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Melksham railway station

Coordinates: 51°22′47″N 2°08′41″W / 51.3798°N 2.1446°W / 51.3798; -2.1446
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Melksham
National Rail
General information
LocationMelksham, Wiltshire,
England
Coordinates51°22′47″N 2°08′41″W / 51.3798°N 2.1446°W / 51.3798; -2.1446
Grid referenceST900645
Managed byGreat Western Railway
Platforms1
Other information
Station codeMKM[1]
ClassificationDfT category F2
History
Original companyWilts, Somerset and Weymouth Railway
Pre-groupingGreat Western Railway
Post-groupingGreat Western Railway
Key dates
5 September 1848Opened
18 April 1966Closed
13 May 1985Reopened
Passengers
2020/21Decrease 18,800
2021/22Increase 52,342
2022/23Increase 64,206
2023/24Decrease 63,350
2024/25Decrease 60,930
Location
Map
Notes
Passenger statistics from the Office of Rail and Road

Melksham railway station is a railway station serving the town of Melksham in Wiltshire, England. It is 100 miles 13 chains (100.16 miles, 161.20 km) from London Paddington, on the TransWilts Line between Chippenham and Trowbridge.[2]

History

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The station circa 1905

The station was opened with the original section of the line by the Wilts, Somerset and Weymouth Railway, between Thingley Junction and Westbury, on 5 September 1848.[3] British Railways closed the station from 18 April 1966[4] and soon afterwards the line through the station was singled, the station buildings were demolished and the up platform was removed.[5] The station reopened to passengers from 13 May 1985,[6] although the short platform meant that trains longer than one carriage could not open all doors.[7] In July 2018, the platform was improved and lengthened to cater for trains of up to three carriages.[8][9]


Preceding station Historical railways Following station
Beanacre Halt
Line open, station closed 		  Great Western Railway
Wessex Main Line 		  Broughton Gifford Halt
Line open, station closed

Facilities

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From summer 2015, a ticket vending machine has been in use on the platform, enabling passengers to either purchase their tickets or collect pre-paid tickets for their journey. An additional 20 free car parking spaces were provided at the same time. There is covered cycle accommodation, CCTV and a passenger shelter.[10]

As of 2020, there is a 'next train' digital display on the station platform, as well as a more detailed arrivals and departures screen in the adjoining car park. In that year, the local Rail User Group turned a disused building close to the station into a café.[11]

Passenger volume

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Passenger Volume at Melksham[12]
2002–03 2004–05 2005–06 2006–07 2007–08 2008–09 2009–10 2010–11 2011–12 2012–13 2013–14 2014–15 2015–16 2016–17 2017–18 2018–19 2019–20 2020–21 2021–22 2022–23
Entries and exits 19,143 27,446 24,426 22,001 38,081 27,656 10,028 11,046 11,326 12,080 23,930 51,858 60,676 74,666 74,220 74,534 75,292 18,800 52,342 64,206

The statistics cover twelve month periods that start in April.

Services

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A Great Western Railway Class 158 calls at the station

Great Western Railway (GWR) operates services approximately every two hours each way between Swindon and Westbury, with additional services at peak times; there are nine departures in total. On Sundays, there are seven services each way. Two weekday southbound services run through to Southampton Central and two northbound services continue to Cheltenham Spa.[citation needed]

Between December 2006 and December 2013, Melksham station was served by two trains each way per day (one train on Sundays) between Swindon and Westbury, operated by Great Western Railway, a reduction from five each way per day before the December 2006 timetable change.[13]

Preceding station National Rail National Rail Following station
Chippenham   Great Western Railway
Wessex Main Line 		  Trowbridge

Community Rail and user groups

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With Melksham being served by trains on the Swindon to Westbury route, it comes under the remit of the TransWilts Community Interest Company (CIC) which is accredited by the Department for Transport.[14] As well as developing the café and other facilities, the group has taken out a lease on land adjacent to the station and laid it out for car parking. Income from charges levied will be ploughed back into further improvements at the station.[citation needed]

Melksham Railway Development Group formed in 1995 to promote Melksham station and train journeys to and from the town.[15] The group supported Save the Train and the TransWilts CRP over the years but has remained independent, running at least one special event every year. In 2015, the group was renamed the Melksham Rail User Group.[citation needed]

The Save The Train group was launched in 2005, to raise public awareness that services along the TransWilts Line were being reduced.[16] Prior to the introduction of extra services in late 2013, "Save the Train" members transferred to the community element of the TransWilts Community Rail Partnership.[17]

References

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  1. ^ "Railway Codes". railwaycodes.org.uk. Retrieved 27 September 2022.
  2. ^ Bridge, Mike, ed. (2017). TRACKatlas of Mainland Britain: A Comprehensive Geographic Atlas Showing the Rail Network of Great Britain (3rd ed.). Sheffield: Platform 5 Publishing Ltd. pp. .page. ISBN 978 1909431 26 3.
  3. ^ MacDermot, E.T. (1927). History of the Great Western Railway. Vol. 1 (1st ed.). Paddington: Great Western Railway. p. 295.
  4. ^ Quick 2023, p. 312.
  5. ^ Oakley, Mike (2004). Wiltshire Railway Stations. Wimborne: The Dovecote Press. pp. 92–93. ISBN 1-904349-33-1.
  6. ^ "Then & Now – Melksham Railway Station". Wiltshire Times. Trowbridge. 15 June 2006. Archived from the original on 11 March 2007.
  7. ^ "Great Western Route Utilisation Study: Platform Lengths" (PDF). Retrieved 4 December 2014.
  8. ^ "Station platform to be extended". Melksham Independent News. 16 November 2016. Retrieved 14 December 2016.
  9. ^ "Extended platform now in service at Melksham Station". Melksham Independent News. 4 July 2018. Retrieved 15 July 2018.
  10. ^ "Melksham train station | Departures, arrivals and tickets | GWR". www.gwr.com. Retrieved 6 April 2026.
  11. ^ Baker, John (3 September 2020). "Melksham rail hub is opened". Wiltshire Times. Retrieved 28 November 2021.
  12. ^ "Estimates of station usage | ORR Data Portal". dataportal.orr.gov.uk. Retrieved 24 December 2023.
  13. ^ "TransWiltsRail: Melksham". Archived from the original on 6 February 2012. Retrieved 20 April 2012.
  14. ^ "DfT accredited CRPs". Retrieved 18 February 2021.
  15. ^ "Melksham Rail User Group". Well House Consultants. Retrieved 22 December 2018.
  16. ^ Ellis, Graham. "Save the Train". Well House Consultants. Retrieved 20 April 2012.
  17. ^ "Movement to TransWilts CRP". First Great Western Coffee Shop. Retrieved 14 January 2014.

Bibliography

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