UK- Boxing Day - No Trains Raise Ire
 

Friends in London now report that they've read plenty of criticism in the papers and on TV about the virtually lack in trains running in Britain on Boxing day - today, Dec 26- unprecedented in any country in Europe i think (as well as no trains on Christmas Day except perhaps Eurostar and airport trains - not sure about those)

And rather ironic Boxing Day sales in stores are running rampant today i think.

so there seems to be a clamour for trains to return running on Boxing Day next year (it was only until the 60s i read where Christmas Day and Boxing Day trains were scrapped near totally - so the tradition is not all that old.

Train companies however say there is just not enough demand.

As someone who was inconvenienced a few years back and had to delay my journey to the U.K. by one day this lack of trains also plagues the tourist.

<i>Author: PalenQ
Date: 12/26/2008, 12:41 pm

Train companies however say there is just not enough demand.</i>

...and they can't just run one train an hour instead of four as they do on weekends? No wonder they're in dire financial straits.

(Or maybe the fewer trains they run, the less money they lose?)

One would think demand on such a day would at least rival that of Sundays when trains run frequently though often half full.

Unions just don't want to give up a paid holiday i guess or have to work on Boxing Day

yet so many folks who regularly take trains to towns are left high and dry - missing out on the sales

(Or maybe i'm mixing up Canada, where sales start on boxing day with england where they start on 27th?)

SAles started before hristmas tgis year ;)

I think that if the railworkers demand Christmas off then so should the hospital staff, firefighters, police forces, TV, radio, power station workers etc etc who all have to work over Christmas.

Mind you having seen the BBC's offerings over Christmas I think they've already taken the holiday off :(

It is a fact of life that Dec 26 is a statutory holiday here. Whether it is or not in other countries is a matter of complete disinterest. Essential services keep going, viz police, power, hospitals etc but you will find that many of their workers volunteer to turn out and are paid extra for their troubles. Railways, however, are not essential for one day of the year. Everyone who has to work can claim the day another time by law. As a humble and modest servant of Her Majesty I too have often been on duty during the holiday period and have been able to extend my leave later in the year as a result. I find that breaking up what is a very long and often tedious period is thus to my advantage.

To launch even a limited train service on Boxing Day would involve hundreds of staff, not just the train crews, and I can understand fully why it isn't done. Railways are not here just for the convenience of tourists.

Bringing in shop workers for the sales has been a source of controversy for a long time, although the complaining voices seem strangely quiet this year for some reason.

However, come here during your Thanksgiving and everything will be working as normal. Why is that I wonder?

In this country such an outrage on public transport would result in a revolution and civil unrest.

They don't do that in Britain anymore.

Thatcher emasculated the entire country.

I still don't understand why the entire railway system closes down in the UK. It doesn't anywhere else in Europe. Indeed international trains still run on Christmas Day and Boxing Day. Even a limited bus service is offered.
To some people the railway is an essential service - those working in hospitals etc have to get to work no matter what, and not everyone has a car.
People like to see relatives over the Christmas period, but often can't get away until late Christmas Eve, or Christmas Day itself, due to work commitments. They are then unable to be with their loved ones because there are no trains.
It is ridiculous.

The usual reasons for no train service on Boxing Day include:
1. There is no demand, or not enough to make running of trains commercially worthwhile. Trains in UK are run by commercial operators, for profit, not state-run as a public service, and only limited state subsidy exists.
2. Even if individual train operators want to run some services, they are prevented by track maintenance schedule over Christmas by Network Rail, who own and operate rail infrastructure (tracks, signalling, some stations etc).

The government wanteds to see some rail service on Dec 26th, and it was hoped that this year there would be a limited service in many parts of the country, but it didin't materialise. Something may be done for next year, but who knows?

The trains don't run on boxing day as there's no demand. Also it gives them two days together to do maintainance.

What PalQ is completely unable to understand - and continues to demonstrate is that he can't understand that Britain isn't actually a theme park for stupid American tourists.

You have Branson for that - go there.

Having a &quot;reliable&quot; train service everyday is as important as having electricity, water or heat. Maintenance has to be done at night, if demand is low, use shorter trains. It's my right as a citizen to be able to use the train system every day and from any staion.

Complete bollocks (and typically German bollocks at that).

What you have to get into your head is that Britain to all intents and purposes stops functioning from 24/12 - 5/1. We don't really want to go anywhere. We just want to sit in front of the telly, drink sherry, eat nuts and hate our relatives.

If you do go on the trains in that period you will think you have walked onto the set of 28 days later.

In any case - we know about this and plan accordingly.

<i> Indeed international trains still run on Christmas Day and Boxing Day.</i>

In UK there are very few overnight passenger trains, the nature of our geography means that most long distance trains can complete a journey roughly between 0500 and 0100. It is therefore relatively easy to suspend workings for one or more days and pick up where they left off. International trains can involve journeys that take much more than one day and are usually operated by more than one administration. From a scheduling point of view you can't just suspend their working for one day.

<i>Maintenance has to be done at night</i>

It often is, but as CW explained there are occasions where major work involving total occupation of a line needs much more time. A Christmas stoppage gives that opportunity with the chance of several days in the following low traffic period to New Year.

<i>if demand is low, use shorter trains</i>

That shows a total lack of understanding of UK railway practice. Most long distance trains operate in units which cannot be shortened easily or at all.

<i>It's my right as a citizen to be able to use the train system every day and from any staion</i>

Absolute balderdash.

Sounds like the third world indeed.

So then stay in the worlds dullest country, with the world's worst food and the world's worst popular culture on top of the worlds worst history.

We'll manage fine.

CW - Who's New Years Resolution is not to put up with idiots anymore.

<i>Author: Cholmondley_Warner
Date: 12/27/2008, 10:17 am

Complete bollocks (and typically German bollocks at that).</i>

Is that a typically British view? Or yours alone?

(p.s. Yanks have precious little to compare European trains to - we don't even <i>have</i> passenger service between most cities west of the Boston-DC corridor.)

Be proud, how you people have run everything into the ground. You once had quite something on that island. Of course Britain always was famous for the worlds worst food.
And don't forget, you will always have to put up with yourself.

Of course; what we have to remember is that making the trains run on time is very IMPORTANT to certain type of person - many of whom live in Germany, as history shows all too well.....

The Germans will always vote for a politician that can make the trains run on time. Especially those that head east with the untermensch in them....

<i>Author: logos999
Date: 12/27/2008, 12:00 pm

You once had quite something on that island.</i>

Erstwhile world-dominators of note:

Greece (everything as far as Persia)
Carthage (owned the world for centuries)
Italy (Roman Empire)
Spain (essentially everything south of Tucson)
Portugal (Oceania)
Holland (southeast Asia)
France (well - Napoleon)
Great Britain (Asia, Africa, North America)
Germany (-)

&quot;Those who do not study history will probably invade Russia sooner or later.&quot; - Robespierre

&gt;&quot;The Germans will always vote for a politician that can make the trains run on time&quot;
The first correct statement from you on this forum. Congrats.