Wednesday 3 August 2011

Lord Marsh RIP

Lord Marsh, the former Chairman of the British Railways Board, has died.

This from the Daily Telegraph's fulsome obituary:

Marsh streamlined BR’s management, prioritised the diesel-powered High Speed Train and launched “parkway” stations on the edges of cities.

When ministers, alarmed at rising losses, contemplated further shrinkage, Marsh showed the Transport Minister John Peyton a map of lines that would disappear in Conservative constituencies. Peyton agreed to double investment in BR, maintaining the existing network.

If only Lord Marsh had been at hand when Paper-knife opened that infamous envelope...