Class 180 multiple unit of First Great Western at speed near Yate, Bristol. Top speed is 200 km/h (125 mph)

The British railway system is the oldest in the world. It consists of almost 10,274 miles (16,536 km) of standard gauge track, of which 3,062 miles (4,928 km) is electrified. A First Great Western Class 180 (Adelante) Multiple Unit at speed near Yate, Bristol, England. ... A First Great Western Class 180 (Adelante) Multiple Unit at speed near Yate, Bristol, England. ... First Great Western is a British train operating company owned by First Group, which operates services principally on the Great Western Main Line. ... Location within the British Isles The coat of arms of Yate Yate (pop. ... A kilometre (American spelling: kilometer) (symbol: km) is a unit of length equal to 1000 metres (from the Greek words khilia = thousand and metro = count/measure). ... As railways developed and expanded one of the key issues to be decided was that of the rail gauge (the distance between the two rails of the track) which should be used. ...

Historical overview

Main article: History of rail transport in Great Britain

Great feats of engineering were performed in its creation. Examples from the Victorian era are the building of the Forth Bridge, 1890, and the replacement of 177 miles (285 km) of broad gauge rail with standard gauge in the weekend of May 21, 1892. Such feats are not all things of the past; recent and current examples are the building of the Channel Tunnel for the link to the Continental railway systems, and the Channel Tunnel Rail Link from London to the tunnel. The Midland Railways London terminus at St Pancras. ... Queen Victoria (shown here on the morning of her Accession to the Throne, 20 June 1837) gave her name to the historic era The Victorian era of Great Britain is considered the height of the British industrial revolution and the apex of the British Empire. ... For the nearby road bridge, see Forth Road Bridge. ... 1890 (MDCCCXC) was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Friday of the Julian calendar). ... Great Western Railway broad gauge steam locomotives awaiting scrapping in 1892 after the conversion to standard gauge. ... As railways developed and expanded one of the key issues to be decided was that of the rail gauge (the distance between the two rails of the track) which should be used. ... May 21 is the 141st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (142nd in leap years). ... 1892 (MDCCCXCII) was a leap year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... The British terminal at Cheriton, from the Pilgrims Way. ... A Eurostar train on the CTRL, near Ashford Model showing the current redevelopment of the Kings Cross area with the Channel Tunnel Rail Link terminal behind the barrel-vaulted St Pancras Station on the left. ...

The system was originally built as a patchwork of local rail links operated by small private railway companies. Over the course of the 19th and early 20th centuries these amalgamated or were bought by competitors until only a handful of larger companies remained (see railway mania). The entire network of was brought under government control during the first World War, and a number of advantages of amalgamation and planning were revealed. However, the government resisted calls for the nationalisation of the network (first proposed by William Gladstone as early the 1830s). Instead, from January 1, 1923 the remaining companies were grouped into the "big four", the Great Western Railway, the London and North Eastern Railway, the London, Midland and Scottish Railway and the Southern Railway companies. These were joint-stock public companies and they continued to run the railway system until December 31, 1947. Alternative meaning: Nineteenth Century (periodical) (18th century — 19th century — 20th century — more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 19th century was that century which lasted from 1801-1900 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar. ... (19th century - 20th century - 21st century - more centuries) Decades: 1900s 1910s 1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s As a means of recording the passage of time, the 20th century was that century which lasted from 1901–2000 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar (1900–1999 in the... Railway mania was the term given to the speculative frenzy in Britain in the 1840s. ... Combatants Allies: Serbia, Russia, France, Romania, Belgium, British Empire, United States, Italy, and others Central Powers: Germany, Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria, Ottoman Empire Casualties Military dead:5 million Civilian dead:3 million Total dead:8 million Military dead:4 million Civilian dead:3 million Total dead:7 million The First World... Nationalization or nationalisation is the act of taking assets into state ownership. ... William Ewart Gladstone (December 29, 1809 - May 19, 1898) was a British Liberal politician and Prime Minister (1868-1874, 1880-1885, 1886 and 1892-1894). ... January 1 is the first day of the calendar year in both the Julian and Gregorian calendars. ... 1923 (MCMXXIII) was a common year starting on Monday (link will take you to calendar). ... The Railways Act of 1921, also known as the Grouping Act, was an enactment by the British government of David Lloyd George intended to stem the losses being made by many of the countrys one hundred and twenty railway companies, move the railways away from internal competition, and to... The original Bristol Temple Meads station, first terminus of the GWR, is the building to the left of this picture The Great Western Railway (GWR) was a British railway company, linking South West England, the West Country and South Wales with London. ... LNER timetable for Autumn 1926 detailing the resumption of services after the General Strike. ... The London, Midland and Scottish Railway (LMS1) was a British railway company. ... The Southern Railway in the United Kingdom was the smallest of the four railway systems created in the Grouping ordered by the Railways Act 1921. ... December 31 is the 365th day of the year (366th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1947 (MCMXLVII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (the link is to a full 1947 calendar). ...

The growth in road transport during the 1920s and 1930s greatly reduced revenue for the rail companies. Rail companies accused the government of favouring road haulage through the subsidised construction of roads. The railways entered a slow decline owing to a lack of investment and changes in transport policy and lifestyles. During the second World War the companies' managements joined together, effectively forming one company. A maintenance backlog developed during the war, and the private sector only had two years to deal with this after the war ended. After 1945, for both practical and ideological reasons, the government decided to bring the rail service into the public sector. The 1920s was a decade sometimes referred to as the Jazz Age or the Roaring Twenties, usually applied to America. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Combatants Allies: Poland, British Commonwealth, France/Free France, Soviet Union, United States, China, and others Axis Powers: Germany, Italy, Japan, and others Casualties Military dead: 17 million Civilian dead: 33 million Total dead: 50 million Military dead: 8 million Civilian dead: 4 million Total dead: 12 million World War II... 1945 (MCMXLV) was a common year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1945 calendar). ... < [[[[math>Insert formula here</math>The public sector is that part of economic and administrative life that deals with the delivery of goods and services by and for the [[government </math></math></math></math> Direct administration funded through taxation; the delivering organisation generally has no specific requirement to meet commercial...

From the start of 1948, the "big four" were nationalised to form British Railways (latterly "British Rail") under the control of the British Transport Commission. Although BR was a single entity, it was divided into six (later five) regional authorities in accordance with the existing areas of operation. Though there were few initial changes to the service, usage increased and the network became profitable. Regeneration of track and stations was completed by 1954. In the same year, changes to the British Transport Commission, including the privatisation of road haulage, ended the coordination of transport in the UK. Rail revenue fell and in 1955 the network again ceased to be profitable. The mid-1950s saw the rapid introduction of diesel and electric rolling stock, but the expected transfer back from road to rail did not occur and losses began to mount. Nationalization or nationalisation is the act of taking assets into state ownership. ... British Railways (BR), later rebranded as British Rail, ran the British railway system, from the nationalisation of the Big Four British railway companies in 1948 until its privatisation in stages between 1994 and 1997. ... The British Transport Commission was created by Clement Attlees post-war Labour government as a part of its nationalisation programme, to oversee railways, canals and road freight transport in the UK. Its first chairman was Lord Hurcomb. ... // Events and trends This map shows two essential global spheres during the Cold War in 1959. ...

The desire for profitability led to a major reduction in the network during the mid-1960s after the Stedeford Committee, chaired by Sir Ivan Stedeford (Chairman & CEO, Tube Investments), reviewed the railway network. The committee was deeply split with Sir Ivan Stedeford favouring a consensual approach with a view to the longer-term outcome; but in the end a member of the Stedeford Committee, ICI manger Dr. Richard Beeching, was given the task by the government of re-organizing the railways ("the Beeching Axe"). As Sir Ivan had foreseen, this policy resulted in many branch lines, particularly in rural areas, being closed because they were deemed uneconomic. The closure of stations serving rural communities removed much feeder traffic from main line passenger services. The closure of many freight depots that had been used by larger industries such as coal and iron led to much freight transferring to road haulage. The closures were extremely unpopular with the general public at that time, and remain so today. The 1960s decade refers to the years from 1960 to 1969, inclusive. ... Ivan Stedeford Ivan Arthur Rice Stedeford (28 January 1897 – 9 February 1975) was a British industrialist and philanthropist. ... Ivan Stedeford Ivan Arthur Rice Stedeford (28 January 1897 – 9 February 1975) was a British industrialist and philanthropist. ... Richard Beeching Richard Beeching, Baron Beeching (21 April 1913 - 23 March 1985) (more commonly known as Dr Beeching), was a British physicist and engineer, and chairman of British Railways. ... Many railway lines were closed as a result of the Beeching Axe The Beeching Axe was an informal name for the British Governments attempt in the 1960s to control the spiralling cost of running the British railway system by closing what it considered to be little-used and unprofitable... Coal is a fossil fuel extracted from the ground by underground mining or open-pit mining (surface mining). ... General Name, Symbol, Number iron, Fe, 26 Chemical series transition metals Group, Period, Block 8, 4, d Appearance lustrous metallic with a grayish tinge Atomic mass 55. ...

Passenger services experienced a renaissance with the introduction of high-speed inter-city trains in the 1970s. Passenger levels have fluctuated since this time, increasing during periods of economic growth and falling during recessions. The 1980s saw severe cuts in government funding and above-inflation increases in fares, and the service became more cost-effective. In the early 1990s the five geographical Regions were replaced by a Sector organisation, where passenger services were organised into Inter City, Network SouthEast, and Other Provincial Services sectors. This new organisation showed promise of being a more efficient organisation of the railways, but within a couple of years of its implementation the structure was fragmented by the privatisation process. The 1970s decade refers to the years from 1970 to 1979, inclusive. ... MacGyver is one of the symbols of 1980s The 1980s decade refers to the years from 1980 to 1989, inclusive. ... The 1990s decade refers to the years from 1990 to 1999, inclusive. ... Privatization (sometimes privatisation, denationalization, or — especially in India — disinvestment) is the process of transferring property, from public ownership to private ownership. ...

Railway operations were privatised during 1994-1997. Ownership of the track and infrastructure passed to Railtrack, whilst passenger operations were franchised to individual private sector operators (originally there were 25 franchises) and the freight services sold outright (six companies were set up, but five of these were sold to the same buyer). The government claimed that privatisation would see an improvement in passenger services: this outcome has not yet been realised, although passenger levels have increased to above level they had been at in the late-1980s. A series of major rail accidents after privatisation — at Southall, Ladbroke Grove, Hatfield, and Potters Bar — caused widespread loss of confidence in the safety of rail travel. The privatisation of British Rail was the result of the Railways Act 1993 introduced by John Majors Conservative government. ... 1994 (MCMXCIV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International year of the Family. ... 1997 (MCMXCVII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Railtrack was a group of companies which owned the tracks, signals, tunnels, bridges, level crossings and some stations of the British railway system from its formation in April 1994 until 2002. ... The Southall rail crash occurred on September 19, 1997, on the Great Western Railway line at Southall, west London. ... The Ladbroke Grove rail crash (also known as the Paddington train crash) was a British rail accident on October 5, 1999 in which thirty-one people died. ... The Hatfield rail crash was a railway accident that occurred on 17 October 2000, at Hatfield, Hertfordshire, UK. A Great North Eastern Railway Intercity train bound for Leeds had left London Kings Cross at 1210 local time. ... The Potters Bar rail crash occurred on May 10, 2002 at Potters Bar, in Hertfordshire just north of Greater London, when a northbound train derailed at high speed, killing seven and seriously injuring another eleven. ...

After the Hatfield crash, speed limits were drastically reduced throughout Britain and train travel was seriously disrupted for months. Railtrack came close to bankruptcy due to the enormous cost of additional safety measures and was effectively re-nationalised when ownership of the railway system was transferred to the newly-created "not for profit" company limited by guarantee, Network Rail on October 3, 2002. Most of the private rail companies are heavily subsidised but much of the investment has not gone into regeneration or modernisation. However, the government has resisted public pressure to return the network to the public sector. Notice of closure stuck on the door of a computer store the day after its parent company, Granville Technology Group Ltd, declared bankruptcy (strictly, administration - see text) in the UK. Bankruptcy is a legally declared inability or impairment of ability of an individual or organization to pay their creditors. ... Network Rails logo Network Rail is a British not for dividend company limited by guarantee that owns the fixed assets of that part of the British railway system that formerly belonged to British Rail, the now-defunct UK state-owned railway operator. ... October 3 is the 276th day of the year (277th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... For the Cusco album, see 2002 (album). ... < [[[[math>Insert formula here</math>The public sector is that part of economic and administrative life that deals with the delivery of goods and services by and for the [[government </math></math></math></math> Direct administration funded through taxation; the delivering organisation generally has no specific requirement to meet commercial...

However, many of the recent events, including the creation of Network Rail, the re-integration of infrastructure maintenance with operations, and the ongoing consolidation of franchises has led many journalists and industry spectators to suggest that the Government is effectively "renationalising by stealth", and returning to the fully integrated model of British Rail. This theory will surely intensify should the administration elect to integrate the duties of the now abolished Strategic Rail Authority with Network Rail. Categories: Stub ...

Geography & infrastructure

A Virgin Trains Pendolino and freight train pass each other on the West Coast Main Line in Warwickshire

Great Britain is an island roughly triangular with an acute apex. The capital, London, is in the south-east. Main railway lines radiate from London in many directions; the major lines are discussed elsewhere (see linkbox, below). Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1100x622, 268 KB)A Virgin Trains Pendolino and an EWS freight train pass each other on the West Coast Main Line near Shilton in Warwickshire, England. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1100x622, 268 KB)A Virgin Trains Pendolino and an EWS freight train pass each other on the West Coast Main Line near Shilton in Warwickshire, England. ... Virgin Trains is a train operating company in the United Kingdom. ... Pendolino ( small pendulum in Italian) is a tilting train used in Italy, Portugal, Slovenia, Finland, the Czech Republic and the United Kingdom. ... The WCML running alogside the M1 motorway in Northamptonshire The West Coast Main Line (WCML) is one of the most important intercity railway lines in the United Kingdom, part of the British railway system. ... Warwickshire (pronounced either /ˈwɔːɹɪkˌʃə/ or /ˈwɔːɹɪkˌʃɪə/) is a landlocked non-metropolitan county in central England. ... This article is about the British city. ...

At the end of September 2003 the first part of the Channel Tunnel Rail Link, a high speed link to the Channel Tunnel and on to France and Belgium, was completed, significantly adding to the rail infrastructure of the country. The rest of the link, from north Kent to St Pancras railway station in London, is planned to open in 2007. A major programme of remedial work on the West Coast Main Line is ongoing, but this has gone way over budget (£10bn), is running 4 years late and will still not bring the line up to the standards originally promised by Railtrack. A Eurostar train on the CTRL, near Ashford Model showing the current redevelopment of the Kings Cross area with the Channel Tunnel Rail Link terminal behind the barrel-vaulted St Pancras Station on the left. ... The British terminal at Cheriton, from the Pilgrims Way. ... St Pancras station is a railway station in north central London, United Kingdom, between the new British Library building to its west and Kings Cross station to the east. ... The WCML running alogside the M1 motorway in Northamptonshire The West Coast Main Line (WCML) is one of the most important intercity railway lines in the United Kingdom, part of the British railway system. ...

// High-speed main line See also: Template:British main lines Channel Tunnel Rail Link Classic main lines See also: Template:British main lines Cross-Country Route East Coast Main Line Great Eastern Main Line Great Western Main Line Midland Main Line West Coast Main Line Railway lines in England London...

Passenger services

Passenger train services in the UK are, in the main, structured on the basis of regional franchises awarded by the Department for Transport (DfT) to Train Operating Companies. There were initially 25 such franchises, but the number of different operating companies is smaller as some firms, including FirstGroup, National Express and Stagecoach, have more than one franchise. In addition some franchises have since been combined. There are a number of local or specialised rail services operated on an 'open access' basis outside the franchise arrangements. Examples include the Heathrow Express and Hull Trains. In the United Kingdom, the Department for Transport is the government department responsible for the transport network. ... Since the privatisation of British Rail, trains on the British railway system are operated by several companies, mainly on the basis of a regional franchises let by the Strategic Rail Authority. ... Heathrow Express is a train service from Heathrow Airport to Paddington in central London operated by the Heathrow Express Operating Authority - a wholly-owned subsidiary of BAA. The service is not part of the National Rail system, despite part of its journey sharing track with National Rail trains and terminating... Hull Trains is a train operating company in the United Kingdom, running up to six long distance services each day between London Kings Cross and Hull, calling at Grantham, Retford, Doncaster, Selby, Howden and Brough. ...

In the 2002–3 operating year, franchised services provided 976 million journeys totalling 39.7 billion passenger kilometres of travel, which was an increase over 1986–7 of 32% in journeys (from 738 million) and 29% in passenger kilometres (from 30.8 billion). On the other hand, taking a longer term view the number of journeys in 2002–3 was lower than for the 1950–60 period; the passenger kilometres figure, after being a flat from 1965–1995, surpassed the 1947 figure for the first time in 1998, and continues to rise steeply.

The key index used to assess passenger train performance is the Public Performance Measure which combines figures for punctuality and reliability. Performance against this metric has been especially poor since mid-2000. From a base of 90% of trains arriving on time in 1998, the measure dipped to 75% in mid 2001, and by the end of the 2002–3 period, had recovered to only 80%.

The real increase in rail fares after accounting for inflation over the 1995–2004 period was 4.7%.

Average rolling stock age — thought to be an indicator of passenger comfort — fell slightly from the third quarter of 2001–2 to the third quarter of 2003–4, from 20.7 years old to 19.3 years old.

See List of UK Train Operating Companies Since the privatisation of British Rail, trains on the British railway system are operated by several companies, mainly on the basis of a regional franchises let by the Strategic Rail Authority. ...

Freight services

There are four main freight operating companies, the largest of which is English, Welsh and Scottish Railway (EWS). There are also several smaller independent operators including Mendip Rail. Types of freight carried include intermodal — in essence containerised freight — and coal, metals, oil, and construction material. Freight services have been in steady decline since the 1950s, although the Department for Transport's Transport Ten Year Plan calls for an 80% increase in rail freight measured from a 2000–1 base. See also Rail transport in Great Britain History of rail transport in Great Britain External links EWS website Categories: Rail stubs | British railway companies | TLAs ... Mendip Rail is an independent freight operating railway company in the Great Britain. ... An intermodal train carrying both shipping containers and highway semi-trailers in piggyback service, on flatcars, passes through the Cajon Pass in February, 1995. ... // Events and trends This map shows two essential global spheres during the Cold War in 1959. ... In the United Kingdom, the Department for Transport is the government department responsible for the transport network. ...

Statistics on freight are specified in terms of the weight of freight lifted, and the net tonne kilometre, being freight weight multiplied by distance carried. 87 million tonnes of freight was lifted in the 2002–3 period, against 138 million tonnes in 1986–7, a decrease of 37%. 18.7 billion net tonne kilometres of freight movement were recorded in 2002–3, against 16.6 billion in 1986–7, an increase of 13%.

A symbolic loss to the UK rail freight industry was the custom of the Royal Mail, which from 2004 discontinued use of its 49-train fleet, and switching to road haulage after a near 170-year-preference for trains. Mail trains had long been part of the tradition of the UK railways, not least because of the film Night Mail, for which W. H. Auden wrote the poem of the same name. Royal Mails logo Royal Mail is the national postal service of the United Kingdom. ... British Rail TPO vehicle NSA 80390 on display at Doncaster Works open day on 27th July 2003. ... This article needs cleanup. ... Christopher Isherwood (left) and W.H. Auden (right), photographed by Carl Van Vechten, 1939 Wystan Hugh Auden (February 21, 1907 – September 29, 1973) was an English poet, often cited as one of the most influential of the 20th century. ...

Class 180 multiple unit of First Great Western at speed near Yate, Bristol. ... Class 37/0 no. ... English, Welsh and Scottish Railway (EWS) is the largest British rail freight company. ... Fastline is a railway freight operator. ... Class 47, no. ... Class 66 66713 Forest City on display at Crewe Works open day on 1 June 2003. ... Mendip Rail is an independent freight operating railway company in the Great Britain. ...

Leasing services

Fragonset Railways class 47 railway locomotive, Virginia Water railway station, April 2004

At the time of privatisation the rolling stock of British Rail was sold either directly to the new operators, as in the case of the freight companies, or to the three ROSCOs (ROlling Stock COmpanies) that lease or hire stock to passenger and freight operators. Leasing is relatively commonplace in transport, since it enables operating companies to avoid the complication associated with raising sufficient capital to purchase assets; instead, assets are leased and paid for from ongoing revenue. Since 1994 there has been a growth in smaller spot-hire companies that provide rolling stock on short-term contracts. Many of these have grown thanks to the major selling-off of locomotives by the large freight operators, especially EWS. Class 47 railway locomotive - Fragonset Black livery - Victoria Water railway station - 280404. ... Class 47 railway locomotive - Fragonset Black livery - Victoria Water railway station - 280404. ... Logo of British Rail British Railways (BR), later rebranded as British Rail, ran the British railway system from the nationalisation of the Big Four British railway companies in 1948 until its privatisation in stages between 1994 and 1997. ...

Leasing Companies (ROSCO)

• Angel Trains, owned by the Royal Bank of Scotland, and which claims to be the biggest rolling stock company in Britain, with some 5,000 assets.
• HSBC Rail a lessor of domestic passenger rolling stock, owned by HSBC.
• Porterbrook, owned by the Abbey National Group, which leases some 3,500 locomotives, trains and freight wagons.

Angel Trains is one of the three major ROSCOs (ROlling Stock COmpany) in the United Kingdom. ... The Royal Bank of Scotland (LSE: RBS) is one of Scotlands four national clearing banks and one of the oldest in the UK, founded in Edinburgh in 1727 by Royal Charter. ... HSBC Rail is one of the three major ROSCOs (Rolling Stock Companies) in the United Kingdom. ... For other uses, see HSBC (disambiguation). ... Porterbrook Leasing Company is one of the three major lessors of railway locomotives, multiple units and coaching stock in the UK. It was formed in 1994 by Abbey National on the privatisation of British Rail. ... Abbey National plc is the UKs sixth biggest bank, and Europes second largest mortgage lender, after Halifax. ... Class 180 multiple unit of First Great Western at speed near Yate, Bristol. ... Angel Trains is one of the three major ROSCOs (ROlling Stock COmpany) in the United Kingdom. ... HSBC Rail is one of the three major ROSCOs (Rolling Stock Companies) in the United Kingdom. ... Porterbrook Leasing Company is one of the three major lessors of railway locomotives, multiple units and coaching stock in the UK. It was formed in 1994 by Abbey National on the privatisation of British Rail. ...

Spot-Hire Companies

• Cotswold Rail, a spot-hire company with a stock of Class 08 shunting locomotives, and Class 47 locomotives. This company works closely with Anglia Railways.website
• FM Rail (formerly Fragonset Railways), a spot-hire company with a stock of Class 08 shunting locomotives, and Class 31, Class 33, Class 45, Class 47, Class 56, Class 73 and Class 86 main line locomotives. website
• GL Railease owned by GATX Capital, and Lombard, a subsidiary of the Royal Bank of Scotland.
• Harry Needle Railroad Company Ltd, an industrial and main line locomotive hire and overhaul company. Operates Class 08 shunting locomotives, and Class 37 locomotives. website
• Riviera Trains, a spot-hire company with a fleet of Class 47 locomotives.
• RT Rail, a small hire company with a stock of Class 08 shunting locomotives.
• West Coast Railway Company, a spot-hire and railtour-operator with a stock of Class 37 and Class 47 locomotives, as well as the prototype passenger Class 57 locomotive.

Class 47, no. ... 08 910 at Carlisle, 1975. ... thank god for class 57s that took the bodies of 47s - NO MORE 47 FREAKS!!! POGO, LIVES IN YORK REAL NAME - PAUL ILLINGSWORTH GED THE TRAMP, BIRMINGHAM REAL NAME - GERALD IZAAC HAPPLE ADDRESS - 378 GILLIOTT ROAD, EDGBASTON, BIRMINGHAM PHONE NO - 0121 454 4679 (PLEASE CONTACT ABOVE FOR GEN... Anglia Railways was a British Train Operating Company, owned by GB Railways, which between January 1997 and March 2004 operated mainline trains out of London Liverpool Street station and a number of local rail services in East Anglia. ... Class 31, no. ... 08 910 at Carlisle, 1975. ... Class 31, no. ... D6547 in original green livery without yellow warning panels, 1963. ... The British Rail Class 45 diesel locomotives were built by British Rail Derby and Crewe Works from 1960 to 1962. ... thank god for class 57s that took the bodies of 47s - NO MORE 47 FREAKS!!! POGO, LIVES IN YORK REAL NAME - PAUL ILLINGSWORTH GED THE TRAMP, BIRMINGHAM REAL NAME - GERALD IZAAC HAPPLE ADDRESS - 378 GILLIOTT ROAD, EDGBASTON, BIRMINGHAM PHONE NO - 0121 454 4679 (PLEASE CONTACT ABOVE FOR GEN... Electroputere-built 56006 at Doncaster in 2003 painted in rail blue livery Preserved 56003 in Load-Haul livery. ... Class 73, no. ... Class 86/6, nos. ... The Harry Needle Railroad Company (HNRC) is a railway spot-hire company, based at Barrow Hill Engine Shed in Derbyshire. ... 08 910 at Carlisle, 1975. ... D6712 at Liverpool Street, 1963 in BR green with yellow warning panels. ... Riviera Trains is a railway spot-hire company, based at Crewe in Cheshire. ... thank god for class 57s that took the bodies of 47s - NO MORE 47 FREAKS!!! POGO, LIVES IN YORK REAL NAME - PAUL ILLINGSWORTH GED THE TRAMP, BIRMINGHAM REAL NAME - GERALD IZAAC HAPPLE ADDRESS - 378 GILLIOTT ROAD, EDGBASTON, BIRMINGHAM PHONE NO - 0121 454 4679 (PLEASE CONTACT ABOVE FOR GEN... RT Rail is a small railway spot-hire company, that specialises in British Rail Class 08 shunting locomotives. ... 08 910 at Carlisle, 1975. ... West Coast Railway Company (WCRC) is a railway spot-hire company and charter train operator, based at Carnforth in Lancashire. ... D6712 at Liverpool Street, 1963 in BR green with yellow warning panels. ... thank god for class 57s that took the bodies of 47s - NO MORE 47 FREAKS!!! POGO, LIVES IN YORK REAL NAME - PAUL ILLINGSWORTH GED THE TRAMP, BIRMINGHAM REAL NAME - GERALD IZAAC HAPPLE ADDRESS - 378 GILLIOTT ROAD, EDGBASTON, BIRMINGHAM PHONE NO - 0121 454 4679 (PLEASE CONTACT ABOVE FOR GEN... Class 57, no. ...

Class 180 multiple unit of First Great Western at speed near Yate, Bristol. ... Class 47, no. ... Class 31, no. ... The Harry Needle Railroad Company (HNRC) is a railway spot-hire company, based at Barrow Hill Engine Shed in Derbyshire. ... Ian Riley Engineering is a railway enigneering and spot-hire company, based in Bury, Greater Manchester. ... Riviera Trains is a railway spot-hire company, based at Crewe in Cheshire. ... RT Rail is a small railway spot-hire company, that specialises in British Rail Class 08 shunting locomotives. ... West Coast Railway Company (WCRC) is a railway spot-hire company and charter train operator, based at Carnforth in Lancashire. ...

Statutory framework

UK railways are run at arm's length from the government, through two government organisations, both of which have statutory powers under various Acts of Parliament (such as the Railways Act 1993, the Competition Act 1998 and the Transport Act 2000), and both of which receive Directions and Guidance from the Secretaries of State for Transport.

The two organisations share the same purpose, but have different jurisdictions; the two entered into a concordat in February 2002 to clarify demarcation and communications issues.

The Strategic Rail Authority is the statutory strategic planning and coordinating body for the rail industry, and the guardian of passenger and freight interests. It determines strategy for passenger and freight train services, let and manages franchises to operators, and enforces consumer protection franchise licence conditions. Following the 2004 Rail Review, the SRA is to be wound up and its responsibilities transferred to the Government and Network Rail. Categories: Stub ... Network Rails logo Network Rail is a British not for dividend company limited by guarantee that owns the fixed assets of that part of the British railway system that formerly belonged to British Rail, the now-defunct UK state-owned railway operator. ...

The Office of Rail Regulation has as its principal functions to regulate Network Rail's stewardship of the national rail network infrastructure, and to hold train operating companies accountable to the terms of their operating licence. It replaced the Office of the Rail Regulator in 2004. The Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) is the UK governments agency for regulation of the countrys railway network. ...

In addition, safety in the railway industry is regulated and enforced by the Health and Safety Executive, and the National Audit Office provides audit reports on Network Rail to the House of Commons. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE), reporting to the Health and Safety Commission, is the British government body responsible for the regulation of risks to health and safety in the UK. It was created as a result of the Health and Safety at Work, etc, Act 1974, and has since... Please wikify (format) this article as suggested in the Guide to layout and the Manual of Style. ... British House of Commons Canadian House of Commons In some bicameral parliaments of a Westminster System, the House of Commons has historically been the name of the elected lower house. ...

See also: Structure of the rail industry in the United Kingdom. UK railways are run at arms-length from the government, through two government organisations, both of which have statutory powers under various Acts of Parliament (such as the Railways Act 1993, the Competition Act 1998 and the Transport Act 2000), and both of which receive Directions and Guidance from the...

Local metro systems

A number of towns and cities have metro systems: Metro is: a general term, synonymous with rapid transit, subway or underground, for an urban underground rail public transit system (see list of rapid transit systems); any of several specific public transport systems, including: Bi-State Development Agency in Missouri and Illinois, d/b/a Metro since 2003 Buffalo Metro...

Rail transport refers to the land transport of passengers and goods along railways or railroads. ... Metro is: a general term, synonymous with rapid transit, subway or underground, for an urban underground rail public transit system (see list of rapid transit systems); any of several specific public transport systems, including: Bi-State Development Agency in Missouri and Illinois, d/b/a Metro since 2003 Buffalo Metro... The Docklands Light Railway (DLR) is a light-rail public transport metro for the redeveloped Docklands area of eastern London, England. ... A train arrives at West Street station. ... The Tube redirects here. ... The Tyne and Wear Metro is a light rail metro system based around Newcastle upon Tyne and Sunderland, in the Tyne and Wear county of north-east England. ... A Philadelphia PCC trolley car in 1965 Volkswagen Cargo-Tram in Dresden on a section of grassed track. ... The Blackpool tramway is the only surviving first-generation tramway in Britain, dating back to 1885. ... A Metrolink Tram in Manchester city centre. ... A Midland Metro tram The Midland Metro is a light-rail tram system in the West Midlands of England. ... A tram in downtown Nottingham. ... The Sheffield Supertram is a tram network in Sheffield, England. ... Tramlink (initially known as Croydon Tramlink) is a public transport tramway in south London, operated by FirstGroup on behalf of Transport for London. ...

UK railway stations

Most UK railway stations date from the Victorian era and are located on the edge of town centres. Major stations are generally in large cities, with a particular concentration in London, but some important railway junction stations lie in smaller cities, for example Crewe station and Carlisle station. Other places expanded into towns and cities because of the railway network, Swindon for example was little more than a village prior to the Great Western Railway siting their locomotive works there. Passengers bustle around the typical grand edifice of Londons Broad Street Station in 1865. ... Queen Victoria (shown here on the morning of her Accession to the Throne, 20 June 1837) gave her name to the historic era The Victorian era of Great Britain is considered the height of the British industrial revolution and the apex of the British Empire. ... The town centre (center) is usually the commercial or geographical centre of a town. ... This article is about the British city. ... Crewe station is one of the most historic railway stations in the world. ... Carlisles Citadel railway station Carlisle railway station, also known as the Citadel station, serves the Cumbrian city of Carlisle. ... Swindon is a large town located in the South West of England, in the county of Wiltshire. ... The original Bristol Temple Meads station, first terminus of the GWR, is the building to the left of this picture The Great Western Railway (GWR) was a British railway company, linking South West England, the West Country and South Wales with London. ...

Railway Industry

Statutory authorities

• Health and Safety Executive — Website
• Office of Rail Regulation — Website
• Department for Transport Rail Group — Website
• UK Notified Bodies — Website

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE), reporting to the Health and Safety Commission, is the British government body responsible for the regulation of risks to health and safety in the UK. It was created as a result of the Health and Safety at Work, etc, Act 1974, and has since... The Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) is the UK governments agency for regulation of the countrys railway network. ... In the United Kingdom, the Department for Transport is the government department responsible for the transport network. ... UK Notified Bodies (UK NoBos) are UK bodies authorised to assess the compatibility of works or equipment with Technical Specifications for Interoperability (TSI) as part of the system to effectively and safely allow the interoperability of railway services within the European Union. ...

Network rail & signalling operations

• Railtrack (1996–2002)
• Network Rail (2002—) — Website — (A "not for profit" company limited by guarantee)

Railtrack was a group of companies which owned the tracks, signals, tunnels, bridges, level crossings and some stations of the British railway system from its formation in April 1994 until 2002. ... 1996 (MCMXCVI) was a leap year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year for the Eradication of Poverty. ... For the Cusco album, see 2002 (album). ... Network Rails logo Network Rail is a British not for dividend company limited by guarantee that owns the fixed assets of that part of the British railway system that formerly belonged to British Rail, the now-defunct UK state-owned railway operator. ... For the Cusco album, see 2002 (album). ...

Other national entities

• Association of Train Operating Companies — ATOC — Website
• Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen — ASLEF — Website
• Institution of Railway Operators — Website
• National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers — RMT — Website
• Rail Freight Group — Website
• Rail Passengers Council and Committees — Website
• Rail Safety and Standards Board — RSSB — Website
• The Railway Forum — Website
• Railway Mission — Website
• Railway Study Association — Website
• Transport Salaried Staffs' Association — TSSA — Website

External links Association of Train Operating Companies website UK Railcards National Rail Enquiries Categories: Rail stubs | Industry trade groups | Rail transport in Great Britain | Business and employer associations of the United Kingdom ... The Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen (ASLEF) is a British trade union. ... The National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) is a trade union in the United Kingdom which unionises transport workers. ... The Transport Salaried Staffs Association (TSSA) is a Trade Union for white collar workers in the transport industry in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland. ...

Regional entities

See Passenger Transport Executive In the United Kingdom, Passenger Transport Executives (PTEs) are local government bodies which are responsible for public transport within large urban areas. ...

• Centro (West Midlands Passenger Transport Executive) — Website
• GMPTE (Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive) — Website
• Merseytravel (Merseyside Passenger Transport Executive) — Website
• Metro (West Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive) — Website
• Nexus (Tyne and Wear Passenger Transport Executive) — Website
• SYPTE (South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive) — Website
• Strathclyde Passenger Transport — Website
• Transport for London — TfL — Website

See List of companies operating trains in the United Kingdom. The West Midlands Passenger Transport Executive (WMPTE), better known as Centro, is the Passenger Transport Executive responsible for promoting and co-ordinating public transport services throughout the West Midlands county in England. ... The Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive (GMPTE) is the public body (Passenger Transport Executive) responsible for co-ordinating public transport services thoughout Greater Manchester in England. ... The Merseyside Passenger Transport Executive (MPTE, or Merseytravel, as it is more commonly known) is the Passenger Transport Executive responsible for the coordination of public transport on Merseyside. ... The West Yorkshire Passenger Traffic Executive (WYPTE) is the executive arm of the West Yorkshire Passenger Traffic Authority (PTA). ... The Tyne and Wear Passenger Transport Executive (TWPTE), trading as Nexus, is the organisation responsible for the Tyne and Wear County public transport system. ... The South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive is the Passenger Transport Executive for South Yorkshire in northern England. ... A Class 156 train in SPT livery at Glasgow Central Station The Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT) is a public body which is responsible for planning and co-ordinating regional transport, and especially the public transport system, in the Strathclyde area of western Scotland. ... Transport for London (TfL) is a government body responsible for the transport system in the City of London, the capital city of the United Kingdom. ... Due to historical differences the railway network of the United Kingdom is split into two independent systems: one on the island of Great Britain and one in Northern Ireland, which is closely linked to the railway system of the Republic of Ireland. ...

Freight railway companies

• English Welsh and Scottish Railway — EWS — Website
• Freightliner — Website
• Direct Rail Services — Website
• GB Railfreight — Website

See also Rail transport in Great Britain History of rail transport in Great Britain External links EWS website Categories: Rail stubs | British railway companies | TLAs ... There are two entries concerning Freightliner For the Freightliner Truck Company, please see Freightliner (truck) For the United Kingdom Rail Company, please see Freightliner_(UK) This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... Class 37/0 no. ... Class 66 66713 Forest City on display at Crewe Works open day on 1 June 2003. ...

Open access operators and other non-franchised passenger operators

• Eurostar — Website
• Heathrow Express — Website
• Hull Trains — Website
• Northern Ireland Railways — Website
• Venice Simplon Orient Express (VSOE)

Eurostar, see Eurostar Italia. ... Heathrow Express is a train service from Heathrow Airport to Paddington in central London operated by the Heathrow Express Operating Authority - a wholly-owned subsidiary of BAA. The service is not part of the National Rail system, despite part of its journey sharing track with National Rail trains and terminating... Hull Trains is a train operating company in the United Kingdom, running up to six long distance services each day between London Kings Cross and Hull, calling at Grantham, Retford, Doncaster, Selby, Howden and Brough. ... Northern Ireland Railways (NIR or NI Railways), formerly and briefly referred to as Ulster Transport Railways (UTR) is the railway operator responsible for running the railway network in Northern Ireland. ... Poster advertising the Orient Express Orient Express is the name of a long-distance passenger train originally operated by the Compagnie Internationale des Wagons-Lits. ...

Early railway companies (1820s–1840s)

• • This is only the earliest of the main line openings: for a more comprehensive list of the hundreds of early railways see List of early British railway companies
• Canterbury and Whitstable Railway
• Birmingham and Derby Junction Railway (BDJR)
• Grand Junction Railway (GJR)
• Liverpool and Manchester Railway (LMR)
• London and Birmingham Railway (L&BR)
• London and Greenwich Railway
• North Midland Railway (NMR)
• Midland Counties Railway (MCR)
• Stockton and Darlington Railway (S&D)
• Taff Vale Railway (TVR)

The following list sets out to show all the railway companies set up by Acts of Parliament in the 19th century until the late 1850s. ... The London and Greenwich Railway (LGR), together with the Canterbury and Whitstable Railway (CWR) in East Kent were the earliest railways to serve the then county of Kent: eventually both became parts of the South Eastern Railway (SER). ... The Birmingham and Derby Junction Railway was a British railway company. ... The Grand Junction Railway (GJR) was an early railway company in the United Kingdom which existed between 1833 and 1846. ... The Liverpool and Manchester Railway (LMR) was the worlds first intercity passenger railway operated solely by steam locomotives. ... The London and Birmingham Railway (L&BR) was an early railway company in the United Kingdom, which existed between 1833 and 1846 when it becam a constituent part of the London and North Western Railway. ... The London and Greenwich Railway (LGR), together with the Canterbury and Whitstable Railway (CWR) in East Kent were the earliest railways to serve the then county of Kent: eventually both became parts of the South Eastern Railway (SER). ... The North Midland Railway was a British railway company, opened in 1840, from Derby to Rotherham (Masborough) and Leeds. ... The Midland Counties Railway (MCR) was an early railway company in the United Kingdom which existed between 1832 and 1844, connecting Nottingham, Leicester and Derby with Rugby and thence to London. ... The Stockton and Darlington railway (S&DR), which opened in 1825, was the first railway to use steam locomotives and carry passengers. ... The Taff Vale Railway (TVR) is a railway in Glamorgan, South Wales, and is one of the oldest in Wales. ...

Grouping (1923–1947)

Under the Railways Act 1921 the majority of the railway companies in Great Britain (and few in Northern Ireland) were grouped into four main companies, often termed the Big Four: the grouping took effect from 1 January 1923. The Big Four were: The Railways Act of 1921, also known as the Grouping Act, was an enactment by the British government of David Lloyd George intended to stem the losses being made by many of the countrys one hundred and twenty railway companies, move the railways away from internal competition, and to... January 1 is the first day of the calendar year in both the Julian and Gregorian calendars. ... 1923 (MCMXXIII) was a common year starting on Monday (link will take you to calendar). ...

• Great Western Railway (GWR)
• London and North Eastern Railway (LNER)
• London, Midland and Scottish Railway (LMS)
• Southern Railway (SR)

For a comprehensive list see List of railway companies involved in the 1923 grouping The original Bristol Temple Meads station, first terminus of the GWR, is the building to the left of this picture The Great Western Railway (GWR) was a British railway company, linking South West England, the West Country and South Wales with London. ... LNER timetable for Autumn 1926 detailing the resumption of services after the General Strike. ... The London, Midland and Scottish Railway (LMS1) was a British railway company. ... The Southern Railway in the United Kingdom was the smallest of the four railway systems created in the Grouping ordered by the Railways Act 1921. ... Under the Railways Act 1921 the majority of the railway companies in Great Britain (and few in Northern Ireland) were grouped into four main companies, often termed the Big Four: the grouping took effect from 1 January 1923. ...

Heritage and private railways

There are a number of private and heritage railways in Britain. A scene on a heritage railway. ...

A list of British heritage and private railways is available. This list of British heritage and private railways is intended as a list of railways (railroads) in Britain. ...

See also

• Rail transport by country
• History of rail transport in Great Britain
• List of funiculars in the United Kingdom
• List of British Narrow Gauge Railways
• UK topics

This page provides an index of articles on Rail transport by country. ... The Midland Railways London terminus at St Pancras. ... There are a number of funicular railways in the United Kingdom. ... This is a list of the narrow gauge railways of Great Britain and the Isle of Man. ... This is a list of topics related to the United Kingdom. ...

References

• National Rail Trends 2003–2004 quarter three, from the Strategic Rail Authority. (Warning: PDF format)
• DfT Transport Ten Year Plan 2000 from the UK Government Department for Transport.
• Network Rail — Making a Fresh Start — National Audit Office report, 14^th May 2004. (Warning: PDF format)
• Railway industry topic guides from the Institution of Mechanical Engineers

To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Please wikify (format) this article as suggested in the Guide to layout and the Manual of Style. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Railways of Great Britain

• UK Railway Maps
• Wikia has a wiki about: UK Railways
• Collection of Google Earth locations of National Rail stations (Requires Google Earth software) from the Google Earth Community forum.
• Campaign Against New Beeching Report