Historical Boxing Day services

[Class 317]

Thought I would complement the thread on boxing Day services today by one asking for historical service provision.

Going back about 10 years I believe a service from Ashford to St Pancras was provided and I believe before that Connex may have trailed a few services in the late 90's.

 

[Western 52]

In the 1970s milk trains ran from Cornwall to London. I think some may also have run from west Wales.

 

[Gloster]

I remember opening Salisbury Tunnel Junction at 08.40 on Boxing Day 1979. If I remember correctly, it was a Sunday service on the Southern Region, but possibly a modified Sunday service for trains going over to the Western Region.

Milk trains and empty newspaper vans were among the very few non-passenger workings on Boxing Day. The last milk trains ended, so I believe, just before Christmas 1979, but remained in the timetable until the May change.

 

[Falcon1200]

Boxing Day trains in the Strathclyde (Glasgow) area have run for at least 32 years; I know because in 1992 I was booked out to work, managing the service 4 days after the birth of my first child! Recently Boxing Day services have been extended to more routes.

 

[30907]

Boxing Day trains in the Strathclyde (Glasgow) area have run for at least 32 years; I know because in 1992 I was booked out to work, managing the service 4 days after the birth of my first child! Recently Boxing Day services have been extended to more routes.

26 December was historically not a holiday in Scotland, though it now is - Jan 2nd was added when Jan 1 became a holiday in England and Wales. The situation is further complicated by the UK usage of transferring the holidays to weekdays.

There is an extensive account on David Turner's blog which includes Boxing Day
https://davidturnerrailway.wordpres...emise-of-christmas-train-services-since-1948/

 

[Magdalia]

There is an extensive account on David Turner's blog which includes Boxing Day
https://davidturnerrailway.wordpres...emise-of-christmas-train-services-since-1948/

Thanks for the link.

I have a copy of the Christmas 1978 timetable supplement. Boxing Day has 48 pages of alterations.

The only trains on Christmas Day were almost all in Scotland:

Glasgow Central-Gourock
Glasgow Central-Ayr
Dalry-Largs
Glasgow Central-Hamilton loop
Airdrie-Helensburgh

In England there was an 0005 Victoria-Gatwick and 0027 Gatwick-Victoria, plus a handful of Christmas Eve trains terminating after midnight.

 

[Polarbear]

My recollection is that BR operated trains on Boxing Day up to 1978 across the UK, albeit somewhat modified from the norm.

 

[nw1]

Interesting, I know that

Thanks for the link.

I have a copy of the Christmas 1978 timetable supplement. Boxing Day has 48 pages of alterations.

The only trains on Christmas Day were almost all in Scotland:

Glasgow Central-Gourock
Glasgow Central-Ayr
Dalry-Largs
Glasgow Central-Hamilton loop
Airdrie-Helensburgh

In England there was an 0005 Victoria-Gatwick and 0027 Gatwick-Victoria, plus a handful of Christmas Eve trains terminating after midnight.

Interesting, I know that by 1982 (first year I used the trains) there was a complete shutdown yet in 1978 that wasn't the case. It feels the norm for me to have a 2-day Christmas shutdown, as that's what I grew up with and it persisted for many years, aside from perhaps the Gatwick Express.

 

[12LDA28C]

Thought I would complement the thread on boxing Day services today by one asking for historical service provision.

Going back about 10 years I believe a service from Ashford to St Pancras was provided and I believe before that Connex may have trailed a few services in the late 90's.

If you're classing 10 years ago as historical then Chiltern have been running a limited service on Boxing Day since 2013, except for a couple of years post-Covid.

 

[75A]

In the early 80's there were two turns @ Brighton M.T. where we signed on @ 00:01 on Boxing Day morning. We took a pair of 73's up to Victoria. One worked the papers (just vans) to Brighton, stopping at Haywards Heath.
The other took the Eastbourne papers, 1st stop Lewes (crew change) which included a brake 2nd for passengers.

 

[Rescars]

Strange to tell, but back in the 1980s, most of the British Transport Hotels were closed on Christmas Day and Boxing Day. The competitors did things rather differently!

 

[Andy R. A.]

My recollections from my Work Diaries of long ago made note of the Boxing Day services running in 1978, but for the previous four-five years I hadn't been required to work. Here is my record for the Late shift at Euston on Boxing Day in 1978. (Reference to 43 years ago relates to the date when I originally published it, three years ago now).

West Coast - Southern Section N Gauge Model Railway

The saga continues, 43 years ago at the southern end of the West Coast Main Line at Euston PSB. Boxing Day, and the Railway bows to pressure to run a train service........ Tuesday 26.12.78. Arrived...

www.facebook.com

 

[eldomtom2]

26 December was historically not a holiday in Scotland, though it now is - Jan 2nd was added when Jan 1 became a holiday in England and Wales. The situation is further complicated by the UK usage of transferring the holidays to weekdays.

There is an extensive account on David Turner's blog which includes Boxing Day
https://davidturnerrailway.wordpres...emise-of-christmas-train-services-since-1948/

Interesting to see that for both Christmas and Boxing Day it wasn't a slow decline but a rapid withdrawal of services.

 

[Taunton]

Things change over time. Back in 1980 few shops would be open on Boxing Day, nowadays most are. I do notice also the beginnings of opening on Christmas Day as well, used to be the only places open for petrol were motorway services, who were contractually required to be so. Now many are. Central London used to be absolutely deserted on Christmas Day, now there are many about. I can see the same arguments about Christmas Day rail services in a few years.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

There was a serious rail accident on Boxing Day 1962 at Coppenhall Junction, north of Crewe on the WCML, in which 18 passengers died.

Coppenhall Junction railway accident - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

On 26 December 1962, two trains collided near Coppenhall Junction, United Kingdom, killing 18 people and injuring 34. On that evening, cold weather and snow in and around Crewe had caused points to become frozen and trains were being detained at signals. About midway between Winsford and Crewe, the 13:30 Glasgow Central to London Euston Mid-Day Scot, hauled by an English Electric type 4 diesel, D215, with 13 coaches and 500 passengers, was stopped at a signal but the driver found the telephone to Coppenhall Junction, the next signal box ahead, out of order. Seeing the next signal ahead he decided to proceed down towards it and use the telephone there, but too fast.[1] In the darkness he failed to notice the 16:45 express from Liverpool Lime Street to Birmingham New Street, hauled by an electric locomotive with eight coaches with 300 passengers, standing on the line ahead and collided with it at about 20 mph (32 km/h).[1]

The accident led to the installation of speedometers on locomotives, the elimination of oil tail lamps on trains, and improvements to Rule 55 (stop and proceed).
Both long-distance trains (Glasgow-Euston and Liverpool-Birmingham) were very crowded on this Boxing Day.
I remember a memorable media quote from the driver which got much publicity: "We've been hanging around too long".

 

[Sad Sprinter]

Things change over time. Back in 1980 few shops would be open on Boxing Day, nowadays most are. I do notice also the beginnings of opening on Christmas Day as well, used to be the only places open for petrol were motorway services, who were contractually required to be so. Now many are. Central London used to be absolutely deserted on Christmas Day, now there are many about. I can see the same arguments about Christmas Day rail services in a few years.

Yes, our local ‘Gails’ is now open on Christmas Day.

The only Boxing Day service I can recall was from about 10 years ago on Southern. I think the suburban service was nothing more than a rump Victoria to East Croydon (might have been West) via Norbury.

 

[30907]

The only Boxing Day service I can recall was from about 10 years ago on Southern. I think the suburban service was nothing more than a rump Victoria to East Croydon (might have been West) via Norbury.

Various services out of Victoria (C) ran this year and have done most recent years IIRC (not 2023, engineering works prevented it - which this year applied to Thameslink).

Services that have happened in the last 30 years:
Various SE routes as far out of Ashford - until HS1 opened at a guess.
Chafford Hundred for Lakeside for a year or two, I presume from Fenchurch St?

 

[6Gman]

My recollection is that BR operated trains on Boxing Day up to 1978 across the UK, albeit somewhat modified from the norm.

I think Boxing Day services were withdrawn earlier than that, but reinstated for one (perhaps two?) years. I was slightly involved in planning the WCML service - hourly Euston - Birmingham-Crewe then alternately Liverpool and Manchester.

They were well used, but the costs were also steep (to put it mildly).

I'll also mention that I'm pretty sure the Tunstead-Oakleigh stone trains also ran on Boxing Day each year, presumably because whatever process they were used in at ICI required a constant supply.

 

[Cheshire Scot]

I'll also mention that I'm pretty sure the Tunstead-Oakleigh stone trains also ran on Boxing Day each year, presumably because whatever process they were used in at ICI required a constant supply.

Correct, and I believe they had minimal stock piles.

 

[Magdalia]

I think Boxing Day services were withdrawn earlier than that, but reinstated for one (perhaps two?) years. I was slightly involved in planning the WCML service - hourly Euston - Birmingham-Crewe then alternately Liverpool and Manchester.

That isn't what it says in the 1978 supplement.

Table 65 is just a list of amendments showing trains not running in the normal timetable. A few early morning Anglo-Scottish trains were taken out, about 5 Manchesters/Liverpools in each direction, and Birmingham was only hourly most of the day. But that's all.

 

[pharrc20]

Correct, and I believe they had minimal stock piles.

Alas the remaining flow from Tunstead to Lostock works hasn't run on Boxing Day for a number of years now nor New Year's Day either. Sadly, this flow is due to end soon.

 

[30907]

That isn't what it says in the 1978 supplement.

Table 65 is just a list of amendments showing trains not running in the normal timetable. A few early morning Anglo-Scottish trains were taken out, about 5 Manchesters/Liverpools in each direction, and Birmingham was only hourly most of the day. But that's all.

1978 - Boxing Day a Tuesday, so one would expect a fairly full service.
1977 - Boxing Day a Monday, a more restricted service? But what operated on 27 December, also a holiday but presumably busier?

 

[Harpo]

Stansted Express has operated on Boxing Day. 1998 maybe??