Trains on Boxing Day
There is a good article by the columnist Alan Williams in this month’s Modern Railways, where he decries the lack of trains on Boxing Day.
Apparently, if you want to go from London to Brighton, you’re OK, but for all other journeys, it’s car, bike or walk.
I would have liked to go and see Ipswich play at Leicester, but they might just as well be playing on Ascension Island.
It strikes me that Boxing Day might be a day, when the train companies with a bit of co-operation from the FA could make a bit of money on a day, when many will be hungover and not fancy driving at all. In fact, many might not be able to do it legally.
So how practical would it be to go to your team’s away game on Boxing Day, if the trains were running?
Here are the matches in the Premier League.
Arsenal v. Wolverhampton
This would have been very practical, but Arsenal have postponed it to the 27th because of a strike on the London Underground.
All Wolves fans would need to do, is take the Virgin train from Wolverhampton to Euston and two stops on the Victoria line.
Chelsea v. Fulham
This is going on despite the Underground strike, which won’t inconvenience the majority of fans who can either drive, walk or take a bus.
Bolton v. Newcastle
As Bolton has a station at the ground, this is a very easy journey for Newcastle fans. On Sundays, there is a convenient train with just one change at Manchester Piccadilly.
Liverpool v. Blackburn
This is another simple one, with just a change at Preston.
Man Utd v. Wigan
This is a direct train and a tram.
Sunderland v. Everton
This involves three changes of train at a minimum of over four hours.
West Brom v. Man. City
This one involves a couple of changes and two and a half hours.
Stoke v. Aston Villa
This involves a single change and takes just over an hour.
And here are the Championship matches.
Watford v. Cardiff
Not the easiest by rail, as it’s a very long way.
Derby v Leeds
Just two hours on a direct train.
Millwall v. Portsmouth
Plenty of trains and they all take around two hours.
Southampton v. Crystal Palace
Plenty of trains and again they take just over two hours.
Barnsley v. Blackpool
Not the easiest and it takes three hours with two or more changes.
Burnley v. Doncaster
Two and a half hours with a change at Leeds.
Coventry v. Bristol City
Two hours with a change at Birmingham.
Leicester v. Ipswich
Three and a half hours with all sorts of changes.
Middlesbrough v. Hull
Over three hours with a change or two.
Nottingham Forest v. Peterborough
Not too bad, if you can get a direct train.
Reading v. Brighton
Between two and three hours via London.
Birmingham v. West Ham
About two hours and a bit, depending on where in London, you’re coming from.
So basically, with the fixtures as they came out this year, it really wouldn’t have been possible, as there are too many long journeys.
But then years ago, Ipswich always used to play Norwich on Boxing Day. The police put a stop to it, but there hasn’t been much trouble over recent years.
I’m certain though, that it would be possible to arrange a better fixture list.
How many grounds aren’t well connected to the rail network? Either directly or by a match-day bus from the station! I think the list includes.
Arsenal – Three rail stations and well connected to London termini.
Aston Villa – Two rail stations connected to Birmingham New Street.
Barnsley – Not too long a walk, but it’s severely uphill to get to the ground.
Birmingham – It has its own station on match days.
Blackburn – It’s a fair walk from the local station or a taxi from the main one.
Blackpool – A fair walk and no shuttle bus.
Bolton – It has its own station at Horwich Parkway.
Brighton – It has its own station.
Bristol City – It’s a long walk.
Burnley – A far walk from the station.
Cardiff City – A fair walk from Grangetown station.
Chelsea – A fair walk from the Underground station.
Coventry – You have to walk across the City Centre to get a bus. Last year on New Year’s Day it didn’t run.
Crystal Palace – Two rail stations and the Overground, although it’s not too easy from some London terminals.
Derby – Walkable from the station.
Doncaster – Taxi or possibly a shuttle bus.
Everton – A match day bus from the train.
Fulham- A fair but pleasant walk from the Underground station.
Hull – Walkable from the rail station
Ipswich – A short walk from the station.
Leeds – A shuttle bus from Leeds station.
Leicester City – A fair walk from the station and no shuttle bus.
Liverpool – A match day bus from the train.
Manchester City – Difficult by bus, but they are building a tram.
Manchester United – A tram.
Millwall – It has its own station.
Middlesbrough – Walkable from the train station.
Newcastle – It has its own Metro station.
Norwich – A short walk from the station.
Nottingham Forest – Walkable from the station.
Peterborough – Walkable from the station.
Portsmouth – Walkable from Fratton station.
QPR – Two Underground stations, but not too well-connected to London termini.
Reading – There is a shuttle bus from the railway station.
Southampton – A fair walk from the railway station.
Stoke – Miles from the station, but there is a match day bus service.
Sunderland – It has its own Metro station.
Swansea – A long walk from the rail station.
Tottenham – Two train stations, but not that well connected to London termini.
Watford – Walkable from the station.
West Bromwich – It has its own rail station and tram stop.
West Ham – A short walk from Upton Park station.
Wigan – A long walk from the rail stations, and there is no match day bus. The club website says use a taxi.
Wolverhampton – A short walk from the rail station and the tram.
So some clubs are fairy ideal places to ave home matches on Boxing Day. Others like Blackburn, Blackpool, Bristol City, Cardiff City, Coventry, Leeds, Leicester, Southampton, Swansea and Wigan are definitely not, unless they break a habit of a lifetime and run a shuttle bus from the station.
To schedule what matches are played, it is a very simple matter and could even be organised like a cup draw. a list of practical pairs would need to be drawn up, when the teams in the division were finalised after the play-offs. Obviously conditions of distance and police views would prevail. So Arsenal could be paired with say Aston Villa, Fulham, Norwich, QPR, West Bromwich and Wolverhampton. I’ve left out Tottenham and Chelsea, as the police would probably want them on a less high-profile day.
You would start by drawing the home teams from the list of grounds with good transport connections. And then a draw would be made to see who they played.
There are a few problems however you do it, as both Newcastle and Sunderland are difficult to get to and the police would object to the derby on Boxing Day.
But I suspect with a bit of goodwill and co-operation between the rail companies, the FA and the police something could be worked out.
An aside here, and equally important, to those who don’t follow football, is that a lot of major shopping centres, like Meadowhall, the Metro Centre at Gateshead and Westfield and Eastfield in London have rail stations, so a good train service will help a lot more people.
I thought train companies were in business to make a profit. Surely with a bit of radical thinking, they could turn Boxing Day, into a nice little earner.
How About?
- Fans to football, rugby and other sporting events.
- Shoppers to large shopping centres.
- Families to the coast, big cities and other attractions.
- C and I often went on holiday on Boxing Day, as it can be a good day to fly long haul.
It might even help some get back to where they live and work a lot easier. Especially in these days of very complicated family relationships.
Arsenal Postpone, Chelsea Don’t
Can I assume that this is because most Chelski fans wouldn’t be seen dead on a train, so the strike makes no difference to their prawn-sandwich eaters?
Islington’s Hidden Temple
Walk through the back-streets of Islington and tucked away in Gibson Square, you’ll find this curious building in the garden in the middle.
A Curious Building in Gibson Square
So what is it?
The clue is in the roof, as it doesn’t look like the wire mesh would keep the rain and weather out.
But then that isn’t necessary as it is the ventilation shaft for the Victoria line.
The shaft was built in 1970 and has recently been updated to improve the cooling of the line for passengers.
Christmas, Bloody Christmas
Oh! How I hate Christmas!
I shall have lunch with my son and his friends.
On the other hand, it doesn’t cost me much. I will buy just three presents and a couple of good bottles of wine for Christmas lunch.
I can’t even get to the football on Boxing Day, as there are no trains and I can’t drive.
I think this could be my worst Christmas ever!
Let’s ban it!
After all, the only people who like it are children and I don’t know any of them!
Christmas has never been the same, since you could go down Spurs on Christmas morning to see the match and then come home to a late Christmas lunch!
And now it appears the Underground will be on strike on Boxing Day! They were last year and that was a day to forget. It incidentally looks to be the same argument about triple pay and a day off as well.
The sooner we take the numan element out of the trains the better.
Jams In The West End
There has been a lot of controversy lately about the City of Westminster, bringing in parking charges in the evenings and on Sundays. Here ‘s a report from the Telegraph.
It seems to me that most of the opposition is led by celebrities such as Peter Stringfellow, who claim they are worried about jobs and of course where to park their own limos and excessive people carriers.
As I said the 38 bus was delayed getting to Shaftesbury Avenue and it took half an hour to travel the last bit from Bloomsbury. My progress after alighting from the bus, wasn’t helped by the fact that a coach was parked on the pavement, making both walking and driving difficult.
After the play it was worse and getting back up Shaftesbury Avenue was not easy, as drivers were blocking pavement and trying to go at speed into and out of the side roads. It wasn’t helped by the fact, that a large number of police cars and ambulances were trying to get through.
I finally got to the stop for the 38 bus and after checking by text, I found I had seven minutes to wait.
Whilst waiting you realised that what was holding up the traffic was the vast number of cycle rickshaws, which were illegally touting at the bus stops. A guy in the queue near me, who had the aura of a taxi-driver, said that mos of the rickshaws aren’t insured and he wouldn’t go near them. He was actually a van driver, who’d had a nght out with his family and was also waiting for a 38. There’s more on illegal rickshaws here.
It was also a night, when I wished I’d had my camera with me, as I would ave got a picture of a 19 bus, seemingly pushing a rickshaw slowly along the road.
Finally, I got my 38 back to the local stop.
So what would I do to improve matters?
It would appear that the 38 bus, might be one of the first routes to get the new Routemaster in 2012. Certainly, as they are quicker to board and exit, they should help a bit. Banning the rickshaws from bus lanes would also help.
I’ve always been in favour of pedestrianising Oxford Street or perhaps building a raised walkway above the middle of the street to speed people from Tottenham Court Road to Marble Arch and perhaps relieve the Central line. Although a bit to the north of theatreland, it would make it easier to get to Soho and then come south to Shaftesbury Avenue. My thoughts on the walkway are in this post.
I think I would make a large area of Soho a pedestrian only zone, as this would increase the capacity of the area dramatically. And the more visitors it gets, the more money gets spent. Perhaps, small electric buses could be used on the north-south routes to move people about.
But perhaps what will help most is already being built; CrossRail. Although it only goes to Tottenham Court Road and Bond Street stations, the high-capacity trains will probably run later than the Underground and they will at least get a lot of West End traffic away after the theatres and shows finish. I would run a shuttle service through from say Stratford to Heathrow to aid those, like essential workers, who had to travel in the middle of the night.
It has always puzzled me why there is no Underground station at Cambridge Circus. Perhaps the walking routes to Leicester Square and Tottenham Court Road stations need to be improved.
The Memorial to the Kings Cross Fire
This clock is a memorial to those who died in the Kings Cross fire on November 18th, 1987.
The Memorial to those who died in the Kings Cross Fire
The brass plate above the clock has the words.
This clock has been given in memory of those who lost their lives in the fire at Kings Cross station on 18th November 1987 from all the Underground staff at sub-surface and tube stations.
The fire was one of the worst tragedies on the Underground in peacetime.
Tottenham Court Road Station Reopens
Today they reopened the Northern line platforms at Tottenham Court Road station.
The pictures show some of the unique mosaics in the station by Eduardo Paolozzi. One picture shows the naked Northern line platform. Will it get the proper treatment or something very anonymous?
It would appear from this page on TfL’s website, that the murals will be complimented by more artwork from Daniel Buren. This is an extract.
Buren’s is the second piece of permanent artwork to be installed at Tottenham Court Road station, complementing the now iconic 1984 mosaic designs by the late Eduardo Paolozzi. The majority of the Paolozzi mosaics are being preserved in the upgraded station, whilst some smaller sections will be carefully removed and displayed elsewhere.
Let’s hope it all works out! I suspect it will!
Getting Between Kings Cross/St. Pancras and Euston
London’s three major stations that serve the North and of course the Continent; Kings Cross, St. Pancras and Euston, are all close together on the Euston Road.
The first has been superbly rebuilt, the second is approaching the end of a major redevelopment and they now share probably the best Underground station in London. But Euston is rather isolated from the other two, with several ways to get between them.
- You can take a rather unpleasant walk along the busy Euston Road.
- You can use the Metropolitan or Circle lines, but this means a walk to or from Euston Square at the Euston end.
- You can dive into the Underground and take the Victoria or Northern lines, but it is not step free at the Euston end, and not recommended with a heavy case. Both deep stations are also easy places to get lost or confused.
- Going from Euston to Kings Cross or St. Pancras is quite easy by bus 30, 73, 205 or 476, which you catch in front of Euston station, but the reverse journey means you have to cross Euston Road twice.
- There are of course taxis. But not everyone can afford them.
As I had time to spare at Kings Cross, before I caught my train to Hartlepool, I decided to investigate and found a map which showed there was a fairly simple direct walking route that avoided the pollution and traffic of the Euston Road.
I started by walking through St. Pancras station and exited by the cab rank onto Midland Road, with the intention of going down Brill Place.
Crossing Midland Road
There is a light controlled crossing, but it is rather blocked by badly placed railings and the cab rank. Brill Place, which is the start of the road to Euston is on the left.
Brill Place is flanked on one side by the new Francis Crick Institute and on the right, there is a small pleasant park, which could provide an oasis from the crowds in the stations.
Brill Place
Brill Place itself, is not a grotty dusty road lined by parked cars, but a wide tree-lined avenue that leads on to Phoenix Road.
Towards Pheonix Road
At the end of Phoenix Road, you just cross Eversholt Street on one of the two pedestrian crossings and you walk down the road to Euston station.
The advantages of the route are as follows.
- The route is virtually flat.
- It would be easy trailing quite a large case.
- There are only two major roads to cross and both have light-controlled pedestrian crossings.
- There is the park, which would as I said before, be a better place to eat a packed meal than the station.
- You do pass a few shops and a reasonable-looking pub.
But there are disadvantages.
- The route is not signposted.
- The barriers at the St. Pancras end are wrongly placed.
- The side entrance to Euston station could be better.
So how would I make it better, so that in effect we had one super station for the north.
- I’d start with sign-posting. The posts are there at the St. Pancras end already.
- Perhaps, it should be marked on the ground, as a Kings Cross/St. Pancras to Euston walking route.
- You might even provide some eco-friendly transport along the route, like an electric shuttle bus or bicycle rickshaws.
- A couple of suitably placed Boris bike stations would help too.
- Shops and cafes should be developed along the road. There are some already.
To me though, this is one of those things that will happen. But probably first in a very unofficial way, as how many of those that work in the Francis Crick Institute will commute into Euston and walk there? It won’t be a small number.
It took me about fifteen minutes to do the walk and I just got a 205 bus back to Kings Cross for my train from the front of Euston station.
92 Clubs – Week 2 – 18 Clubs – 36 Trains, 2 Trams
Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Week 5 Week 6 Week 7
Day 8 Day 9 Day 10 Day 11 Day 12 Day 13 Day 14
As with last week I can also add several Underground and Overground trains and lots of buses.
It was an easier week, that Week 1 and I got home to my bed every day. I’m now having the weekend off, as the hay fever is driving me nuts. On Monday, I’ll go to Hereford, Huddersfield and Hull and on Tuesday, I’ll be in my seat at Portman Road for Ipswich against Portsmouth.
Here are the awards.
Heroes of the Week
This week, I’ll award it to all of those who’ve contributed. Some people, who I’ve never met have given a pound for every club. I hope I’m living up to their hopes for me!
There was also the taxi driver in Liverpool, who just wanted the money for his diesel.
Most Surprising Stadium of the Week
There have been several that were not what I expected like, Bury, Exeter and Hartlepool, but I also revisted some where I have been in the past, so these didn’t show me anything I didn’t know.
Best Stadium of the Week
It just has to be Chesterfield. Everything is there and they are working about making it better.
Best Signposted Stadium of the Week
Hartlepool is well-signposted and still has four large floodlight towers to guide you.
Worst Signposted Stadium of the Week
I’ll give this award to Coventry, as there are no details at the station and it’s a long walk to the bus station, where it’s not obvious where to go. At least I found a quicker way back using an express bus.
Welcoming Stadia of the Week
As in the first week, many stadia were visited in the dark or when no-one was about. I was however, very well welcomed at Chesterfield and Exeter.
Best Town of the Week
Hartlepool by a country mile. Politicians and officers from many of the places I’ve visited could learn a lot by just visiting the town.
Here’s a few things I liked.
- The rather decripit railway station has been transformed into one of the best small stations I have seen in the UK, by a fair bit of imagination.
- The art gallery, which doubles as a tourist information centre in a church in a central point in the town.
- I didn’t have much tie to visit the museum, but it was one of the best small museums, I’ve found.
- It would be a difficult town to get lost in, as it is well-signposted and you seem be able to see the main landmarks from everywhere.
I have been to many places, where a lot more money has been spent or is available and they are worse places to visit. Especially, if your time is limited or you have a simple objective, like visiting a football match.
Best City of the Week
Exeter impressed me, with good signposting and an easy-to-find ground marked on all the maps.
Dump of the Week
When I looked at the list at the start of the week, I thought that there would be a lot of candidates.
In the end it was Gillingham, which was just a run-down town, with a rather tired stadium, without a roof for visiting fans. But I’ve also had comments on this blog saying they didn’t like the place either.
Sign of the Week
This has to be the display in the car park at Hartlepool station, telling you how long you have until your train arrives. Every station should have more of these.
I may still be a few stadia behind, but I’m enjoying the trip.
Here’s to next week.
92 Clubs – Week 1 – 18 Clubs – 33 Trains, 1 Coach
Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Week 5 Week 6 Week 7
Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Day 5 Day 6 Day 7
I should add several Underground and Overground trains and quite a few buses.
But of those 33 trains, only one was late and that didn’t stop me doing what I wanted. One, incidentally, a train from Leeds to London on Day 1 was actually a few minutes early. I won’t complain about that!
The coach from Birmingham to Blackburn on Day 3 was an hour late because of traffic and the seemingly endless time, it took to get across Manchester. But it didn’t mean I had to make any serious changes to the schedule.
I shall give out a few awards each week.
Heroes of the Week
This has to go to the staff of First Great Western, who got me back to London from Bristol on Day 5, despite the fact I fell asleep on the train to Bristol Parkway and ended up in Gloucester.
Another award should go to Jeff on the same day, who helped me navigate Bristol’s buses.
Most Surprising Stadium of the Week
Given the problems they have had over the years, AFC Bournemouth was a relevation. The location was good, the stadium was easy to find from the station. And the coffee was excellent too.
Best Stadium of the Week
I haven’t seen a match there but Brighton seems to tick every possible box. When Ipswich play in February, I’ll be going.
Best Signposted Stadium of the Week
It hurts me to say this, as someone who supported their bitter rivals, Enfield, as a boy, but it has Barnet.
Worst Signposted Stadium of the Week
It has to be Bradford City. You can see the stadium from the station and this draws you the wrong way, where there are no signposts at all. As I said in the Day 4 post, for a stadium with such a tragic past, it is almost disrespectful.
It should be compulsory for every football club director to go to a match by public transport, at least once a year. But I suspect, some believe that anybody who doesn’t come by car is a loser and they don’t want losers as supporters. Surely any bum on any seat is a profit.
Welcoming Stadia of the Week
Some stadia were visited in the dark or when no-one was about, but I was very welcomed at most places and especially Accrington, Bournemouth, Bristol City and Burnley.
Best Town/City of the Week
I was very surprised by Bournemouth. But then you’d expect it to have things going for it, as its problems are far less than most places. If you were going to make a day or even a weekend of the match, then it would be ideal. Obviously, you could make a longer visit with any of the London or big city clubs, Brighton, or even somewhere like Accrington or Burnley, where there are other attractions.
Dump of the Week
Is there anything right about the town of Blackpool? You can understand, why even the Labour Party has deserted it for its conferences since 2002. I must admit I have a particular dislike of the place, as I’ve never been able to find any decent gluten-free food there, but others I spoke to on my travels around the north, seemed to feel exactly as I do about the place. And they were Northerners! Most said it wasn’t their scene or something like that!
Here’s a few things that must be fixed.
- There are no maps at the stations.
- There is no details about the trams and how to find or use them at the station. The trams are unique and should be the backbone of transport within the town, as they go quickly from the very north to the very south of the town.
- The bus stops have no details about where the buses go, that a visitor would understand.
- Most pedestrian crossings are not light controlled and many of those that are, were broken or vandalised.
- Many of the public toilets appear to be almost derelict.
The football ground too, might be modern, but the club has the worst attitude to visiting fans I’ve ever found. The view is very much restricted too, because the seating has all the wrong angles. I bet none of the directors of Blackpool have ever sat and watched a game from the visiting supporters section.
Humour of the Week
Surely the sign at Burnley!
So I may be a few stadia behind, but it has been an interesting week. Thanks must go to all of the supporting people, I’ve met on my journey. One even tried to give me forty pounds on the Underground. I said no, as I want all donations to go through JustGiving, because the charity gets more.
The Anonymous Widower 