British Railways in the 1960s: Eastern Region

After the Second World War, Britain’s railways were rundown and worn out, requiring massive investment and modernisation. The ‘Big Four’ railway companies were nationalised from 1948 and the newly formed British Railways embarked on a programme of building new ‘Standard’ steam locomotives to replace older types. These started to come on stream from 1951.

This programme was superseded by the 1955 scheme to dieselise and electrify many lines and so the last loco of the ‘Standard’ types was bui...