District line services 1970s

[Jack Barry]

Can any timetable experts help, in the 1970s there were on Saturdays only trains that run along the north side of the Circle line to Moorgate/Liverpool St/Aldgate. Does anyone know why, what was the reason. I know that on a Sunday there were Circle line crewed by District drivers/guards.

 

[Busaholic]

Can any timetable experts help, in the 1970s there were on Saturdays only trains that run along the north side of the Circle line to Moorgate/Liverpool St/Aldgate. Does anyone know why, what was the reason. I know that on a Sunday there were Circle line crewed by District drivers/guards.

As no-one more knowledgeable has answered this, I'll have a stab.Many office workers in the City of London had to work on Saturday mornings during the postwar period and, although there was a gradual decline, the practice did continue into the 1970s, although had probably almost died out by the end of that decade. The Waterloo and City Line had no weekend operation except on Saturday, with the last train from Bank being at 2 p'm. ish. On the buses, you still had examples of routes with projections to e.g. Cannon Street on the 95 route for those Saturday workers. My father worked for the Bank of England and certainly had to go in on some Saturdays. Could this be the reason for additional services?

 

[Jack Barry]

As no-one more knowledgeable has answered this, I'll have a stab.Many office workers in the City of London had to work on Saturday mornings during the postwar period and, although there was a gradual decline, the practice did continue into the 1970s, although had probably almost died out by the end of that decade. The Waterloo and City Line had no weekend operation except on Saturday, with the last train from Bank being at 2 p'm. ish. On the buses, you still had examples of routes with projections to e.g. Cannon Street on the 95 route for those Saturday workers. My father worked for the Bank of England and certainly had to go in on some Saturdays. Could this be the reason for additional services?

Thanks I had not thought of that with the Waterloo & City closed at that time, it makes sense but hopefully someone will come along and give a different reason if it is different.

 

[rebmcr]

As no-one more knowledgeable has answered this, I'll have a stab.Many office workers in the City of London had to work on Saturday mornings during the postwar period and, although there was a gradual decline, the practice did continue into the 1970s, although had probably almost died out by the end of that decade. The Waterloo and City Line had no weekend operation except on Saturday, with the last train from Bank being at 2 p'm. ish. On the buses, you still had examples of routes with projections to e.g. Cannon Street on the 95 route for those Saturday workers. My father worked for the Bank of England and certainly had to go in on some Saturdays. Could this be the reason for additional services?

That doesn't explain why they went via Kings Cross (rather than via Victoria).

 

[Busaholic]

That doesn't explain why they went via Kings Cross (rather than via Victoria).

Smithfield meat market and printworkers mIght also be a factor, Farringdon being the relevant station. I can remember delivering champagne on a Saturday morning to the area in the mid 1980s, order placed by SOGAT or one of the other print unions. My father (whom I mentioned earlier as working some Saturday mornings in the City) also brought joints of meat home after work on some Sats, so Smithfield must have been open at least part day.