Prototype The Withered Arm

[Gerry]

Just found these - absolutely delightful and I share Simon's regrets over what we have lost! All the photos are very atmospheric, very nostalgic and take me right back to holidays in the West Country with my parents when I was a kid - sadly I never did get to ride on the Ilfracombe line but I did manage a trip from Camelford down to Wadebridge in a 'bubblecar' right at the end - happy days!

Gerry

 

[Unigate]

I've just sen these, what fabulous photographs, and I am sure wonderful memories too! Was there really a financial case to support the removal of the track at these locations? I'd love to be able to travel to Padstow by train, even on a 150 Sprinter, although behind a BoB or WC Pacific would be my preference.

 

[OzzyO]

"Dr Richard" has a lot to answer for Thanks for taking time posting all these pics Phill it's much appreciated, now that we can all share them, much better than them stuck in that old guys loft or drawer never to see the light of day again and end getting "binned" in some ruthless house clearance Etc Etc...... :wave: Ross........

Why oh Why does the Doctor get all of the bad press, when all he was a consultant that the Minister of Transport Mr. Marpels (is that spelt correctly?) brought in. The Beaching report was only looking at what lines made money and what lost money if the report had been taken to it's full extent (my god the rail system would not be what we have now). Some lines did have to go, but not all of them, think about the S&D Etc.
Two lines around here that were shut that made money during the summer would make a good income now have had roads built on the track beds, so can never reopen.

What should have been looked into at the time was Marples interest in building roads as he had one of the biggest road building comps. at that time. Shut a railway and build a road, who would get the contract? And he did do that using some of the building Cos. that he was only a director or a share owner of.

Sorry I'm going off on one,

OzzyO.

 

[3 LINK]

So true, the Minster of transport is in a position of power and can virtually do what he wants, especially when like you say, he had his own road building company. A licence to print money if you ask me.

Martyn.

 

[Wagonman]

It would have been totally improper for Ernest Marples to have retained his sizeable shareholding in Marples Ridgeway Contractors, so he put them in his wife's name instead (it is alleged). What was particularly sad was seeing professional railwaymen falling over backwards to do their Masters' evil bidding – cooking the books to make marginally economical lines look like basket cases. It didn't seem to occur to anyone to try to grow the business, possible even in those days.

 

[taliesin]

Good point, the WR couldn't run down the S&D quick enough when they assumed control, just in time for Beeching's Inspectors to visit. Also several ex Great Central staff have commented on traffic being mysteriously routed away one weekend, just as the Inspectors turned up.
The disused line nearest me is the old Cambridge to Bedford line, a twin track secondary mainline, apparently quite busy with increasing traffic at the time of closure, there are regular calls to re-open it today, interestingly it was an ex LNWR/LMS line, all others into Cambridge were ex GE/LNER.
I suspect Beeching cops all the flack today due to his persona, on old footage from the time he doesn't come across particularly well to say the least, cheers to all, Rob

 

[Foxhall]

I read somewhere that Beeching himself said that he would have liked to have gone on to do a study of road transport. Pity he didn't as I'm sure he would have reversed some of his closure's. It should have been an integrated study of future transport needs, then we wouldn't be spending billions on new high speed lines. The Great Central London Extension (for example) was built to continental loading gauge to link with the Channel Tunnel.
Regards Peter

 

[Thirtysecond]

Great pictures. very evocative. Sad to think how it is now.