XMAS TRAIN CRUSH.
Lack of Facilities Leads to Much Crowding.
WAR WORKERS ON HOLIDAY
Thus, although long queues formed up before the booking offices, and although even guards' vans were packed with passengers, the decreased facilities realty resulted in a considerable slump in the Christmas rush from and to the country. Those who did travel had to bear all the discomforts of wartime journeying.
At King's Cross over 500 people were lined up waiting for tickets to the North by one train. Many people had to wait over two hours for tickets, and many got none.
The great majority of the travellers were munition workers. At St. Pancras Station there were also many munition workers travelling. The twelve o'clock train for Manchester went out in two portions, and several coaches were added on to the first portion.
Paddington Station was very busy. Six lines were all the time before the booking hall windows, and in the early morning extended right through the booking hall to the subway and out into the street. The 1 p.m. train to Torquay, Plymouth and Penzance was of enormous length, and every seat was taken.
Many people were left behind when the 11.50 train left Euston for Birmingham, although the train was in two portions.
Waterloo was perhaps the busiest station in London owing to the number of soldiers coming and going on leave, in addition to great throngs of civilian travellers.
The majority of people, however, are apparently spending their Christmas at home. A railway official said there seemed a decrease in Christmas travelling all round. We are grateful that our appeal has been so well heeded.
To-morrow and on Boxing Day Underground train services will be as usual, with a Sunday service on Christmas Day. Many omnibus services will cease about 5 p.m. on Christmas Day.
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