Looking forward by looking back

[whole diary]

[grahame]

It may seem an extraordinary time for me, with my local line just having had a game-changing increase in service, to be looking at longer term changes and strategies.  For sure, concentration of effort needs to be made on making sure that people are informed on the services, encouraged to use them, and feel the environment is such that they can feedback potentially little things that could be tweaked to make a further big positive difference.  But at the same time, an eye must be kept further ahead.

And ... how best to see what could happen in the next 45 years by looking back at what trains were being run 45 years ago? 

Here, from 1967, are some sample pages from the Western Region timetable.  Each URL will give you a selection of 7 or 8 pages, selected more or less at random ... what do you notice in terms of patterns?

http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/sample1967_1.pdf

http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/sample1967_2.pdf

http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/sample1967_3.pdf

I've certainly spotted some patterns - or I think I have.  I would be very interested to see what others can spot without me - initially - giving you any clues about what I think I have noticed.

[John R]

For me the main takeaway is that where services are still running, they are (typically) much improved over 1967, even on the branch lines.  However, some services no longer run. (A good example of this is the Ilfracombe branch - the bit still open enjoys a much better service, but part is now closed.)  That would imply that there is the potential for services that have closed, but can be reinstated at a sensible capital cost, to be much more viable than when they closed, the Oxford to Bletchley service being a good case in point (also Tavistock, Portishead).

My local station of Nailsea & Backwell is another good example. In 1973, if you missed the 0936 into Bristol, you'd have to wait until 1307 for the next service. Now they are every half an hour.

[grahame]

Thanks, John ... that's very much what I took overall from the timetables.   One train every two hours on Cardiff / Portsmouth, on the Cotswold line, on Avonmouth at some times of day, calling at Chippenham and a just one train a day from north of Birmingham to Bournemouth ... but then Oxford - Cambridge, Bridport, Minehead, Tavistock, Ilfracome, south from Stratford, Kingswear and others - some of which were running more frequently that the services that have survived and thrived - are all gone at least in their 1960s form.  I wonder where they would have been now had they survived the low point of rail.

[Chris from Nailsea]

I've mentioned before on this forum that the rest of my household do not share my interest in railways - indeed, they are vocal in their disapproval of the amount of time I spend here - but each Christmas they nevertheless surprise me by offering an absolutely brilliant railway-related gift. This year was no exception: I was given a 3 disc boxed set of DVDs on 'Beeching's Legacy' - three and a half hours of fascinating history for me to savour (provided I can find the time, obviously).

This looks like giving some food for thought, along the lines of grahame's original post:



CfN 

[grahame]

Which is the jealousy wink, Chris?   I took a very long look at that it a store in Swindon (in front of the better half too) but I ended up with a new anorak  ... on order, being shipped on 27th.  No doubt coming by rail!

[Electric train]

Thanks, John ... that's very much what I took overall from the timetables.   One train every two hours on Cardiff / Portsmouth, on the Cotswold line, on Avonmouth at some times of day, calling at Chippenham and a just one train a day from north of Birmingham to Bournemouth ... but then Oxford - Cambridge, Bridport, Minehead, Tavistock, Ilfracome, south from Stratford, Kingswear and others - some of which were running more frequently that the services that have survived and thrived - are all gone at least in their 1960s form.  I wonder where they would have been now had they survived the low point of rail.

These journeys were still made and are still done today, we need to thank our parents and grandparents generation for their eagerness to buy cars and hit the open road, there is now several generations where car travel is the norm and train travel are "Santa Specials"

I've mentioned before on this forum that the rest of my household do not share my interest in railways - indeed, they are vocal in their disapproval of the amount of time I spend here - but each Christmas they nevertheless surprise me by offering an absolutely brilliant railway-related gift. This year was no exception: I was given a 3 disc boxed set of DVDs on 'Beeching's Legacy' - three and a half hours of fascinating history for me to savour (provided I can find the time, obviously).

This looks like giving some food for thought, along the lines of grahame's original post:



CfN 

Easy to knock Beeching he was one of a many who had a hand in closing railways this is an interesting read http://www.amazon.co.uk/Holding-Line-Britains-Railways-Saved/dp/0860936473 Lines were being closed back in the days of the Big Four and the then BR^▸ (British Rail(ways)) closed lots of branch lines in the 1950's way before Beeching and of course Barbara Castle perpetuated the formula with BR and successive Governments continued right into the 1980's then there was the Seprpal report

Its a great book worth are read