Did a London service help ensure railway survival?

[whole diary]

[grahame]

Comment I noted on one of my data feeds.

Louth was however one of the few towns in Britain that enjoyed daily through trains to London that is now without a railway. Another I can think of is Brackley.

I don't believe it!   I can think of candidates Bude, Padstow, Wadebridge, Ilfracombe, Devizes just straight off ... or is the key "daily" and they were not served with though trains on Sundays?  Was Ilfracombe a though portion on the ACE (Atlantic Coast Express) all year?

[eightf48544]

Other GC^» (Great Central Railway - link to heritage line) stations as well as Brackley, e.g. Woodford Halse.

Verney Junction, Birkenhead

[grahame]

Other GC^» (Great Central Railway - link to heritage line) stations as well as Brackley, e.g. Woodford Halse.

Verney Junction, Birkenhead

Are Woodford Halse and Verney Junction TOWNS, though?

Thought there were still railways in Birkenhead?

[devonexpress]

Maybe not railway revival but certainly local economies, Shrewsbury, Bude, Okehampton etc have suffered badly since London trains went, of course Shrewsbury had its service reinstated a few years ago.

[onthecushions]

Including the boat trip, Ventnor was a casualty.

The town was said to have suffered badly for losing its trains - possibly costing the economy more than it saved. I believe the Island was offered retention for a small rate increase but refused...

OTC

[simonw]

I think Birkenhead lost its Woodside rail station at the same time as the decline in shipbuilding, and local enhancements to to the Merseyrail system.

It still has 4/5  (depending on your definition of Birkenhead) Merseyrail stations, with its now main station (Hamilton Sq) connected directly to Liverpool Lime St and Chester to direct London trains.

[Lee]

Hunstanton.