Page:The Reshaping of British Railways (Beeching Report).pdf/64

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  1. Co-ordination of passenger parcels services with the Post Office.
  2. Increase of block train movement of coal, by:
    1. inducing the National Coal Board to provide train loading facilities at collieries;
    2. inducing the establishment of coal concentration depots, collaboration with the National Coal Board and the distributor
  3. Reduction of the uneconomic freight traffic passing through small stations by closing them progressively, but with regard to the preservation of potentially good railway traffics, and by adjustment charges.
  4. Attraction of more siding-to-siding traffics suitable for through-train movement by operating such trains at the expense of the wagon warding system and by provision of time-tabled trains, of special stock, to meet customer requirements.
  5. Study and development of a network of 'Liner Train' services to car flows of traffic which, though dense, are composed of consignments too small in themselvesto justify through-train operation.
  6. Concentration of freight sundries traffic upon about 100 main depots many of them associated with Liner Train depots, and carriage of main flows of sundries on Liner Trains, probably coupled with passenger parcels, and possibly Post Office parcels and letters.
  7. Rapid, progressive withdrawal of freight wagons over the next three years.
  8. Continued replacement of steam by diesel locomotives for main line traction, up to a probable requirement of at least 3,750/4,250 (1,698 already in service and 950 on order at present).
  9. Rationalisation of the composition and use of the Railways' road cartage fleet.

These various lines of action are strongly interdependent. If the whole plan is implemented with vigour, however, much (though not necessarily all) of the Railways' deficit should be eliminated by 1970.

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