Christmas and Boxing Day trains - ongoing discussion

[whole diary]

[grahame]

Not only do the Christmas ads seem to be incredibly early this year, so does the thread about the lack of Boxing Day services 

Excellent - because the Railway Industry's annual own goal of showing the country how it can do without a railway on one of the busiest sport and leisure days of the whole year needs to be brought to the attention of the upper managers, directors, and national and local civil servants at a time they're at work ... which is prior to 22nd December, and after 2nd January.

Perhaps we should add a diary date of 26th June 2018 (its a Tuesday) when we celebrate Unboxing Day - we all get out our christmas decorations, go down to our local station and make a point in good time that we want a decent service six months hence. Probably won't work in the first year, but I suspect we could catch media attention ... and who knows in time.

[ChrisB]

As the staff will all be on double pay, and you can't blame them for that, I would want that too for Boxing day, I hope you won't grumble if peak fares are charged all day too, to cover the cost of running a railway when most staff would want to be with family & friends.

On this one day of the year, I'm with the staff & rail companies.

[IndustryInsider]

I’m a member of staff who’d be very happy to work Boxing Day, for a sensibly appropriate pay enhancement.

[broadgage]

I’m a member of staff who’d be very happy to work Boxing Day, for a sensibly appropriate pay enhancement.

Fair enough, but are potential passengers willing to pay a sensibly appropriate fares enhancement ?

I think that rather than run a limited and expensive train service on Boxing day, that the day should be declared a "proper" public holiday with large sporting venues and large shops closed by law, and places of entertainment shut.

That would reduce energy use, give millions of retail and other workers a 2 day break at Christmas, and save money on overtime payment.

[chrisr_75]

TfL^» (Transport for London - about) manage to run a Sunday service on the Underground. And all night sponsored (free) service on New Years Eve. I don't see why it's beyond the rail companies to do similar on the big trains...if the demand is there of course...

[Timmer]

I'm saddened that Boxing Day has become just another day for the British public to indulge in their obsession called consumerism. I feel for those on Christmas Day who can't enjoy the day knowing in the back of their mind they will be up first thing in the morning to go to work just so people can shop/eat out/entertainment. Can we not just have two straight days in the year when this doesn't happen other than Easter Sunday?

[ChrisB]

TfL^» (Transport for London - about) manage to run a Sunday service on the Underground. And all night sponsored (free) service on New Years Eve. I don't see why it's beyond the rail companies to do similar on the big trains...if the demand is there of course...

Certainly on NYE there is.....but I think the worry there is whether too many pax would want to travel on a diminished service - I think some routes might well need a peak service running in the middle of the night...just to cope with the number wanting to get home.

[IndustryInsider]

I predict Crossrail will have a Boxing Day service within a couple of years.

[ChrisB]

Yes, that's quite likely! But NR^» (Network Rail - home page) will have a say west of Hayes I reckon

[chrisr_75]

I predict Crossrail will have a Boxing Day service within a couple of years.

I noted that Overground have no Boxing Day services, so I'm not so sure about that

[Richard Fairhurst]

I feel for those on Christmas Day who can't enjoy the day knowing in the back of their mind they will be up first thing in the morning to go to work just so people can shop/eat out/entertainment. Can we not just have two straight days in the year when this doesn't happen other than Easter Sunday?

Ahem. Some of us work Christmas Day. And Easter Sunday.

Signed, a church organist.

[broadgage]

I'm saddened that Boxing Day has become just another day for the British public to indulge in their obsession called consumerism. I feel for those on Christmas Day who can't enjoy the day knowing in the back of their mind they will be up first thing in the morning to go to work just so people can shop/eat out/entertainment. Can we not just have two straight days in the year when this doesn't happen other than Easter Sunday?

Agree, and we are not talking about BANNING consumerism, but only postponing it by a day or two !

I would prohibit by law the following from opening.
Large shops (large as already defined by the Sunday trading act)
Sports stadia (defined as those that charge for admission)
Theatres and cinemas (defined as premises that hold a cinema or theatre licence)
All other spectator sports/events that charge for admission or employ paid staff, so as to prohibit for example horse or motor racing.
Other entertainment or leisure facilities with an admission charge or paid staff, so as to prevent zoos, museums, theme parks and the like from opening.

I would permit the following to open
Pubs and restaurants, provided that no admission charge is made.
Small scale sporting or cultural events that make no admission charge and employ no paid staff, so as not to prohibit small and informal sporting events in a public open space.
Any small and local events provided that no charge is made for admission and that no paid staff are engaged.

[Timmer]

Ahem. Some of us work Christmas Day. And Easter Sunday.

Signed, a church organist.

Indeed Richard also including the emergency services, hospitals, utilities for which we should be grateful. I'm referring to the non essentials that we could live without for just a couple of days. What makes me laugh is seeing people load their trolleys in the run up to Christmas (some of it stuff that will still be sitting in the corner of the living room in April) as if the supermarkets are never going to open again when they are now open the day after Christmas!

[ChrisB]

I predict Crossrail will have a Boxing Day service within a couple of years.

I noted that Overground have no Boxing Day services, so I'm not so sure about that

Good to see that the new London Overground concession, awarded to Arriva today, has, amongst other things, a commitment to run Boxing Day services on some routes.

http://www.standard.co.uk/news/transport/london-overground-services-to-run-later-into-the-night-after-privatisation-deal-a3206456.html

[chrisr_75]

I predict Crossrail will have a Boxing Day service within a couple of years.

I noted that Overground have no Boxing Day services, so I'm not so sure about that

Good to see that the new London Overground concession, awarded to Arriva today, has, amongst other things, a commitment to run Boxing Day services on some routes.

http://www.standard.co.uk/news/transport/london-overground-services-to-run-later-into-the-night-after-privatisation-deal-a3206456.html

From the horses mouth for 2017:

https://tfl.gov.uk/status-updates/major-works-and-events/boxing-day-2017

London Overground: No service