On 27 March 1963, Dr Beeching published his report on reshaping British Railways. Here’s a look at how the south west was affected by Beeching and by earlier attempts to make the railways profitable.
Interesting vid Ed, it’s good to see some lines did survive and some even reopened. Most closures were short sighted and although we blame Dr Beeching for the closures, behind this was the government of the time. Very little consideration was given as to future needs of the railway services, rail travel was seen as old and Victorian and Roads as you mentioned were the way forwards, and as the result we have the mess we have today.
Very good, Ed. It’s positive news that some lines and stations are making a comeback, as the Beeching axe, although necessary in a broad sense to remove the most blatant duplication, was too indiscriminate and not nearly as objective as he claimed. Nor has it ever really been established whether a lot of the cuts made any difference financially. I am enjoying your videos, and hope to do do a trip to the West Country soon on some of the surviving lines. Best wishes, Andrew from Brighton
Very good video. You make the point well that lines and stations were being closed from WW1 onwards as a result of competition from lorries, buses and cars. Too many people have a misguided understanding of railway closures and think it all started with Beeching. Even with pruning up to 1963, the railways were still making a loss and even a change of government in 1964 did little to change things.
I don't know of any living people that would call him a human let alone a hero the damage he done is only now being fully realised and some being undone like the closing the 3rd tunnel at Kings was pretty dim wited at best and has cost more to reinstate than what it would have to maintain in a sleep like state where it could have been reopen if needed but nope a man of no common sense or experience of run a railway was put in full charge
Beeching wrote a report. He recommended closures but never closed a single line. Marples often gets blamed but Barbara Castle probably closed more lines and stations. When governments in the 1950s/1960s insisted that the railway made a profit and were in fact making increasing losses despite previous closures - it was time for Beeching to be bought in.
Main criticism was lack of protection of closed trackbeds and tunnels, bridges etc for possible re-opening in future, there seemed in some cases a deliberate policy to destroy the infrastructure very soon after closure to make sure reopening was impossible, almost out of spite
