I was spending Boxing Day with my daughter and her family in Southampton. I thought a couple of weeks before that I ought to check the trains are all OK for that day, so I dutifully went to Ashford International and asked “Is there a service on Boxing Day?” – “yes, but a reduced service, just check the website for details”.

That was my mistake, I forgot that Privatisation had taken place and if you don’t ask the exact and precise question, you’ll get an answer which may not be altogether right (so it’s all my fault!!).

Great, everything set. On Christmas Eve I thought I’d check the train times and it all comes to light.
Sure, there are services on Boxing Day BUT only from Ashford International to London. I find out that South West Trains, Central Trains and, long shot, Virgin Trains haven’t any services atall!
So I have to phone my daughter and announce I can’t get there til the day after Boxing Day. Bang goes most of the festive spirit and bang goes seeing the family on one of the, if you like, most important ones!

What grieves me most of all is the lack of conformity between all the Train Operating Companies. Sure, they all have different systems, different rules, different Union arrangements etc., but surely in an age where the Government are apparently flying their green flags saying we should leave the car at home and take the train or other public transport, there would be at least some arrangement amongst everyone. Or is that too much to ask?

I know from my years on the railway that it isn’t hard to find people to work on Boxing Day at a good rate – when it happened in my time, there was a queue of volunteers!

If we are to shout a greener message to people, we must give them the tools to do it with. What’s the point in shutting about 95% of a public transport system down on a public holiday!!