Talk:Richard Beeching

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[edit] Thomas Beeching?

I've always thought this chap was called Thomas, not Richard, so it took me a while to find this article. A quick google, whilst showing far more Richards than Thomases (that both refer to this guy), shows that I'm at least not the only one. What's the story here, has he been known by both names? Is one name a common misconception or what? It appears there was "another" Thomas Beeching also born in Maidstone in 1900 who became a cricketer, could this be the source of the confusion? Does a "Not to be confused with Thomas Beeching the cricketer" (or whatever the reason is) line need to be inserted? Cheers. --Benjitz 02:22, 5 August 2005 (UTC)

No, not really! Google "Thomas Beeching" reveals Thomas Beeching the cricketer, who only played 10 first class matches for Kent in the 1920 and 1921 seasons and isn't really notable enough for inclusion here, and various genealogy websites for completely random people who did nothing more than contribute to the next generation's gene pool. It seems no-one else has thought that Richard Beeching was called Thomas Beeching at all! Dunc|☺ 13:00, 5 August 2005 (UTC)

Yeh, since yesterday, the first "erroneously credited" Thomas Beeching has slipped off the first page of google it seems (was 10th result, today 11th). Check the second page, as i write, 5 of the 10 results seem to be referring to a "sir thomas beeching" who axed the rail network. Anyway a search for "thomas beeching" rail shows that there are only a handful of these, and maybe not a big a problem as i thought. --Benjitz 17:55, 5 August 2005 (UTC)

Well he was always known as 'Dr Beeching' - perhaps you're thinking of Thomas Beecham?

Quite possibly. My mum used to refer to a "Thomas Beecham" who axed the trains and trams. This is before the days of the net, so this could be a common mistake, or i might have misheard her. I guess her and these websites are confusing her with the conductor. --Benjitz 17:55, 5 August 2005 (UTC)

Should there be an article about his "Reshaping the Railways" report, which is a seminal work in the modern history of the British Railways? Dunstan 18:44, 20 February 2006 (UTC)

There is. Its called the 'Beeching Axe' or similar. (And what a total mash up was made of the UK's railways..!!) Marcus22 14:56, 6 July 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Beeching logic

I have always been told that Dr Beeching envisaged feeder buses to local railheads, which would then provide speedy connections to other railheads. The current article suggests instead that the public were to use cars (i find this less likely, considering the level of private car ownership in the 1960s in Britain). Would be interested to hear the input of others on this.

[edit] Assizes and Quarter Sessions

A much greater contribution by Beeching to life as it is lived today was arguably his Chairmanship of the Royal Commission on the organisation of the criminal justice system in England and Wales. Set up after the new Crown Courts were established in Liverpool and Manchester in the mid-Sixties, the task of the Royal Commission was to investigate the system of Assizes and Quarter Sessions which dealt with serious criminal trials. The system was archaic, and not delivering either particularly good justice, or value for money. The recommendations were largely adopted in the early 1970s, as a result the old order was swept away and the current system of Crown Courts was established across the country (Courts Act 1971). Worth a mention in the article surely? Guy 21:16, 20 October 2006 (UTC)

It may be a more important contribution and certainly less controversal, but it's not what he is famous for! 145.253.108.22 09:58, 29 January 2007 (UTC)