Boxing day services only in the South?

[SPADTrap]

Going back to the OPs question, are the services actually 'cancelled' on boxing day or just not scheduled?

 

[Bletchleyite]

Liverpool One was packed and the Merseytravel-funded buses fairly busy. I reckon Merseyrail would have got enough passengers for a Sunday service.

Neil

 

[455driver]

I think they are cancelled in the same way as when engineering work is taking place.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Liverpool One was packed and the Merseytravel-funded buses fairly busy. I reckon Merseyrail would have got enough passengers for a Sunday service.

Neil

All day?

 

[SPADTrap]

Liverpool One was packed and the Merseytravel-funded buses fairly busy. I reckon Merseyrail would have got enough passengers for a Sunday service.

Neil

Would they have got the staff though?

 

[fowler9]

Same old chestnut, why should railway staff work on Christmas/Boxing Days if their contracts don't require them to, if the TOCs want to run a service then they would have to do a deal with the staff that would make it worthwhile to give up the only 2 guaranteed days off each year. A question for those that want to go to the sales etc, what about railway staff that want a couple of days off to be with their families and go to the sales as well, or do railway staff not have the same rights as others who, for instance, may well have anything up to a fortnight off over Christmas/New Year

Those that do work on these particular days are either contracted to or have agreed to, that's up to them, there is no reason whatsoever that railway staff should have to do the same if they don't want to

Discussing having a train service over Christmas doesn't exactly equal forcing people to do work they aren't contracted to do. No more than discussing possible new railway lines is the same as wanting to force people out of their homes.

 

[SPADTrap]

I think they are cancelled in the same way as when engineering work is taking place.

Got it, thanks!

 

[Bletchleyite]

Would they have got the staff though?

That could well have been an issue, particularly in heavily-unionised and quite traditional Liverpool.

Neil

 

[ExRes]

Discussing having a train service over Christmas doesn't exactly equal forcing people to do work they aren't contracted to do. No more than discussing possible new railway lines is the same as wanting to force people out of their homes.

I really can't see the point in discussing a potential service without taking into account the reasons that would most likely stop it from ever getting off the ground

 

[fowler9]

That could well have been an issue, particularly in heavily-unionised and quite traditional Liverpool.

Neil

Outside the civil service Liverpool is hardly unionised any more.

 

[stu227]

Does anyone happen to know when services generally ran on boxing day in the UK? I'm sure I read somewhere that it was in the late 50s, but can't be sure. Pretty sure it was pre-80s? Any ideas?

 

[fowler9]

I really can't see the point in discussing a potential service without taking into account the reasons that would most likely stop it from ever getting off the ground

Well there is no point in discussing most of the new Merseyrail stations being discussed over on another thread then because there are multiple reasons the outer loop, the airport etc. will never happen in the next few decades but I was told I was being negative. You should join in.

 

[455driver]

Mate I wasn't having a dig about your pay, honestly. I was just saying I get more leave, you get more pay. Honestly you really have got a chip on your shoulder By the way I can drive a car legally and fail the work test.

You are looking for stuff to be offended by. I should know, I am an expert. Ha ha.

I am 'offended' by the same old cr+p getting posted each and every year!
As I posted earlier (which nobody has responded too), if the Government or TOCs thought a service would pay (or was socially necessary) then they would put one on, the fact they dont want the service means that they dont think its worth it.

Oh when would the big engineering jobs take place if we lose this 2 day total shutdown?
What would happen if the trains were provided on Boxing Day for a few years but then one year NR wanted to close the lines to replace a bridge? Would people expect replacement buses etc or would they accept no trains that year? What happens to the staff that normally work?

 

[MikeWh]

Does anyone happen to know when services generally ran on boxing day in the UK? I'm sure I read somewhere that it was in the late 50s, but can't be sure. Pretty sure it was pre-80s? Any ideas?

I remember using Boxing Day services in the late 60s in South East London. It was the only day I ever had to stand all the way from Charing Cross to around Welling.

 

[6Gman]

Does he have a chip on his shoulder as well?
Earlier you stated that anyone who doesnt work on these 2 days has a chip on their shoulder!
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

So what happens when you dont get enough volunteers to run your intended service?[/QUOTE]

Dunno

What I do know is that back in the late 70s when we put on a limited Boxing Day service there were enough staff and more than enough customers!

(This was WCML incidentally - Liverpool/Manchester to Euston via West Midlands)

 

[ExRes]

Well there is no point in discussing most of the new Merseyrail stations being discussed over on another thread then because there are multiple reasons the outer loop, the airport etc. will never happen in the next few decades but I was told I was being negative. You should join in.

I should join it what, discussing unobtainable dreams ?, what i'll do then is pop off over to the Class 60 thread and put forward my plans to have them converted to ETH fitted express passenger locos for the ridiculous HS2 scheme

 

[fowler9]

I am 'offended' by the same old cr+p getting posted each and every year!
As I posted earlier (which nobody has responded too), if the Government or TOCs thought a service would pay (or was socially necessary) then they would put one on, the fact they dont want the service means that they dont think its worth it.

Oh when would the big engineering jobs take place if we lose this 2 day total shutdown?
What would happen if the trains were provided on Boxing Day for a few years but then one year NR wanted to close the lines to replace a bridge? Would people expect replacement buses etc or would they accept no trains that year? What happens to the staff that normally work?

Sorry mate, I just don't want you thinking I don't reckon you earn or work for your money, I know you do. I have mates who work on the railways. I know that the network needs down time. The mainline from Liverpool to London by West Allerton Station is but a few yards from where I am sat and is just at the end of my garden. I see a fair bit of the work that needs to be done to keep it going because it often happens when I am not in work. Glad for the staff it isn't happening tonight because it is covered in snow.

 

[455driver]

Dunno

What I do know is that back in the late 70s when we put on a limited Boxing Day service there were enough staff and more than enough customers!

(This was WCML incidentally - Liverpool/Manchester to Euston via West Midlands)

That was then and this is now.
You need to have a contingency when insufficient staff volunteer so come on lets have it!

 

[Yabbadabba]

Well Network Rail certainly needed the on call staff today to sort out electrical supply problems in the Streatham Common area. I'm not convinced Southern called in RRBs, but the trains could all bypass the issue running via Crystal Palace. Thankfully they did arrange a shuttle between East Croydon and Selhurst so the majority of the footie fans could still get to and from the game.

That explaines why we had to run 2Z18 to Selhurst

 

[455driver]

Glad for the staff it isn't happening tonight because it is covered in snow.

Saw that on the forecast, shame its a day late for the kids!
We just got lots of rain.

 

[fowler9]

Saw that on the forecast, shame its a day late for the kids!
We just got lots of rain.

We had lots yesterday of rain and hail yesterday. We had a good heavy dump of snow a couple of hours ago. Not enough to mess things up but enough to look nice, as long as it doesn't freeze. Ha ha. A day late for the kids alas as you said. Mind you a few have been out and made a snowman in front of ours. Ha ha.

 

[ivanhoe]

Saw that on the forecast, shame its a day late for the kids!
We just got lots of rain.

Good article in The Times today by Ross Clark. It probably won't go down well with TOCS,rail staff and Civil Servants. But in a a few column inches, it raises serious points that would take Modern Railways et al a couple of pages in their publications. I suspect The Times is not your paper of choice but its always good to know what the opposition is thinking.

 

[bb21]

I should join it what, discussing unobtainable dreams ?

Unobtainable? I wouldn't be so sure. I think 455driver actually summed it up quite well way back in Post 59.

Things do change over time. Chiltern didn't use to run Bicester shuttles on Boxing Day and many bus companies used to shut down completely for three days over Christmas and New Year going back 10 days. If the government did not judge it to be good value even to fund a skeleton service then that is that. Not much anyone can do. Get campaigning/lobbying if anyone wants things changed.

Is there any point not yet made? Such a thread is made every single year and this is getting tiring with the same arguments trotted out repeatedly. Unless anyone has anything significantly different to what is already there to add then this thread is closed.

Get in touch if so.