The UK government's 'Beeching Cuts' program

Site of Ettington Station is now part of a farm. Attribution: David Stowell. (required by the license) David Stowell/ CC BY-SA 2..0

Background

Overview

The UK was still in post war economic decline untill the mid 1960s and British Rail was losing money fast, so the government felt more roads and private cars were the answer. Transport minister and construction magnate, Ernest Marples, asked the government to do a report in to it and the civil service said only a few lines should close. The PM, Harold Macmillan, was also sceptical about the civil services’ report to. Ernest Maples asked his crony and chair of the British Railways Board, Dr Richard Beaching to wright a pseudo-report on it. Dr Beaching agreed with the road-centric ideas, but wanted to write his own report rather than just rant propaganda for Ernest Marples. The two reports– The Reshaping of British Railways (1963) and The Development of the Major Railway Trunk Routes (1965). British Railways Board and London Transport managers wrote the 1965 Railway Plan that recklessly suggested a major reduction in British Rail's inner suburban London services due to the post war decline of inner London main line commuting in favour of cars, buses and London Underground (AKA: The Tube), but the government refused to implement it.

Many in the UK ask to this day weather Lord Beaching right or even to blame for after all. Some have even suggested he was just the fall guy.

Fiscal failure and modernisation under the 'Big Four'

After the WW1, the railways faced increasing competition from a growing road transport network, which had increased to 8,000,000 tons of freight annually by 1921, with around 1,300 miles (2,100 km) of passenger railways closed between 1923 and 1939. Both government transport policy and the more general changes in lifestyles that lead to more road travel, the 'Big Four' railways never ran a healthy profit and WW2.

Pros-

• LNER produced the world-leading services 110mph on the East Coast Main Line. It had a total route mileage was 6,590 mi (10,610 km) in 1938.
• SR invested heavily in electrification of all its lines at a rate and existent far faster rate than BR ever did. Just prior to nationalisation, the Southern Railway had started a vigorous renewal programme, and this was continued throughout the early 1950s. SR made a comfortable profit.
• LMS had taken over 10,316 steam locomotives from 393 different classes in the 1921 railway grouping, which were rationalised over time. It operated over 7,100 route miles (11,400 km) of railway across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
• GWR introduced the first of what was to become a successful series of railcars in 1933, which survived in regular use until they were replaced by British Railways in the 1960s.

Cons-

• LNER never made a profit.
• LMS's profits were poor with a rate of return of only 2.7% in 1938.
• GWR made a small profit or broke even.

WW2

Many lines in the major cities, major ports, London and Kent had been damaged during the war. Many stations had been destroyed or damaged, with much rolling stock was either damaged, destroyed or in need of replacement. Many thought the government compensation scream for rail nationalisation was a rip-off, but the exchange of potentially worthless private stock for government gilts based on a valuation during an artificially created boom could considered a very good deal.

• LNER- Relied on freight. It went bust and wanted to be nationalised.
• SR- Relied on passengers. The remnants were still slightly profitable, but repairing the war damage would have ruined it for decades to come. It did not want to be nationalised.
• LMS- Relied on freight. It went bust and wanted to be nationalised.
• GWR- Relied on freight and passengers. It was near bust and could not have repaired the war damage. It did not want to be nationalised.

The 1955 Modernisation Plan

The report, latterly known as the "Modernisation Plan", was published in January 1955. It included included:

1. Electrification of principal main lines, in the Eastern Region, Kent, Birmingham to Liverpool/Manchester and Central Scotland.
2. Large-scale dieselisation to replace steam locomotives.
   1. Main lines would end steam by the early to mid 1970s and branch lines would end steam by the mid 1980s to mid 1990s.
3. New passenger and freight rolling stock.
4. Re-signalling and track renewals.
5. Modern marshalling yards.
6. The closure of an unspecified but relatively small number of lines.

The Conservative government appeared to endorse the 1955 programme (costing £1.2 billion), but did so largely for political reasons.

Stedeford Committee

The Stedeford Committee Report of 1960 reveal the most inefficient and underused lines we a complete and utter waste time, effort, resources and money, and thus were better of being closed down as soon as possible!

The 2 reports

The Beeching cuts, also colloquially referred to as the Beeching Axe, centred it’s content on:

1. Corporate losses were running at £300,000 a day in 1961.
2. Small closures were continuously happening since since 1948.
3. Improving the efficiency of the railways and the plan for achieving this through restructuring.
4. British Rail's post 1948 cuts had already seen the closing 2,363 stations and 5,000 miles (8,000 km) of railway line for closure, amounting to 55% of stations, 30% of route miles, and the loss of 67,700 British Rail jobs since 1948.
5. Freight containerisation.
6. Giving a small number of major routes for significant investment.
7. Switch fright to the now-standard practice of containerisation for rail freight.
8. The replacement of some services with integrated bus services linked to the remaining railheads (may of which failed due to public disinterest).
9. Electrified intercity and cross country services were essential to a viable railway.
10. Scrapping surpluses locomotives and carriages.
11. Replacement of the older classes of freight trucks.
12. Retaining some surplus passenger lines as freight only lines or as emergency diversionary routs.
13. The scraping of all steam trains by the end of the 1960s, not by the mid 1980s to mid 1990s as originally planned.

Aftermath

A few of these routes have since reopened and a few stations never closed. Some short sections became heritage railways, part of the National Cycle Network , country trails or road schemes, but most were built on or reverted to farmland. The Marples was elevated to the peerage before fleeing to Monaco at very short notice to avoid prosecution for tax fraud.

Re-openings

The historic Waverley Line closed in 1969 and reopen in in 2006. The Midland Metro network around Birmingham and Wolverhampton took over several long closed lines in 1999. The Great Central Railway (Nottingham) heritage railway and a local Gypsum works at the northern end of East Leake still use the line trough the site of East Leake station on occasions.

A short analysis of why 27 stations closed

Victims of the 'Beeching Cuts' program

1. Bloxham: opened in 1887, closed to passengers 1951, closed to goods in 1963 and the line lifted after a period of abandonment (83 years).
   1. Assumedly low passenger numbers given it's very rural location.
2. Byfield: Open in 1973, closed in 1877, reopened in 1885, close to passengers in 1952 and closed to goods in 1965 (79 years).
   1. Goods and passengers were both were pathetically low by 1946.
3. Brackley Central: Opened in 1899 and closed in 1966 (67 years).
   1. It was closed due to the perceived duplication of routes.
4. Verney Junction: Opened in 1868, the LPTB withdraw all via Granborough Road services in 1936, the LPTB withdraw the last few remain not via Granborough Road services in 1940, closed to goods in 1964 and closed to passengers in 1968 (100 years).
   1. Passengers were to low due to it's very rural location after the LPTB services were withdrawn between 1936 and 1940. It was a useful goods interchange in WW2. The line through It could have continued as an BR freight only line, but it lasted only to untill it's eventually closure and abandonment in 1968.
5. Rugby Central: opened in 1899 and closed in 1969 (70 Years).
   1. It cold have continued on a reduced basis if the former Great Central Railway's lines to Aylesbury, Woodford Halse, Leicester Central and Nottingham had not been closed.
6. Calvert: Opened in 1899, Closed to passengers in 1963, closed to goods 1964 and the line through it was lifted (removed) in 1966 (65 years).
   1. Assumedly low passenger numbers given it's very rural location.
7. East Leake: opened in 1899 and closed in 1969 (70 years).
   1. It was not a particularly popular or unpopular station. It was on an uncompetitive peace of line and was closed due to the perceived duplication of routes. A heritage railway and Gypsum works use the track trough the station at times.
8. Banbury Merton Street: opened in 1850, closed to passengers in 1961 and but closed to goods in 1966 (116 years).
   1. Goods and passengers were both were low. It held hope as fright only station, but became obsolete when Buckingham closed.
9. Farthinghoe: opened in 1851, closed to passengers in 1952 and goods in 1963 (113 years).
   1. Assumedly low passenger number given it's rural location.
10. Helmdon Village: opened in 1872, closed to passengers in 1951 and goods in 1952 (80 years).
    1. Goods and passengers were both were pathetically low.
11. Woodford Hales: opened in 1899 and closed in 1966 (67 years).
    1. It cold have continued on if the former Great Central Railway's London Extension and Great Central Railway Banbury branch had not been shut around it by British Rail leading to the station's closure in 1966.
12. Towcester: Opened in 1866, Closed to passengers in 1952 and closed to goods in 1964 (98 years).
    1. It cold have continued on with passenger and/or fright services to Olney, Woodford Hales and Banbury if branch had not been shut around it by British Rail leading to the station's closure in 1964.
13. Buckingham: opened in 1850, closed to passengers in 1964 and goods in 1966 (116 years).
    1. The increased competition from buses and cars in the 1920s and 1930s fatally undermined passenger usage, the ASLEF strike of 1955 resulted in most of the milk traffic lost to road transport effectively killed off it's reason to exist since passenger use was light and local freight was it's life blood.
14. Chalcombe Road: opened in 1900 and closed in 1956 and the line through it closed in 1966 (66 years).
    1. Assumedly low passenger number given it's rural location). The line though it served mostly as a place for freight trains going between sites on the MS&LR (now known as the Great Central) and the Great Western railways, but the station apparently saw little goods activity either.
15. Brackley Town: opened in 1850, closed to passengers in 1961 and to goods in 1963 (113 years).
    1. The arrival of the Great Central Railway in Brackley undermined most of it's patronage.
16. Colnbrook: opened in 1884, closed to passengers in 1965 and closed to fright in 1966 (82 years). The line through it is now a siding for an aggregates terminal.
    1. Goods and passengers were both were low.
17. Liverpool Central High Level: opened in 1874 and closed 1972 (98 years).
    1. It was busy untill it was nationalised. Some say road transport effectively killed off most of it's patronage.
18. Poyle Halt: opened in 1927 and closed in 1965 (38 years).
    1. Goods and passengers were both were low.
19. Dorton Halt: opened 1937 and closed in 1963 (26 years).
    1. Passenger numbers were were low.
20. Culloden Moor: opened 1898 and closed 1965 (67 years).
    1. Assumedly low passenger numbers given it's very rural location.

Earlier cuts

Some stations had closed before the cuts like these 7 had done.

1930s

1. Akeman Street: opened for goods 1906, opened for passengers in 1907, closed to passengers 1930 and closed to goods 1931 (25 years).
   1. Assumedly low passenger numbers and poor freight usage given it's very rural location.
2. South Harefield Halt GW&GCJR station\Harefield Halt GW&GCJR station\Harefield Road tube station: Opened by the GW&GCJR for freight in 1905 services for passenger services in 1906, but closed soon afterwards. The GW&GCJR opened a new station 1928 for passengers and 1929 for goods, but It closed in 1931. It was briefly re-opened for freight use in 1948 and closed later that year. Some parts of the small goods yard closed in 1952, but most closed in 1931 along with the station (6 years). A tube station was planned between 1935–1940, but was never built in 1947-48 as originally envisaged.
   1. Assumedly low passenger numbers given it's rural location in 1931, which is now ironically on the edge of London's built up area as of 2024.

1940s

1. Grandborough Road: opened in 1868, closed 1936 and the line was removed in 1947 (68 years).
   1. Assumedly low passenger numbers given it's rural location.

1950s

1. Bradley: opened in 1847, re-sited (rebuilt on a near by location) 1849 and closed in 1950 (103years).
   1. Assumedly to ease track congestion which was a historic problem on the line.
2. Ettington: opened in 1873, closed in 1877, reopened 1885 and reclosed in 1952 (81 years).
   1. During the WW2 the station was used to transport munitions and troops to nearby RAF Wellesbourne Mountford, other than that it was little used due to it's very rural location. The line through It could have continued as an BR express freight only line, but it lasted only to untill it's eventually closure and removal in 1965.
3. Eydon Road: opened in 1913, closed in 1956 and the line trough it closed in 1966 (67 years).
   1. Assumedly low passenger number given it's rural location.

1960-62

1. Chinnor: opened in 1872, closed to passengers in 1957 and to goods in 1961 (89 years). The line from Princes Risborough and Chinnor remained open for cement traffic until 1989 and Chinnor is now part of a heritage line.
   1. Assumedly low passenger numbers given it's rural location.

Services were reduced on the Croxley Link to a few peak hours trains untill it closed in 1996 due to lack of passenger usage.

Later cuts

An example shown that closed after 1979.

1. Park railway station: opened in 1846 and closed in 1995 (149 years).
   1. Had only a weekday peak hours service from 1968 and minimal service by 1995 due to poor passenger usage figures.

Smethwick West to South Ruislip- was Lord Beaching right or even to blame after all?

Warwick Parkway platforms in 2009. Source: From geograph.org.uk. Author: Andy F. Attribution:(required by the license) Andy F / Warwick Parkway railway station photo survey (4) / CC BY-SA 2..0

Overview

The UK was still in post war economic decline untill the mid 1960s and British Rail was losing money fast, so the government felt more roads and private cars were the answer. The Beaching Cuts hit many lines in the 1960s and 1970s.

An example of post war cuts was the Smethwick West to South Ruislip. Many in the UK ask to this day weather Lord Beaching right or even to blame for after all. Some have even suggested he was just the fall guy.

The table

Lord Beaching right after all or even guilty in the fist place?

Place.	Opened.	Closed.	Who closed it down and why.	Final fate as of 2022.
Smethwick West	1867	1996	Rail Track, Central Trains and Centro (WMPTE)	Replaced by Smethwick Galton Bridge
Smethwick Galton Bridge	1995	It didn't	N\A	Open
Handsworth & Smethwick Goods Yard and Smethwick locomotive sheds	1854	1968	BR in compliance with the Lord Beaching's plans.	Built on
Handsworth & Smethwick, it's cattle pens and the carriage dock sidings	1854. The cattle pens N/A and carriage dock sidings 1909	1972. The cattle pens and carriage dock sidings 1951	BR in 1951 and BR in compliance with the Lord Beaching's plans in 1972.	In part as a tram stop, mostly built on.
Mileage yard as private sidings for Cooper's Metals and an engineers' siding	1899	Between 1973 and 2000	N\A	Built on
Queen's Head Goods Yard	1899	1968	BR in compliance with the Lord Beaching's plans.	Built on
Soho & Winson Green Goods Yard	1899	1968	BR in compliance with the Lord Beaching's plans.	Built on
Soho & Winson Green	1852	1972	BR in compliance with the Lord Beaching's plans.	Mostly removed with out race, pat is a tram stop.
Hockley	1854	1972	BR in compliance with the Lord Beaching's plans.	Removed without trace.
The Hawthorns	1931	1968	BR in compliance with the Lord Beaching's plans.	Open
Jewellery Quarter	1995	Did not	N/A	Open
Birmingham Snow Hill	1852	1968\1972	BR ran it down and mostly closed it in 1968. The Coopers Scrap Metal Works siding and the 6 remaining train services ended in 1972.	Open
Snow Hill tunnel and the Bank of England siding	1909	1967	BR ran it down in compliance with the Lord Beaching's plans. 1968 to passenger and 1972 to residual freight trains. The Bank of England siding closed in the mid 1960s.	Open
Birmingham Moor Street	1909	1967	BR ran it down in compliance with the Lord Beaching's plans and mostly closed it.	Open
Bordesley cattle sidings on Duddeston Viaduct	1848-53	Some time between 1945 and 1965.	Obsolete by 1927 and used as a siding for spare rolling-stock until closure.	Derelict.
Duddeston Viaduct junction sidings	?	1908	Obsolete by 1908	Mostly built on by WW2
Bordesley	1855	1967	It became superfluous to requirement beyond football trains and so was down graded by BR.	Football trains and 1 normal train a week
Bordesley locomotive depot	?	1908	Obsolete by 1908	Built on by WW2
Small Heath Goods yard	?	?	?	Partly open and partly built on.
Small Heath	1863	Downgraded closed due to superfluous over-capacity in 1967	BR in compliance with the Lord Beaching's plans.	Open
Tyseley carriage sidings and rail depot	1905	1968	BR in compliance with the Lord Beaching's plans.	Reopened
Tyseley industrial sidings	1813	Obsolete by 1968	N\A	Derelict.
Tyseley Goodsyard	1905	1968	BR in compliance with the Lord Beaching's plans.	Derelict
Tyseley locomotive depot	1908	Partly obsolete by 1964	BR in compliance with the Lord Beaching's plans.	It's open, but part is now Tyseley Locomotive Works
Tyseley	1906	Downgraded due to superfluous over-capacity in 1967	BR in compliance with the Lord Beaching's plans.	Open
Acocks Green	1852	Sidings closed due to superfluous over-capacity in 1967	BR in compliance with the Lord Beaching's plans.	Open
Olton	1869	Downgraded due to superfluous over-capacity in 1967	BR in compliance with the Lord Beaching's plans.	Open
Solihull	1806	Downgraded due to superfluous over-capacity in 1967	Yes	Open
Widney Manor	1899	No	N\A	Open
Dorridge north sidings	1852	No	N\A	Part derelict and part open
Dorridge	1852	No	N\A	Open
Dorridge sidings	1852	?	N\A	Derelict.
Lapworth and siding	1858	The bay platform closed in 1915, with a short stretch of track becoming siding that closing in the 1950s. GWR closed the centre lines of lines during it's tenure between WW 1 and WW 2. The goods sidings and 2 of the 4 platforms were removed in the 1962 and 1972 respectively.	The Henley-in-Arden line closed to passengers 1915 and freight in 1917 because it was not worth the cost of running it after it became redundant in 1909, with 1 line becoming a ad-hock goods line to Henley-in-Arden that closed in 1962 due to obsolescence and stretch of the other track becoming siding that became siding that became obsolete in the 1950s and closing in 1962. The GWR opened 2 new platforms, but then reduced the number of lines during it's tenure between WW 1 and WW 2. The goods sidings and 2 of the 4 platforms were removed in the 1962 and 1972 respectively due to falling usage.	Open
Rowington Junction and sidings	1858	The Henley-in-Arden line stayed open for intermittent freight and closed in 1962. 2 sidings were closed in 1925 and the other 2 closed in 1968.	The Henley-in-Arden line closed to passengers 1915 and freight in 1917 because it was not worth the cost of running it after it became redundant in 1909, with 1 line becoming a ad-hock goods line to Henley-in-Arden that closed in 1962 due to obsolescence and stretch of the other track becoming siding that became siding that became obsolete in the 1950s and closing in 1962.	Through tracks only now.
Hatton	1852	Downgraded in 1951 and 1968	Became partly surplus to requirement after Alcester services ended in 1951	Open
Warwick Parkway	1999	Did not	N/A	Open
Warwick Capes Yard	Parts in 1852 and 1909	1969	The yard was obsolete by 1969	Removed with out trace
Warwick gasworks siding	1900	1965	The siding was obsolete by 1965	Removed with out trace
Warwick goods yard	1894	Parts in 1955, 1961 and 1963	The yard was obsolete by 1963	Removed with out trace
Warwick relief sidings	Parts 1859, 1892 and 1911	Parts in 1944, 1947 and 1967	The line was obsolete by 1967	Removed with out trace
Warwick	1852	1964	The bay platform was obsolete in 1964	Open, the bay is now a track workers' site
Leamington Spa	1852	Downgraded between 1968 and 1977.	BR	Open
The Foss Way-B4455 Rail Workers' Access Point	By 2000	Did not close	N\A	Open
Southam Road and Harbury	1852	1963 for goods and 1964 for passengers.	BR	Track workers' site
Gaydon Stone terminal	By 1951	By 2000	?	Built on by 2022
Greaves Siding for Harbury Cement Works	By 1927	It became a rail depot in 1970 and became obsolete in 1994	BR	Built on by 2022
Fenny Compton	1852	1964	The Stratford line was removed in 1964 save for a short stretch to the MoD Kineton Military Railway.	Track workers' site
Cropredy	1853	1956	BR	Track workers' site
Banbury stone terminal	?	Did't close	N/A	Open
Banbury	1850	It Didn't	N/A	Open
Britannia Works and Banbury Gas Works sidings	1850's	Had become obsolete by 1969	BR	Part still remains as a siding for maintenance trains and as a track workers' site
Banbury southern goods yard	1930	1966	It would become obsolescent after BR's scrapping of line's last steam trains in 1967.	Reverted to farmland
Banbury locomotive sheds/Banbury rail depot	1930	1966	It would become obsolescent after BR's scrapping of line's last steam trains in 1967.	Open
Kings Sutton	1873	1964	BR ended passenger services between King's Sutton and Chipping Norton in 1951 and closed the line to freight traffic in 1964. It was downgraded by BR in 1964.	Open
Aynho Park	1910	1963 due to low usership	BR in compliance with the Lord Beaching's plans.	Closed
Ardley tunnel sidings	By 2000	?	N\A	Derelict
Ardly Tip Sidings	1980s	1980s	N\A	Removed without trace
Ardley-Greaves Limestone Siding	by 1927	1970	Harbury Cement Works	Reverted to farmland
Ardley and sidings	1910, sidings by 1951	1963 due to low usership	BR in compliance with the Lord Beaching's plans.	Track workers' site
Bicester North and sidings	1910	1985 and by 2020.	Downgraded by BR. Sidings removed by Chiltern Railways.	Open
Bicester North Goods Sidings	1910	1985 and by 2010.	Downgraded by BR. Sidings reduced to only 1 for maintenance trains and surplus stock use by Chiltern Railways.	Open
Piddington's Cow Leys Farm Lain siding	1910?	By 1951	N/A	Removed without trace
Blackthorn	1910	1953	BR	Track workers' site
Brill and Ludgershall	1910, sidings by 1951	1963 due to low usership	BR in compliance with the Lord Beaching's plans.	Track workers' site
Dorton Halt	1910, sidings by 1951	1963 due to pathetic usership	BR in compliance with the Lord Beaching's plans.	Removed with out trace
Haddenham & Thame Parkway	1987	It didn't	N/A	Open
Haddenham	1905 to fright and 1906 to passengers	1963 due to low usership	BR in compliance with the Lord Beaching's plans.	Track workers' site
Ilmer Halt	1929	1963 due to pathetic usership	BR in compliance with the Lord Beaching's plans.	Removed with out trace
Princes Risborough	1862	Surplus capacity removed in 1963 after Watlington services ended in 1957 and Oxford services ended in 1963. The 2 lines became sidings for engineering trains to use until about 2010.	BR thought it was superfluous.	Open
Saunderton	1901	It didn't, reportedly because Lord Beaching liked the place.	N/A	Open
West Wycombe	1862	1958	BR	Partly built on
"New" High Wycombe	1864	It didn't	N/A	Open
"Old" High Wycombe, come freight shed	1854, 1864 as a freight shed	1940	GWR	The building has got a non-railway use now.
Beaconsfield	1906	Downgraded in 1974 due to low use.	BR	Open
Seer Green and Jordans	1914	It did't	N\A	Open
Gerrards Cross Goods yard	?	?	N\A.	Removed without trace, save for 1 siding that handles surplus stock and local train turnarounds.
Gerrards Cross	1906	1985	Downgraded by BR	Open
Denham Golf Club	1912	It did not	N\A	Open
Denham and sidings	1906	1975 for the goods yard.	BR	Removed with out trace.
Denham Tube Station and siding (set along side Denham Station)	1935-40 plans	Scrapped 1945-47	The LPTB	Never happened.
Denham BR sidings	N\A in the BR era.	N\A in the BR era.	N\A.	Removed without trace.
Uxbridge High Street (a short branch line and 1 small station under the authority of the mainline).	1907	Closed to passengers in 1939 and closed to goods in 1964 due to low usage.	GWR in 1939 and BR in 1964	Removed without trace.
Harefield Halt	1905 for Goods and 1906 for passengers	1906	GW&GCJR	Removed without trace.
South Harefield Halt	1928	1931	GWR	Removed without trace.
South Harefield Halt Goods yard	1929	1931	GWR	Removed without trace.
Harefield Road Tube Station	1935-40 plans	Scrapped 1945-47	The LPTB	Never happened.
The West Ruislip Rail Workers' Access Point	By 2000	?	N\A	Derelict
West Ruislip BR sidings	N\A in the BR era.	N\A in the BR era.	N\A.	Derelict by 2000.
West Ruislip LUL sidings	N\A in the LUL era.	They did not.	N\A	Open.
West Ruislip	1906	They did not.	N\A	Open.
West Ruislip Tube station	1948	They did not.	N\A	Open.
Ruislip (Tube) Depot	1948	They did not.	N\A	Open.
Ruislip Gardens.	1934.	1958. The LPTB came in 1948.	BR gave it to the LPTB.	1/2 is LUL's property and 1/2 is derelict.
Ruislip Gardens Tube Station.	1958.	It didn't.	N/A.	Open.
South Ruislip	1908	1973-74 track remodelled and 1990 station remodelled	BR and LUL	Open
South Ruislip Tube Station	1948	1973-74 track remodelled and 1990 station remodelled	BR and LUL	Open

Also see

1. The Beaching Cuts
2. British railways and tramways from 1945 to 1990

Sources

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rugby_Central_railway_station
2. https://www.railwaymagazine.co.uk/14063/the-golden-age-of-the-big-four/
3. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ettington_railway_station
4. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Borders_Railway
5. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beeching_cuts
6. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/the-1963-cabinet-papers-british-rail-beeching-branded-pr-disaster-over-rail-network-cuts-1397205.html
7. https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/commons/1961/mar/21/british-transport-commission-chairman
8. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ernest_Marples
9. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/East_Leake#Transport
10. http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/e/east_leake/
11. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/East_Leake_railway_station
12. https://www.nottinghampost.com/news/local-news/railway-stations-nottinghamshire-lost-over-5921800
13. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banbury_Merton_Street_railway_station
14. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Farthinghoe_railway_station
15. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helmdon_Village_railway_station
16. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Woodford_Halse_railway_station
17. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eydon_Road_Halt_railway_station
18. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Central_Main_Line
19. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Central_Railway
20. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stratford-upon-Avon_and_Midland_Junction_Railway#The_East_and_West_Junction_Railway
21. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buckinghamshire_Railway
22. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stratford-upon-Avon_and_Midland_Junction_Railway
23. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banbury%E2%80%93Verney_Junction_branch_line
24. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buckingham_railway_station
25. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Central_Main_Line
26. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brackley_railway_station
27. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Park_railway_station
28. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chalcombe_Road_Halt_railway_station
29. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Verney_Junction_railway_station
30. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brackley_Central_railway_station
31. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Byfield_railway_station
32. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ettington_railway_station
33. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rugby_Central_railway_station
34. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calvert_railway_station
35. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/East_Leake_railway_station
36. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Midlands_Metro
37. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bradley_railway_station
38. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akeman_Street_railway_station
39. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calvert_railway_station
40. http://disused-rlys.fotopic.net/
41. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Byfield_railway_station
42. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Granborough_Road_railway_station
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44. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinnor_railway_station
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55. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brackley_Central_railway_station
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60. http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/l/liverpool_central_hl/index.shtml
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103. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Towcester_railway_station
104. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bloxham_railway_station
105. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Verney_Junction_railway_station
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108. https://bloxham.info/broadsheet/gwr-museum-1905-bloxham-station-photo-mar-2021/
109. https://www.londonreconnections.com/2015/diving-into-the-fleet-a-look-at-londons-lost-tube/