The fifth of a six-part series produced for Tyne Tees Television by Honky Tonk Productions that explores the great railway age from the early horse-drawn waggon ways, through the romance of steam, to futuristic monorail of the 21st century. In this programme presenter Andy Klutz looks at the decline of railways post-World War Two and of the effect the Beeching report from 1963 had upon the network, especially branch lines, which saw the closure of over 5500 miles of track. However, not all...

The fifth of a six-part series produced for Tyne Tees Television by Honky Tonk Productions that explores the great railway age from the early horse-drawn waggon ways, through the romance of steam, to futuristic monorail of the 21st century. In this programme presenter Andy Klutz looks at the decline of railways post-World War Two and of the effect the Beeching report from 1963 had upon the network, especially branch lines, which saw the closure of over 5500 miles of track. However, not all rural communities took Beeching sitting down and Andy comes to speaks with some of the founders and current operators of the North Yorkshire Moors Railway about how and why the railway was started and how it remains a success to this today. A clips from an Associated British-Pathe newsreel on the nationalisation of the railway network creating on the 1st January 1948 to form British Railways (BR). A montage follows of archive films featuring trains on the regions railway network and those who work for it. Title: The Railway Story “Beeching, Axeman or Savior?” More archive showing railway men working the regions railways morphing into a modern Great North Eastern Railway (GNER) Inter-City 225 passenger training pulling into Durham railway station. On the other platform presenter Andy Klutz walks with Colin Divall Professor of Railway Studies at the University of York taking a seat on a bench and asking if nationalisation was the beginning of the end of railways and was it inevitable? Professor Divall believes that nationalisation was the end rather the beginning of something very different as it was an attempt to create an integrated transport system for a network which was very run down through lack of investment following World War Two. However, as Professor Divall goes onto explain for 10 years following nationalisation little on the railway network improved, a montage of archive clips featuring run-down steam locomotives traveling along overgrown branch lines. Over more relevant archive Andy states that by 1961 BR was running at a deficit of £81 million. Stating that the then Conservative government blamed these inefficiencies in the rail network on branch lines, slow-motion archive of the then new Chairman of the British Transport Commission Dr Richard Beeching shaking hands with a member of the Royal family on a railway platform. But asks Andy, was Dr Beeching an axeman or a saviour? Sitting in his conservatory Edward Short, Lord Glenamara Labour Chief Whip 1964-66 explains to Andy why Dr Beeching needed to be an axeman in order to save the railways. Alex McFadden Retired Regional Secretary of the National Union of Railwaymen (NUR) talks about the fears within the railway industry of Ernest Marples, the Conservative Minister of Transport who was a road engineering contractor. He also talks about how the Guillebaud Report into railway rates of pay was released, it was used by then Prime Minister Harold Macmillan as an excuse to bring in cuts including those that were brough in by Dr Beeching. Over archive of workmen replacing branch line rail tracks Alex McFadden believes these cuts were both savagery and butchery. As the men continue to work replacing track a copy of Beeching’s damming report ‘The Reshaping of British Railways’ published in 1963 is superimposed with Andy explains its brief being to return the railway to profit as quickly as possible. Sitting in his garden Andy speaks with Eric Merrill MBE BR Public Relations Officers 1959-77 who worked closely with Dr Beeching in writing the report. As maps and pages are dropped onto a table Eric explains that he was aware at the time how crucial this report was and worked on a separate report outlining how it should be presented to the public. He also disputes the idea that ‘dirt tricks’ were used to close branch lines and that everyone who worked on it were good and honest people. Returning to Alex McFadden he disputes this assertion talking about repairs that were needed to be done on branch lines that were not, but that unnecessary repairs were being done elsewhere he believes in order to increase costs which in turn were used as a reason why certain branch lines need to be closed. He describes the speed with which branch lines were closing as frightening. Walking along a section of what was once one of the most famous railway lines in Britain Andy provide details on the Stainmore line which travelled westward from County Durham into Cumberland carrying mainly mineral traffic. Over archive of a steam locomotive travelling at speed along the line this morphs into the same view today with the railway now gone. Andy explains that the line closed to passengers in 1962, exactly a century after it opened, and asks the question why did Britain allow this and other branch lines to close against the will of the local authorities, the majority of the press and public and against the will of the unions? Returning again to Alex McFadden he provides details on how the then General Secretary of the NUR Sidney Greene concentrated his efforts on the retention of the railway workshops rather than branch lines. Over archive of men at work inside one of these workshops Alex explains why he is very bitter about the situation explaining that many families who had for generations worked in the railway industry were destroy necessarily. Over archive of vehicles and their drives travelling along roads as well as construction and opening of motorways, Andy comments that the great villain for the railway network was the increasingly powerful road lobby. Details are provided with regards both Conservative Transport Minister Eurest Marples who had strong links to the road lobby and Labour’s Frank Cousins who had strong links to the transport unions whose livelihoods were mainly on the road with Andy asking did they have too much influence over the instructions given to Dr Beeching? Alex McFadden believes, having spoken with Dr Beeching, that if he had been given a different remit by then Transport Minister Eurest Marples he would have come up with a different proposal. Over archive of him arriving at a railway station by train and cars driving along a motorway, Andy explains that to his credit in 1965 Dr Beeching decided to step aside from writing a second report on the whole of the British transport system rather than be influenced by road supporters. Eric Merrill provides details on why Beeching refused to do the report for then Labour Prime Minister Harold Wilson. Archive of a steam passenger train travelling through the station at Bowes in County Durham changes to Andy walking along the same now derelict platform talking about how if Beeching’s evidence for closures of stations such as Bowes were to brought to a public enquiry today it would be discredited and rejected. Taking the programme into a commercial break Andy states how sad it is that forty-years later with Britian needing branch lines likes this one open, much of the infrastructure is now gone, destroyed or in a dilapidated state as it is with Bowes. Title: End of Part One Part Two Standing on the platform at Grosmont railway station with a passenger steam locomotive waiting on the other platform, Andy explains that by the time Beeching stepped down from BR in 1965 5500 miles of railway line were gone. While some villages were left to fend for themselves, other local communities were not going to take defeat lying down and here at Grosmont they scored a rare victory over the axeman. Walking along the platform and taking a seat on a bench Andy speaks with Tom Salmon one of the founders of the North Yorkshire Moors Railway. Over a montage of the steam train still standing at the station and a guard checking over one of the carriages, Tom talks about why and how the railway was founded starting from scratch. As Tom talks about how the organisation survived its early days and what they did to raise money, the A4 class steam locomotive Sir Nigel Gresley pulls passengers carriages along the North Yorkshire Moors Railway. Onboard one of the railways founders Charlie Hart sells guidebooks to passengers. Speaking with Andy he explains how proud he is of the railway, the second largest [heritage] railway in the country with 18-miles of track. Over archive of the day Tom talks about the visit by the Duchess of Kent to officially opening the railway in 1973. Over archive of that first journey Tom is asked how felt that day, a bit deflated he admits with a smile. As the passenger steam train depart Grosmont Tom talks about the how the railway was development with the goal always being to be between Grosmont and Pickering. As the Sir Nigel Gresley pulls into Pickering Tom talks about how they were able to get BR not to remove the remainder of the track into Pickering. As he talks about how proud he is of the railway and about the route it travels, more archive of a locomotive steaming through a dale. With a smile Tom admits with pride that he was able to do something about beating Beeching’s plan which he hated. As the Sir Nigel Gresley comes into Grosmont station Andy provides statistics on the running of the North Yorkshire Moors Railway explaining that it has taken the dedication of people like Tom to turn enthusiasm into hard-headed economics. As a guard helps a passenger disembark from the train and volunteers sell tickets or check over the Sir Nigel Gresley, Ken Kitching Chief Executive for the North Yorkshire Moors Railway speaks to Andy explaining how the railway does have a social conscious, does exist as a tourist attraction while also existing as a viable business run on sound business lines. Over a montage of Sir Nigel Gresley speeding along the tracks, Ken states that be believes his role is to ensure the business side of the railway is successful and talks briefly with regards plans to extend and develop the railway including into Whitby. Finally, he is asked if he believe railways have a future in Britain. He believes forty-years on from Beeching they are reinventing themselves and learning lessons from the railways on the continent. Over a montage of relevant archive Andy explains how steam came to an end in 1968 to be replaced by diesel and electric trains. However, the road lobby was pressing hard for higher speed for lorries and for the building of more motorways. Now sitting behind the wheel of a Mini Andy explains how this revolutionary vehicle did the most damage to the railways who couldn’t compete. Following speeded up footage of vehicles travelling along motorways Andy admits that today the car has become a victim of its own success, but what can be done about it? Is an old and neglected friend about to come to the rescue? Over a montage of an electric monorail in action the closing credits. Title: Border Television Archive, British Pathe PLC, The East Anglian Film Archive, Peter Hutchinson, Peter Stobbard, North Yorkshire Moors Railway, Transrapid International GmbH and Co. KG Credit: Written and Presented by Andy Klutz Title Music Alan Clark Graphics Dave Richardson Research Robert Smith Sound Terry Black Camera / Director Janusz Ostrowski Editor Trevor Wonfor Executive Producer Jane Bolesworth Producer Liz Treadway End title: A Honky Tonk Production for Tyne Tees Television. © MCMXCIX