Last Train Home on Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve - less than two hours to go until Christmas Day and I'm finally home.  I've endured a fraught journey back from seeing family, having just caught the last train home before the entire railway network shuts down until Wednesday.  It's amazing, things were meant to improve with privatisation, yet I recall that under British Rail trains ran on Boxing Day, to a modified Sunday schedule.  (Go back far enough and you'll find a time when a limited teain service ran on Christmas Day - in the days before widespread car ownership, those who had to work Christmas Day had to get to and from work somehow).  Don't think that these 48 hour Christmas shutdowns have anything to do with the current franchise owners wanting their staff to have Christmas off.  I'm sure that there are plenty of railway workers who would be prepared to work at least Boxing Day.  But it would cost the railway companies money in terms of the overtime payments they'd have to fork out.  So, to Hell with maintaining public services if it means paying extra wages.

But you are probably wondering why I was using the train today instead of my car. Well, my aim was to avoid the Christmas Eve traffic and, when coming back in the evening, the increased numbers of drink drivers who will undoubtedly be on the roads.  But with the rail companies being coy as to what would actually be the last service to run on my line, the rail option turned into something of a game of Russian roulette.  But, I've made it home, I've got some sausage rolls baking in the oven, I'm about to open a bottle of Milk Stout and I've got a DVD lined up to watch.  While I remember, I've got a couple of new podcasts up over at the Overnightscape Underground.  One of them is even seasonally themed.  They are, hopefully, the start of a new series which will get into its stride as next year progresses.   So, it just remains to wish everyone a Happy Winterval.  Or Festivus.  Or Christmas.  Or whatever else you might celebrate at this time of year.  See you all on Boxing Day.