March 2023 sees the anniversary of a report that had profound significance on social history and which affected many parts of the United Kingdom. There is every chance that it had an effect close to your school especially if you are in a more rural or coastal area.

The Beeching Report, called The Reshaping of British Railways, saw the light of day on 27 March 1963. For many it was a disaster as it brought about the end of many railway services that had been the lifeline for many communities. The report has often been labelled as notorious and misguided. For many Beeching has been portrayed as a savage butcher and villain depriving communities of a vital link often unnecessarily. Like all things historical though there is much that schools can do to look a little more closely to see whether the generalisation is a fair one...