Campaigning

Graham Ellis sharing years of experience as a thought on each day
Coffee Shop Home PageAbout the Coffee ShopAcronymsStation ComparatorCalendarNew TopicsPopular TopicsMTUGCoffee Shop Forum
Campaigning Home PageCampaigning - list of daily tipsCampaigning - today's tip
Great Western RailwayCross Country TrainsChiltern RailwaysSouth Western RailwayTransport for WalesTransport for London

Look back to learn not to emulate

This campaign tip (no. 38) was published on Thursday, 7th February 2019
"I want the train service we had up to 2006 back". No, NO, NO

If it wasn't working enough for it to work in 2005, why do you want that in 2015 or 2025?

. Look at what you have had previously - look at history and learn from it. What worked then? What did not work? What are people's needs now?

The 2001 to 2006 TransWilts service was a very early train, a morning peak train, a lunchtime train, an evening peak train and a late evening train. It didn't grow as it could have done - it was unreliable, hardly advertised, and if a particular train wasn't convenient it was an unacceptable wait for the one before or after. The very early train was surprisingly busy; the evening one a bit quiet, the lunchtime one struggled to make double figures In passenger numbers ... most people were day return trips, and what on earth was the day out return from the lunchtime service??

So ... for 2013, we look at that history. We maintain and strengthen the peak services and run other services a couple of hours each side and right though the day, giving a rich tapestry of return trips. We would like to maintain the very early and late evening services, but we can allow them to be replaced by something more effective

Result? Silly strong growth. Rather that 4 or 5 departures and attivals at Melkkama each day, we have over 100 even on a quiet day ....

Image - Some of the key players at Melksham at the time we were campaigning for the return on an appropriate service. Delighted that Richard Gamble is now the Financial Director of TransWilts, and Jonathon Seed a key member of the Area Board of Wiltshire Council
Discussion via Coffee Shop forum

Contact details

These pages are written by Graham Ellis of Melksham, Wiltshire. Overlapping a life in IT and IT training, with running a hotel and campaigning for improved public transport, Graham has never been quiet - though he's starting to wind down gently now. He no longer takes overnight guests and has stepped doen from the "Community Rail Officer" role which he accidentally aquired. So he now has more time to write pages such as these and to travel in the UK. He'll be delighted to speak with your group or take a look through your case or camapaign, but be alerted that his time is not limitless even now, and he still has to keep the wolf from the door.

Postal: 48, Spa Road, Melksham, Wiltshire, SN12 7NY
Phonal: 01225 708225
Emailal: graham -at- wellho.net
Or reach me on the Coffee Shop Forum (User Grahame) facilities


What a difference a campaign makes!

It probably wouldn't have happened without a strong community campaign with which I have been involved. Most days through 2019 I'll be sharing a thought, an idea, a way of working or an experience. Come back here for the links. Discussions via the Coffee Shop Forum - Graham Ellis, 31st December 2018


Popular Links


Recent forum popular topics

[*] would you like your own LIVE train station departure board?
[*] West Wiltshire Bus Changes April 2024
[*] Who needs a travel agent these days?
[*] Infrastructure problems in Thames Valley causing disruption elsewhere - ongoi ...
[*] CrossCountry upgrade will see 25% more rail seats
[*] Reversing Beeching - bring heritage and freight lines into the passenger network
[*] Return of the BRUTE?
[*] If not HS2 to Manchester, how will traffic be carried?
[*] Notification of different standards - Bedwyn and Melksham