I used to cross that bridge most days in the late 70's as a short cut going to Roland Green school from the Meadows. It was a few years after the line had closed. Later, in the 80's it was made into a proper footpath.

@johnlawson1524

2 жыл бұрын

Great video - brought back lots of memories.

@TrekkingExploration

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks very much John. I'm pleased you enjoyed it and the important part is the nostalgic memories 🙂

The blocks around 12minutes in are survey marks which remain fixed if they relay a line the new one can be laid in the same spot and height from those marks so it won’t interfere with the other running line or structures. If you walk along platforms you might see those white rectangular plastic things with the arrow and some letters and numbers they are the modern day version although on track renewals everything is gps plotted before removal and then laid in exactly the same spot.

@michaelmiller641

2 жыл бұрын

I think, on the southern at least, they're called monuments

@kenstevens5065

2 жыл бұрын

S AM I've noticed the marks on platform faces for years not knowing what they are. Thanks for that.

@MakeAllThingsBeautiful

2 жыл бұрын

i thought they were reference points for surveyors, got me thinking back to the 80's when i worked underground with the surveyors where when underground everything moved and all our reference points were in the roof, the roof points underground were called 'prids' funny word, we would drop strings down to create a line though some roadways would also use lazer beams and that was around '87. As everything would move due to the crushing weight the 'reference points' would often need to be 'meaned out' to establish the true line the roadway needed to go, generally the longer the line and more ref points the better, ultimately made mining much easier if the roadways kept the best straight line and usually a gradient of around 1 in 16. Thanks for the vid, shame they destroyed the bridge, a bit silly really.

Some wonderful images.and a great walk. Such a loss to not only the local area but the country as a whole. Thanks for sharing

@TrekkingExploration

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you for watching 😀 It's a terrible loss 😔

So sad,looking at the detail of the structure that was built into the GC as if to last forever,you can`t help thinking of what a total waste it all is. It`s hard to believe that where you were really struggling to push through so much undergrowth that a main railway line to London used to run. Your attention to detail to explain how things used to be (old pictures are excellent) and the enthusiasm that you show to explore every nook and cranny are second to none,a good job and great work.

Again, I just get reeled in by the perfect choice soundtrack; well chosen and so-fitting. Now, I'll get on and watch the rest of your presentation :-)

@TrekkingExploration

2 жыл бұрын

Awwwwe thanks so much. Glad you are enjoying them 😀😀

@whyyoulidl

2 жыл бұрын

@@TrekkingExploration Just finished watching; Thanks for your determination and bearing the scrapes and stings - great find of the mile post and bridges; it's like I was there with you. Keep up the good work :-)

I lived around the meadow and used the railway bridge to walk over when i was a kid. Played around there as well fond memories also whent to wilford Meadows school in the 80s

@TrekkingExploration

2 жыл бұрын

Such ashame it's been pulled down and wasn't at least repurposed like lady bay 😔 Thanks for watching 🙂

The square blocks are Hallade Monuments, used in railway surveying.

@01cthompson

2 жыл бұрын

I was going to say that I've seen similar markers in the US.

@TrekkingExploration

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks very much for the information Thank you for watching too 😀

@NWP_EXPLORING

2 жыл бұрын

Exactly that! I have a couple complete ones recovered from the GC from exploring. Quite big heavy things. Great vid Ant , more of the GC please

The Incredible GCR. What a waste to be swept away in the way it was, like so many others, served their purpose in their time, now just a few relics remain here and there, and it all worked so well in it's time.

Thank you for laborious trip through the brambles. Quite a journey. Your the best, Ant! Cheers mate.

Travelled this line regularly in early 1960’s good memories

@TrekkingExploration

Ай бұрын

Thanks very much for watching Peter

@peterhunt2723

Ай бұрын

@@TrekkingExploration spent my young days living not far from Plumtree station. Used to walk to the north end of Stanton tunnel to watch the trains in the 40’s and 50’s

The height of that bank is incredible, great effort getting up there!! That curved abutment was a great find, but the photo that followed it showing it in situ was fantastic. The little farm access bridges by the school sort of come out of nowhere, but they are beauties. Apart from a few dodgy places you had a reasonably clear run along the trackbed, helped by the fact that others may well have had the same idea - to explore. Nice ending too, on the banks of the Trent, where there is still some of the bridge left. Excellent video Ant.

@TrekkingExploration

2 жыл бұрын

It's a lovely little hidden section only made obvious by the old bridges down below. I earned a few sore scratches along the way too 😭 That shot above the viaduct showing the curved abutment was extremely good to find. It really showed exactly where I was. Cheers Jim I hope you are all well 🙂

Brilliant video as always. Always makes me feel a bit sad to see those abandoned/destroyed railways. All that effort. work and engineering to create them, just for them to be lost.

@NextSound170

Жыл бұрын

“Great” Britain ruined by whom people voted in, Conservatives at the time

You did well braving those triffids with the thorns take your arm off them lol 👍

@TrekkingExploration

2 жыл бұрын

There were some nasty ones and I definitely got attacked on a few occasions. Thanks so much for watching 🙂

Great video Ant, I used to walk on that viaduct when I was a teenager back in the 70s and also used to cast off it but never caught owt thank god lol. If only the council had the foresight like they did with ladybay bridge that viaduct would be still standing and in use today🥲

@kenstevens5065

2 жыл бұрын

Keith and what a use, as you may know a couple of miles south of Ladybay bridge the line is in situ from Edwalton to Melton Mowbray. If the bridge and line were still open, commuter and cross country freight would today ensure it has a great future. There was a report in the 1970's about reopening the many closed Nottingham commuter passenger stations, many of them located on still open colliery lines. It came to nothing.

I think that the bridge over the Trent in this video was used as background in the TV series of John Le Carre's "Smiley's People". In the TV series the bridge is supposed to be a spies crossing point in Berlin and things like a watchtower for the East German guards were added. The series is on BritBox and is the last 15 min or so for Episode 6. Cheers!

@eddiewillers1

Жыл бұрын

No - that show used the old Midland bridge that carried a line to Melton Mowbray, downstream of Trent Bridge - now repurposed as the Lady Bay Bridge for road traffic.

Another great vlog Ant, I walked over that bridge back in the late seventies my sister lived in West Bridge ford at the time. I seem to remember a test track that ran through West Bridgeford. Many thanks for sharing.

Hauntingly beautiful music. Fantastic walk. Great colours. Filming outstanding. Thank you for taking us with you.

@TrekkingExploration

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks so much Shirley. I hope you are well and I'm pleased you enjoyed it 🙂

Very enjoyable and interesting thank you from NZ

Wow Ant that's fantastic and such a shame they got rid of a fabulous piece of engineering man made Bridge thanks for sharing Take care xx

On the pavement behind the embankment you can see a different shade of tarmac where the viaduct abutment would have stood. Then a footpath through the Meadows roughly follows the alignment of the running lines. Some GCR goods offices still stand in the Meadows too.

That was fantastic. Loved your bridges they were lovely. What a find with that mile stone. I really enjoyed and and hope you didn’t take ticks home with you. Please take care and stay safe

@TrekkingExploration

2 жыл бұрын

Hi Linda I hope you are doing well. It's a nice hidden little stretch and somewhat forgotten. I love it when these little pocket's of railway reveal themselves. 🙂

@lindamccaughey6669

2 жыл бұрын

I’m doing very well thanks right towards the end of cancer treatment. Your videos helped, always look forward to them. Thanks 😍

Another interesting video Ant,just loved the music,xx

Very interesting, thank you!

Great video. I used to play on top of that embankment 30 odd years ago when my dad used to play cricket on what is now the Becket School - happy memories.

I 'am a Medders Lad born in 1944 but live in Bunbury W.A. I remember seeing the Signal box on fire on the bridge over the Trent I also a few years ago walked along that embankment towards the Trent from the Wilford side letting my memories flow back,what a shame the bridge was pulled down.......

@TrekkingExploration

2 жыл бұрын

The bridge being removed is a strange one isn't it? It really could and should have been repurposed. Thank you for watching 🙂

Thank you for another great lost railway video, looking forward to your next one.

Ey up Ant. It’s great to see what you have put together here. The engineering behind these railways is staggering.

It amazes me all these years after closure that so much still exists. Great video Ant look forward to many more

I used to fish ironmongers pond and saw the black 5s,v2,bongos, going down the G.C. to Marylebone from the vic,sadly all gone but not forgotten

Great work. Used to play cricket at Clifton. Born near GCR at East Leake.

@TrekkingExploration

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks very much for watching I'm pleased you enjoyed it 🙂

You did a great job of this video, and all your good work is greatly appreciated.

@TrekkingExploration

2 жыл бұрын

Very kind comment Phillip I'm so pleased you enjoyed it too 🙂

Another great video mate, thoroughly enjoyed it.

@TrekkingExploration

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks so much 🙂🙂

Another great & fantastic video of Nottinghams Lost Railways - The Great Central Railway in Wilford!.💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖

@TrekkingExploration

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you Michael really pleased you enjoyed it 😀😀

I was a child at the school behind your location in Wilford, the huge viaduct was demolished in the late 80’s. Great play areas. Wish the tram could have used it, and the iron bridge over the Trent too. Sad times.

@TrekkingExploration

Жыл бұрын

Thanks for watching Tania. It's nice to hear some small memories 🙂

Brilliant stuff Ant 🙏🙂

@TrekkingExploration

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks very much Richard 🙂

Thank you so much for this video I've been puzzled for years where the railway came across the river little did I know it was straight through the pond I throughly enjoyed this happy Christmas 🎄 to you and everyone

Another awesome video well done Ant

@TrekkingExploration

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks so much glad you enjoyed it 🙂

Great video again Ant. I remember being in Nottingham a few years ago and saw part of an old viaduct near the present station being demolished. It was a sad sight.

@TrekkingExploration

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks Alistair. I remember so much too before it got demolished. Seeing all of the archers around the broadmarsh end of the city. Thank you for watching 🙂

Thanks Ant,another great video.

@TrekkingExploration

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks so much for watching 🙂

Brilliant that, thank you so much for battling thru that over growth! Definitely worth it.

@TrekkingExploration

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks so much. It was a rather spikey one

Great video. I walked the GCR from Bulwell viaduct as far as Rushcliffe Halt during the 70s, 80s and 90s, taking photos of the remains of the GCR, I visited this stretch in October 1986 and it was a lot easier then!

I love the Great Central, nice video.

@TrekkingExploration

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you me too. I'll work on trying to do a few more 🙂

Loved the starting scene at Ironmongers Pond. I fished it once on a dreadfully cold winters day. It was a long bike ride with our fishing tackle from Chilwell, but it shows how keen we were and how far kids travelled back then on their bikes. I had always remembered that it was very picturesque, so nice to see that memory confirmed. These ponds were excavated as ballast for the embankments. I expect they were a good source of gravel. Loads of them around Trent Junction at Long Eaton.

Nice one Ant

@TrekkingExploration

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for watching Paul 😀

a wonderful viaduct in its day lost forever

My Aunt lived in Wilford Village and I used to watch the trains from the end of her road. The Standard Class 5 was a common sight. Unfortunately, they were too far away to catch a sight of their numbers, as they sped along.

HI Ant, thanks for another great video on the GCR, especially as its the bit nearest to home for me! I also remember one set of the rail decks (as it was effectively two three-span bridges side-by-side) being turned into a public footpath (complete with street lights!). This was a temporary arrangement in the winter of 1979/80 to maintain footpath access to Wilford village when the original decks on the Toll Bridge (Ha'penny bridge to us Medders folk) were replaced. The lights were hastily taken down and the path closed as soon as the Toll Bridge re-opened but must have cost a bomb to install cables and lights just for a few months. I think the bridge may not have fared so well as Ladybay bridge, on the Midland line to London, as the cast iron columns in the river were heavily banded (as visible in some of your stills) as a result of cracking - probably the result of water freezing inside the columns. This may have prevented its repurposing (for anything other than a vastly overengineered footpath!). Keep up the good work.

Another lovely video thanks for your effort. I hope you didn't have too many scratches.

@TrekkingExploration

11 ай бұрын

Awwww thank you. You are certainly going through the back catalogue. Unfortunately I got a lot of scratches in the next upcoming video

Hi. The grove in the stone is for the theodolite for the readings for movement, as good as digital readings but take hours to calculate. Regards Alan :o) Happy Xmas

I'm obsessed with the Great Central Railway. Really good to see this part of it for a change, as I think it gets overlooked. Our local part. Cheers!

@TrekkingExploration

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks so much I'm hoping to find more hidden sections like this one

I know this bit of line very well, having used it in railway days , and being on the last train (a special) to Marylebone 3/9/66. Now, I catch the tram at Wilford Lane at what was Brickyard Crossing.

Hi Ant, good to see Amy looking fine again in your previous video. I think the concrete blocks with the steel pegs in them are for track engineering. Thanks for struggling through the undergrowth.

Great stuff, very relaxing to watch! I'm just about to start exploring my local lost railways of the East Riding, expect that they'll be nothing to see most of the time but any bits of interest I do manage to find will make it all worthwhile, its a good walk if nothing else.

@carlharris2808

2 жыл бұрын

I am from Beverley and there are plenty of lines to explore for you namely hornsea ,withersea.malton, bev to york line etc there is a known as hull history nerd on youtube who has done videos on these lines well worth watching good luck.

@yorkie2789

2 жыл бұрын

@@carlharris2808 Not quite East Riding but the Derwent Valley Light Railway went right through my village, not much left but that's my local one and nobody has been near it on KZread!

@TrekkingExploration

2 жыл бұрын

That'll be good it's an area I've not really visited and know little about. Sometimes you find nothing on these walks then other time's it's like Christmas morning 😂😀

@Soggybudgie

2 жыл бұрын

@@yorkie2789 I moved here recently and have yet to get my bearings. but is that anywhere near the Dearne Valley between Doncaster & Barnsley? The DVRly went through my village.

@yorkie2789

2 жыл бұрын

@@Soggybudgie No this is the one that ran between York and Cliffe Common.

Excellent,,,,what more can one say?

Nice finds Ant, well worth the scratches, thanks👍🏻, just amazing how it has all changed, so close to "civilization" and there are still "finds". Does everyone wear ear defenders in Nottingham - those trams are horrendous!!!

Brill video as usual - soundtrack was waiting for Amy Lee/evanescence - Bring me to life - Thanks for sharing. Regards

@TrekkingExploration

2 жыл бұрын

Glad you enjoyed it and thank you. The music is a nice one on here 🙂

Great video but no mushy peas lol

@TrekkingExploration

2 жыл бұрын

The most random first comment ever 😂😂😂

@christinecrockford1654

2 жыл бұрын

Cool

@robertbruce7686

2 жыл бұрын

Bit nesh then ...

Another interesting video, Ant - great scrambling, too! I always think that the closure of the Great Central was perhaps the worst mistake ever made. Such a good, fast line - no great curves or difficulties.

@paulwilson3083

2 жыл бұрын

The frieght traffic on the GC was actually paying on the London extension in 1965 when it was closed to through frieght.

Incredible video. The railway actually crossed Wilford Lane on a bridge so when the NET was built the embankment was removed south of your walk. Incidentally on the GC the mileages were from Manchester London Road so would increase as you went towards London.

@TrekkingExploration

2 жыл бұрын

That embankment was so high too it must have been a sight back in the day. Glad you enjoyed it and thanks for the information too 🙂

@Andrea.583

2 жыл бұрын

@@TrekkingExploration the bridge over Wilford Lane was the reason why South Notts had a fleet of "lowbridge" double deckers.

Excellent as always. Did you know, you can get inside Weekday Cross/Victoria St tunnel (south end of old Victoria station) via the car park under the shopping centre! Can be arranged with security as a friend of mine did it. He said its amazing how intact it all is, as is used now for the aircon pipes for the centre & flats above. The walls are covered in soot still. The girder bridge over the line at Upper Parliament St is still there today, in the car park where the line used to run. I find Nottinghams old railways fascinating, especially the former GCR. Keep these superb video's coming.

@TrekkingExploration

2 жыл бұрын

Oh my goodness really? That's one I thought I'd never get to do. I would be forever grateful. Are you on Facebook?

@johnjephcote7636

2 жыл бұрын

I once went down to the lowest level of the Victoria Centre car park, armed with a print of a photo I had taken on 3/9/66 of a B1, taking over from Elder Dempster Lines near the North Box. I took a picture when I had established that I was standing on pretty well the exact spot I had been, on the platform in '66...looking across at the wasteland leading up to the closed tunnel mouth.

@gregoryvnicholas

2 ай бұрын

People used to say that they would "get off the bus at the bridge"

Funny, I was down there just the other day!

@TrekkingExploration

2 жыл бұрын

It's a nice but forgotten little area. Thank you for watching 🙂

Hiya @ 12:05 Yes I've also found a few of them on the Monsal Trail (A former Railway line which sadly closed in 1965) I've asked on the Hornby Forum & can't quite remember hat the reply was but something to do with Points (where the railway line joint to next railway line next to it!!!) 🙂🚂🚂🚂

Amazes me, the haste at which all these comparatively new structures were swept away. The GCR civils all seemed to be built to a very high standard, note the use of blue bricks. I hope T E comes and takes a view of our GC walk through Rugby. About three miles in each direction is easily walked with the southern section actually paved. Interestingly the sites of two unfortunately fatal accidents can be viewed. In 1955 a V2 on a down express crashed down the embankment at Barby sidings, which served the military camp then on the site of what is now HMP Onley. The second at Newton in February 1961 we hen a GWR Hall, having earlier worked the Bournemouth - York, was returning to Banbury when it stuck derailed wagons on the down line and again came down the embankment.

@TrekkingExploration

2 жыл бұрын

Hi Nigel I'll definitely have a look into coming down to Rugby 🙂 I need to stretch my legs a little further in the new year. Thank you for watching 🙂

@nigelmitchell351

2 жыл бұрын

@@TrekkingExploration Hi, there are many photos online and a movietone newsreel on utube of the accidents I mentioned. Almost forgot another derailment at Rugby Central station involving an L1 & WD, again photos on line. I can forward details if required or meet you to walk it? 👍 Merry Christmas.!

You are so lucky to live by so much history, and on top of that such a great day for a trek. After your treks, a hot shower is much well deserved.

@TrekkingExploration

2 жыл бұрын

It's one of those forgotten hidden areas that sit lost and with a little work they just present themselves. Hopefully I'll get a few more 🙂

When walking old trackbed it would be useful to take a pair of secateurs with you and make it more walkable for others

@TrekkingExploration

2 жыл бұрын

Good Idea except I don't want to spend 4 days doing the walk

@johnhalley974

2 жыл бұрын

@@TrekkingExploration A big machete would be ideal.

@johnjephcote7636

2 жыл бұрын

I have done that. Unfortunately I get carried away and end up spending far too long doing a thorough gardening job!

@johnd6487

2 жыл бұрын

To be fair, me and my mates often used to walk the embankment from Wilford Lane to the river when we were in our teens ( late 80’s), and it was just as bad then. Was great to see how it is now though.. I use the path alongside the tram line 5 days a week to cycle into town for work, but it’s over 30 years since I last walked the embankment.

The track was still in situ right up to certainly the early 70s if not longer. The viaduct over the Trent didn’t go until about 84 and the same for the bridge over Nottingham stn which lead onto it. Nuts when you think about it, as they had to re bridge Nottingham Stn for the tram, which could have utilised the whole formation to Wilford and beyond and saved millions. Still, it’s only our tax money.

@eddiewillers1

Жыл бұрын

No - I lived in Wilford Village from 1976 to 1979; we used to walk the trackbed from Wilford Lane, to the river and across the iron bridge. There was no infrastructure in place; no rails, no mile posts, no signal posts - nothing.

Shame there's b...er all left of the mighty and interesting Great Central line in Nottinghamshire now. I lived there between 74 and 91 and there were significant remains of the line still to be seen: the bridge over the Trent, various cuttings and tunnel mouths, bridge abutments, the remains of Sherwood station for instance before the site was built over, even an early coloured light signal south of Ruddington, near East Leake, still standing. You could retrace the line on foot in the built up area with only a bus ticket (great visibility from a double decker) for aid and a humble A-Z street map where disused lines clearly showed up as blank areas! And the calling card of the GC was blue brick with engineering bond headers and stretchers

At the start you make a comment about the disappearance of the bridge. We used to live in this area, on "Vernon Ave" (11 mins), and my parents told me that one day the City Council blew up the rail arches north of the river bridge to stop it being used for a road access into town. Indeed the tram uses the old Wilford road bridge another way of precluding car access.

@paulmartin42

2 жыл бұрын

Also I think you have some of the educational establishments incorrecltly identified. It is the Becket next to the tram line(10.58), Nottingham Emmanuel is the next one downstream. Not sure about the 6th form college at the end either

@kenstevens5065

2 жыл бұрын

The Nottingham City Council have a reputation for not being motorist friendly. There was no effort to preserve closed railway track beds, allowing them to never be reopened. The "collar" scheme of 1970 set traffic lights and some road schemes against the car flow to create long delays aimed at commuters to deter car use into the City. The motorist stuck it out though and eventually the scheme was scrapped. At least it led to the introduction of park and ride.

@paulmartin42

2 жыл бұрын

@@kenstevens5065 I live in Aberdeen now & local Cooncil have a similar attitude. In the pandemic the beach boulevard a major commute route was rejigged one morning with bollards and wide cycle lanes - did not last. The main road thru the town Union Street was pedestrianised but this will stay especially as no Council chamber debate is to be permitted.

@kenstevens5065

2 жыл бұрын

@@paulmartin42 I think the big whammy is yet to come, electric cars. The days of a low income person or youngster buying a "banger" with a year MOT to give them affordable motoring will go. I really do not think that electric cars will ever reduce in price to the levels of petrol/diesel today forcing a huge number of current drivers off the road. Another smart plan by Governments to reduce CO2 emissions? Then why spend on public transport schemes when officialdom can force loads of people to work in their high tech rammed homes, get everything delivered and probably become so paranoid they don't want to go out anyway. Thank goodness for the people who produce such informative and entertaining videos like this channel does.

Have a happy Christmas from andrew

@TrekkingExploration

2 жыл бұрын

Cheers Andrew you too ❤️

just off topic.did you read about the old guy who lives on a narrowboat at castle marina setting his boat on fire due to over loading his wood burning stove?just thought i would mention it as you have a narrowboat.this happened 20th dec 2021

@TrekkingExploration

2 жыл бұрын

It did indeed and it was only 4 across from ours 😮

i thought they used the track bed for the tramline....

@johnjephcote7636

2 жыл бұрын

The tram, being light, uses the former road/footbridge over the Trent, immediately to the west, and then runs along the streets before rejoining the GC (up a very steep slope) to gain access to the replacemnent bridge (where the GC used to cross) over Nottingham Midland Station. (I still call it Nottingham Midland).

I'm sat here on an island near Vancouver, Canada watching someone doing what I would do if I was in that area. Next time bring a machete. Where that curved wall is was probably flood plain. You know, the land they build housing estates on nowadays. Passports is the whole point of this crisis. Look up the lawyer who sued VW and DB, Reiner Fuellmich on media platform Bit chute (one word).

Walk along the tramline regularly and have seen those bridges and wondered if they were anything to with the GCR snd now I know. Also stood on the embankment only yesterday, and I noticed how the steps stopped and the wall began and never thought that this would have been part of a mainline crossing of a railway Thank you very much for an excellent video

They say it's not a proper explore if you don't draw blood. ;-)

At least part of the route is reused as tramway, and of course, trams being more flexible, don't have to use such large infrastructure as large embankments

damn labour party for closing it all down and then giving an award to beeching too !

Lived in Wilford for the past 55 years..I often walk and bike ride around the Toll Bridge. I can remember going over the Toll Bridge in my car before they condemned it for pedestrian use only...Also fishing in the Trent near that magnificent rail crossing, that's sadly now gone... Nottingham City Council have a lot to answer for, typical Labour blockheads....🤔😳😳😳🇬🇧

I'm getting a lot of pixelation every time the camera swings - anybody else getting that?

@peterboothby2878

2 жыл бұрын

Had to change the pucture quality, seems better after.

Man the bridge was beautiful they should never have closed down the great central it was the biggest mistake of Dr beeching's career that said he wasn't the one who ordered so many closures of the railways apparently the Karen isn't a modern idea of a nassisistic woman as the one who ordered the gcr closed was beeching's boss and a known supporter of the motor car and busses over railways having once reported to have called the railways as being outdated,......,........ How wrong she was

@kenstevens5065

2 жыл бұрын

A lot of fingers point at Ernest Marples who was Transport Minister when the road system won over rail. I think it was his wife who had a major interest in the road construction industry. Today we worry about MP's expenses! Perhaps the big 1955 ASLEF strike which resulted in almost half of railfreight being lost to road, never to return, had something to do with later Beeching cuts along with some interesting ways the accountants didn't record the true financial contribution from railway branch lines in BR accounts. I remember the times well. The majority of the public however loved the car and the destruction of anything traditional to be replaced by brutalist concrete which many of us despise today.

@solidsnake4595

2 жыл бұрын

@@kenstevens5065 ugh I know all about brutalist concrete crap I was born and raised in on of those nightmares lol well the 32nd floor of one my dad always said with the lifts were so broken the stairs were better than a gym lol still I heard most of them are now gone in my old hometown which isn't a bad thing. But I have to agree with your comment.

@kenstevens5065

2 жыл бұрын

@@solidsnake4595 Like closing railways at the time we couldn't clear slum housing quick enough in the 50's and 60's so instead of moving out a few families at a time, rebuilding and returning people to be among their old neighbours huge numbers of people were rehoused permanently all over, often breaking up communities that had existed for years. That I feel is as important as high rise living which many of we Brits seem never to have taken to. Or living in poorly designed, built and maintained homes. If only we built houses today as good as railways!

@solidsnake4595

2 жыл бұрын

@@kenstevens5065 indeed personally I've never known that bulldog community the British were once famed for I've lived in areas of a few towns were the cultural difference has sparked a few riots and usually over stupid reasons

Such a waste of wonderful engineering work.