South Wales Metro

[dml1954]

Beeching's brief was provided by Harold MacMillan in 1960. There is a dispute as to whether Beeching was sacked by Harold Wilson in 1965, or left of his own accord, each side publicising their own story. As the NUR was one of the most powerful unions at the time, your assertion that the Road Transport Union could out manoeuvre the NUR is way off the mark.

As the Tories were in power from 1960 - 1964, and Beeching left in 1965, all the decisions would have been made by the Tories, who's interest in privately owned Road Transport companies rather than a Nationalised Rail System was far greater.

You are rewriting history there. Typical Labour supporter tactic. All the main recommendations of the Beeching reports were implimented post 1964 by a Labour Government. The Conservatives commisioned his reports to see what could be done to improve a system losing millions each year and badly out of date but were then out of power before anything major could be done. Labour could easily have scrapped them if they were that bad an idea but decided to carry on in full. The road transport unions were becoming increasingly powerful at the expense of the railways and large amounts of money were being spent on improving the road networks at the expense of rail, which was seen as an outdated and very expensive method of transport. The Road Transport Unions were therefore seen as the way forward and they pumped large amounts of money into Labour coffers. Read the Wikipedia article on Beeching if you dont believe me.

[Harry Monk]

You are rewriting history there. Typical Labour supporter tactic. All the main recommendations of the Beeching reports were implimented post 1964 by a Labour Government. The Conservatives commisioned his reports to see what could be done to improve a system losing millions each year and badly out of date but were then out of power before anything major could be done. Labour could easily have scrapped them if they were that bad an idea but decided to carry on in full. The road transport unions were becoming increasingly powerful at the expense of the railways and large amounts of money were being spent on improving the road networks at the expense of rail, which was seen as an outdated and very expensive method of transport. The Road Transport Unions were therefore seen as the way forward and they pumped large amounts of money into Labour coffers. Read the Wikipedia article on Beeching if you dont believe me.

You are making an assumption that I'm a Labour supporter. As for Wikipedia - really? A website that anyone can edit?

[Harry Monk]

The Transport Act 1947 Nationalised the railways and road haulage, forming the British Transport Commission. (Labour Government)

Road Haulage were against nationalisation (obviously) and found allies within the Conservative Party. When they Conservatives came to power in 1951, they de-nationalised road haulage. Up until this point, the British Transport Commission turned a profit for the benefit of the UK.

In 1966 Harold Wilson's Labour Government reversed the remainder of Beeching's cuts.

Sources - National Archives (Kew); The Library - Modern Records Centre, Warwick.

[discodaz]

we are in the process of reopening the rhondda to blaengwnfi tunnel check it out at therhonddatunnelsociety

[Harry Monk]

we are in the process of reopening the rhondda to blaengwnfi tunnel check it out at therhonddatunnelsociety

Yes been keeping an eye on that for a while. Good luck!

[Arfur Europe]

This link shows there's a freight line that could possibly be upgraded, but yeah it would cost a fortune.

http://www.systemed.net/carto/New_Ad...lway_Atlas.pdf

Imagine the metro system that we could have been talking about if the Tories hadn't decimated the railways in the 60s, practically every town had a station on that map

Those closures were so shortsighted, it is sickening. If Wales had been in control of its coal wealth, we'd be like an oil rich country / state today in terms of living standards.

But it was virtually all siphoned off by you know who

[Penarth Blues]

Royal Mail used to train masses of mail ,built there sorting offices alongside stations ,how eco friendly is that.

But you were at left at the fate of British Rail , which had a poor service ,and a heavy unionised body .

I remember the Royal Mail train parked in the sidings at Cardiff Central where the Portakabins are now behind platform 8. It's sad how much infrastructure has been lost but quite a bit could be reinstated with a bit of effort. I still recall travelling on the Penarth loop to Barry Island. I also recall the long tunnel under Culverhouse Cross at Wenvoe

[Barry Shitpeas]

Full plans announced tomorrow including £750m in new rolling stock. Transport for Wales have tweeted some teasers. I have to be honest I was expecting something half arsed but this looks good

https://mobile.twitter.com/transport_wales?lang=en

[NYCBlue]

Nationalize. Why should some **** make millions because you have to take the train everyday to work to support your family?

[light up the darkness]

Those closures were so shortsighted, it is sickening. If Wales had been in control of its coal wealth, we'd be like an oil rich country / state today in terms of living standards.

But it was virtually all siphoned off by you know who

Similar story with the North Sea oil and the sweaties aspirations