Nationalise the railways?

[Alf]

Labour have stated that if they get into power they re nationalise the railways. Is this good, should water also be taken back? Any thoughts?

[Gary]

If it reduces some of the scandalous prices could be a good thing. Several of the TOC are already under government control. LNER are the one that comes to mind. Only because I'm on one heading to Peterborough

[Pune]

I think yes, re-nationalise water and railways, hopefully there would/will be investment into the infrastructure and not just paying out dividends to fat cats..clean up our rivers and streams and get the railways running efficiently, we live in hope. I think a look at European state run railways is a good model

[Gary]

Pune European states do own our railways we are paying to maintain
there's a few years old now but https://www.rmt.org.uk/news/rmt-reveals ... ign-owned/

[Vulcanone]

While I'm sure its a good idea, I hope it wouldn't end up like back in the 70s when loads of them would follow the unions and all walkout. Not that they aren't helping by mostly doing the same now....

[Pune]

Pune European states do own our railways we are paying to maintain
there's a few years old now but https://www.rmt.org.uk/news/rmt-reveals ... ign-owned/

Hi Gary, I did know that, so hopefully we won't be paying them dividends if renationalised, not that I know much about it to be honest.

[Ghastly Whisper]

Gas and Electric too.

[Pune]

Gas and Electric too.

Good point..

[atech]

Great idea

As we all know it worked really well in the 60’s & 70’s with half the population working in private industry and paying 50% tax to fund the wages of the other half working in the non profit making public sector. Bring it on and then see all the “I can’t afford its” generation Z squeal when they’ve got their nuts in a vice.

What goes around comes around as they say

[XWP29]

Great idea

As we all know it worked really well in the 60’s & 70’s with half the population working in private industry and paying 50% tax to fund the wages of the other half working in the non profit making public sector. Bring it on and then see all the “I can’t afford its” generation Z squeal when they’ve got their nuts in a vice.

What goes around comes around as they say

Not forgetting: British Rail sandwich anyone?

[atech]

Maybe we could resurrect Jimmy Saville? “We’re getting there”

[XWP29]

Jimmy Saville? No, no, no!

[Sparts99]

Absolutely. My dad worked for BR, not perfect but far better than the shambles we have now. the franchise system just took money out that should've been reinvested and fragmented the operators, we have one of if not the most expensive railways in the world. As said above, we're subsidising European state railways with our taxes because they had the foresight to buy into the franchises.

[Pune]

Absolutely. My dad worked for BR, not perfect but far better than the shambles we have now. the franchise system just took money out that should've been reinvested and fragmented the operators, we have one of if not the most expensive railways in the world. As said above, we're subsidising European state railways with our taxes because they had the foresight to buy into the franchises.

I think you have summed it up much better than I, lets hope it all comes to fruition

[Nighthawke]

Electricity would be complex to unravel. Generation, distribution and supply are all separate. Similar with gas. Renationalising entire industries could be very costly so be careful what you wish for. I spent 40 years in electricity both before and after privatisation and there have been huge changes. The industry is still evolving as business models change, moving it further and further from the "old world".

[slogen51]

But didn't we have the Beeching Axe under Rail Nationalisation - basically to reduce subsidies the Government of the day (Labour) drastically cut back on services specifically local branch lines.

[atech]

Before WWII all railways were privately owned. During the war the railways took a hell of a beating and after the war the private rail company’s didn’t have the where with all to provide the needed capital to carry out the necessary investment in infrastructure, hence nationalisation.

The Beeching report was an effort to cut costs to the tax payer in the form of axing all the “underused” small branch lines, and there then followed decades of under investment by successive governments.

Re privatisation was an attempt to relieve the burden on the taxpayer (as was the car industry, ship building, mining, steel etc none of which ever made a profit and placed a huge demands on the public purse) in order for the private sector to take up the slack, which they clearly haven’t. Anyone who thinks that nationalisation of industries is a good thing should take a look at history, in my opinion the idea is delusional.

Having lived in Holland for many years, I was always impressed with Nederlandse Spoorweg, but if you speak to the Dutch they don’t have a good word to say , constantly complaining about its cost and poor service.

I don’t have the answer, but history shows that nationalisation is not it.

By they way, I am not a trainspotter, but I do know something about 20th century history

[paddyboy]

Imvho, everything you have said is spot on, ‘atech’

[Sparts99]

But didn't we have the Beeching Axe under Rail Nationalisation - basically to reduce subsidies the Government of the day (Labour) drastically cut back on services specifically local branch lines.

The Beeching report was started by MacMillan, a Conservative PM in 1960. "The report starts by quoting the brief provided by the Prime Minister, Harold Macmillan, from 1960."

[ian sayer]

Also, the Minister of Transport at the time was one Ernest Marples who was heavily "involved" with the road transport lobby. His career ended under something of a cloud due to allegations concerning his tax affairs.