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Weymouth vis the TransWilts - the day out today

Archive - Originally posted on "The Horse's Mouth" - 2013-05-27 05:47:04 - Graham Ellis

Welcome to the TransWilts... Wiltshire's neglected railway line which links the major urban areas in Wiltshire - Swindon to Salisbury via Chippenham, Melksham, Trowbridge, Westbury, Dilton Marsh and Warminster. There are just two trains each way per day at present, although there are also plans to step up to something much more appropriate - 8 trains each way per day. The studies have been done to show that it will be a major boost for the area - a "benefit to cost ratio" of 2.74 to 1 and seed funding to get the service running, and also to get station and intermodal sustainable connections improved to the extent of being able to cope with anticipated traffic - 600 regular commuters identified themselves in our survey alone. Watch http://www.twcrp.org.uk .

Today we're going to change at Westbury and spend the day in WEYMOUTH - and thank you to First Great Western for extending the train from Westbury up to 5 carriages - the longest easily possible on that line - for our extra passengers. The return train form Weymouth will leave at 17:30, change at Westbury again at arrive at Melksham at 19:46, Chippenham at 20:00 and Swindon at 20:21. Passengers for Swindon and Chippenham can also return at 15:08 or 20:21 from Weymouth and change at BATH SPA - your journey will be a little longer, but your return tickets will be valid.

Today's train is a public service running at a different time to normal because it's the bank holiday. On the regular service, trains leave SWINDON southbound at:
06:12 and 18:44 - Monday to Friday
15:22 and 21:08 - Saturday
18:19 only - Sunday
and these trains call at Chippenham 15 minutes after Swindon, and Melksham 25 minutes after Swindon. Monday to Friday trains run all the way to Southampton; Saturday and Sunday trains only as far as Westbury.

Trains on regular days start from WESTBURY for Swindon at:
07:04 and 19:32 - Monday to Friday
09:05 and 15:06 - Saturday
17:10 and 19:25 - Sunday (varies - may be a few minutes later; please check)
and these trains call at Trowridge about 5 minutes, and Melksham 15 minutes after leaving Westbury.

There are plenty of ongoing connections from and to these regular trains at Swindon, and also other connections at Trowbridge and Chippenham (to Bristol) and at Westbury to the West Country, Salisbury, Southampton and London.

If you're taking a day out - a long commute - from Melksham, the current service can work well for you. I use the train for occasional commuting to London, to Oxford, to Farborough (Hampshire). For daily commuting to Swindon and Bristol, you're left with rather a long time at destination. There's a wide range of fares available on these trains - please check to ensure you get good value.


Other day out opportunties this summer include ...

Westbury (09:05), Trowbridge (09:11) and Melksham (09:20) to Swindon - for Steam Museum.
Any Saturday - return train from Swindon at 15:20, or 21:08 if you want to stop for an early evening meal too

Exeter St Davids - from Melksham at 07:20, returning from Exeter at 16:54 or 18:03
Any Monday to Friday - return fare 45.50. Opportunity for travel beyond Exeter to Torbay

Day out in London - try it on a Saturday (from Melksham at 09:20) when fares are better value.
Return from Paddington at 20:00, getting you to Melksham at 21:34

We're waiting to see if the Weymouth opportunity for today is again possible on AUgust Bank Holiday - it's subject to engineering works, and we should know in a few weeks.

Finally, Santa Claus should be on the 17:25 train from Melksham to Swindon on Sunday 1st December - a return trip getting back at 18:44. Presents for the children, minced pies and soft drinks. Pre-book please / numbers limited and Santa needs to bring enough presents. Tickets from Melksham Tourist Information centre from early October. These details to be confirmed.