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Post by norbitonflyer on Nov 14, 2014 15:13:40 GMT
whoever the Sec. of State was then-could that have been dear old Cecil Parkinson?- Parky was still in the wilderness then - resigned from Board of Trade (DTI) in 1983 and re-entered government aqs energy secretary in 1987. The son of a railwayman became transport secretary in 1989 John Moore replcaed Nicolas Ridley as Transport Minister on May 21st 1986, so it would have been one of those two gentlemen who signed off the closure of Lea Bridge. |
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Post by theblackferret on Nov 14, 2014 15:25:46 GMT
whoever the Sec. of State was then-could that have been dear old Cecil Parkinson?- Parky was still in the wilderness then - resigned from Board of Trade (DTI) in 1983 and re-entered government aqs energy secretary in 1987. The son of a railwayman became transport secretary in 1989 John Moore replcaed Nicolas Ridley as Transport Minister on May 21st 1986, so it would have been one of those two gentlemen who signed off the closure of Lea Bridge. Purely on a historic note: John Moore was a dear old buffer who upset Thatcher by being photographed thoroughly enjoying a trip on a heritage train. At a time when Serpell reports were still around re further cuts to the rail network, this may not have been an especially wise career move, as indicated. Nicholas Ridley was the actual architect of the Poll Tax, but is probably better remembered as that chain-smoking Spitting Image puppet. |
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Post by norbitonflyer on Nov 14, 2014 17:15:12 GMT
John Moore was a dear old buffer who upset Thatcher by being photographed thoroughly enjoying a trip on a heritage train. At a time when Serpell reports were still around re further cuts to the rail network, this may not have been an especially wise career move, as indicated. Hardly an old buffer, he celebrated his 49th birthday during his 388-day tenure at Transport (short even by the normal revolving-door standards of that department*). It was an eventful time though, with the completoin of the M25, British airways privatisatoin, and the Herald of Free Enterprise disaster all happening during that time. He was promoted to the DHSS, but was releived of the Health part of the portfolio to reduce his workload after a serious illness and left the cabinet altogether in 1989, at the age of 51. he did not stand for re-election in the 1992 General Election. *there have been 51 incumbents since 1919, so an average tenure of 22 months. The present incumbent (the third since the present government came to power) has lasted 26 months: the longest since John Prescott's four year tenure from 1997-2001. Ridley (Moore's predecessor) had three and a half years. Other stayers include Darling 2002-2006, Marples (1959-64), Barnes (1945-51), Leathers (1941-45), Hore-Belisha (as in beacon!) (1934-37) and Ashley (1924-29). The shortest was Ridley's predecessor Tom King, for just 18 weeks in 1983. |
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Post by Dstock7080 on Nov 14, 2014 17:22:58 GMT
ps. The map disappeared back behind the panels during the recent District weekend engineering works.
No doubt to reappear at a later date!
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Post by stapler on Nov 14, 2014 17:44:43 GMT
Parky was still in the wilderness then - resigned from Board of Trade (DTI) in 1983 and re-entered government aqs energy secretary in 1987. The son of a railwayman became transport secretary in 1989 John Moore replcaed Nicolas Ridley as Transport Minister on May 21st 1986, so it would have been one of those two gentlemen who signed off the closure of Lea Bridge. Purely on a historic note: John Moore was a dear old buffer who upset Thatcher by being photographed thoroughly enjoying a trip on a heritage train. At a time when Serpell reports were still around re further cuts to the rail network, this may not have been an especially wise career move, as indicated. Nicholas Ridley was the actual architect of the Poll Tax, but is probably better remembered as that chain-smoking Spitting Image puppet. I very much doubt if any SofS for Transport would have been consulted personally about about the closure of a little-used station in a safe Opposition-held constituency. |
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Post by theblackferret on Nov 14, 2014 20:59:45 GMT
Purely on a historic note: John Moore was a dear old buffer who upset Thatcher by being photographed thoroughly enjoying a trip on a heritage train. At a time when Serpell reports were still around re further cuts to the rail network, this may not have been an especially wise career move, as indicated. Nicholas Ridley was the actual architect of the Poll Tax, but is probably better remembered as that chain-smoking Spitting Image puppet. I very much doubt if any SofS for Transport would have been consulted personally about about the closure of a little-used station in a safe Opposition-held constituency. Well, nobody else in 1987 would have had the power to close a station, and I very much doubt anybody today could do so without getting the present incumbent's signature on a Parliamentary motion or paper. Especially as Lea Bridge was owned then by BR, answerable directly to The Minister of Transport. As an ex-Civil Servant myself, I can assure you the Minister would have had all the arguments for closure, petitions against it etc at his fingertips from his senior mandarins and made his decision on their advice. If the passenger figures were as low as in the case of Lea Bridge, there would be no reason for him not to approve closure, because that alone would take any political dimension right out of the equation, ditto the later closures of Aldwych & Epping-Ongar, which most certainly were not in safe Opposition seats, but were equally losing money hand over fist. Luckily for Lea Bridge, times change, at least for the area around it! There will be a genuine demand for it, as I can't see NR, TfL or anyone else reopening a station in this day and age simply as a gesture of foppish lunacy, although I'd personally prefer it that they did just that once a year in at least three locations, as if to echo the football chant-We're TfL, and we do what we like!  |
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Post by Deleted on Nov 19, 2014 15:48:05 GMT
I noticed whilst passing through Embankment recently that part of the "false wall" on the Eastbound platform has been removed and in consequence has exposed an old map. Although there's chicken wire over it I'd seriously appreciate it if one our photographers might happen to have their camera handy...... Hi Colin I found an old map at Baker Street (MET) recently its hidden between 2 advertisement boards it has not got Heathrow on it so I would say its from around the same period as the Embankment map. If I remember this gem can be located on the walkway heading from platforms 1/2 Heading towards the Circle/ Hammersmith and City line. Please take photos before it disappears if I see it I will take a photo.
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