HC Deb 04 December 1968 vol 774 c504W
Mr. Ted Fletcher

asked the Minister of Transport in giving his consent to the closure of the Darlington to Richmond railway line, what consideration he gave to the proposal for an investigation into economics resulting from the operation of pay trains, and to operating the line as a single track.

Mr. Carmichael

The Railways Board examined the possibility of singling the track between Eryholme Junction and Richmond and of operating the passenger service with conductor-guards and unstaffed stations. But we are satisfied that the excess of expenditure over revenue after such measures had been taken would still have been too great to justify retention of the service.