Re: Dr Beeching

[consultancy@bigpond.com (greg h)]

On Thu, 7 Jan 1999 14:14:16 +1100, "Daryl Cheshire"
<daryl.cheshire@dse.vic.gov.au> wrote:

>I have heard of several references to Dr Beeching in regard to rail closures
>in Britain. Who was he and what did he do?
>
>So far I have gathered, he held some sort of enquiry into rail services and
>recommended closures which were followed up (in the '50s?). Was he an
>external consultant or the head of BR?
>
>Seems like the Lonie reports in the early '80s which were not fully
>implemented at the time but were gradully implemented by default years
>later.
>
>Thanks
>
>Daryl
>

Prior to 1948, UK railways consisted of 4 major companies - LNER
(London & North Eastern Railway, LMS (London Midland & Scottish
Railway), SR (Southern Railway) and GWR (Great Western Railway - also
affectionately known as God's Wonderful Railway). In 1948 the railways
were nationalised to become BR. (British Railways, later British
Rail).

Dr Beeching was appointed by the UK government of the 50's to
undertake feasibility studies of the continued operation of various
rail systems in the UK.

There can be much criticism levelled at the methods Beeching employed
in his rationalisation processes (basically, they were purley
economically based - if the line wasn't making a profit, scrap it). No
consideration appeared to be given to the social implications of loss
of rail services to localities (it has been said that no community any
where in Great Britain (Eng, Scot & Wales) was more than 40miles from
a railway station). It's very interesting to get hold of a map of
British rail system pre-Beeching and compare it to current day


greg h
carrington computer training
aka steam3801 (IRC chat)
consultancy@bigpond.com
computers@ozemail.com.au