Scotland's Lost Branch Lines

Author: David Spaven

Scotland | c 1960 to c 1970 | British & Irish history | Postwar 20th century history, from c 1945 to c 2000 | Transport industries | Transport planning & policy | Transport: general interest | Trains & railways: general interest

Published on 6^th June 2024 by Birlinn General (Origin) in the United Kingdom.

Paperback / softback | 320 pages, 44pp b/w plates; 4pp colour plates; maps
234mm x 156mm | 0g

The infamous ‘Beeching Axe’ swept away virtually every Scottish branch line in the 1960s. Conventional wisdom viewed these losses as regrettable yet inevitable in an era of growing affluence and rising car ownership. This ground-breaking analysis of Beeching’s flawed approach to closures has unearthed strong evidence of a ‘stitch-up’ – the Beeching Report ignored the scope for sensible economies which would have allowed a significant number of axed routes to survive and prosper.

David Spaven traces the birth, life and eventual death of Scotland’s branch lines, and outlines the controversial closure process through the unique stories of how a dozen routes lost their trains in the 1960s: the lines to Ballachulish, Ballater, Callander, Crail, Crieff, Fraserburgh, Kelso, Kilmacolm, Leven, Peebles, Peterhead and St Andrews.

He concludes by exploring a potential renaissance of branch lines, propelled by concerns over road congestion and the climate emergency.

Features rarely seen photographic material including 96 photographs and maps.