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Pete Waterman takes to the tracks in the West Midlands
The lost world of England's railway lines is examined this Sunday (26 October) on BBC One West Midlands, as Pete Waterman investigates the impact across the region of Dr Beeching and his 1963 report The Re-Shaping of British Railways.
With the help of contributors including Phil Bateman MBE from National Express, Chris Haynes from Birmingham City Council and John Hill, a Severn Valley Railway volunteer, renowned train enthusiast Pete Waterman explores how the now infamous "Beeching axe", which proposed the closure of some 5,000 miles of the country's rail network, changed the region forever.
Pete argues that Beeching's report was a necessity in order to prepare an ageing rail network for the modern age.
All corners of England were to suffer blows from the axe and the implications were to run much deeper than the loss of rail services. Landscapes, buildings, villages and towns now take a different shape because of events in the Sixties.
The programme examines the winners and losers from this dramatic period in transport history.
Pete's journey begins in Bewdley, Worcestershire, on the Severn Valley Railway, which has become one of the West Midlands' biggest tourist attractions.
Although not technically part of Beeching's cuts, the Severn Valley Railway is typical of the rural lines he axed.
He also visits the largest freight depot in the country – a stone's throw away from New Street Station.
From here, Pete visits the state-of-the-art tramway system in Wolverhampton, which carries five million passengers a year, on a route that was cut by Dr Beeching.
Pete also takes in the stunning new St Pancras Station in London to find out why the West Midlands is the front-runner for Britain's next high-speed link and what the future holds for Birmingham's New Street Station.
Pete Waterman says: "Dr Beeching's plans, as outlined in his 1963 and 1965 reports, were quite possibly the most radical and controversial ever proposed for Britain's transport system.
"Although not all of his recommendations would be implemented, as a direct result of Beeching, 25% of our national rail network would be shut down. That was 3,000 stations and 70,000 jobs lost on the stroke of his pen."
He adds: "It's been over 45 years since the first Beeching report was published and I think it's about time we reassessed his work."
Notes to Editors
The BBC West Midlands programme is one of 10 regional programmes each looking at the impact of the Beeching cuts on their areas.
All programmes are broadcast on BBC One, Sunday 26 October 2008, at 4.25pm, and form part of a BBC Four-led Golden Age Of Steam season.
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