Baroness Thatcher has died

[whole diary]

[plymothian]

The formidable former PM who did a lot to shape the country today thorough privatisation has died today.
Mistakenly blamed for the privatisation of the railways which was carried out by her successor; she was 'too scared' to try it due to the perceived difficulties.

[Timmer]

She traveled to York once by train and I got to meet her at York station when I was a little nipper as it was the same day we had a family day out to the National Railway museum. I remember it well as it was when BR^▸ (British Rail(ways)) did a Family Railcard promotion that if you bought your teddy bear you got to travel for free. We almost didn't make it to York as our HST^▸ (High Speed Train) decided to break down in the tunnels leading to Birmingham New Street and my Dad was talking about us having to turn around and come home. Fortunately the fitter managed to fix the problem and we were on our way again. So a minor claim to fame, me and my teddy bear got to meet Mrs T. Also met John Major, minus teddy bear that time though.

I answer to NickF, no I don't think she was a big fan of the railways.

[John R]

Didnt she hate the railways though and always travelled by private car when going about her business?

Quote from Railway Eye today....

However, under Blessed Margaret Hilda's premiership the following were delivered:
Electrification of the East Coast Main Line (with new InterCity 225 train sets)
Brand new DMUs^▸ (Diesel Multiple Unit) for the Regional Railways business
And the Chunnel - as a rail link
And of course we also had support for Sir Robert Reid's business led railway and Sectorisation (before the idiot Major's 'botched privatisation').


....as well as various electrification schemes to Norwich, Cambridge and Kings Lynn and others.

[onthecushions]

Truth is sometimes stranger than fiction.

Later railway electrification history in the UK^▸ (United Kingdom) is much as below:

Lea Valley completed 1968
Witham - Braintree completed 1976
Merseyrail (Loop/Link) authorised 1971 completed 1977
(extensions to Hooton , Chester, Hunts Cross in 1980's)
KX Suburban authorised 1972/3 completed 1978
BedPan authorised 1976 completed 1983
Anglia (East) (Colchester - Norwich) authorised 1981
Ayrshire (Ayr) authorised 1983
Hastings dc authorised 1983
Anglia (West) Cambridge authorised 1984
Southminster authorised 1984
Romford authorised 1984
ECML^▸ (East Coast Main Line) authorised 1984
North London ac authorised 1984
East Grinstead authorised 1985
Largs authorised 1985
Snow Hill (Thameslink - FCC^▸ (First Capital Connect)) authorised  1985
North London dc and Graham Rd authorised 1985
Weymouth 1986

(Source: Modern Railways Insight: BR^▸ (British Rail(ways)) Electrification)

Generally the 1980's projects were completed on time and to budget or better.

The high spending administration of 1997 - 2010 electrified 9 route miles (Crewe - Kidsgrove).

The 1979 - 1990 administration did flirt with privatisation and Serpell cuts but thought better of it.

Si monumentum requiris, circumspice.

(if you need a memorial. look around you)

OTC

......and the Chunnel....