The Express.
London, England, 1860-12-24 00:00:00

THE CHRISTMAS HOLIDAYS AND THE RAIL•

WAYS.

The arrangements of the railway companies fur
the naming Christmas are commensurate with the require.
meets of the season. On all the mein lines, both in the
metropolis and the provinces, trains are appointed to run
a:pos=4 with • view to the oonvenience of Christmas pm-
engem The regulations with rapid to return tickets are
deserving of special notice end commendation, sines by the
liberal extension of time, from three or four days to an
entire week, an immense boon is conferred on all those
who are desirous of visiting distant friends and relatives,
and who would, in the majority of canes, vainly seek to
accomplish this object but for the friendly rivalry ea
the different lines, and the liberal meesesione of the
directors. Commencing with the London and North-
Western, we observe that a cheap Christmas enassion ie
plumed from the Enstonaquare station to all the peat
towns on the line, at proportionately low farm. On therms
line, end also ou the Great Northern, tickets issued no Mail,
day will be available up to Thursday, the 27th ineheive. On
the Greet Western, likewise, an excursion train will nut
from Padilingtoe to Oxford, Banbury, Loniegtoo,Warwick,
Coventry, and Chester, to Birmingham and Liverpool, re-
turning on Wednesday next. On the Eastern Counties
the tickets obtained on Saturday and intervening days
will be available fur the return journey on any day up to
Saturday, the 29th. Cheap return tickets for the venom
station', will be issued by the directors of the South- Wester,
coupled with late trains between London, Hammen Court,
end Weybridge, and all the 'taboos on the Windsor and
Richmond linos. A cheap excursion train on Christmes-day
to Canterbury, Dover, Folkestone, /Lc., returning to London
in the evening, be. been organised by the Rooth-Easton
Company, se • Mein of fares which will be •
peat iedisessoest to assa holiday traveller ; and apart
frees this special trip, the will be excursion trains to
itaniagate and Margate as well as from nearly all the *ta-
ttoos ou the same well-managed line. Visitors to
are adequately catered for by the London and South vtt
Railway, sinus, in addition to the usual coomesions respect-
ing return journeys, fast intim at ordinary fares run on
Saturday and Sunday, the tickets for which are evadable up
to Wednesday evening, while os Christmas-Jay extra fee&
ties are to be given as regards the return journey to &redo°.
The London, Chatham, sod Dover Company offer, as e boon
to holiday passengers, for any lietance over ten miles, re-
turn tickets at • single fare by every trine no Cbrimmas-day
Independently of the regular tilde service from the Victoria
station to Canterbury and Dover. The advertisements of the
less important hoes refer principally to the facilities conferred
by the issue of return tickets ; but, in Dearly all cases, the
advantage of additional trains is superadded for the con-
venience of the intending traveller. The usual goods traffic
will he suspended on Christino.day, so that no impediment
from that sour,' will obstruct the trains devoted to the
conveyance of passengers to their different destineliess.
Facilities for visiting Manchester, Huddersfield, and Liver-
pool are provided by a cheap excursion train from the
King's-cross station, returning the day after Christmas ;
while a similar train will run from those taints to the me.
tumults, with the mine privileged as to return tickets. The
Midland lute ale, Maws tickets on advantageous term' to
passengers ; and • cheap and expeditious route to Ireland is
ennowiced, under tie auspices of the Great Western di-
rectors, by means of which first and second clam return
tickets are made available for a whole mouth, the fares at
the same time being largely reduced. Alto4ether, the an-
nouncements of the various companies are characterised bye
spirit of wall-timed liberality.

The following is a hat of the Christmas enter-
tsiaments at the serious theatres :—Drop 1.61/0 • pan.
tominie, Peter Wilkins aid the Ft ping lelaskrs, written
by E. L. Blanchard. —ller MaJesty's Toot Thumb, a pan-
tomime, by the Lone author.--Coreot Garden B'se
Bean!, written by Mr. Bridgenen, ieterpreted by the
beet pantorninnsta that exist—tits Psynes.--Hsymar.
bet: • pantomime, lettlphird, Lttervh.r,l, Pl;t array
Heme, by Mr. Bocketoora : a pantomime, Robin.
sea Crustoe, Mr. liyrou.• Friday, by that extraordinary
groteeque, M. Eapitpoo.—Adelphi : a burlesque,
by Mr. Byron.—(Strand : • burlesque, Cinderella, by Mr.
Byrne.—Lyceum : a burlesque by Mr. Falconer, scenery
by Mr. Crilloott.- -Olympic : • burlesque, ri Mal Tartar,
by Mr. °seam' Yid Shirley Brooks.