BRITISH RAIL EXPLAINED

Brief history of private railways, nationalisation, and privatisation again.

Unlike most European countries, the railways of Britain do not have a long history of nationalisation. Prior to 1923, numerous private railways operated throughout Great Britain. In 1921, an Act of Parliament ordered the numerous railway companies to merge into four larger companies serving Great Britain, effective January 1, 1923. In 1948 the railways of Great Britain were nationalised, forming British Railways.

HISTORIC RAILWAYS SERVING LONDON

Listed by main London station, in order counterclockwise from east.

London Tilbury & Southend Railway
(served London Fenchurch Street Station)
1923-1948: London Midland & Scottish Railway

Great Eastern Railway
(served London Liverpool Street Station)
1923-1948: London & North Eastern Railway

Great Northern Railway
(served London Kings Cross Station)
1923-1948: London & North Eastern Railway

Midland Railway
(served London St. Pancras Station)
1923-1948: London Midland & Scottish Railway

London & North Western Railway
(served London Euston Station)
1923-1948: London Midland & Scottish Railway

Great Central Railway
(served London Marylebone Station)
1923-1948: London & North Eastern Railway

Great Western Railway
(served London Paddington Station)
1923-1948: Great Western Railway

London & South Western Railway
(served London Waterloo Station)
1923-1948: Southern Railway

London Brighton & South Coast Railway
(served London Victoria Station)
1923-1948: Southern Railway

London Chatham & Dover Railway
(served London Victoria Station)
1923-1948: Southern Railway

South Eastern Railway
(served London Charing Cross Station)
1923-1948: Southern Railway

HISTORIC RAILWAYS OUTSIDE LONDON

The major railways serving the major stations beyond London.

Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway
(based in Manchester)
1923-1948: London Midland & Scottish Railway

North Eastern Railway
(based in York)
1923-1948: London & North Eastern Railway

Caledonian Railway
(based in Glasgow)
1923-1948: London Midland & Scottish Railway

Glasgow & South Western Railway
(based in Glasgow)
1923-1948: London Midland & Scottish Railway

North British Railway
(based in Edinburgh)
1923-1948: London & North Eastern Railway

Between 1994 and 1997, British Railways was privatised. Numerous Train Operating Companies (TOC) were established to operate the trains. Some Train Operating Companies actually revived some of the traditional old railway names. With privatisation, the railroad infrastructure was first owned by Railtrack, replaced in 2002 with Network Rail.

Network Rail operates all railroad infrastructure, except for the Channel Tunnel Rail Link (CTRL) extending southeast of London St. Pancras Station to the English Channel Tunnel, which is independently operated.

National Rail
This web site, containing information for the entire railway system in Britain, includes information and links for the current Train Operating Companies (TOC). These companies often change, as franchises to operate the services are not always renewed.