1948-60
Start work on developing range of diesel locomotives and multiple units earlier than IOTL and centralise development rather than devolve it to the regions. This would have ensured that tried and tested locomotives and rolling stock were available for service from the mid and late 1950s and would have butterflied the unsuccessful or non-standard classes i.e. the Western Region diesel hydraulics and the Class 17, 21, 22, 23 and 28 locomotives.
Instead of developing a new range of standard steam locomotives, continue production of the best examples of locomotives from the Big Four to meet short-term needs such as replacing worn-out or obsolete locomotives. This could be:-
- Express passenger - LMS Coronation and LNER A1 and A2.
- Secondary express - Southern Light Pacific (Battle of Britain and West Country).
- Large mixed traffic - LMS Black Five, GWR Hall and LNER B1.
- Small mixed traffic - LMS Class 4 Mogul.
- Branch line passenger - LMS Class 2 Mogul and Prairie Tank.
- Heavy freight - LMS Class 8F.
- Shunting and light freight - GWR 5700 and LNER J72.
The only standard class that could be justified is the 9F.
End production of steam locomotives once diesel replacements have been proven to cope with the demands of service (probably 1955 or 1956).
Earmark the WCML and ECML for electrification and start work. By 1960, electric services should have reached Birmingham, Nuneaton and Peterborough.
1960-80
Continue with ECML and WCML electrification. By 1964, the wires should have reached Manchester and Liverpool on the WCML and Leeds and York on the ECML. By 1970, electric services should be running to Edinburgh and Glasgow. By 1980, the wires should have been extended to Aberdeen and branches leading off the ECML and WCML i.e. to Blackpool, Bradford, Hull, Middlesbrough, Sunderland and Windermere have also been electrified.
Electrify all the London and Birmingham suburban lines.
Proceed with the Picc-Vic link in Manchester and electrify Manchester suburban services.
Continue with programme to replace steam with diesel but over a longer timeline. Although more labour-intensive to operate, steam technology was tried and tested (and its value was proved during the winter of 1962-63 when freezing conditions put a lot of the diesels and electrics out of action). Steam operation of passenger services to end by 1975-76 and freight services by 1980. Worth noting for comparison that West Germany did not replace steam until 1977.
Maintain a stock of steam locomotives for use on special services after the end of regular steam operation. These are likely to be profitable.
The Beeching cuts were necessary because a large number of lines were losing money, but the process could have been smarter. To demonstrate, several lines closed in the 1960s and 1970s have since been reopened by the national rail networks e.g. the Nottingham-Worksop line, the Vale of Glamorgan line, the Cynon Valley and Ebbw Vale branches and the Border Rail line in Scotland. The following options should have been explored:-
- Converting unprofitable lines to light railway status and transferring responsibility to local authorities or community trusts. This would have cut running costs through fares being collected by onboard conductors and by reducing stations to unstaffed halts.
- Using unwanted main lines as freight corridors, which would free up capacity on main lines. Examples are the Great Central main line, the Settle and Carlisle line (which in OTL is being used for freight), the Waverley line and the Didcot, Newbury and Southampton line which would have provided a freight artery from the North and Midlands to Southampton docks.
Complete 3rd rail electrification of remaining Southern Region services by 1980. This will include the main line to Weymouth and the lines to East Grinstead, Hastings, Salisbury and Uckfield.
Start planning for the next phase of electrification for the Great Western Main Line to Bristol and Cardiff and the Midland Main Line to Sheffield and Nottingham.
1980-2000
Proceed with electrification of the Great Western and Midland main lines. Electrification to have reached Leicester (1983), Bristol Temple Meads (1984), Derby and Nottingham (1986), Bristol Parkway (1988) and Cardiff and Sheffield (1990). Next phase of electrification will be to extend the GW main line to Birmingham via Oxford and Swansea and the Midland main line to Barnsley and Wakefield and to Rotherham and Doncaster to link to the ECML.
Work starts to electrify the main line to the West Country. The wires reach Exeter (1994) and Plymouth (1997), and is expected to reach Penzance by 2001.
Replacement of the first generation of diesel multiple units to start. Instead of the hated Pacers, British Rail to standardise on the Class 210.
Replacement of the first generation of diesel locomotives to start. British Rail orders the Class 58, the Class 66 and Class 67.
The main lines to Norwich and King's Lynn are electrified as OTL.
The Trans Pennine main line from Liverpool to Hull is electrified.
The Oxford to Cambridge line is reopened and electrified.
Work to build HS1 starts in tandem with the construction of the Channel Tunnel and is ready by 1993.
Instead of privatisation, British Rail becomes a state-owned corporation but is independent of the Government and can decide its own development priorities.
