In message , Mait001
writes

Yes, and had that double-manning (which was insisted on by unions not
for safety reasons but to keep jobs for their members) been
discontinued, it is arguable that the Beeching axe would have fallen
less heavily since the sheer uneconomic nature of the over-manned
railways led to the closure of many lines that might otherwise have
remained open. If those lines had remained open, the railways and
passengers would have benefited ultimately, but this isn't something
about which the union leaders at the time could then (as now) give a fig.

Marc.
What rubbish. During the Beeching era a lot of trains were steam and
as the diesels of the day were very unreliable, the trains were
frequently drawn by steam engines, further most freight trains were
loose coupled so a guard was essential. Tell me, when a train derails
now, who looks after the train? Who walks forward to lay detinatora to
protect the opposite direction, and who walks back to protect the
derailed train? Oh I forgot, trains don't derail now, do they.
--
Clive.