Condition of Sustrans route 403?

[craftycockney]

Hello
Can anyone please update me on the condition of the route from Calne to Chippenham. It was pretty rough 6 years ago. I hope to lead a club ride from Chippenham to Salisbury return in 2025. Is it suitable for touring bikes|? Thanks Chris

[jezer]

I use this section quite often. It's generally pretty good, although does get a bit muddy in the woods when wet. The only tarmac bit is the short road link near Studley. Certainly rideable on touring bikes, just remember it can be muddy in winter. Being an old railway line it is completely flat.

[Bmblbzzz]

It's a few years since I last rode it, but I used to use it a lot. As jezer says, it's mostly pretty good but can get rather muddy in some sections. The bridge over the A4 is fun, and remember to look out for railway remnants (such as bits of old rail) at the side of the track!

[foxyrider]

I've ridden most of it on a Carbon fibre road bike with 23c tyres without issue but its like any of these repurposed rail lines, lack of maintenance after the big hurrah of opening them up means there can be extensive puddles/mud at times. Been around Chippenham area today, the Avon is close to flooding and there is a lot of wet running off the fields onto the roads, i'd expect 403 to be quite squidgy in places atm. You don't say when your ride will be but my advice would be to avoid it if there has been a lot of damp in the days beforehand.

[Bmblbzzz]

I'm idly wondering why the topic title has been changed from "Calne to Chippenham" (or similar) to "Sustrans route 403"? IMO the former is far more descriptive; does anyone really recognize the numbers unless they're super-familiar with that route?

[JJF]

The last time I went from Calne to Chippenham you could, by request, stop at Black Dog Halt.

[RodT]

That must have been when the ‘Calnie Bunk’ was still running. For those who weren’t train spotters at Ivy Lane school in 1956, the Calnie Bunk was a saddle-tank engine that ran the branch line, now route 403, from Chippenham to Calne.
The OP is planning to ride in 2025. Touring bikes should be ok, but as has been noted, parts of the route can be wet and muddy, especially through the woods approaching Calne.
I’d be interested to know which route will be taken onwards from Calne to Salisbury.