(copyright Jeffery Grayer. Midford 1967)
So the government are planning to waste £16 billion on yet another cross London railway, which will do little more than connect east and west of a city already teeming with public transport options, a city that will probably be uninhabitable within 50 years.
Just imagine what that £16 billion could do in the real world. Restore the S&D for a start, rebuild the whole Waverley route, not just a little stub at the northern end, restore the whole Great Central, Bere Alston to Okehampton, branches to Bude, Padstow, Lyme Regis, Devizes, Midhurst, Gosport, Ringwood, Wimborne and a dozen other places stupidly currently off the rail map, and probably leave about £5 billion for tram systems in about 20 towns and cities!
At the very least the government should grant automatic planning permission for all rail reinstatements coupled with compulsory purchase powers for any land needed for new railways.
Just let us get on with the job!
3 comments:
I have to agree with you. I think Crossrail was (with the emphasis on "was") a very good idea but it should have been built years ago. By prevaricating, the Govt (ie us)is now going to have pay shedloads more for this project when at least some of the money could have gone to reopen at least some of the closed rail links you mentioned
I know. But you should have learnt by now that the government of this country is backwards, greedy and kissing the fat arses of the USA and Europe to keep in their good books and ignore the fact that there own country is going to waste!
On a lighter note the vans look very nice. But I thought most vans in the 60's were red/brown/green depending on the region. Grey is too 1930's!
Another example is the disused railway from Luton to Dunstable. (Bedfordshire) It has been subject to debate for 15 years! (Most of my lifetime as I was born just before the line closed!) Luton Town Council would rather spend a ridiculous amount of money on a guided bus way along the route instead of spending a far reduced amount on restoring the railway that is there. And what do the busses do when they get to the towns? GET ON THE ROADS!
A while ago there was a scheme to re-open it but alas it fell through. Unlike yours our presence was, erm, illegal and we were beaten by the removal of track outside the sidings, which our stock was kept. One vehicle was valuable and with the loco was removed but I don’t know what happened to the rest. A Mk2 and a selection of old vans, rusting and was a hot spot for local drug dealers and prostitutes! All over now. But the line is still there, albeit overgrown.
We had a line ready and waiting, and all we wanted to do was prove it could be done. But the best laid plans and all that. At least with the S&D, a really special line, you are having more luck that we did.
Post a Comment