The Bristol Railway Archive

Glancing through an old train register from Charfield S/B dated Nov 1964/ Jan 1965 I note that although no trains ran on Christmas Day from 5 a.m. after the passage of the overnight Newcastle - Bristol mail, there was still then a limited Boxing Day service of express trains over the ex-Midland, 4 in each direction. A questions - in which year did running trains on Christmas Day cease, and when did Boxing Day services cease?

Interesting to see that by 4:30 am on Christmas Day, there was a long block section in operation from Standish Jcn to Charfield and on re-opening the box at Charfield on Boxing Day morning at 8:30 am, the block extended from Charfield to Mangotsfield as there was nothing scheduled via Yate South/Westerleigh West all day. Plenty of opportunity for the signalmen to complete their crosswords that day, then!

Even as late as afternoon shift on Christmas Eve three extra down parcels trains were recorded. I can only assume that some poor kids never actually got some of their presents on Christmas morning unless Santa did a special midnight collection from Bristol TM! Here's hoping that the same does not befall all you good readers on Tuesday - have a very enjoyable Christmas everybody.

I certainly took a train on the Midland line north from Bristol on Boxing day 1968.

In the early 70s (prior to 1974) I used to volunteer for afternoon turn on Boxing Day at Bath Road because nobody else wanted it (I was sick of the family by then and you got time and a half plus a day in lieu )

So the end of Boxing Day working was certainly later than 1974.

As regards Christmas Day, the majority of the railway shut down as far back as I can remember. However, I do remember that some of the SR commuter lines around London provided a limited service on Christmas Day afternoon in the 1960s. You'll need to do your own research on what lines had a service and what the frequency was!