Great Western Coffee Shop

For those of us (me included) disappointed at the failure of Kemble -Swindon to make it into the CP4 settlement, just 25 years ago the 1983 5 year plan included the following track rationalisations in the Western Region:-

This list is not exhaustive by the way, dual to single unless otherwise stated.

Subsequently Carried Out

Cogload - Taunton dequadrification  (8 track miles)
Dr Days - Filton dequadrification (8tm)
Shelwick Jn - Ledbury (12)
Clarbeston Rd - Haverfordwest (5)
Gowerton area (5)
Burngullow - Probus (7 - now reinstated)

Not Carried Out

STJ - Cardiff reduce to 3 tracks (22)
Ascott- Moreton !!! (11)
Standish - Stroud (5)
Cogload - Newbury (42)
Truro - Chasewater (5)
Doublebois - Bodmin Rd (6)
Glocester - STJ (part) (13)
St Erth - Long Rock (5)

Oh yes, and the Frome and Westbury avoiding lines were proposed for closure too, as was the Thingley Jn - Bradford Jn line, though what services used that in 1983 I'm not sure!

This infamous plan also proposed the Settle to Carlisle for closure as well as all services out of Marylebone, which would have reduced the Chiltern franchise somewhat. It's interesting that Rail magazine commented on the latter "Marylebone - Northolt Jn is no grinding hardship, Paddington is scarcely less convenient for West End commuters". That a pro-railway publication could make such a statement indicates the desperate state of the railways at that time.

Imagine the situation we would have been in now had all these proposals been implemented.

Ascott- Moreton !!! (11)
 >:(
Phew!
____

I always get annoyed when people claim that BR saved the Chiltern Line. No - they tried to close. Then they singled it.

Chiltern have had to spend millions.

So were they going to route most London to Plymouth/Penzance services via Bristol then?

Yes, that was alluded to in the article. 

The problem with the Chiltern line was it was hand over to the London Midland Region in the early 60's who saw it as a rival to the WCML, the Chiltern rejuvenation started in the mid 80's when it was handrd over to the WR / Network Southeast, I worked in WR maintenance at Paddington then and the state of the equipment on the Chiltern line was appalling in fact total neglect would be a better phrase even compared to the poorish state of the WR.