Checking Northern Rail's Twitter feed again now, and they're still at it.
Although I don't live up north and don't need to use Northern Rail, this does really anger me that they're still coming out with their claptrap on the day when the lockdown is eased again and the travel and leisure industry is opened up again. "Please don't use our trains to go shopping.", "Please don't use our trains to go on day trips.", "Please don't use our trains to for walks in the country.", etc, etc. What an unfriendly, unwelcoming TOC they are! I hope people give them some stick if they continue like this.
My local train operator is GWR. They no longer have any of this "ESSENTIAL TRAVEL ONLY", "Please don't use our trains for shopping or day trips.", etc nonsense. Their messaging is more like " If you're travelling by train, please wear a face covering, travel off peak and use mobile ticketing where possible.". And so far within the past few weeks(and indeed within the past few months) I have only been using them for very short local journeys of about 8 minutes each way to go shopping. But this week I intend to get out for a longer journey, though only somewhere no more than about an hour away - due to having to wear uncomfortable face masks. I really look forward to doing some much longer journeys soon, but will hold off on that until the compulsory face mask policy is lifted. How long that is going to be I don't know.