Which stations did Red Star serve?

[alistairlees]

Many posters on here will fondly remember Red Star, the rapid and good value parcels service run by British Rail that was acquired by Lynx and closed in 2001.

There’s a Wikipedia page on it and an old thread on this forum: https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/where-does-red-star-survive.122162/

I can’t find a list of which stations it was available from though. Was it literally anywhere that had a booking office? Or just larger stations? Does anyone have a list? Or can people contribute to a list?

It was obviously available from all the London Termini as well as key stations like Leeds and Reading. But where else was it available from? Selby is one that I can recall (the sign was still there until a couple of years ago... I have a photo somewhere).

Where else can definitely be added to a list (ie people have clear memories, or there is a photo or other documentary evidence)?

Perhaps there is a book or article out there?

 

[Trainfan2019]

I'm sure Sheffield station had a Red Star office before the station front was all redeveloped.

 

[61058]

Many posters on here will fondly remember Red Star, the rapid and good value parcels service run by British Rail that was acquired by Lynx and closed in 2001.

There’s a Wikipedia page on it and an old thread on this forum: https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/where-does-red-star-survive.122162/

I can’t find a list of which stations it was available from though. Was it literally anywhere that had a booking office? Or just larger stations? Does anyone have a list? Or can people contribute to a list?

It was obviously available from all the London Termini as well as key stations like Leeds and Reading. But where else was it available from? Selby is one that I can recall (the sign was still there until a couple of years ago... I have a photo somewhere).

Where else can definitely be added to a list (ie people have clear memories, or there is a photo or other documentary evidence)?

Perhaps there is a book or article out there?

Lincoln Central had a Red Star office which our company used.

 

[hexagon789]

Many posters on here will fondly remember Red Star, the rapid and good value parcels service run by British Rail that was acquired by Lynx and closed in 2001.

There’s a Wikipedia page on it and an old thread on this forum: https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/where-does-red-star-survive.122162/

I can’t find a list of which stations it was available from though. Was it literally anywhere that had a booking office? Or just larger stations? Does anyone have a list? Or can people contribute to a list?

It was obviously available from all the London Termini as well as key stations like Leeds and Reading. But where else was it available from? Selby is one that I can recall (the sign was still there until a couple of years ago... I have a photo somewhere).

Where else can definitely be added to a list (ie people have clear memories, or there is a photo or other documentary evidence)?

Perhaps there is a book or article out there?

I think originally theoretically any staffed station could take/receive delivery, as it generally suggests people could take a parcel to their local station and use the service.

 

[Snow1964]

My local station, back in 1970s and 1980s, New Milton, had Red Star Parcels, the Office was on opposite platform to booking office (the Bournemouth bound one).

They used to be loaded into the guards van of the electric passenger trains.

Slightly off topic, but a building resembling a concrete double garage was added (forget date, think it was early 1980s) to handle newspapers as Station was a district distribution point from newspaper train.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

This notice is still in place at Huddersfield:

 

[Ianno87]

Bolton had an office that remarkably managed to survive (empty) until only about 5 years ago.

 

[Llanigraham]

There used to be a Red Star sign at the end of Worcester Shrub Hill Station

 

[pdeaves]

Swindon had a Red Star office (up the stairs outside the main entrance, space later used by V-cars taxi company).

 

[Elecman]

Preston had on a Christian Road and it’s now used by NR staff, the Red Star manager was accommodated in a permanantly parked coach in the siding I even think the sign is still there

 

[Lockwood]

Southampton Central, had a Red Star sign right up until Doddle moved in.

https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/4045991

Photo of this, clearly showing a 2009 registered car, and potentially a 2013 registered car with metadata placing it at 2014


Also Guildford
https://www.google.com/maps/@51.236...cXPFASeA!2e0!5s20180501T000000!7i16384!8i8192
2018 Streetview image of Guildford sign

 

[pdeaves]

I have a picture taken 6 July this year with the Red Star logo on Guildford station's 'totem' and similar on 29 May 2018 at Littlehampton.

 

[matacaster]

Bradford interchange.

 

[sheff1]

Birmingham New St and East Croydon had Red Star offices - I know people who worked at both.

 

[Parham Wood]

In 1982 600 stations were a Red Star delivery point. See https://mancunian1001.wordpress.com/2019/02/13/red-star-when-parcels-by-rail-were-faster-by-far/

It was not a door to door service according to the article, you had to take the parcel to the train and someone had to collect it at the other end. It in theory offered a same day service although I guess this would be a challenge for more remote and less frequently served locations. Parcels were carried by passenger train and the Ffestiniog Railway was also a Red Start point.

Does anyone remember the Passengers' Luggage in Advance service? I used it as a student in the early 1970s to send my very large trunk from Wiltshire to Liverpool. It was collected and delivered. I do not recall having to produce proof of a ticket at any time but of course there was a charge for the service. I guess it was just a fancy name for the standard parcels service. Not like now when so many students go in a packed car but I reckon my trunk held as much as most take in a car!

 

[Hadders]

Stevenage has a Red Star office.

 

[sheff1]

.......

 

[alistairlees]

In 1982 600 stations were a Red Star delivery point. See https://mancunian1001.wordpress.com/2019/02/13/red-star-when-parcels-by-rail-were-faster-by-far/

Nice find. Thanks!

 

[trebor79]

When I went to university in 1999, dropped off by mum and dad in the packed car, I somehow forgot a load of stuff, including a flat packed computer desk.
So they sent it by Red Star from Durham to Bristol. I seem to remember the Bristol office was in the building at the end of the bay platforms facing Exeter. The Durham office was in the original station building (now restored for its original use).
Getting it all from Temple Meads to my halls was interesting.

I guess it would be almost impossible to run such a service now. Hardly any trains have guards/luggage/parcel accommodation.

 

[ElectroSoldier]

Southampton Central, had a Red Star sign right up until Doddle moved in.

https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/4045991

Photo of this, clearly showing a 2009 registered car, and potentially a 2013 registered car with metadata placing it at 2014


Also Guildford
https://www.google.com/maps/@51.236...cXPFASeA!2e0!5s20180501T000000!7i16384!8i8192
2018 Streetview image of Guildford sign

Lynx bought it in '99, it slowly died from there on, I doubt its serives lasted a year after that. Many of the signs lasted until very recently as there was no reason to remove them.
Liverpool Lime street had a collection point for parcels between platforms 7 and 8, dispatched from the Parcels bay next to platform 7.
I wouldnt be surprised if you can still find some of the logos even today as Lynx dropped the name and so didnt care where it was left behind.

 

[Cowley]

Nice find. Thanks!

Even places like Barnstaple provided a healthy amount of Red Star traffic.
Interesting thread.

 

[Taunton]

A key traffic was documents and computer files, all lost to email attachments.

Every main point had taxi/bike companies who you would have an account with, they picked up from your office, took it to the station, did the paperwork there, and passed through the billing. You also telephoned them when you knew something arrived at the station (allow an hour or so) and they would pick it up and deliver to the office. London had large numbers of motor bike courier companies doing this, most of which have disappeared (coming back with Deliveroo/Uber Eats etc nowadays). I used them extensively in The City in the 1980s to exchange computer tapes through Euston with a company in Liverpool.

Once sent another computer tape from Waterloo to Yeovil Junction, told the client in Yeovil to collect it. They later moaned that someone "had to go miles out to the station to get it". I replied I could be responsible for most things, but not for where the LSWR had put their Yeovil station in 1860.

 

[BigB]

In 1983 Runcorn definitely had Red Star
I had to go and collect a box of pig semen for a friend's pigs, and it was printed on the box exactly what was in it which was a little embassing as I popped back on the motorbike....
Oh how they laughed....

 

[GusB]

I can remember seeing the Red Star point at Aberdeen when making various trips south. It was still there around 2002-3 as that's where the cab firm I worked for at the time picked up passengers for TOC bookings. In the computer system we used, it had a specific entry to avoid confusion with passengers at the main rank. I'm not sure how long it lasted after that, but I assume it would all have been removed when the station was incorporated into the Union Square development.

 

[snakeeyes]

I can remember seeing the Red Star point at Aberdeen when making various trips south. It was still there around 2002-3 as that's where the cab firm I worked for at the time picked up passengers for TOC bookings. In the computer system we used, it had a specific entry to avoid confusion with passengers at the main rank. I'm not sure how long it lasted after that, but I assume it would all have been removed when the station was incorporated into the Union Square development.

Yes, the building was a fairly modern extension but all this was demolished as you say when Union Square was built .

 

[big all]

redhill certainly had a vibrant red star office on the down side that was converted to crew accommodation after the fire late 80 that gutted the terrapin huts that contained the train crews and pway

 

[lancastrian]

Bolton certainly had a Red Star Office and it was still in use to some level in the early 1990's. I used to work in the early 1970's at Birmingham New Street Parcels. We used to send Red Star to almost all manned stations that could be reached by direct train services. This was the basis of Red Star. Someone took a a parcel into a Parcel Office, (about an hour before the service you wanted it on), then the recipient could collect from the receiving station 45 minutes after arrival.

At first only direct parcels could be sent. In the mid 1970's, a firm called CityLink appeared and they would organise transfers for you. For example if you wanted to send a Parcel from Birmingham to Huddersfield. It would be sent Birmingham to Sheffield, CityLink would collect the parcel and redirect it for Huddersfield, for collection at Huddersfield. They would then charge the customer for the redirection and forwarding costs. Later on they would provide the complete service. Collection, transfers and delivery using the Red Star services. As I left the Railway in the early 1980's I am not to sure what happened after I left. I only know about the Bolton Red Star office in the 1990's because the firm that I worked for sent me to send a parcel Red Star to Edinburgh.

 

[GusB]

Bolton certainly had a Red Star Office and it was still in use to some level in the early 1990's. I used to work in the early 1970's at Birmingham New Street Parcels. We used to send Red Star to almost all manned stations that could be reached by direct train services. This was the basis of Red Star. Someone took a a parcel into a Parcel Office, (about an hour before the service you wanted it on), then the recipient could collect from the receiving station 45 minutes after arrival.

At first only direct parcels could be sent. In the mid 1970's, a firm called CityLink appeared and they would organise transfers for you. For example if you wanted to send a Parcel from Birmingham to Huddersfield. It would be sent Birmingham to Sheffield, CityLink would collect the parcel and redirect it for Huddersfield, for collection at Huddersfield. They would then charge the customer for the redirection and forwarding costs. Later on they would provide the complete service. Collection, transfers and delivery using the Red Star services. As I left the Railway in the early 1980's I am not to sure what happened after I left. I only know about the Bolton Red Star office in the 1990's because the firm that I worked for sent me to send a parcel Red Star to Edinburgh.

Was this the same company with green and yellow vans that were part of Rentokil Initial and went bust a few years ago? If so, I hadn't realised there was a connection with Red Star.

 

[satisnek]

The Kidderminster Red Star office was a separate wooden building to the south of the main station building (about where the footbridge is today). It closed in the early 1990s.

I believe that the 'Snax On Trax' kiosk at Droitwich Spa used to be the Red Star office.

 

[Belperpete]

the Ffestiniog Railway was also a Red Start point.

When the Cambrian stations were de-staffed, they lost their Red Star status as there was no-one to deal with the parcels. Harbour Station Porthmadog then became a Red Star office in place of the Cambrian station, with the parcels being transferred at Blaenau. On a couple of occasions parcels for Porthmadog still managed to make their way onto the Cambrian by mistake. They were usually left with the Cambrian signalman, who phoned Harbour Station and someone from the FR would go and get them.

Two of the FR guards vans had stars painted on them to publicise the service. I think the FR ran the Red Star franchise as much for the publicity as for any income it brought. I can remember carrying a few Red Star parcels down in the guards van from Blaenau, but I don't recall much going the other way. I think the service ceased when BR de-staffed Blaenau.