Trains departing Wokingham station on Saturday were looking decidedly festive thanks to the work of the station announcers.
Eagle-eyed reader John Knight took a fun video of the stops awaiting commuters heading from Wokingham to Waterloo station – towns had been given a Christmas makeover.
Announced as a train to London Winterloo instead of Waterloo, stops were give festive twists.
Bracknell became Bracknoel, Martins Herons took a cue from the nativity story to be turned into Martins Herod, Egham was Eggnogham while the home of rugby, Twickenham, was the festive Twinkleham.
Heading closer to London, Kingston was Three Kingston and Clapham Junction was renamd Clapham Jingle Bells.
Virginia Water could have been renamed after Mary in the Christmas story…
Commuters get to enjoy mince pies
It’s not the only festive activity taking place at the train station – last Thursday, Wokingham Methodist Church members handed out 600 mince pies to early morning commuters as part of an annual event to put a Christmas smile on commuters faces.
Wokingham Station disruption for Christmas
However, it’s not all smiles over Christmas: South West Trains have engineering works that will affect services from Friday, December 23 to Tuesday, January 3.
A normal service runs on Friday, while Christmas Eve will see the last trains depart London Waterloo by 7.52pm. The last train to Wokingham leaves Waterloo at 7.22pm.
There is no service on Christmas Day or Boxing Day. Then, from Tuesday, December 27 until New Year’s Eve, a Saturday service will run.
On New Year’s Day a Sunday service will run and a Saturday service is planned for Monday, January 2.
Great Western works close Paddington line
Residents who use the Great Western Line between Reading and Paddington also face festive disruption. Paddington is subject to major engineering works and the station will be closed from Christmas Eve to Thursday, December 29. Trains stop at Ealing Broadway instead and the Underground should be used to get to destinations.
And Ealing Broadway has no step-free access, passengers with luggage, children or wheelchairs are being advised to travel to Waterloo instead.
