Ernest Marples: The Shadow Behind Beeching

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Emerging initially as a relatively dynamic, young thrusting politician in the comparatively placid world of 1950s Conservative politics, today there are more than a few clouds over his character namely the apparent conflict of interest between his pro-car transport reforms and personal business interests, his tax exile and his penchant for being whipped while wearing women's clothes. It’s very much a book by two authors with different styles: the first six chapters cover Marples’ life and career prior to his promotion to Transport Minister in 1959. The Conservatives served a full five-year term before succumbing to what many people thought was an inevitable defeat in October 1964 by a reinvigorated Labour Party, which promised a planned economy harnessing the best that new technology could offer. Following the Conservatives’ defeat at the polls, the Labour-supporting Daily Mirror newspaper published details of Marples’ tax avoidance plans. In criticising Ernest Marples, one has to explore the alternative strategies to those he utilised, and whether they were ever viable in the context of the time.

Perhaps some rail closures were needed, but some observers estimate that 1200 miles of track was unnecessarily pruned from the national network. Within that Appendix, Sections 1-5 dealt with his own recommendations for 'new' service withdrawals and station closures. This new accession shed light on the earlier periods of Marples’ life and even included several artifacts. Some commentators see Marples as part of a conspiracy with construction interests, the road lobby and the oil industry all combining to boost road use.Harold Wilson seemed less than satisfied with his Ministers of Transport – there were four different occupants of the post in six years, in comparison with Ernest Marples’ five-year tenure. If the image is not in the public domain in the United States, in addition to the license tag for its status in the United Kingdom an appropriate fair use license and rationale should be provided, or the image should be proposed for deletion.

Martin Upham is the author of Britain Explained (2017, revised 2020), editor of A Visitor’s Britain (2000) and numerous reference books including Trades Unions of the World (1993). Everyone interested in railways has heard of Dr Richard Beeching, whose 1963 report, ‘The Reshaping of British Railways’, recommended the closure of a significant proportion of the UK’s rail network. Marples Ridgway's subsequent contracts included building power stations in England, the Allt na Lairige dam in Scotland, roads in Ethiopia and (significantly) England, and a port in Jamaica. This first biography of Marples uses newly-available archives to examine public and private transport policy, the growing power of the pro-road lobby and the identification of personal freedom with driving. Later Transport Minister Fred Mulley officially did not have a car, though his wife drove an Austin Maxi.Beeching did not simply deal with closure of lines , he identified the strengths of the railway system, he recommended high speed expresses and block working of freight trains, please read the report and look upon Beeching as a visionary not a hatchet man. Interviewed by Graham Robson in the January 2000 edition of MINI Magazine, he said: ‘A friend told me about this car in 1979. It appeared Britain had backed the wrong horse, the car, and run down its railways for no tangible economic benefit.

It is a sign of Marples perceived success in the role that he served a full five-year parliamentary term as Minister of Transport, under both Harold Macmillan and his successor, Alec Douglas-Home, only leaving the post following the Conservatives’ election defeat in October 1964.

In the 1945 General Election he stood as the Conservative candidate for the constituency of Wallasey, a seat he retained until his resignation from Parliament in 1974.

The Photo paper has a semi-gloss finish, ideally suited to reproductions of photographs, while the Art paper has a matt textured surface that works particularly well for reproductions of drawings, etchings and some paintings.MOTORISTS' FRONT OF JUDEA: Apart from the pneumatic tyre, ball bearings, differential gears, roads, motoring, car ads, and aviation, what have the cyclists ever done for us? Much of the book is devoted to Beeching and transport matters in general, and anyone interested in Britain’s railways will certainly enjoy the book. John Holmes was a neighbour and ‘friend’ of my father’s and I well remember him dropping in and talking about this case. The diaries reported the transport minister's fetish for being whipped while dressed in women's clothing, as described in great detail by one of the prostitutes who had provided these services to Marples, and confirmed at the time by her detailed knowledge of the interior of Marples' home where the events took place. A stalwart of the Norfolk Mini Owners Club for nearly a decade he is an enthusiast for all things Issigonis.