1960's BR ticket / train service types

[Andy873]

Well on another topic, the word Halfex is mentioned (a half day excursion), and I'm glad it was explained because I had never seen that before and thought it was a misprint for Halifax! Another one was Evex, an evening excursion. Looking at a page in one book I have there is a snippet of special traffic notice from 10 June 1962, this one shows Halfex and Garex?

Could someone please tell me what Garex means? and why don't I see these terms in my WTT's?
Are we describing just a ticket type here, or are these classed as a type of service?
And are there any other abbreviations (apart from the ones explained in the WTT's) with "ex" in them?

Thanks.

 

[Dr Hoo]

"Garex" (an old telegraphic code), was a "guaranteed excursion" that would definitely run, even if ticket sales were disappointing. A lot of non-regular trains, particularly 'reliefs' could be scrubbed on the day, e.g. if the weather was bad. Or football excursions that might depend on a local club's fortunes or progress in knock-out competitions.

 

[zwk500]

And are there any other abbreviations (apart from the ones explained in the WTT's) with "ex" in them?

This site: http://www.railwaycodes.org.uk/features/telegraph.shtm#unofficial lists a few

'Drunkex' tends to have been replaced with 'vomit comet' in unofficial use. Footex, Krankex, Mystex, still used on occasion for bids/notices.

Are we describing just a ticket type here, or are these classed as a type of service?

I think historically you would have been given an 'excursion' ticket, which might be specific to the train (printed or handwritten), but the '-ex' codes were more an internal than external thing.

Nowadays they're used to describe certain services (Footex particularly because of the involvement of police in managing the crowds) but not strictly a separate type of service.

 

[Magdalia]

Well on another topic, the word Halfex is mentioned (a half day excursion), and I'm glad it was explained because I had never seen that before and thought it was a misprint for Halifax! Another one was Evex, an evening excursion. Looking at a page in one book I have there is a snippet of special traffic notice from 10 June 1962, this one shows Halfex and Garex?

Could someone please tell me what Garex means? and why don't I see these terms in my WTT's?

These are different categories of special train. They would appear in Special Traffic Notices (STNs) but if they were in the WTT they wouldn't be special!

Another category is Parspec which is an abbreviation of Party Special.

From my recollection of looking at STNs, garex and parspec trains were usually put on for employers, working mens clubs, miners welfare etc, with tickets available through them. But halfex and evex trains were open to everyone and tickets would be purchased at stations.

I would like to know what was different between a garex and a parspec!

A lot of non-regular trains, particularly 'reliefs' could be scrubbed on the day, e.g. if the weather was bad. Or football excursions that might depend on a local club's fortunes or progress in knock-out competitions.

Even in those says the Special Traffic Notices could have Q trains that only ran if required. These were common for Bank Holiday seaside trains and football matches. If there were more than enough passengers for the main train then the Q train would run too.

 

[Gloster]

I would like to know what was different between a garex and a parspec!

I think that a Garex was organised by the railway, while a Parspec was organised by a third party. In the latter the third party paid a fixed sum to the railway for the provision and operation of the train and bore the risk/took the profit. With a Garex the risk/profit was the railway’s. (Dredged up from somewhere deep in my memory, so not guaranteed.)

 

[Dr Hoo]

Even in those says the Special Traffic Notices could have Q trains that only ran if required. These were common for Bank Holiday seaside trains and football matches. If there were more than enough passengers for the main train then the Q train would run too.

Absolutely.

The Station Master would subsequently get a 'wire' from Head Office starting "Jetsam...", asking if a Q relief actually ran.

(Not to be confused with "Flotsam...", which preceded a question about whether a locally-organised 'scratch' relief had run at a time when overcrowding had been reported.)

 

[Andy873]

The terms Halfex, Evex, Garex etc... would the general public be aware of them? some of them? or generally internal to BR and staff? would these terms like Halfex be printed on a ticket for instance?

I think that a Garex was organised by the railway, while a Parspec was organised by a third party. In the latter the third party paid a fixed sum to the railway for the provision and operation of the train and bore the risk/took the profit. With a Garex the risk/profit was the railway’s. (Dredged up from somewhere deep in my memory, so not guaranteed.)

I'm told that the trips organised by a 3rd party would often be for example, working men's clubs, miner's groups etc and if it was a holiday one people would pay into a club as and when they could afford it - a bit like Christmas clubs / hampers today.

"Garex" (an old telegraphic code), was a "guaranteed excursion" that would definitely run, even if ticket sales were disappointing. A lot of non-regular trains, particularly 'reliefs' could be scrubbed on the day, e.g. if the weather was bad. Or football excursions that might depend on a local club's fortunes or progress in knock-out competitions.

It's amazing to think you could turn up that day for that particular train and find it's been scratched. Was this common? and would you as a member of public know if your train was a Garex?

 

[Taunton]

The terms Halfex, Evex, Garex etc... would the general public be aware of them? some of them? or generally internal to BR and staff? would these terms like Halfex be printed on a ticket for instance?

They would more likely know the full term, such as Evening Excursion, which might be printed on railway posters advertising them.

From Taunton there was the annual, apparently, "Sunday School Excursion" in the 1950s-60s, which went on an August Sunday to Burnham-on-Sea. Not only all the Sunday Schools of the town, but also all sorts of other groups, but that was how it was known throughout the town, including some who took crates of drink. It particularly took all the BR staff and their families. I'm too young to remember the ticketing, but it was formed of all the local non-corridor sets that could be mustered. It went right through the double shunt at Highbridge to get onto the S&D, for which two 412xx S&D locos were specially steamed just to do the last mile to the old station at Burnham, specially reopened for such trains.

 

[6Gman]

I think that a Garex was organised by the railway, while a Parspec was organised by a third party. In the latter the third party paid a fixed sum to the railway for the provision and operation of the train and bore the risk/took the profit. With a Garex the risk/profit was the railway’s. (Dredged up from somewhere deep in my memory, so not guaranteed.)

That is my understanding too.

In tracing some of this for the OP I noted the use of "Period" and "Return Period" to describe services in Special Traffic Notices. Not a term I was familiar with and I'm struggling to pin down its precise meaning.

Any thoughts?

 

[Gloster]

It's amazing to think you could turn up that day for that particular train and find it's been scratched. Was this common? and would you as a member of public know if your train was a Garex?

No. If there’s possibility of an excursion not running, then some method of advising the public would be found, even if it was just a warning on the poster or ticket. Reliefs would usually run at roughly the same time as the regular train: either in its pathway with the regular running behind or the relief running slightly earlier. If it looks at the last minute as though it won’t be needed, then it can be cancelled and any that do travel can use the regular train. (Blackpool might be a popular destination requiring a relief on a nice day, but who is going to go on a cold and rainy one.)

The purpose of a relief is to prevent overcrowding on a normal service so normal tickets are sold. Sometimes there will be slight changes to make use of the fact that you have a second train: (hypothetical example) if normally a lot of people change off a Burnley-Blackpool Central (via the old direct line) at Kirkham & Wesham and go round to stations like Lytham on the coast line, the relief could run that way.

 

[Lloyds siding]

No. If there’s possibility of an excursion not running, then some method of advising the public would be found, even if it was just a warning on the poster or ticket. Reliefs would usually run at roughly the same time as the regular train: either in its pathway with the regular running behind or the relief running slightly earlier. If it looks at the last minute as though it won’t be needed, then it can be cancelled and any that do travel can use the regular train. (Blackpool might be a popular destination requiring a relief on a nice day, but who is going to go on a cold and rainy one.)

The purpose of a relief is to prevent overcrowding on a normal service so normal tickets are sold. Sometimes there will be slight changes to make use of the fact that you have a second train: (hypothetical example) if normally a lot of people change off a Burnley-Blackpool Central (via the old direct line) at Kirkham & Wesham and go round to stations like Lytham on the coast line, the relief could run that way.

Indeed! At the time of the Motor Show at the NEC in Birmingham (International) I turned up to buy a ticket (on the day) at Liverpool Lime Street. I was given a ticket and told to line up for the relief train...which left 15 minutes before the scheduled train...which filled with all the people who had already bought tickets over the previous few weeks....We ran non-stop, whereas the scheduled train stopped at Runcorn, Crewe and Birmingham New Street!

 

[Dr Hoo]

It's amazing to think you could turn up that day for that particular train and find it's been scratched. Was this common? and would you as a member of public know if your train was a Garex?

I think that in those pre-internet days 'the railway' would just use similar means to 'cancel' an excursion that were used to advertise it originally. E.g. posters at stations would get a 'Cancelled' flash put across them. Lists of up-coming excursions in local newspaper advertisements might again show some as cancelled.

If you think about it, Railway Herald has a list of forthcoming charters and steam trips in every edition and there are usually some shown as Postponed or Cancelled to cover strikes, planned 'special' traction not available, emergency line blockages such as Nuneham and so on.

In tracing some of this for the OP I noted the use of "Period" and "Return Period" to describe services in Special Traffic Notices. Not a term I was familiar with and I'm struggling to pin down its precise meaning.

Any thoughts?

"Period" and "Return Period" were not telegraphic codes at any rate.

Could @6Gman please give a bit more context, e.g. "Eastern Region in 1962 for trains to Spalding Tulip Festival" or whatever?

 

[6Gman]

I've been looking at a further STN (Special Traffic Notice) for July 1953 which really shows the sheer scale of special workings.

On Saturday 11 July Barrow despatched the following:

A Labour Club Parspec to Cark (just 30 minutes away) - 8 non-corridors (n/c)
A Parspec to Foxfield - 9 n/c
Two SS Specials (Sunday Schools?) to Cark (7 n/c) and Woodland (10 n/c)
An Evex to Morecambe (8 n/c)

So five trains made up of 42 coaches, just from Barrow. (And note how most were short distance so would have ben low fares)

And on the following Monday to Wednesday there were 4-6 additional ECS moves daily from various places (Edge Hill, Manchester, Sheffield, Birmingham) to the Scottish Region presumably for the Glasgow Fair starting on Saturday 18th. And each train was shown as 20 coaches! So around 300 coaches heading north!

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 6 May 2023 ==

"Period" and "Return Period" were not telegraphic codes at any rate.

Could @6Gman please give a bit more context, e.g. "Eastern Region in 1962 for trains to Spalding Tulip Festival" or whatever?

It's a term I've come across in a Central Division STN for July 1953.

It seems to have been a Halifax holiday weekend as the following are all listed with the wording: "Period Special Halifax- xxx"

C900 Kings Cross C901 Yarmouth C903 Skegness C904 Cleethorpes C908 Filey Camp

I've also found trains headed "Return Period Special" and "Return Period" heading from resorts to industrial towns.


I also stumbled across another term - "Short Special". This seems to have been used for short distance trains connecting into longer distance trains, specifically a Short Special from Horwich which connected into a Low Moor - Llandudno (though I'm not sure where it connected!) at Bolton.

 

[Grumpy]

Reliefs would usually run at roughly the same time as the regular train: either in its pathway with the regular running behind

Surely best practice was for the regular to run in its usual pathway, with the relief running before. This to ensure maintenance of connections.

 

[6Gman]

Surely best practice was for the regular to run in its usual pathway, with the relief running before. This to ensure maintenance of connections.

I believe that was standard practice for the reason you give but also because the wonderful travelling public are reluctant to accept an assurance that "there'll be a relief with plenty of seats in ten minutes time"!

 

[Dr Hoo]

It's a term [Period and Return Period] I've come across in a Central Division STN for July 1953.

It seems to have been a Halifax holiday weekend as the following are all listed with the wording: "Period Special Halifax- xxx"

C900 Kings Cross C901 Yarmouth C903 Skegness C904 Cleethorpes C908 Filey Camp

I've also found trains headed "Return Period Special" and "Return Period" heading from resorts to industrial towns.


I also stumbled across another term - "Short Special". This seems to have been used for short distance trains connecting into longer distance trains, specifically a Short Special from Horwich which connected into a Low Moor - Llandudno (though I'm not sure where it connected!) at Bolton.

Ah, so we're back in the 1950s!

I don't know the answer but would hazard a guess that this covered Wakes Week specials over a long distance where it wasn't worth working the empty stock back 'home' and out again the following weekend. The locomotives probably would return, subject to usual regional handover change points and so on.

The Period descriptor was an alert that stabling for the stock needed to be arranged for a week and cleaned and tanked as necessary.

These trains were not (day) 'excursions'.

I believe that was standard practice [to run Reliefs 'ahead'] for the reason you give but also because the wonderful travelling public are reluctant to accept an assurance that "there'll be a relief with plenty of seats in ten minutes time"!

Possibly, but you could get into trouble with water troughs. The Relief would 'cream' the trough and the parent train would then be delayed by extended station dwells taking water from a column (or even have to stop out of course) after a 'poor lift'.

 

[Bevan Price]

This site: http://www.railwaycodes.org.uk/features/telegraph.shtm#unofficial lists a few

'Drunkex' tends to have been replaced with 'vomit comet' in unofficial use. Footex, Krankex, Mystex, still used on occasion for bids/notices.

I think historically you would have been given an 'excursion' ticket, which might be specific to the train (printed or handwritten), but the '-ex' codes were more an internal than external thing.

In some cases, ordinary single or return tickets were also accepted on advertised excursions (Adex).

 

[6Gman]

Ah, so we're back in the 1950s!

I don't know the answer but would hazard a guess that this covered Wakes Week specials over a long distance where it wasn't worth working the empty stock back 'home' and out again the following weekend. The locomotives probably would return, subject to usual regional handover change points and so on.

The Period descriptor was an alert that stabling for the stock needed to be arranged for a week and cleaned and tanked as necessary.

These trains were not (day) 'excursions'.


Possibly, but you could get into trouble with water troughs. The Relief would 'cream' the trough and the parent train would then be delayed by extended station dwells taking water from a column (or even have to stop out of course) after a 'poor lift'.

Good point. My experience was post-1968.