Williams, Michael Aufrere (2010) 'A more spectacular example of a loss-making branch would be hard to find': A financial history of the Whitby-Loftus line 1871-1958. MA by research thesis, University of York.
Abstract
While a number of historians have identified the problems of Britain's railways in the period from approximately c.1925 onwards as having their roots in the last decades of the nineteenth century, with special emphasis being placed upon the building of unremunerative branch lines, R. J. Irving's 1993 article specifically identified the Whitby-Loftus line as a paradigm: 'A more spectacular example of a loss-making branch would be hard to find'. The dissertation considers this opinion by looking at the construction of the line, its history up to the opening in 1883, and especially its later history in terms of a financial analysis of the line. Underpinned by detailed and mostly hitherto unused primary sources, the dissertation attempts to modify to a certain extent Irving's rather harsh description, although fundamentally agreeing with it. That the line was mainly, but by no means entirely, dependent upon passenger revenue is a factor which may be adduced to T. Leunig's argument in his 2006 article that lines like this provided 'tremendous welfare gains to travellers and society', thus offering a more sophisticated, if more abstract, reason for the line's seventy-five year existence. The dissertation also considers the effect of bus competition in the 1920s and shows how dramatic an effect this competition had on the line and, by implication, many other unremunerative branch lines. A financial analysis of the line's estimated profits for three discrete years, 1910, 1920 and 1933, is undertaken. Although the analysis is fraught with pitfalls and lacunae it indicates that, for a short period in the line's existence it did, perhaps, pay its way. No such detailed history or financial analysis of this line has been hitherto attempted and, given the emphasis that Irving placed upon it,is therefore an important contribution to the railway history of north-eastern England.
Metadata
Supervisors: | Divall, Colin |
---|---|
Keywords: | Railways. North-Eastern England. Whitby. Loftus. Branch lines. |
Awarding institution: | University of York |
Academic Units: | The University of York > History (York) |
Depositing User: | Dr Michael Aufrere Williams |
Date Deposited: | 16 Feb 2011 12:56 |
Last Modified: | 08 Aug 2013 08:45 |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:etheses.whiterose.ac.uk:1220 |
Downloads
1._Title_page
Filename: 1._Title_page.doc
Licence:
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.5 License
2._Abstract
Filename: 2._Abstract.doc
Licence:
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.5 License
3._Contents
Filename: 3._Contents.doc
Licence:
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.5 License
4._List_of_tables_and_illustrations
Filename: 4._List_of_tables_and_illustrations.doc
Licence:
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.5 License
5._Declaration
Filename: 5._Declaration.doc
Licence:
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.5 License
6._Chapter_1_[sources_and_historiography]
Filename: 6._Chapter_1_[sources_and_historiography].doc
Licence:
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.5 License
7._Chapter_2
Filename: 7._Chapter_2.doc
Licence:
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.5 License
8._Chapter_3
Filename: 8._Chapter_3.doc
Licence:
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.5 License
9._Chapter_3_(part_II)
Filename: 9._Chapter_3_(part_II).doc
Licence:
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.5 License
10._Chapter_4
Filename: 10._Chapter_4.doc
Licence:
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.5 License
11._Chapter_5_(Conclusion)
Filename: 11._Chapter_5_(Conclusion).doc
Licence:
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.5 License
12._Appendices
Filename: 12._Appendices.doc
Licence:
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.5 License
13._Abbreviations
Filename: 13._Abbreviations.doc
Licence:
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.5 License
14._Bibliography
Filename: 14._Bibliography.doc
Licence:
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.5 License
Export
Statistics
You do not need to contact us to get a copy of this thesis. Please use the 'Download' link(s) above to get a copy.
You can contact us about this thesis. If you need to make a general enquiry, please see the Contact us page.