Boxing Day football.

[londonbridge]

As it's a home matchday will there be a service running between Piccadilly and Old Trafford on 26th?

 

[bradders1983]

As it's a home matchday will there be a service running between Piccadilly and Old Trafford on 26th?

Can't see them opening the station (Manc Picc) for that, surely?

 

[A0]

As it's a home matchday will there be a service running between Piccadilly and Old Trafford on 26th?

Given it looks like the unions are trying to get strike action on Northern for the 27/28th, I suspect it's unlikely they're going to agree to a service on 26th...... after all that would break-up 4 consecutive days off

 

[313103]

Given it looks like the unions are trying to get strike action on Northern for the 27/28th, I suspect it's unlikely they're going to agree to a service on 26th...... after all that would break-up 4 consecutive days off

One thing i like about you is your sense of humour

By the way London Bridge your home town is London, not one of those people that do a 500 mile round trip for home games are you?

 

[ANorthernGuard]

As it's a home matchday will there be a service running between Piccadilly and Old Trafford on 26th?

No services will be running until the 27th (at the earliest) so No football specials.

 

[londonbridge]

One thing i like about you is your sense of humour

By the way London Bridge your home town is London, not one of those people that do a 500 mile round trip for home games are you?

Actually I do...........but not for United! I'm an exiled Mackem,go up and back on Grand Central most home weekends,good old fixture computer gives us United away for this years Boxing Day fixture.

 

[313103]

Actually I do...........but not for United! I'm an exiled Mackem,go up and back on Grand Central most home weekends,good old fixture computer gives us United away for this years Boxing Day fixture.

Oh its just that when you said its a home game , i was thinking not another southerner supporting United. Mind you i have family who live not that far from Sunderland who support Arsenal! They are like you though exiled up there.

 

[mindfeeder]

I know it's the Christmas shut down and everything - but Boxing day is one of the busiest day of the footballing calender, always seemed a bit bizarre there are no trains running at all especially seeing as many supporters (and undiserables who attach themselves to clubs) use the railways to travel to and from games. Myself being one of them.

 

[313103]

In the 1950s games also use to be played on Christmas Day as well.

Actually found this little snippet from the Guardian (dont know if those that swing to the right will want to read this)

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2007/dec/20/world.transport

So there we have it i was one year old when services stopped on Christmas day and as late as 1979 on the tube.
The question though was this down to BR as was or LT as was, or down to the militant railway unions DEMANDING it? No doubt the unions will get the blame.

 

[Zoe]

Almost every other European country runs at least a reduced service on Christmas Day.

 

[turbo mick]

The Mackems will be there in thousands by road.I dont know why they have a schedule on boxing day ive 21yrs on the railways and nothing has ever run apart from gatwick express and heathrow express should be 27th for footie at least something will be running well not in the thames valley


cheers

SAFC for ever

 

[Royston Vasey]

Actually I do...........but not for United! I'm an exiled Mackem,go up and back on Grand Central most home weekends,good old fixture computer gives us United away for this years Boxing Day fixture.

You're one of quite a few on here londonbridge. Turbo Mick, Spoony, BlythPower and myself and probably more are SAFC. I'm going on 28th to the real glamour tie. I'm not the RV on a well known Sunderland forum btw!


Edit: Turbo Mick got there first

 

[OMGitsDAVE]

Not 'every' country supports Christmas as we do though, as Christian is not their majority religion - so there's no point in comparing us to other countries. It's part of our culture I suppose.

I don't see why we should make people work just for a Football special though, quite realistically. I mean if they want to get to matches, there's surely some other forms of transport running for them - heck, a lot even have private buses!

 

[ANorthernGuard]

I do understand the frustration about Boxing Day however if the TOC's got off their collective backsides and offered a decent incentive that could change, If I got a reasonable amount extra I would work Boxing Day (within reason) but not for standard pay as I have a family too

 

[leedstraindude]

No amount of money would get me to work boxing day, It is after all one of the only TWO guaranteed days a year I can plan to spend with my family.

 

[Greenback]

There will always be people who are willing to work on a voluntary basis and for extra pay.

However, given the poor service on Sundays for many routes and stations throughout the year, I would rather see that addressed rather than providing a limited service for a few cities on boxing day!

As to the football, how much of the scheduling is down to the demands of the broadcasters? There is a big rugby game in Swansea on the 26th, a great tradition that always attracts a full house despite the lack of any sort of transport at all! <Mind you, the support will be more local than Premier League football!

 

[londonbridge]

Oh its just that when you said its a home game , i was thinking not another southerner supporting United. Mind you i have family who live not that far from Sunderland who support Arsenal! They are like you though exiled up there.

With hindsight I can see now how my post was ambiguous. As for Tuesday and Blackpool I'm on the London branch trip-weather and Grand Central permitting!

 

[CheekyBandit]

Can't see them opening the station (Manc Picc) for that, surely?

Seeing as there is engineering work in the Longsight area over Crimbo I can't see many trains being able to leave the depot.

 

[ANorthernGuard]

No amount of money would get me to work boxing day, It is after all one of the only TWO guaranteed days a year I can plan to spend with my family.

personally I would prefer xmas day and new years day as the 2 guaranteed
(one to spend time with my family the other to recover from it lol)

 

[A60K]

Not 'every' country supports Christmas as we do though, as Christian is not their majority religion - so there's no point in comparing us to other countries. It's part of our culture I suppose.

France, Germany and Switzerland are pretty Christian and they run a full service on Christmas Day - a fair comparision I think.

 

[Royston Vasey]

France, Germany and Switzerland are pretty Christian and they run a full service on Christmas Day - a fair comparision I think.

Certainly Germany and Switzerland, but France prides itself on being a secular society where religion is very separate to the laws, activities and prioirities of the State.

 

[Zoe]

I don't think it has anything to do with religion, Easter is a more important event for Christians but no-one is seriously suggesting shutting down the network on Easter Sunday.

 

[londonbridge]

Having driven up on Sunday we ended up parking at Altrincham and taking the metrolink in from there,as I've always gone by train via Piccadilly in the past Altrincham-Old Trafford was a stretch of the metro I'd never done before.