Even all these years later it's still hard to see former goods yards and stations turned into industrial estates.

Interesting vid Ed, it’s good to see some lines did survive and some even reopened. Most closures were short sighted and although we blame Dr Beeching for the closures, behind this was the government of the time. Very little consideration was given as to future needs of the railway services, rail travel was seen as old and Victorian and Roads as you mentioned were the way forwards, and as the result we have the mess we have today.

Very good, Ed. It’s positive news that some lines and stations are making a comeback, as the Beeching axe, although necessary in a broad sense to remove the most blatant duplication, was too indiscriminate and not nearly as objective as he claimed. Nor has it ever really been established whether a lot of the cuts made any difference financially. I am enjoying your videos, and hope to do do a trip to the West Country soon on some of the surviving lines. Best wishes, Andrew from Brighton

Very good video. You make the point well that lines and stations were being closed from WW1 onwards as a result of competition from lorries, buses and cars. Too many people have a misguided understanding of railway closures and think it all started with Beeching. Even with pruning up to 1963, the railways were still making a loss and even a change of government in 1964 did little to change things.

How ironic, Beeching Close !

I was at Yeoford last year

I don't know of any living people that would call him a human let alone a hero the damage he done is only now being fully realised and some being undone like the closing the 3rd tunnel at Kings was pretty dim wited at best and has cost more to reinstate than what it would have to maintain in a sleep like state where it could have been reopen if needed but nope a man of no common sense or experience of run a railway was put in full charge