very few trains call there for reasons that seem very hard for a sane person like me to fathom - it's certanly not lack of demand for people to travel around these parts!

If you would like to learn more about our campaign for an appropriate service stopping here - and we DO have a good chance - please visit this page. Thank you.