Comments on: Duncan Hames introduces leading MPs to a Melksham success story: Knorr-Bremse Rail Systems http://www.duncanhames.org.uk/2009/10/12/duncan-hames-introduces-leading-mps-to-a-melksham-success-story-knorr-bremse-rail-systems/ The Local Choice Fri, 07 May 2010 19:07:05 +0200 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Airport News http://www.duncanhames.org.uk/2009/10/12/duncan-hames-introduces-leading-mps-to-a-melksham-success-story-knorr-bremse-rail-systems/comment-page-1/#comment-712 Airport News Fri, 07 May 2010 19:07:05 +0000 http://www.duncanhames.org.uk/2009/10/12/duncan-hames-introduces-leading-mps-to-a-melksham-success-story-knorr-bremse-rail-systems/#comment-712 Well done for holding on to your seat today, and good luck in this strange new parliament ! Well done for holding on to your seat today, and good luck in this strange new parliament !

]]> By: Andrew Rolph http://www.duncanhames.org.uk/2009/10/12/duncan-hames-introduces-leading-mps-to-a-melksham-success-story-knorr-bremse-rail-systems/comment-page-1/#comment-672 Andrew Rolph Mon, 22 Feb 2010 12:14:49 +0000 http://www.duncanhames.org.uk/2009/10/12/duncan-hames-introduces-leading-mps-to-a-melksham-success-story-knorr-bremse-rail-systems/#comment-672 I believe the Swiss have a strategic rail plan for their country which contains ideas such as this: " ... all towns of 'n'000 people will be served by rail. Plans will be made for towns approaching 'n'000 people in the next 'x' years to be served by rail ..." That's what I call 'strategic'! In Great Britain, re-organising the tracks at Reading and mixing airport and commuter passengers at Gatwick [again!] seems to be as strategic as we get. Melksham is obviously, at 25,000*, quite big enough to justify a higher service level. It's an operational and legal convenience that it has only two trains a day. It's not the biggest place in Britain without a proper passenger train service, but it's likely the one where changes could be made most easily. [*Horley in Surrey is about the same size, and has 3tph on weekdays, because it's lucky enough to be on the main Brighton line.] I believe the Swiss have a strategic rail plan for their country which contains ideas such as this: ” … all towns of ‘n’000 people will be served by rail. Plans will be made for towns approaching ‘n’000 people in the next ‘x’ years to be served by rail …”
That’s what I call ’strategic’! In Great Britain, re-organising the tracks at Reading and mixing airport and commuter passengers at Gatwick [again!] seems to be as strategic as we get.

Melksham is obviously, at 25,000*, quite big enough to justify a higher service level. It’s an operational and legal convenience that it has only two trains a day. It’s not the biggest place in Britain without a proper passenger train service, but it’s likely the one where changes could be made most easily.

[*Horley in Surrey is about the same size, and has 3tph on weekdays, because it's lucky enough to be on the main Brighton line.]

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