Boxing Day 2022 - what services might run (outside Scotland)?

[Joe Paxton]

In some (though not all) years past, Southeastern have run a limited service on Boxing Day between Ashford and London, calling at Ebbsfleet and Stratford (i.e. essentially all on HS1 infrastructure).

Does anyone have any insight into whether that might happen again this year?

Also, what other passenger services might run this year on Boxing Day (Monday 26th December) on the National Rail network?


[Edited to clarify I am specifically referring to 26th December, as 27th Dec will also be a bank holiday in lieu as Xmas day (the 25th) falls on a Sunday - thanks 30907]

 

[JonathanH]

Seems to be a bit too early for schedules to be confirmed.

 

[The Planner]

Chiltern aren't from what Ive heard.

 

[dk1]

Maybe those TOCs that did run on Boxing Day in previous years will follow the lead of the major retail chains in publicly announcing they will now not operate in order to give their hard working employees a well deserved day off. Let’s then see if the Great British public agree with that to the same extent they do with the likes of Aldi, Morrisons and M&S.

 

[317 forever]

Maybe those TOCs that did run on Boxing Day in previous years will follow the lead of the major retail chains in publicly announcing they will now not operate in order to give their hard working employees a well deserved day off. Let’s then see if the Great British public agree with that to the same extent they do with the likes of Aldi, Morrisons and M&S.

Boxing Day will be a Monday this year. Had Boxing Day been a Saturday, the Unions could have called a rail strike.

Joking aside though, I doubt there will be any strikes over Christmas. This is because, while to some extent the public sympathise with the Unions, this would go out of the window if people lose out on being able to go and stay with relatives over Christmas.

 

[dk1]

Joking aside though, I doubt there will be any strikes over Christmas. This is because, while to some extent the public sympathise with the Unions, this would go out of the window if people lose out on being able to go and stay with relatives over Christmas.

I understand what you are saying but I won’t hold my breath on that one.

 

[JonathanH]

Joking aside though, I doubt there will be any strikes over Christmas. This is because, while to some extent the public sympathise with the Unions, this would go out of the window if people lose out on being able to go and stay with relatives over Christmas.

On the contrary, it would allow traincrew to have an extra day to spend with their relatives over Christmas, which many may find attractive.

 

[Joe Paxton]

Maybe those TOCs that did run on Boxing Day in previous years will follow the lead of the major retail chains in publicly announcing they will now not operate in order to give their hard working employees a well deserved day off. Let’s then see if the Great British public agree with that to the same extent they do with the likes of Aldi, Morrisons and M&S.

What about all those hard working hospitality employees - day off on Boxing Day?

 

[dk1]

What about all those hard working hospitality employees - day off on Boxing Day?

Of course if they so wish. I have no plans whatsoever for the 25th & 26th that involve leaving home. I don't even mind if there are no TV channels broadcasting.

 

[Joe Paxton]

Of course if they so wish. I have no plans whatsoever for the 25th & 26th that involve leaving home. I don't even mind if there are no TV channels broadcasting.

Many will find that merely wishing it doesn't make it a reality!

 

[dk1]

Many will find that merely wishing it doesn't make it a reality!

Suppose Christmas is their bread & butter (if you’ll excuse the pun) when working in hospitality.

 

[Joe Paxton]

Suppose Christmas is their bread & butter (if you’ll excuse the pun) when working in hospitality.

Which is kinda what I'm getting at, in terms of working in the public transport sphere - to greater or lesser extents there is always some demand / need.

 

[30907]

Which day are we talking about?
Boxing Day 26 December or the second of the two public holidays 27 December?

 

[dk1]

Which is kinda what I'm getting at, in terms of working in the transport industry - to greater or lesser extents the demand is always there.

I grew up living in a pub so Christmas was very much about creaming in everything you could & working solidly throughout that & the busy new year period. Very much the lesser extent when it comes to transport hence why I’m not contracted to ever work on the 25th & 26th. Any other day I’m more than happy to be in my driving cab.

Which day are we talking about?
Boxing Day 26 December or the second of the two public holidays 27 December?

As far as my job is concerned the two public holidays don’t come into it. They are just normal working days.

 

[Joe Paxton]

Which day are we talking about?
Boxing Day 26 December or the second of the two public holidays 27 December?

I was specifically asking about Boxing Day, Monday 26th December. I will edit the original post to clarify!

Aside from the wider discussion over whether there even should be any services on Boxing Day, I specifically remain interested as to whether Southeastern might run a limited Highspeed (HS1) service on Boxing Day (26th Dec).

 

[jamesst]

Merseyrail are meant to be running again, probably along the lines of a limited stop daytime 30min service as previous years.

 

[Man_with_beard]

Let me guess everyone will be making sure they get their boxing day off work so they can go out expecting everywhere to be open and everyone else to be working. The selfish self important public as usual

 

[Watershed]

Let me guess everyone will be making sure they get their boxing day off work so they can go out expecting everywhere to be open and everyone else to be working. The selfish self important public as usual

How is that any different from a normal weekend or evening?

It hardly seems selfish or self-important to hope or expect that an organisation is willing to do business with you.

 

[30907]

I was specifically asking about Boxing Day, Monday 26th December. I will edit the original post to clarify!

Aside from the wider discussion over whether there even should be any services on Boxing Day, I specifically remain interested as to whether Southeastern might run a limited Highspeed (HS1) service on Boxing Day (26th Dec).

Thanks.
The reason I ask is
(1) because the situation differs (in retail and elsewhere) when there are consecutive holidays after the Christmas weekend. For example, larger shops must close on Sunday 25th but didn't have to last year on Sunday 26th....
(2) 26th will be a public holiday (Christmas in lieu) in Scotland .

 

[philosopher]

I assume Southern and Thameslink will running a limited service to Croydon and Brighton from London, unless there is engineering work.

 

[Peregrine 4903]

I assume Southern and Thameslink will running a limited service to Croydon and Brighton from London, unless there is engineering work.

Thameslink aren't running, Southern will.

 

[JonathanH]

I assume Southern and Thameslink will running a limited service to Croydon and Brighton from London, unless there is engineering work.

Victoria is closed so it will be London Bridge if so.
https://www.southernrailway.com/travel-information/plan-your-journey/london-victoria-closures

Upcoming closures

Christmas 2022

Sunday 25 December 2022 to Monday 2 January 2023

 

[Man_with_beard]

How is that any different from a normal weekend or evening?

It hardly seems selfish or self-important to hope or expect that an organisation is willing to do business with you.

Christmas day and boxing day are very different to a normal weekend or evening. These are the only two days out of 365 that people can spend together as families. Life isn't just about generating money for yourself and nor is it about going out to spend money.

Furniture shops, supermarkets, clothes shops are not making any extra business either by being open on boxing day . If the shop is shut people will just buy their things outside of boxing day it will not make a lick of difference to sales.

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

Let me guess everyone will be making sure they get their boxing day off work so they can go out expecting everywhere to be open and everyone else to be working. The selfish self important public as usual

By all means, if you think it’s morally wrong to expect shops to be open on Boxing Day as well as Christmas Day, don’t go shopping yourself, fine. No need to tell anyone else what to do though. Quite self righteous and pompous of you.

 

[johnnychips]

Christmas day and boxing day are very different to a normal weekend or evening. These are the only two days out of 365 that people can spend together as families. .

Are you sure?

 

[Watershed]

Christmas day and boxing day are very different to a normal weekend or evening. These are the only two days out of 365 that people can spend together as families. Life isn't just about generating money for yourself and nor is it about going out to spend money.

Furniture shops, supermarkets, clothes shops are not making any extra business either by being open on boxing day . If the shop is shut people will just buy their things outside of boxing day it will not make a lick of difference to sales.

Really? Most people can spend time together with their families on the weekend.

Funnily enough, I believe there's a trend of shops holding sales on Boxing Day... Which implies they're open!

 

[Joe Paxton]

Seems to be a bit too early for schedules to be confirmed.

It is indeed, though I was hoping there might be the odd insider insight or educated guess!

For what it's worth, after a bit of a battle digging around on the NRE website I did eventually unearth this page which contains some information on the 'official' time scales for the expected release of future schedules, including those covering the festive period. (This kind of information really shouldn't be so hard to find!)


This is what it currently states:

Expected Journey Planner availability​

Unless listed in the Train Operator details below, these dates are when the journey planner is expected to be showing correctly in the journey planner:

Saturday 17 to Friday 23 December
Should be available from Monday 24 October

Saturday 24 December to Friday 30 December
Should be available from Monday 31 October

Saturday 31 December to Friday 6 January
Should be available from Monday 7 November

Saturday 7 January to Friday 13 January
Should be available from Monday 14 November

So info about any Boxing Day services should be available on Monday 31 October.

I've also found it useful to know when the schedule for the week before Xmas (specifically the weekend before) should be released.

 

[Class 170101]

I expect it will depend upon what the DfT / Treasury will allow the TOCs to run, which will probably be nothing outside their contractual requirements.

 

[Man_with_beard]

By all means, if you think it’s morally wrong to expect shops to be open on Boxing Day as well as Christmas Day, don’t go shopping yourself, fine. No need to tell anyone else what to do though. Quite self righteous and pompous of you.

Its not self righteous and pompous to say so. Why do people need to go shopping on boxing day? Get a grip ..stay home, go for a walk, eat more rubbish, watch films, play with kids, play with the dog, listen to stories from your grandparents, watch daft TV, do ANYTHING but go out shopping just because the shop is open. If you wanna grab the sales then go the following day the sales will still be on. Try giving those in retail and transport a well earned break.

 

[notverydeep]

In the one part of the UK Public Transport network that operates a high frequency rail service across multiple routes on Boxing Day that is close to a normal service for a Sunday has consistently seen passenger journeys in a range 67% to 75% of an average Sunday passenger numbers and between 86% and 103% of the quietest other 'normal' Sunday (2013 to 2019). In addition, Boxing Day was the fastest growing traffic day of the year across the period 2009 to 2019 despite some passengers not being able to travel because of the absence of connecting National Rail services. This all suggests that passenger numbers would be significant if the National Rail network operated comprehensively.

Clearly demand was very surpressed on Boxing Day 2020 as the 'Kent' variant of Coronavirus was prevelant. Omicron had less impact in 2021, with traffic up to 73% of a normal 2021 Sunday, but both still surpressed somewhat by the continuing pandemic...