Queen Elizabeth’s funeral timetable plans

[philosopher]

We now know the queen’s funeral will be on Monday 19th September at Westminster Abbey, starting at 11am

Queen Elizabeth’s funeral will be held on Monday 19 September

The event will take place at 11am at Westminster Abbey at the end of an official 10-day period of mourning

www.theguardian.com

Queen Elizabeth’s funeral will be held on Monday 19 September​

The event will take place at 11am at Westminster Abbey at the end of an official 10-day period of mourning

Given there will be very likely a large number of mourners travelling to London on this day, what timetables will train operating companies be running on this day?

 

[scrapy]

We now know the queen’s funeral will be on Monday 19th September at Westminster Abbey, starting at 11am

Queen Elizabeth’s funeral will be held on Monday 19 September

The event will take place at 11am at Westminster Abbey at the end of an official 10-day period of mourning

www.theguardian.com

Given there will be very likely a large number of mourners travelling to London on this day, what timetables will train operating companies be running on this day?

Will almost certainally be a normal Monday timetable.

 

[Wayne679]

I’m hoping for double time payment or at least a day in lieu if we have to work. I doubt it will be anything better than a normal Monday service as their aren’t the resources available to provide an enhanced service even if the demand states that it is needed.

 

[JonathanH]

Given there will be very likely a large number of mourners travelling to London on this day, what timetables will train operating companies be running on this day?

Probably fewer people than used to commute into London prior to March 2020. Offices will be shut so that capacity is freed up. I note that with a funeral at 11am and the need to arrive early for any worthwhile kind of view, the demand is going to be very early on Monday and then die right down if people are at home watching on television.

 

[northwichcat]

I’m hoping for double time payment or at least a day in lieu if we have to work.

I think the government's idea is the country shuts down for the funeral. However, with just over a weeks' notice of a new Bank Holiday and additional BHs not always being a legal or contractual requirement, it'll be interesting to see what happens.

I doubt it will be anything better than a normal Monday service

A full Monday service would be a vast improvement with some operators like Avanti.

Probably fewer people than used to commute into London prior to March 2020. Offices will be shut so that capacity if freed up.

A lot of London based companies now recruit nationwide for remote working. The problem now is it means when face-to-face days are arranged, many workers need a hotel overnight which has increased demand (and prices) especially for Travelodge and Premier Inn. They can end up costing up to 5x more than the ones in Birmingham, Bristol or Manchester!

 

[ChiefPlanner]

The Diana funeral had been "sold" as a massive surge of folk to London - so we at Silverlink planned a hefty programme - early extra trains from Northampton and Rugby , everything at 8 cars , extra workings on the Watford DC lines and self in position to co-ordinate etc from 0330. Standby crewed sets at important points.

A damp squib to say the least - reverted to the normal Saturday timetable by 1030 if not before.(but we kept the standby trains till the end of the traffic day) - most people it seems watched it on TV.

 

[bramling]

The Diana funeral had been "sold" as a massive surge of folk to London - so we at Silverlink planned a hefty programme - early extra trains from Northampton and Rugby , everything at 8 cars , extra workings on the Watford DC lines and self in position to co-ordinate etc from 0330. Standby crewed sets at important points.

A damp squib to say the least - reverted to the normal Saturday timetable by 1030 if not before.(but we kept the standby trains till the end of the traffic day) - most people it seems watched it on TV.

Does seem a bit daft going to the bother of a bank holiday, especially in the current economic climate. Could the funeral not have been held on a Sunday?

 

[brad465]

Does seem a bit daft going to the bother of a bank holiday, especially in the current economic climate. Could the funeral not have been held on a Sunday?

Considering Sunday is the main day of Church attendance in this country (for those that still do), religious funerals are not normally (from what I can tell) held on this day of the week. A Saturday morning/early afternoon service would probably be more acceptable, as was the case for Prince Philip, but on this occasion the minimum mourning period overshoots Saturday.

 

[bramling]

Considering Sunday is the main day of Church attendance in this country (for those that still do), religious funerals are not normally (from what I can tell) held on this day of the week. A Saturday morning/early afternoon service would probably be more acceptable, as was the case for Prince Philip, but on this occasion the minimum mourning period overshoots Saturday.

I don’t really do religion, so take your better knowledge regarding a Sunday. Perhaps the mourning could have been reduced by a day, or even extended to the following weekend. The last thing the country needs, even in these unfortunate circumstances, is another day of being shut down.

 

[Magdalen Road]

Given the state of the service in these parts (GTR, Fen Line) the last thing the Monday morning commuters need is to be fighting for space with mourners.
I am hoping that my employer does give us the BH otherwise, it's a day of unpaid leave for me (the strikes and recent KLN-KGX emergency engineering delays have used up the remainder of this years allowance).

 

[Bald Rick]

I’m hoping for double time payment or at least a day in lieu if we have to work.

Nice!

Could the funeral not have been held on a Sunday?

Not according to Royal protocol

 

[northwichcat]

The last thing the country needs, even in these unfortunate circumstances, is another day of being shut down.

One strange quirk of the modern age is that despite all shops being closed on 25 Dec, the afternoon and evening see a lot of online orders being placed. That must be great for Royal Mail who previously had a post-Christmas slump in demand.

Considering Sunday is the main day of Church attendance in this country (for those that still do), religious funerals are not normally (from what I can tell) held on this day of the week. A Saturday morning/early afternoon service would probably be more acceptable, as was the case for Prince Philip, but on this occasion the minimum mourning period overshoots Saturday.

Funerals are normally held on weekdays, weddings are usually held on Saturdays. I'm note sure if there's any religious reason for that. Or maybe it relates to workers associated with funerals usually working a 5 day Mon-Fri week?

 

[brad465]

Funerals are normally held on weekdays, weddings are usually held on Saturdays. I'm note sure if there's any religious reason for that. Or maybe it relates to workers associated with funerals usually working a 5 day Mon-Fri week?

Partly that, I think also clergy are involved in normal Sunday services on Saturday evening and all day Sunday, so they're unlikely to be available.

 

[bramling]

Funerals are normally held on weekdays, weddings are usually held on Saturdays. I'm note sure if there's any religious reason for that. Or maybe it relates to workers associated with funerals usually working a 5 day Mon-Fri week?

I know for the funeral I arranged, Saturday was offered (can't remember about Sunday). We were then told "but you don't really want it on a Saturday, as it'll cost you shed loads more".

 

[philosopher]

Probably fewer people than used to commute into London prior to March 2020. Offices will be shut so that capacity is freed up. I note that with a funeral at 11am and the need to arrive early for any worthwhile kind of view, the demand is going to be very early on Monday and then die right down if people are at home watching on television.

Given the early start of funeral, normal weekday timetables in this case could work well as the normal AM peak time extras would instead be carrying those going to the funeral instead of commuters. I know there are fewer peak time extras now though compared to pre Covid timetables.

 

[30907]

Slightly OT, but years ago I picked up the booklet of additional WR services for the Coronation: I don't have it to hand but recall suburban services starting in the small hours....

I know for the funeral I arranged, Saturday was offered (can't remember about Sunday). We were then told "but you don't really want it on a Saturday, as it'll cost you shed loads more".

Crematoria, funeral directors, and cemeteries invariably* charge considerably more, to the extent that I don't recall even being asked for a Saturday funeral in 35 years as a Vicar.
(*may not be true with specific Muslim and Jewish organisations)

 

[Magdalia]

Given the state of the service in these parts (GTR, Fen Line) the last thing the Monday morning commuters need is to be fighting for space with mourners.
I am hoping that my employer does give us the BH otherwise, it's a day of unpaid leave for me (the strikes and recent KLN-KGX emergency engineering delays have used up the remainder of this years allowance).

HM Queen Elizabeth II spent a lot of time at Sandringham, which is not far from Kings Lynn, and travelled to and from Sandringham by train many times.

Many people in West Norfolk work(ed) at Sandringham or know someone who does/did. HM Queen Elizabeth II was also part of the local community, starting with her response to the devastating floods of January 1953, which happened during the first New Year stay at Sandringham of her reign. Over 70 years HM Queen Elizabeth II attended services in many of the local village churches, when in residence at Sandringham, and was an active member of the local Women's Institute.

So I'd expect that lots of people in West Norfolk will want to travel to London for the Lying in State and the State Funeral itself. The railway needs to provide an appropriate train service to and from Kings Lynn during the mourning period, though I say that more in hope than expectation.

 

[spyinthesky]

I would have thought that those that are planning to travel for the funeral will be the ones that have already planned their travel/accommodation etc. The TOCs surely will see any extra demand in sales.

 

[Ant1966]

Any idea whether the fares / off peak restrictions etc. will be set to a Bank Holiday or normal weekday?

 

[scrapy]

A full Monday service would be a vast improvement with some operators like Avanti

I said normal Monday service (ie probably with normal levels of delays and cancellations) not full Mondayservice.

 

[northwichcat]

Partly that, I think also clergy are involved in normal Sunday services on Saturday evening and all day Sunday, so they're unlikely to be available.

I know with the Catholic church Saturday evening services became a thing for at selected churches for people unable to attend on the Sunday. Although, in recent years a shortage of clergy has meant you may have one priest serving two churches meaning one has get a Saturday evening service, as priests aren't allowed to do more than three services in a day.

A baptism, funeral or wedding can be done as a standalone service or be added in to a normal service. But a baptism is the only one I've ever heard of being incorporated in to a normal Sunday service.

I know for the funeral I arranged, Saturday was offered (can't remember about Sunday). We were then told "but you don't really want it on a Saturday, as it'll cost you shed loads more".

Which probably fits with funeral directors and council workers at cemeteries and crematoriums being contracted to work Mon-Fri. The they'll happily do an extra shift on Saturdays but for a premium.

I said normal Monday service (ie probably with normal levels of delays and cancellations) not full Mondayservice.

With Avanti (who are particularly relevant as they serve London) we don't know when their timetable Monday service will return, opposed to their current temporary emergency timetable which has almost 2/3rds of Manchester to London services removed. At the moment it's showing in journey planners for 26 September but they may well change to a later date.

 

[mangyiscute]

Any idea whether the fares / off peak restrictions etc. will be set to a Bank Holiday or normal weekday?

I just messaged LNER on twitter to ask this and they said that "restrictions are still in place" - not sure why tho since it is a bank holiday
Edit: asked GWR as well and they said that peak restrictions are removed - sounds like some clarification is needed
2nd edit: GWR sent me this link: https://www.nationalrail.co.uk/305614.aspx which at the bottom says "The funeral date for Her Majesty on 19 September has been confirmed as an official Bank Holiday, peak time ticket restrictions will therefore not apply." I will message LNER now to ask about this

 

[1Q18]

I just messaged LNER on twitter to ask this and they said that "restrictions are still in place" - not sure why tho since it is a bank holiday
Edit: asked GWR as well and they said that peak restrictions are removed - sounds like some clarification is needed
2nd edit: GWR sent me this link: https://www.nationalrail.co.uk/305614.aspx which at the bottom says "The funeral date for Her Majesty on 19 September has been confirmed as an official Bank Holiday, peak time ticket restrictions will therefore not apply." I will message LNER now to ask about this

I can’t imagine that a TOC has any power to unilaterally disregard a bank holiday, although I stand to be corrected.

 

[mangyiscute]

I can’t imagine that a TOC has any power to unilaterally disregard a bank holiday, although I stand to be corrected.

Yeah they said that restrictions are removed hut apparently the RDG hadn't announced it yet or something

 

[northwichcat]

It's worth remembering the Bank Holiday was only confirmed on Saturday. There hasn't been much time for decisions to be made and for staff to be briefed.

 

[P Binnersley]

National Rail Enquires are stating that the 19th is Off-Peak.

Off-Peak fares to apply on the day of Her Majesty’s funeral.

Off-Peak tickets can be used on services on Monday 19 September – the day of Her Majesty’s funeral.

However, normal off-peak restrictions will apply on other weekdays during the mourning period. This will allow workers, including key workers, to get to their workplace.

Could have been worded better to say "all day on Monday 19th".
A quick search suggests that this has not been updated to ticket sale websites.

 

[DarloRich]

Could the funeral not have been held on a Sunday?

sod that for a game of soldiers. I want a day off work to undertake mourning/stay in bed in a patriotic manner. it is what the Queen would have wanted.

 

[Dstock7080]

LU to be operating recast Monday service, with trains operating until 02.30 Tuesday.

 

[London Trains]

Any idea of which TOCs are running services all night?

Looking at RTT I can currently see SWR, Southeastern, Chiltern, GWR, Greater Anglia and the Elizabeth Line.

Nothing from Southern, Thameslink (who do run services at night anyway), LNWR, Avanti (wouldnt expect anything from them though), EMR, LNER or C2C.

 

[Peter0124]

Any idea of which TOCs are running services all night?

Looking at RTT I can currently see SWR, Southeastern, Chiltern, GWR, Greater Anglia and the Elizabeth Line.

Nothing from Southern, Thameslink (who do run services at night anyway), LNWR, Avanti (wouldnt expect anything from them though), EMR, LNER or C2C.

Scotrail are tonight with hourly Edinburgh - Glasgow services throughout the night