Beeching ?

[dunsbyowl1867]

20/11/08 Programme on BBC 2 tonight presented by Ian Hislop on the Beeching report.

Just wondered how much effect this had on the rail services in the Sheffield region ?

[SteveHB]

British Railways before and after the "Beeching Axe"

Includes some more maps :mellow:

[Stuart0742]

British Railways before and after the "Beeching Axe"

Includes some more maps

Originally Beeching recommended closing the Hope Valley line from Sheffield to Manchester and to keep the Woodhead open. At the time Woodhead was recently electrified and carried a high volume of freight accross the pennines.

The Hope Valley line was reprieved and as we know remains open carrying perhaps more passenger traffic than it has ever done.

Woodhead passenger traffic was withdrawn on the 5th January 1970, all Manchester services were transferred to the Hope Valley Route. Freight lasted a further 10 years and finally ceased on 22nd July 1981

The local passenger network was already in decline, with most local stations closing during the sixties, only a handfull remain open.

Pre - Beeching Rail Map

[Guest bus man]

Mmm yes I watched the programme and think it could have been better not sure after watching it what the conclusion was.

Yes he asked some one connected with the report about the passanger survey been done when people were on hodiday but he failed to mention the fact that station useage was only based on tickets sold there fore coastal stations ie mablethorpe closed because the didint get enough passangers