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Santa Special - rather more special than usual - December 2010 Archive Headline What was special? Background
Some other articles Z501 - Public Transport - Rail GW franchise - my response Breich Station - current pictures, and future options Some thoughts on the closure proposal for Breich station Rotary Talk, 25/7/2017 Learning from travelling further afield TransWilts Partner Update for Melksham Area Board Melksham trial train service is to be made permanent Melksham Rail Development Group - a celebration of 20 years Melksham Rail Development Group becoming Melksham Rail Users Group Melksham Station - as at May 2016 - Part 5 (services and prices) Melksham Station - as at May 2016 - Part 4 Melksham Station - as at May 2016 - Part 3 Melksham Station - as at May 2016 - Part 2 Melksham Station - as at May 2016 - Part 1 Swindon, Chippenham and Melksham - day trips by train to Weymouth start for 2016 Chippenham to Salisbury by public transport - what we have and what we could have Who was Doctor Beeching and what was his axe? Rail user groups worried about what is happening on the buses Rambling from Westbury TransWilts - robust these days - no longer the first service to be cancelled 21 places to get your train and bus timetables for TransWilts Call for help counting passengers - TransWilts, 12th to 14th December Rail electrification - far, far too optimistic so over budget and late TransWilts public transport corridor Why has the hourly Chippenham to Trowbridge train been withdrawn? The Weymouth Wizard - Saturdays in August from Wiltshire The Royal Albert Bridge as you do not normally see it Sunday train times - 17th May to 6th September 2015 Swindon to Westbury train services - Saturdays from 23rd May 2015 Newark to New York - the PATH suburban railway Home in Melksham to Gatwick Airport - easy by public transport New car park at Melksham Station - ideal for commuters from Seend, Hilperton, Yarnbrook and Holt Fishguard to Melksham - third part of Dublin journey Leopardstown to Rosslare by train Neighbourhood Plan - travel and transport thoughts Catching up on a week all in a single post (?) A Welsh valley - what the transport looks like in 2015 TransWilts / Press and Publicity report for AGM / 30th January 2015 What FGW passengers want to talk about / and PHP programming to find out A year of rail memories! The changing face of Christmas Celebration pictures, year 1 A long day on the trains, but a rewarding one My first official measure - Passenger Entrys and Exits - revisited 9 years later Officially overcrowded in the first year Four time target - good news. Four time prediction - poor forecasting. It may be cheaper to buy in bulk Swindon to Weymouth - by train, the traditional way - 2014 Survey - Journeys Metrics - historic and current TransWilts train use How effective is our publicity? Chippenham - Melksham - Trowbridge, public transport over Easter (2014) Train fare look expensive? There may be a cheaper option Easter Weeks - Melksham to Weymouth Staveton Halt, former station between Trowbridge and Melksham Broughton Gifford Halt, TransWilts Railway Line Lacock Halt - former TransWilts Station A Question series posed to Melksham Tourist information Saturday train to Swindon - two weeks in TransWilts - first day pictures TransWilts train services - up from 2 to 8 per day A THANK YOU to those who have brought the new train service to fruition New train service - launch plans and timetable links Los Angeles - post modern transport system Excellent Railfuture conference, but some setup lessons Draft Westbury - Melksham - Swindon train times, from December 2014 Official - Trowbridge and Melksham to London train improvements Booking for Santa, Melksham Railway Development Group, 8th December 2013 TransWilts Link - meeting notes from 19th October Getting people to and from Melksham Station - not 20 but 700 times a day A radical proposal - a cheap and effective way to provide home to city commuter transport TransWilts Trains - running a successful campaign talk International and off island travel from Melksham Train and Rail Travel - who runs it and where do I ask questions? TransWilts Community Rail Partnership - formally constituted Bank Holiday Monday - pictures of a great train trip to Weymouth People WILL walk to the station in Melksham, but they need a path and trains August Bank Holiday - day out from Melksham to London or Weymouth Melksham Regular Public Transport Map - as at August 2013 Special General Meeting, Adoption of Constitution for TransWilts Community Rail Partnership A few more trains means a LOT more passengers. Why? Passenger survey at Chippenham - report and pictures West Coast (of Wales) - railway and stations in pictures Wiltshire and Melksham Transport - what is going on? TransWilts meeting ... Our day trip by train from Swindon, Chippenham and Melksham to Weymouth Weymouth vis the TransWilts - the day out today Fancy a day at the seaside? Weymouth from Melksham Report on the last year - Melksham Railway Developement Group for Melksham Without Parish Council A request for all of Melksham transport groups to work integrated Onward from Brussels On board Eurostar - a running commentary Two trains a day ... how many fares to London? Guess! Rail services in Wiltshire - up in the air? We need to say what is best required. Santa Trip - Melksham Railway Development Group, 2012 A long overdue meeting - a steeping stone towards coordinate transport user inputs Agenda for Wiltshire Link Travel groups meeting, Saturday 1st December 2012 35 minutes is only a slight delay on our railway service Want to help us improve transport in Wiltshire? Here is how! Father Christmas to be on train in Melksham Public Transport across Wiltshire - a new map Here comes Santa - on the train from Melksham to Swindon on 2nd December 2012 Community Transport - Pewsey, Taunton, and the whole picture too Wiltshire Public Transport User Group co-ordination Mixed mode travel - Information systems Henbury loop, Bristol - a freight railway line with passenger potential? Trains across Wiltshire - an update on the TransWilts Melksham to Steam in Swindon, by train - great day out TransWilts trains - what the next franchise period will bring The Melksham News - July 2012 - Part 2, TransWilts Rail, Wilts and Berks Canal Scenes from commuting by train What a difference a year makes Like a bathroom company with no plumbers Excellent Rail News - what it really means Improving Wiltshire Rail Offer - it WILL be happening Steam train calls at Melksham - Pictures Christmas in June? Melksham hotel bookings and Santa train Melksham - placed 2254 out of 2255. What can be done about it? Abstraction The future needs for rail services to Melksham - change needed; current service an insult Bristol 50? Bristol 25? Future train services in Wiltshire - please write in to support a better service Kings Cross - new concourse - between Python in Cambridge and Objective C in London Wiltshire Travel Times - Chippenham, Trowbridge, Salisbury and other places too Getting around Dublin by public transport - some observations There is so much to see travelling by train Rail Travel - has it become more unreliable? Transport in Cambridgeshire - seen by an outside observer. What can Wiltshire learn? What would an appropriate train service on the TransWilts line mean I wish I was not a special case Provide a useable train service, and people will use it! Santa Train - another successful trip - 4th December 2011 Santa Claus - on the train from Melksham on 4th December 2011 West Wilts Rail User Group - Walk yesterday from Bradford-on-Avon to Trowbridge Public transport - road and rail How important is public transport to people in the Melksham area? Which or ATOC - who reads train fares right? Sundays - and over eating A review of the Summer Sunday extra trains on the TransWilts line Journey home by public transport for a Bank Holiday Last chance this summer - Swindon and North Wiltshire to Weymouth by through train What costs 8.20 from Melksham, or 22.30 via Chippenham? New product - ensuring that supply matches demand From Wiltshire to Weymouth on Sundays Standing Challenge Dogs Legs on the Dogleg Swindon, Chippenham and Melksham to Weymouth - Sunday Train Service Starts Efficient travel - from Melsksham to Edinburgh by Sleeper Train Comparing Alloa and Melksham - stations and services Summer Sundays - days out by train from Swindon on the TransWilts Summer Sunday Trains - outings from Swindon, Chippenham, Melksham, Trowbridge and Westbury Small scale improvement - big scale gain. And they CAN be done with local knowledge Wanted - a look to the future TransWilts rail - coming together, wanted and needed Past and Present - Melksham Station The cost of roadworks on the economy of our town - 1800 pounds per hour? Comparing German, Dutch and British Railways Train and boat journey - the passenger accommodation Can I take my dog by train? And other questions TransWilts rail - what picture represents us Wiltshire Rail services - a golden opportunity A time to be brave? We should ask for what is best for our area. TransWilts - some things to see and do Transwilts Link - both Wiltshire and beyond Trowbridge and Melksham to Chippenham - more roadworks, even slower journey over the winter TransWilts Link - Days out from Swindon to Weymouth? This article TransWilts Rail News ... Melksham (Santa Special) Edition ... 5th December 2010 Rail services back to Radstock? Get all your ducks in a row ... and they may turn into swans Seventh day traveller on the six day railway Santa announcement, 5th December 2010, Melksham Travel, Transport and Tourism - A vision for Melksham, 2026 Melksham Railway Station - new information point Railway meetings, trips and meetups this autumn Syncronise - software, trains, and buses. Please! Walk - Tilehurst to Pangborne London to Calne, Corsham, Melksham, Bradford-on-Avon, Chippenham by public Transport How Green is my train? Ambassador or Anorak? Train Services - Melksham to Bath and Bristol (and airport) From home to Nurnberg - journey pictures Garlic bread without garlic Reaching out to the community - a good case for support Oliver Cromwell at Bristol Temple Meads Is Melksham public transport actually used? Save the Train - a significant change in approach London to and from Melksham by public transport Saturdays out from Melksham - to Oxford, to Didcot or to Swindon On Malachite Green Forums for your Melksham and open source discussions Rail Campaign - response to core consultation Railway Station Survey - please complete today or tomorrow Five guests, three groups, one car Santa Special, 2009 Integrated public Transport - what could be done for Melksham Wiltshire Council purchases Melksham Station Land The story of the railway land at Melksham Station Santa Special - Trowbridge and Melksham to Swindon By train ... Exploring Old Railways Railway Arithmetic Listening to The Minister From Lymington by train - last of the slammers Great Western Route Utilisation Strategy - Draft for Consultation Public Transport from (and to) Melksham on Sundays Melksham - no trains, no southbound buses through the town For Lua Programmers AND for Town Planners Westbury Bypass Refused - looking forward Bigger and better this year! Train and Coach fares from London (and airports) to Melksham Wiltshire Rail Service Update Melksham Climate Friendly Group Carry on Training - in spite of the weather How low can you sink? Background to the TransWilts Train Fiasco How much does a train service actually cost Why hasnt the fiasco been put right A Gold Star for First Great Western Customer Service Camera with night vision, youth with no vision 30th November - Santa Trip from Melksham Preserved railways - struggling to the future? Back from the future A Train Service Update for Melksham Party in the Park Not daring to be an anorak Melksham - Swindon. Train v Bus v Car Getting somewhere with the train service Railway Acronyms and Abbreviations Santa on the train to Melksham Travel Across Wiltshire - the game Closer than you think - the next step First Great Western - information for customers Look forward with a new broom - Wiltshire Train Service Business travel by train in the USA Heading Upstate New York Day trip to Weymouth Radio coverage for railway issues Melksham or Weymouth? Meal or day out? Some progress on the train campaign Overcrowded trains around Bristol Train and business balls all in the air! Wiltshire Train - can YOU come on 5th March? Save the Train - an update Rail trouble forced me to buy hotel Bradford-on-Avon - 150 years of passenger trains Bang! Train campaign hits home Call for appropriate train services - Swindon, Bristol, Bath, West Wilts, Severn Beach etc Empty at Easleigh, Missing at Melksham, Overflowing at Oldfield Santa at the station The last commuter train through Melksham Coming from London to Melksham by train for a course Yes, but what do we do now?? Melksham Railway Calendar 2007 Not shouting Shadow Transport Minister to visit Melksham For any North and West Wilts and Swindon Readers Are you free on Friday evening? West Wilts Railway Users Group and trains to Lacock Real chance to make a difference Moral dilemma Greater Western Franchise Awarded Santa comes to Melksham Proof needed? Please just use common sense! Looking for railway groups and users - Swindon, Salisbury, Southampton Rail services under threat - Swindon, Melksham ... and Newquay and Bicester too Tomorrow's meeting. Through public transport connection, Chippenham to Salisbury, to cease Swindon - Chippenham - Melksham - Trowbridge - Westbury train service Railway train service, Melksham station
First Great Western provided an intercity 125 train last Sunday on the 17:05 from Westbury to Swindon. This train formed the Santa Special trip organised by the Melksham Railway Development Group - with 80 adults and children joining the train at Melksham for the ride to Swindon and back. Santa Claus, and the Melksham Town Crier, both found time in their busy schedules to join us on the train, and a great time was had by all.
On the way back from Swindon, we all got to ride in First Class, and Santa came through the train with presents for all of the young people in the party - lots of smiling faces, and a great time had by all. We left the train at Melksham; Santa stayed on through to Westbury, where he had parked his sleigh.
This was the very first time (to our knowledge) that an intercity 125 (also known as an HST) has stopped at Melksham, certainly to pick up or drop off passengers. It's something that wasn't possible prior to the provision of "selective door opening" on these trains a couple of years ago, but since then it is something we have asked FGW to consider for special trips. There have still been technical concerns, at it's great to confirm they have been overcome.
This is more significant that just special train / events, though - it means that when there are engineering works that cause the HSTs to be diverted via Melksham, there's no longer any need to cancel the local services (and this will be more important if and when we get the local service improved) - just stop one of the expresses, which have to go slowly round the curve here anyway.
Note that the 18:19 (Sunday) from Swindon, on which we travelled back, is a service that's provided by First Great Western in excess of the government's minimum level specification - it was added to the timetable after requests from the Melksham Railway Development Group and the Save the Train Campaign - our thanks to First Great Western for their continued provision of this service; it's quite a success - we've had to reduce the number of Santa tickets sold this year due to fears of overcrowding.
See newsletter handed out on train - http://www.transwilts.org.uk/twnews_01_mkm.pdf