BRITISH RAILWAYS 1920 - 1970
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CHRONOLOGY OF RAILWAY HISTORY 1918: Armistice signed at end of war, 11 Nov 1919: Ministry of Transport formed 15 Aug; transport functions of the Board of Trade transferred 23 Sept 1921: Royal Assent given to the Railways Act, 1921 with its provisions for grouping of the existing companies to form four major companies, 19 Aug 1922: amalgamation of L.N.W.R. and L.Y.R.: H. & B.R. taken over by N.E.R.; several companies absorbed by G.W.R., 1 Jan 1923: 123 separate railway companies amalgamated; joint companies continued as such, 1 Jan : Welsh Highland Railway opened to Portmadoc, 1 June 1924: Harwich-Zeebrugge train ferry service opened 24 April 1925: centenary of the Stockton & Darlington R. celebrated 1-3 July : first section of S.E.C.R. electrified, 12 July : Fawley branch opened (S.R.), 20 July : North Devon & Cornwall J. Light R. opened, 27 July : Watford branch opened (L.N.E.R./Met. R.), 2 Nov 1926: General Strike, 4-14 May : forerunner of the 'Golden Arrow' introduced, 12 Sept, all-Pullman from 15.5.29 1928: yellow arms and lights adopted generally for distant signals, Jan : the first all-steel car trains introduced on the 'Queen of Scots' by the L.N.E.R.; non-stop running inaugurated between Kings Cross and Edinburgh, the world's longest non-stop run, 1 May : third class sleeping cars introduced by G.W.R., L.M.S. and L.N.E.R., 24 Sept 1929: last overhead electric L.B.S.C.R. service, 21 Sept 1930: completion of Wimbledon-Sutton line (S.R.), 5 Jan : Corris R. taken over by G.W.R., 4 Aug : centenary of the Liverpool & Manchester R. celebrated 13-20 Sept 1931: M.S.J.A.R. electrified, 8 May : L.M.S. adopted upper quadrant signals as standard, 21 July : diesel traction introduced by the L.N.E.R., December : G.W.R. commenced installation of A.T.C. equipment on main routes 1932: L.M.S. ran experimental ro-rail bus over ex-S.M.J. line, April-June : Allhallows branch (S.R.) opened for passengers, 14 May 1933: electrification of the S.R. inaugurated between London and Brighton (and Worthing), 1 Jan : the first all-steel, all-electric Pullman service introduced by the S.R. on the 'Southern Belle' service, 1 Jan : the London Passenger Transport Board received Royal Assent, 13 April, established 1 July 1935: the Government announced a major (credit) scheme to electrify and improve the London suburban network, 5 June : centenary of the incorporation of the G.W.R., 31 Aug : the 'Silver Jubilee' service inaugurated by the L.N.E.R., the first British streamlined train, trial run on 27 Sept 1936: operation of M. & G.N. line transferred to L.N.E.R., 1 Oct : Dover-Dunkerque train ferry service opened, London-Paris through trains introduced by the S.R., 14 Oct 1937: the 'Coronation Scot' service inaugurated by the L.M.S., trial run on 29 June : the 'Coronation' service inaugurated by the L.N.E.R., trial run on 30 June : operation of Met. R. line trains between Rickmansworth and Aylesbury taken over by L.N.E.R., 1 Nov : abolition of second class on services other than Continental services, 31 Dec 1938: the L.M.S.R. installed A.T.C. at distant signals on the London-Southend line : centenary of the Travelling Post Office service celebrated at Euston, 28 March-2 April : L.N.E.R. Pacific 'Mallard' attained 126mph, 3 July : centenary of the complete opening of the London & Birmingham R., 17 Sept 1939: Chessington branch (S.R.) completed, 28 May : the Ministry of Transport took over control of standard gauge railway undertakings; the Railway Executive Committee was formed, 1 Sept : war declared against Germany, 3 Sept 1940: first class accommodation abolished on the London Transport Metropolitan and District lines, 1 Feb : travelling postal sorting offices discontinued, 22 Sept : first class accommodation abolished on London local services, 6 Oct 1945: oil-burning introduced for steam locos : restaurant and buffet services reinstated (but not on the G.W.R.) : end of war in Europe, 7 May : travelling post office services fully reinstated and restaurant car facilities* reintroduced, 1 Oct; *31 Dec on the G.W.R. : the Government announced proposals for nationalisation of industries, including railways, 19 Nov 1946: L.N.E.R. locomotives renumbered from 13 Jan : the all-Pullman 'Golden Arrow' service reintroduced by the S.R.,15 April: the 'Yorkshire Pullman' on 4 Nov 1947: the Transport Act providing for the nationalisation of the railways given Royal Assent, 6 Aug : the last Brunel fan trestle viaducts demolished, at Dare and Gamlyn between Gelli Tarw J. and Dare J. 1948: British railways nationalised and British Transport Commission established, six regions formed for operating purposes, 1 Jan; inter-regional adjustments announced 30 Nov : inter-regional locomotive exchanges commenced in April : oil-burning conversion programme abandoned 1949: the administration of the ex-L.T.S. lines transferred from the L.M.R. to the E.R.; other minor changes, 20 Feb : electrified services inaugurated on the Liverpool St-Shenfield line, E.R., 26 Sept : double-deck E.M.U.s introduced on the S.Region, 2 Nov : flat-bottom rail adopted as standard : new liveries announced 1950: new Standard locomotives announced : substantial readjustments made to regional boundaries, 2 April : standard headlight codes for train engines (except S.Region) announced 5 June : workmen's tickets redesignated 'early morning' tickets in the London area, 1 Oct 1951: the first B.R. standard steam loco built, no 70000 'Britannia' at Crewe Works 1952: workmen's tickets redesignated as above, outside the London area, 1 Sept 1953: East Coast floods caused severance of services at Herne Bay, Purfleet, Benfleet, Harwich, Magdalen Road and on other coastal lines, 31 Jan and 1 Feb : Railway Executive abolished under the terms of the Transport Act, 1953, 30 Sept : experimental lifting barriers installed at Warthill level crossing (N.E.Region) 1954: New Woodhead Tunnel opened, 3 June : electric passenger service inaugurated between Sheffield and Manchester, 14 Sept 1955: British Railways reorganised with the appointment of Regional Boards, 1 Jan : modernisation scheme for B.R. announced, worth £1200M, 24 Jan : Railway Clearing House dissolved, 8 April : Pullman services reintroduced on W.R. lines as the 'South Wales Pullman'- the first since 1929, 27 June 1956: B.T.C. adopted 25 kV A.C. system of electrification; also vacuum brake as standard on freight stock, 6 March : third class redesignated as second class on B.R., 3 June : the B.R. system of A.T.C. approved by the Minister of Transport for use with non-electric traction, 30 Nov : extension of Liverpool St electrification to Southend, E.R., 31 Dec (to Chelmsford 11 June) 1957: diesel-electric multiple units introduced on the S.Region between London and Hastings via Tunbridge Wells, 6 May : Epping-Ongar (E.R.) line electrified 1958: Platform ticket charge increased from 1d to 2d; the original charge was introduced 1n 1912; 1 Jan : the first 4-wheel diesel railbus delivered to B.R., 13 Feb : battery railcar service introduced between Aberdeen and Ballater, Sc.R., 21 April : B.R. decided to install long-welded rail 1959: electrification of Colchester-Clacton-Walton line, E.R., 16 March 1960: diesel-electric 'Blue Pullman' services introduced on St Pancras-Manchester line, L.M.R., 4 July : electric services introduced between Crewe and Manchester, L.M.R., 12 Sept : two tank barges collided with the Severn Bridge and blew up, removing one pair of piers and two spans, causing permanent closure; 25 Oct : introduction of electric services on the Glasgow suburban lines,7 Nov; temporarily withdrawn from 17 Dec-1 Oct 1961 : electric services introduced on Liverpool St lines to Chingford, Enfield Town, Bishop's Stortford and Hertford East (E.R.), 21 Nov 1961: 'early morning' tickets withdrawn generally outside the London area, 1 Jan : the first automatic lifting barrier level crossing was installed at Spath near Uttoxeter (L.M.R.), 6 Feb : last steam train on the Met. R. line, 9 Sept : electric services introduced on the Fenchurch St-Shoeburyness line, (E.R.), 6 Nov 1962: all 'early morning' tickets withdrawn, 1 Jan : electric services introduced between Crewe and Liverpool, L.M.R., 1 Jan : second stage of Clydeside electrification complete, Sc.R., 27 May : B.R. national timetable introduced in addition to regional ones, 18 June : centenary of 'The Flying Scotsman' celebrated, 18 June : Royal Assent given to the Transport Act, 1962, providing for the dissolution of the B.T.C. and reorganisation of the nationalised transport undertakings, 1 Aug : steam working ceased in East Anglia, 9 Sept 1963: British Railways Board constituted. The Pullman Car Co., whose contract with B.T.C. expired, was wholly nationalised as part of B.R.B. 1 Jan : 'The Reshaping of British Railways' published under the aegis of Dr R. Beeching, Chairman of B.R.B. : Tees, Tyne and Healey Mills marshalling yards opened : ‘Great Train Robbery’, Aberdeen-Euston Travelling Post Office held up with theft of more than £21 million, 8 Aug 1964: Merry-go-round coal trains introduced : Derby Research Laboratories officially opened, 14 May : prototype train (XP64) introduced on the 'Talisman' service for 12-month trials, 15 June : electric services introduced between Crewe and Rugby, L.M.R., 30 Nov 1965: platform ticket charges increased from 2d to 3d, 1 Jan : new name and livery for 'British Rail' introduced at an exhibition, opened 4 Jan : Clapham 'A' gantry signalbox collapsed, 10 May : the last regular steam service left Paddington, 11 June : the 'Flying Scotsman' service accelerated to 355 minutes, 14 June : B.R. timetables introduced on an annual basis using the 24-hour clock, 14 June : steam traction eliminated south of Retford on the E.R., June : Tinsley marshalling yard opened enabling rationalisation of Sheffield facilities, 29 Oct : Freightliner service introduced, London-Glasgow, 15 Nov : introduction of some electric services between Euston and Bletchley (L.M.R.), 22 Nov : end of regular steam working on W.R. commemorated, 27 Nov 1966: Freightliner service introduced, London-Manchester, 28 Feb : introduction of full electric service between Euston, Manchester and Liverpool, 18 April : electrically hauled Manchester Pullman and Liverpool Pullman trains introduced, 18 April : under 5 per cent of B.R. train-miles now have steam traction, 18 April; W.R. officially abolished steam haulage at the beginning of the year : further Freightliner services introduced, June-Oct : Harecastle diversion, Staffs. (L.M.R.) inaugurated providing for electrification of the Stoke-Crewe route, 27 June : G.C. main line closed (but for two sections), 5 Sept 1967: E.R. and N.E.Region of B.R. merged to form a new Eastern Region with headquarters at York, 1 Jan : L.M.R. electric services extended to the Birmingham area, 6 March : Isle of Wight line from Ryde to Shanklin electrified, 20 Mar : end of steam working on the S.Region, 9 July : completion of the electrification of the S.Region line from Brookwood-Bournemouth, 10 July : steam traction eliminated in the N.E. area of the Eastern Region, 4 Nov 1968: steam traction nominally eliminated on B.R. standard gauge lines, 6 May: last service was Preston to Liverpool Exchange, 3 Aug |
COPYRIGHT © R.D.LAKE 2009
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