365-353 Last Train To Helston, Cornwall UK

The 'Beeching Axe' is an informal name for the British Government's attempt in the 1960s to reduce the cost of running British Railways, the nationalised railway system in the UK. The name is that of the main author of The Reshaping of British Railways, Dr Richard Beeching.

Although this report also proposed new modes of freight service and the modernisation of trunk passenger routes, it is remembered for recommending wholesale closure of what it considered little-used and unprofitable railway lines, the removal of stopping passenger trains and closure of local stations on other lines which remained open. The Helston line was one such example.

Helston railway station was the terminus of the Helston Railway in Cornwall, in England (United Kingdom). It was later operated by the Great Western Railway (some called it Gods Wonderful Railway) but has since been closed.

Helston secured its place in history when it became the first place in the country with a railway-operated bus service. These GWR road motor services met trains at the station and carried passengers on towards The Lizard.

The Beeching report was a reaction to significant losses which had begun in the 1950s as the expansion in road transport began to attract passengers and goods from the railways; losses which continued to bedevil British Railways despite the introduction of the railway Modernisation Plan of 1955. Beeching proposed that only drastic action would save the railways from increasing losses in the future.

Successive governments were more keen on the cost-saving elements of the report rather than those requiring investment. More than 4,000 miles of railway and 3,000 stations closed in the decade following the report, a reduction of 25 per cent of route miles and 50 per cent of stations.

To this day Beeching's name is synonymous, in an unfavourable way with mass closure of railways and loss of many local services. This is particularly so in parts of the country which suffered most from cuts.

Many old lines are being resurected by volunteers and enthusiasts such as this one. The Helston Railway Preservation Society are working on the Trevarno branch line and hope one day to run a short service.

Their sister organisation, the Helston Diesel Group, has acquired a two car Park Royal Diesel Multiple Unit (shown here), and two Ruston & Hornsby shunters, all now based at Trevarno. One of the shunters has been restored to use.

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(c) Hotpix / HotpixUK Tony Smith - Hotpix.freeserve.co.uk WDCC

Taken in: United Kingdom / England / Kerrier District (show map)

Taken on: June 10, 2010

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Camera: Canon EOS 5D Mark II, f/11.0, 1/1600 sec, 28mm, ISO 400 (more info) (hide info)

Camera:	Canon EOS 5D Mark II
Aperture:	f/11.0
Exposure Time:	0.001 sec (1/1600)
Focal Length:	28mm
ISO:	400
Color Space:	sRGB
Software:	Adobe Photoshop CS4 Windows
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