The Golden Age of Steam

2008 marks the 45th anniversary of the Beeching Axe. It was in March of 1963 that the Reshaping of British Railways Report was produced in which the Chairman of the British Railways Board, Dr Richard Beeching, mapped out ways to the reduce costs of the nation’s railways.

As well as looking at modernising the railway network and looking at ways to improve it, it also included plans to close many of the smaller stations – some of which served villages across the country.

Dr Richard Beeching on the This Is Britain

Road transport

The report was in response to the increasing move towards road transport from the railways in the 1950's.

Local goods trains, depots and passenger stations would feel the effect - by either being drastically reduced or closed.

Beeching came up with the idea of improving passenger services with high speed express trains that connected the major towns and cities of the UK. A similar set-up was also planned for goods and freight trains.

Local stations and trains

Despite protests from those wanting to keep the local stations and trains, it had little effect apart from a few lines that were saved.

As well as looking back at Coventry and Warwickshire stations and routes that were effected by the Beeching Axe, we will also remember some of the county’s lost stations, and hear stories from those who remember or cherish them.

Jeffrey Holland and Paul Shane in Oh, Dr Beeching!

Some of the lines and stations we look back on weren't necessarily closed during the 1960s - or because of Dr Beeching - but are just an interesting trip back in time to see how the rail network and landscapes have changed in our part of the country.

Below, we have included a list of just some of the places in Warwickshire that used to have stations - including those that were closed before Beeching's time:

• Studley and Astwood Bank
• Coughton
• Alcester
• Salford Priors
• Harvington
• Great Alne
• Bidford-on-Avon
• Aston Cantlow
• Milcote
• Long Marston
• Ettington
• Fenny Compton
• Napton and Stockton
• Dunchurch
• Brinklow
• Foleshill

... To just name a few! Warwickshire was filled with tiny stations and junctions - many of which are long gone - along with the lines. You can find out more about them by visiting the Warwickshire Railways website by clicking on the link below:

2008 also marks the 170th birthday of Coventry railway station. It opened to passengers on in April 1838.

Over the border

However, please note that we can't feature every station and line that was once part of Warwickshire.

At Beeching's time, many parts of Birmingham and Solihull were part of Warwickshire - this was before the West Midlands re-shaping in 1974.

For information on the lines that are now part of Birmingham, why not visit the Golden Age of Steam section of the BBC Birmingham website:

More about Beeching

You can find out more about Dr Richard Beeching and the station closures on the following BBC websites: