Editing Rail transport in Great Britain

{{Short description|none}} <!-- "none" is a legitimate description when the title is already adequate; see [[WP:SDNONE]] -->
{{About||rail transport in the whole of the United Kingdom|Rail transport in the United Kingdom|rail transport in Northern Ireland|Rail transport in Ireland}}
{{Use British English|date=January 2023}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2023}}
{{Infobox rail network
|name            = Rail transport in Great Britain
|color           = 
|logo            = 
|image           = 4 GWR Class 80X at Paddington, from overbridge above pl 4, Nov 2021.jpg
|caption         = Trains at [[London Paddington]], one of Great Britain's busiest stations
|nationalrailway =[[Great British Railways]] (from 2025) 
|infrastructure  = [[Network Rail]] (until 2025)
|majoroperators  = {{plainlist|
* [[National Rail]] franchisees
* [[Open-access operator|Open-access operators]]
* [[DfT Operator|State-owned operators]]
}}
|ridership       = 1.612&nbsp;billion (2023/24)<ref name="ORR Table 1220 - Passenger Journeys">{{cite web |url=https://dataportal.orr.gov.uk/media/1652/table-1220-passenger-journeys.ods |title=ORR Table 1220 – Passenger Journeys |date=12 June 2024 |publisher=Office of Rail and Road |access-date=12 January 2025 }}</ref> <br>
|passkm          = {{convert|60.1|km|mi|abbr=on|order=flip}} billion (2023/24)<ref>{{cite web |url=https://dataportal.orr.gov.uk/media/1477/table-1230-passenger-kilometres.ods |title=ORR Table 1230 – Passenger Kilometres |date=12 June 2024 |publisher=Office of Rail and Road |access-date=12 January 2025}}</ref>
|freight         = 15.76 billion net tkm (2023/24)<ref>{{cite web |url=https://dataportal.orr.gov.uk/media/hydparo3/freight-rail-usage-and-performance-jan-mar-2024.pdf |title=ORR Freight rail usage and performance |date=6 June 2024 |publisher=Office of Rail and Road |access-date=12 January 2025}}</ref>
|length          = {{convert|15849|km|mi|abbr=on|order=flip}}<ref name="ORR-infra-2023-24" />
|doublelength    = 
|ellength        = {{convert|6130|km|mi|abbr=on|order=flip}}<ref name="ORR-infra-2023-24" />
|freightlength   = 
|hslength        = 
|gauge           =
|gauge1          = {{RailGauge|standard|al=on|allk=on}}
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|el1length       = 
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|el3             = 
|el3length       =
|notunnels       = 
|tunnellength    = 
|longesttunnel   = [[Channel Tunnel]] {{convert|50.46|km|mi|abbr=on|order=flip}} (partwise in [[France]])
|nobridges       = 
|longestbridge   = [[London Bridge – Greenwich Railway Viaduct]] {{convert|5.55|km|mi|abbr=on|order=flip}} 
|nostations      = 2,585<ref name="ORR-infra-2023-24" />
|highelevation   = [[Pass of Drumochter]] <br />([[Highland Main Line]]) {{convert|1484|ft|m|abbr=on}}
|highelat        = {{Coord|56.85456|-4.24858}}
|lowelevation    = 
|lowelat         = 
|map             = [[File:Rail transport infrastructure map - UK - Great Britain.svg|220px]]
|mapcaption      = Map of Great Britain's rail transport infrastructure, showing number of tracks, electrification and maximum speed.
}} 
{{Train topics}}

The railway system in [[Great Britain]] is the oldest railway system<!-- DO NOT BOLD, see [[WP:SBE]] for further guidance --> in the world. The first locomotive-hauled public railway opened in 1825, which was followed by an era of rapid expansion. Most of the track is managed by [[Network Rail]], which in 2024 had a network of {{convert|15849|km|mi|order=flip}} of [[standard-gauge]] lines, of which {{convert|6130|km|mi|order=flip}} were [[Railway electrification in Great Britain|electrified]].<ref name="ORR-infra-2023-24">{{cite web |url=https://dataportal.orr.gov.uk/media/gcdkwb0v/infrastructure-and-assets-2023-24.pdf |title=Rail infrastructure, assets and environmental – April 2023 to March 2024 |publisher=[[Office of Rail and Road]] |date=10 October 2024 |access-date=12 January 2024 }}</ref> In addition, some cities have separate metro, light rail and tram systems, among them the historic [[London Underground]] and the [[Glasgow Subway]]. There are also many [[List of British heritage and private railways|private railways]], some of them [[British narrow gauge railways|narrow-gauge]], which are primarily short lines for tourists. The main rail network is connected with that of continental Europe by the [[Channel Tunnel]] and [[High Speed 1]], opened in 1994 and 2007 respectively.

In 2024, there were 1.612&nbsp;billion journeys on the [[National Rail]] network,<ref name="ORR Table 1220 - Passenger Journeys" /> making the British network the [[List of countries by rail usage|fifth most used in the world]] (Great Britain ranks 23rd in world population). Unlike a number of other countries, rail travel in the United Kingdom has enjoyed a renaissance in recent years, with passenger numbers approaching their highest ever level (see usage figures below). This has coincided with the [[privatisation of British Rail]], but the [[Impact of the privatisation of British Rail|cause of this increase is unclear]]. The growth is partly attributed to a shift away from private motoring due to growing road congestion and increasing petrol prices, but also to the overall increase in travel due to affluence.<ref name="rail20110810p22">{{cite news |title=Petrol price hike boosts rail passenger numbers, says ATOC |work=[[Rail (magazine)|Rail]] |location =Peterborough |page=22 |date=10 August 2011}}</ref> Passenger journeys in Britain grew by 88% over the period 1997–98 to 2014 as compared to 62% in Germany, 41% in France and 16% in Spain.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.raildeliverygroup.com/about-us/publications.html?task=file.download&id=469771169 |title=Rail's transformation in numbers – Dataset on rail industry finances, performance and investment since 1997–98 |date=December 2016 |publisher=[[Rail Delivery Group]] |page=12 |format=PDF |access-date=7 September 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170206102527/http://www.raildeliverygroup.com/about-us/publications.html?task=file.download&id=469771169 |archive-date=6 February 2017 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

The United Kingdom is a member of the [[International Union of Railways]] (UIC). The [[List of UIC country codes|UIC country code]] for United Kingdom is 70. The UK has the [[List of countries by rail transport network size|17th largest railway network in the world]]; despite many lines having closed in the 20th century, due to the [[Beeching cuts]], it remains one of the densest networks. It is [[Rail usage statistics by country|one of the busiest railways]] in [[Rail transport in Europe|Europe]], with 20% more train services than [[Rail transport in France|France]], 60% more than [[Rail transport in Italy|Italy]], and more than [[Rail transport in Spain|Spain]], [[Rail transport in Switzerland|Switzerland]], the [[Rail transport in the Netherlands|Netherlands]], [[Rail transport in Portugal|Portugal]] and [[Rail transport in Norway|Norway]] combined, as well as representing more than 20% of all passenger journeys in Europe.<ref>{{cite press release|url=http://www.networkrailmediacentre.co.uk/Content/Detail.aspx?ReleaseID=5022&NewsAreaID=2&SearchCategoryID=2 |publisher=Network Rail |title=Nine out of ten trains arrive on time during January |date=18 February 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110929043244/http://www.networkrailmediacentre.co.uk/Content/Detail.aspx?ReleaseID=5022&NewsAreaID=2&SearchCategoryID=2 |archive-date=29 September 2011 }}</ref> The rail industry employs 115,000 people and supports another 250,000 through its supply chain.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.unipartrail.com/assets/oe_report_ria2018.pdf|title=The Economic Contribution of UK Rail 2018|page=13|access-date=18 October 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181019001543/http://www.unipartrail.com/assets/oe_report_ria2018.pdf|archive-date=19 October 2018|url-status=dead}}</ref>

After the initial period of rapid expansion following the first public railways in the early 19th century, from about 1900 onwards the network suffered from gradual attrition, and more severe rationalisation in the 1950s and 1960s. However, the network has again been growing since the 1980s. The UK was ranked eighth among national European rail systems in the 2017 European Railway Performance Index for intensity of use, quality of service and safety performance.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bcg.com/en-ch/publications/2017/transportation-travel-tourism-2017-european-railway-performance-index.aspx |title=the 2017 European Railway Performance Index |date=8 January 2021 |publisher=Boston Consulting Group |access-date=4 February 2019 |archive-date=31 May 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200531104458/https://www.bcg.com/en-ch/publications/2017/transportation-travel-tourism-2017-european-railway-performance-index.aspx |url-status=live }}</ref>
To cope with increasing passenger numbers, there is a large [[History of rail transport in Great Britain 1995 to date#Timeline of improvements|programme of upgrades]] to the network, including [[Thameslink]], [[Crossrail]], [[Railway electrification in Great Britain|electrification of lines]], [[European Rail Traffic Management System in Great Britain|in-cab signalling]], new [[Intercity Express Programme|inter-city trains]] and new [[High-speed rail|high-speed lines]].

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==Historical overview==
[[File:Britain and Ireland railway map 2023.pdf|thumb|Current railway lines in Ireland, the United Kingdom and the [[Isle of Man]] are shown in black, metro lines in red, and former routes in green]]
[[File:GBR rail passengers by year 1830-2023.png|thumb|Rail passengers in Great Britain from 1829 to 2023, showing the early era of small railway companies, the amalgamation into the "[[Railways Act 1921|Big Four]]", nationalisation and finally the current era of privatisation]]
{{Main|History of rail transport in Great Britain}}

According to historians David Brandon and Alan Brooke, the railways brought into being our modern world:
:They stimulated demand for building materials, coal, iron and, later, steel. Excelling in the bulk movement of coal, they provided the fuel for the furnaces of industry and for domestic fireplaces. Millions of people were able to travel who had scarcely ever travelled before. Railways enabled mail, newspapers, periodicals and cheap literature to be distributed easily, quickly and cheaply allowing a much wider and faster dissemination of ideas and information. They had a significant impact on improving diet....[and enabled] a proportionately smaller agricultural industry was able to feed a much larger urban population....They employed huge quantities of labour both directly and indirectly. They helped Britain to become the 'Workshop of the World' by reducing transport costs not only of raw materials but of finished goods, large amounts of which were exported....[T]oday's global corporations originated with the great limited liability railway companies....By the third quarter of the nineteenth century, there was scarcely any person living in Britain whose life had not been altered in some way by the coming of the railways. Railways contributed to the transformation of Britain from a rural to a predominantly urban society.<ref>Brandon and Brooke, ''Railway Haters'' (2019) p. 10</ref>

The railways started with the local isolated wooden wagonways in 1560s using horses. These wagonways then spread, particularly in mining areas. The system was later built as a patchwork of local lines 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 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 19th century Prime Minister [[William Ewart Gladstone|William Gladstone]] as early as the 1830s). Instead, from 1 January 1923, almost all the remaining companies were [[Railways Act 1921|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 (UK)|Southern Railway]] companies (there were also a number of other [[joint railway]]s such as the [[Midland and Great Northern Joint Railway]] and the [[Cheshire Lines Committee]] as well as special joint railways such as the [[Forth Bridge]] Railway, [[Ryde Pier]] Railway and at one time the [[East London Railway]]). The "Big Four" were joint-stock public companies and they continued to run the railway system until 31 December 1947.

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 [[World War II]], the companies' managements joined, 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]].

===Nationalisation===
{{Main|History of rail transport in Great Britain 1948–1994}}
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 railway 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 Great Britain. 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.

The desire for profitability led to a major reduction in the network during the mid-1960s, with [[Imperial Chemical Industries|ICI]] manager Dr. [[Richard Beeching]] commissioned by the government under [[Ernest Marples]] with reorganising the railways. Many branch lines (and a number of main lines) were closed because they were deemed uneconomic ("the [[Beeching Axe]]" of 1963), removing much feeder traffic from main line passenger services. In the second Beeching report of 1965, only the "major trunk routes" were selected for large-scale investment, leading many to speculate the rest of the network would eventually be closed. This was never implemented by BR.

Passenger services experienced a renaissance with the introduction of the [[InterCity 125]] trains in the 1970s. Passenger levels fluctuated since then, increasing during periods of economic growth and falling during recessions. The 1980s saw severe cuts in government funding and above-inflation increases in fares,<ref>{{cite book|title=British Rail 1974–1997: From Integration to Privatisation |last=Gourvish |first=Terry |page=277}}</ref> In the early 1990s, the five geographical Regions were replaced by a Sectored organisation, in which passenger services were organised into [[InterCity (British Rail)|InterCity]], [[Network SouthEast]] and [[Regional Railways]] sectors.

===Reorganisation and privatisation===
{{Main|Privatisation of British Rail|Impact of the privatisation of British Rail|History of rail transport in Great Britain 1995 to date}}
The Railways Act 1993<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1993/43/contents |title=Railways Act 1993 |access-date=26 August 2023 |archive-date=3 November 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171103114707/http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1993/43/contents |url-status=live }}</ref> divided the railways up, with [[Railtrack]] taking ownership of British Rail's property portfolio, tracks, signals, bridges and tunnels, Rolling Stock Operating Companies, and train operating companies.

Passenger transport services were bundled together into franchises to facilitate cross-subsidy within franchises, with many regulations on ticket prices and types, regulated fare increases and "Parliamentary service" obligations. Companies submit bids to the franchising authority - often the Secretary of State for Transport, Passenger Transport Authority, or devolved government - competing for the lowest subsidy requirement and to invest in the railway over the lifespan of the franchise. There is also provision for subsidy between franchises, with profitable franchises demanding payments made to the government to cover a share of the losses from others. Examples of franchises include [[ScotRail]], [[Greater Western franchise|Great Western]], and [[Thameslink, Southern and Great Northern franchise|Southern Trains]].

Open Access Operators are entirely free to set their own services and fares unaffected by government regulations. Examples of such operators are [[Lumo (train operating company)|Lumo]] and [[Grand Central (train operating company)|Grand Central]], [[Hull Trains]] and [[Heathrow Express]]. In the case of the [[InterCity West Coast]] and [[InterCity East Coast]] franchises, applicants submit bids to return the most money to the government from operating the service. This has led to franchisees collapsing when passenger growth targets are not met as promised payments to the government cannot be paid and the franchise is exited early.

In 2023, Network Rail held over £59.1{{nbsp}}billion in debt, and £1.176{{nbsp}}billion interest payments.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.networkrail.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Network-Rail-Annual-Report-and-Accounts-2023.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=26 August 2023 |archive-date=26 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230826235603/https://www.networkrail.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Network-Rail-Annual-Report-and-Accounts-2023.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> Many of these debts were incurred by Railtrack and transferred to Network Rail when it collapsed.

[[Privatisation of British Rail|British Rail 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 goods services sold outright (six companies were set up, but five of these were sold to the same buyer). The government said privatisation would see an improvement in passenger services and satisfaction (according to the National Rail Passenger survey) has indeed gone up from 76% in 1999 (when the survey started) to 83% in 2013 and the number of passengers not satisfied with their journey dropped from 10% to 6%.<ref name=gbraildataset19978>{{cite web|url=http://www.atoc.org/download/clientfiles/files/Rail%20industry%20dataset%20-RDG%20-%20with%20cover.pdf|title=GB rail: Dataset on financial and operational performance 1997–98 – 2012–13|access-date=4 August 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170706124300/http://www.atoc.org/download/clientfiles/files/Rail%20industry%20dataset%20-RDG%20-%20with%20cover.pdf|archive-date=6 July 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref> Since privatisation, passenger levels have more than doubled, and have surpassed their level in the late 1940s. Train fares cost 2.7% more than under British Rail in real terms on average.<ref name="bbc.co.uk">{{cite news |title= Have train fares gone up or down since British Rail? |url= https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-21056703 |access-date= 2 August 2015 |date= 22 January 2013 |work= BBC News |archive-date= 14 March 2018 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20180314152818/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-21056703 |url-status= live }}</ref> However, while the price of anytime and off-peak tickets has increased, the price of Advance tickets has dramatically decreased in real terms: the average Advance ticket in 1995 cost £9.14 (in 2014 prices) compared to £5.17 in 2014.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.stagecoach.com/media/insight-features/the-facts-about-rail-fares.aspx|title=The facts about rail fares – Stagecoach Group|website=stagecoach.com|access-date=2 October 2016|archive-date=31 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160331172014/http://www.stagecoach.com/media/insight-features/the-facts-about-rail-fares.aspx|url-status=live}}</ref>

[[File:Rail fatalities of European countries.png|thumb|Rail fatalities per billion passenger-km in European countries during 2013.]]
[[Rail subsidies]] have increased from £{{Inflation|UK|2.2|2011|r=1|cursign=£}}bn in 1992–93 to £{{Inflation|UK|3.2|2015|r=1|cursign=£}}bn in 2015–16 (in current prices), although subsidy per journey has fallen from £{{Inflation|UK|2.97|2011|r=2|cursign=£}} per journey to £{{Inflation|UK|1.86|2015|r=2|cursign=£}} per journey.<ref name="bbc.co.uk" /><ref name="orr.gov.uk">{{Cite web|url=http://orr.gov.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0020/24149/uk-rail-industry-financial-information-2015-16.pdf |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/http://orr.gov.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0020/24149/uk-rail-industry-financial-information-2015-16.pdf |archive-date=9 October 2022 |url-status=live|title=Rail industry financial information 2015–16 {{!}} Office of Rail and Road|date=21 February 2017 |publisher=Government of the United Kingdom|access-date=22 February 2017}}</ref> However, this masks great regional variation, as in 2014–15 funding varied from "£1.41 per passenger journey in England to £6.51 per journey in Scotland and £8.34 per journey in Wales."<ref name="orr.gov.uk" />

The public image of rail travel was severely damaged by a series of significant accidents after privatisation. These included the [[Hatfield rail crash|Hatfield accident]], caused by a rail fragmenting due to the development of microscopic cracks. Following this, the rail infrastructure company Railtrack imposed over 1,200 emergency speed restrictions across its network and instigated an extremely costly nationwide track replacement programme. The consequent severe operational disruption to the national network and the company's spiralling costs set in motion [[Tom Winsor#Rail Regulator 1999–2004|a series of events]] which resulted in the collapse of the company and its replacement with [[Network Rail]], a state-owned,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.networkrail.co.uk/aspx/717.aspx|title=Our Legal and Financial Structure: How are we regulated|publisher=Network Rail|access-date=25 January 2011|archive-date=5 June 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110605164808/http://www.networkrail.co.uk/aspx/717.aspx|url-status=live}}</ref> "not-for-profit" company, with risks underwritten by the taxpayer. According to the [[European Railway Agency]], in 2013 Britain had the safest railways in Europe based on the number of train safety incidents.<ref>{{cite news |url= https://www.theguardian.com/news/datablog/2013/jul/25/how-safe-are-europe-railways |title= How safe are Europe's railways? |newspaper= The Guardian |location= London |date= 25 July 2013 |author= Sedghi, Ami |access-date= 16 December 2016 |archive-date= 17 May 2016 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20160517035019/http://www.theguardian.com/news/datablog/2013/jul/25/how-safe-are-europe-railways |url-status= live }}</ref>

At the end of September 2003, the first part of [[High Speed 1]], a high-speed link to the [[Channel Tunnel]] and onward 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|London St Pancras]] opened in 2007. A major programme of remedial work on the [[West Coast Main Line]] started in 1997 and finished in 2008.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/7782085.stm |title=West Coast rail works completed |work=BBC News |date=14 December 2008 |access-date=30 October 2018 |archive-date=16 August 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210816134332/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/7782085.stm |url-status=live }}</ref>

Since the 2010s, many upgrades have been under way, such as [[Thameslink]], [[Crossrail]], the [[Northern Hub]] and electrification of the [[Great Western Main Line]]. Electrification plans for the [[Midland Main Line]] and the [[Huddersfield line|Transpennine line]] between Manchester and Leeds have been scaled back. Construction of [[High Speed 2]] is underway, with a projected completion date of 2026 for Phase 1 (London to Birmingham) and 2033 for Phase 2. A poll of 1,500 adults in Britain in June 2018 showed that 64% support renationalising Britain's railways.<ref>{{cite web |url= https://fullfact.org/economy/do-public-want-railways-renationalised/ |title= Do the public want the railways renationalised? |date= 14 June 2018 |website= Full Fact |access-date= 15 August 2019 |archive-date= 15 August 2019 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20190815000322/https://fullfact.org/economy/do-public-want-railways-renationalised/ |url-status= live }}</ref>

=== Renationalisation ===

{{Main|Great British Railways|Transport for Wales Rail|ScotRail}}
{{See also|History of rail transport in Great Britain 1995 to date#Timeline of upgrades|l1=Timeline of future rail network upgrades in Great Britain}}
{{See also|List of railway lines in Great Britain|Rail transport in Wales}}

Currently, six franchises are under public ownership, and thus effectively nationalised. Four, [[London North Eastern Railway|LNER]], [[Northern Trains]], [[Southeastern (train operating company)|Southeastern]] and [[TransPennine Express]], are [[Operator of last resort|operators of last resort]] owned by the [[Department for Transport]]. [[Transport for Wales Rail]] is owned by [[Transport for Wales]], a [[Welsh Government]] owned company, with no current plans to re-privatise the latter. On 1 April 2022, [[ScotRail (brand)|ScotRail]] was put under public ownership by the [[Scottish Government]], under [[Transport Scotland]] as [[ScotRail]] operating on the same day.

The [[COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom|COVID-19 pandemic]] caused a huge fall in the number of passengers using the railways, with journeys in 2020 being about 22% of the previous year, before rising again as travel restrictions eased.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |title=COVID-19: Rail passenger numbers fall to lowest level since time of steam trains in 1872 |url=https://news.sky.com/story/covid-19-rail-passenger-numbers-fall-to-lowest-level-since-time-of-steam-trains-in-1872-12324020 |website=Sky News |date=3 June 2021 |access-date=3 October 2023 |archive-date=2 October 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231002175803/https://news.sky.com/story/covid-19-rail-passenger-numbers-fall-to-lowest-level-since-time-of-steam-trains-in-1872-12324020 |url-status=live }}</ref> During 2020, all [[Train operating company|train operating companies]] entered into emergency measures agreements with the UK and Scottish governments.<ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.ons.gov.uk/news/news/theonsclassifiestrainoperatingcompaniesnowrunningunderemergencymeasuresagreements |title= The ONS classifies train operating companies now running under emergency measures agreements |date= 31 July 2020 |website= ONS |access-date= 12 April 2021 |archive-date= 12 April 2021 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20210412163453/https://www.ons.gov.uk/news/news/theonsclassifiestrainoperatingcompaniesnowrunningunderemergencymeasuresagreements |url-status= live }}</ref> Normal franchise mechanisms were amended, transferring almost all revenue and cost risk to the government, effectively 'renationalising' the network temporarily.<ref>{{cite web | url= https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/66334/uk-rail-effectively-renationalised-during-pandemic/ | title= UK rail effectively 'renationalised' during pandemic | date= 3 August 2020 | website= transportxtra | access-date= 12 April 2021 | archive-date= 12 April 2021 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20210412163453/https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/66334/uk-rail-effectively-renationalised-during-pandemic/ | url-status= live }}</ref>

In September 2020, the UK Government permanently got rid of the rail franchising system.<ref name="BBC News">{{Cite news|date=21 September 2020|title=Rail franchises axed as help for train firms extended|language=en-GB|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/business-54232015|access-date=19 May 2021|archive-date=19 May 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210519220012/https://www.bbc.com/news/business-54232015|url-status=live}}</ref> On 20 May 2021, the Government announced a white paper that would transform the operation of the railways. The rail network will be partly renationalised, with infrastructure and operations brought together under the state-owned public body [[Great British Railways]]. Operations will be managed on a concessions model. According to the BBC, this represents the largest shake-up in the UK's railways since privatisation.<ref name="BBC News"/> On 18 November 2021, the government announced the biggest ever public investment in Britain's rail network costing £96&nbsp;billion and promising quicker and more frequent rail connections in the North and Midlands: the [[Integrated Rail Plan for the North and Midlands|Integrated Rail Plan]] includes substantially improved connections north–south as well as east–west and includes three new high speed lines.<ref name="Gov">{{Cite news|date=18 November 2021|title=Integrated Rail Plan: biggest ever public investment in Britain's rail network will deliver faster, more frequent and more reliable journeys across North and Midlands|language=en-GB|work=Department of Transport|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/news/integrated-rail-plan-biggest-ever-public-investment-in-britains-rail-network-will-deliver-faster-more-frequent-and-more-reliable-journeys-across-no|access-date=18 November 2021|archive-date=18 November 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211118113317/https://www.gov.uk/government/news/integrated-rail-plan-biggest-ever-public-investment-in-britains-rail-network-will-deliver-faster-more-frequent-and-more-reliable-journeys-across-no|url-status=live}}</ref>

In July 2024, the new [[Premiership of Keir Starmer|Labour government]] confirmed that [[Train operating company|passenger services]] would be brought back into public ownership upon the expiry of their contracts as part of the wider renationalisation of the rail network.<ref>{{Cite web |date=25 April 2024 |title=Labour pledges to renationalise most rail services within five years |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-68889345 |access-date=14 July 2024 |website=BBC}}</ref>

==Passenger services==
{{See also|List of companies operating trains in the United Kingdom}}
[[File:An LNER Azuma train on the East Coast Railway Line, geograph 6275180 by Walter Baxter.jpg|thumb|An [[London North Eastern Railway|LNER]] [[British Rail Class 800|Class 800 ''Azuma'']] train on the [[East Coast Main Line]] in [[Northumberland]]]]
[[File:800310 London Paddington to Swansea 1C00 - 50145952567.jpg|thumb|A [[Great Western Railway (train operating company)|GWR]] [[British Rail Class 800|Class 800 ''Intercity'' ''Express Train'']] on a service from [[London Paddington station|London Paddington]] to [[Swansea railway station|Swansea]]]]

Passenger services in Great Britain were divided into regional franchises and run by mostly private (that is, non-state owned) [[train operating company|train operating companies]] from 1995 to 2020. These companies bid for seven- to eight-year contracts to run individual franchises. Most contracts in England are awarded by the [[Department for Transport]] (DfT), with the exception of [[Merseyrail]], where the franchise is awarded by the [[Merseyside Passenger Transport Executive]]. In Scotland, contracts for [[ScotRail (brand)|ScotRail]], is awarded by [[Transport Scotland]], and [[Rail transport in Wales|in Wales]], contracts for [[Transport for Wales Rail]], is awarded by [[Transport for Wales]], although the latter is currently publicly owned with no plans for franchising in the near future and ScotRail was brought into public ownership in 2022. Initially, there were 25 franchises, some franchises have since been combined, others nationalised. There are also a number of local or specialised rail services operated on an [[Open access operator|open access]] basis outside the franchise arrangements; examples include [[Heathrow Express]] and [[Hull Trains]].

Many franchises were effectively abolished due to the financial effects of the [[COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom|COVID-19 pandemic]]. The UK government proposed a new state-owned public body, [[Great British Railways]], which would operate a [[Concession (contract)|concession contract]] system on the network from 2023. {{As of|2023|11}}, legislation to establish the new body was said to be "unlikely" within the 2023–2024 parliamentary session.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Lancefield |first=Neil |date=16 November 2023 |title=Minister admits rail reform legislation 'unlikely' before general election |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/rail-reforms-uk-trains-general-election-b2448496.html |access-date=5 January 2023 |website=The Independent}}</ref>

In the 2015–16 operating year, franchised services provided 1,718&nbsp;million journeys totalling (64.7&nbsp;billion billion passenger km) of travel, an increase over 1994–5 of 117% in journeys (from 761&nbsp;million) and just over doubling the passenger miles.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.orr.gov.uk/media/16103|title=Passenger Rail Usage 2014–15 Q4 &#124; Office of Rail and Road|website=orr.gov.uk|date=4 June 2015 |access-date=10 July 2021|archive-date=10 July 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210710190105/https://www.orr.gov.uk/media/16103|url-status=live}}</ref> The passenger-miles figure, after being flat from 1965 to 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. From a base of 90% of trains arriving on time in 1998, the measure dipped to 75% in mid-2001 due to stringent safety restrictions put in place after the [[Hatfield rail crash|Hatfield crash]] in October 2000. However, in June 2015 the PPM stood at 91.2% after a period of steady increases in the annual moving average since 2003 until around 2012 when the improvements levelled off.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.networkrail.co.uk/about/performance/|title=Performance and punctuality (PPM) – Network Rail|website=networkrail.co.uk|access-date=2 October 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151208114925/http://www.networkrail.co.uk/about/performance/|archive-date=8 December 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref>

[[File:802201 and 802218 at Northallerton.jpg|thumb|Two [[TransPennine Express]] [[British Rail Class 802|Class 802 ''Nova 1'']] units passing through [[North Yorkshire]]]]

Train fares cost 2.7% more than under [[British Rail]] in real terms on average.<ref name="bbc.co.uk" /> For some years, Britain has been said to have the highest rail fares in Europe, with peak-time and season tickets considerably higher than other countries, partly because [[rail transport in Europe#Subsidies|rail subsidies in Europe]] are higher.<ref name="fullfact16082011">{{cite web|url=https://fullfact.org/blog/UK_Europe_rail_fares_prices_comparisons-2927|title=Do UK commuters pay the highest rail fares in Europe?|date=16 August 2011|access-date=24 September 2015|archive-date=25 September 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150925144816/https://fullfact.org/blog/UK_Europe_rail_fares_prices_comparisons-2927|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-35219018|title=Why are UK train tickets more expensive than in Europe?|work=BBC News|access-date=21 June 2018|archive-date=1 April 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170401232007/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-35219018|url-status=live}}</ref> However, passengers are also able to obtain some of the cheapest fares in Europe if they book in advance or travel at off-peak times<ref name="fullfact16082011" /> or purchase 'day-return' tickets which cost little more than a single ticket.

UK rail operators point out rail fare increases have been at a substantially lower rate than petrol prices for private motoring.<ref name="rail20110810p22"/> The difference in price has also been blamed on the fact Britain has the most restrictive [[loading gauge]] (maximum width and height of trains that can fit through tunnels, bridges etc.) in the world which means any trains must be significantly narrower and less tall than those used elsewhere. This means British trains cannot be bought "off-the-shelf" and must be specially built to fit British standards.

Average rolling-stock age fell slightly from the third quarter of 2001–02 to 2017–18, from 20.7 years old to 19.6 years old, and recent large orders from [[Bombardier Transportation|Bombardier]] and its acquirer [[Alstom]], as well as [[Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles|CAF]], [[Hitachi Rail|Hitachi]] and [[Stadler Rail|Stadler]], brought down the average age to around 15 years by March 2021.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://dataportal.orr.gov.uk/displayreport/html/html/eb76bd71-3fe0-4f1c-8f2a-977de6e833c0|title=Average Age of Rolling Stock by sector – Table 2.30|access-date=5 August 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151119082041/http://dataportal.orr.gov.uk/displayreport/html/html/eb76bd71-3fe0-4f1c-8f2a-977de6e833c0|archive-date=19 November 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.railmagazine.com/news/network/new-trains-bring-down-average-age-of-uk-rolling-stock|title=New trains bring down average age of UK rolling stock|website=railmagazine.com|access-date=14 November 2018|archive-date=15 November 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181115030640/https://www.railmagazine.com/news/network/new-trains-bring-down-average-age-of-uk-rolling-stock|url-status=live}}</ref>

Although passengers rarely have cause to refer to either document, all travel is subject to the [[National Rail Conditions of Travel]] and all tickets are valid subject to the rules set out in a number of so-called [[UK railway technical manuals|technical manuals]], which are centrally produced for the network.
[[File:Leicester - Abellio 222104 Lincoln service.JPG|thumb|An [[East Midlands Trains|EMR InterCity]] [[British Rail Class 222|Class 222 ''Meridian'']] at [[Leicester railway station|Leicester station]]]]

===Annual journey numbers===
Below are the estimated total number of journeys using heavy rail transport in Britain for each financial year. (This table does not include Eurostar, Underground or light rail services)

{|class="wikitable"  style="text-align:right"
|+ Annual journey numbers<ref name="ORR Table 1220 - Passenger Journeys" />
! Year
! Numbers<ref group =nb>Passenger numbers plus interchanges</ref>
! % change
|-
|2004–2005||1,044,566,371||
|-
|2005–2006||1,081,747,031||{{increase}}3.59
|-
|2006–2007||1,150,271,272||{{increase}}6.77
|-
|2007–2008||1,223,235,485||{{increase}}6.36
|-
|2008–2009||1,271,934,558||{{increase}}3.10
|-
|2009–2010||1,264,168,068||{{decrease}}7.62
|-
|2010–2011||1,350,664,449
|{{increase}}6.84
|-
|2011–2012||1,456,276,046||{{increase}}7.82
|-
|2012–2013||1,497,670,627||{{increase}}2.84
|-
|2013–2014||1,583,380,750||{{increase}}5.72
|-
|2014–2015||1,650,407,344||{{increase}}4.23
|-
|2015–2016||1,713,518,682||{{increase}}3.82
|-
|2016–2017
|1,727,475,717
|{{increase}}0.81
|-
|2017–2018
|1,703,998,197
|{{decrease}}1.36
|-
|2018–2019
|1,752,982,619
|{{increase}}2.87
|-
|2019–2020
|1,738,739,779
|{{decrease}}0.81
|-
|2020–2021
|387,885,468
|{{decrease}}77.69
|-
|2021–2022
|990,050,962
|{{increase}}155.24
|-
|2022–2023
|1,384,786,829
|{{increase}}39.87
|-
|2023–2024
|1,611,953,591
|{{increase}}16.40
|}
The following table is according to the Office of Rail and Road and includes [[open access operator]]s such as [[Grand Central (train operating company)|Grand Central]] and [[Hull Trains]].

{|class="wikitable"  style="text-align:right"
|+ Annual passenger numbers (millions)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://dataportal.orr.gov.uk/displayreport/report/html/02136399-b0c5-4d91-a85e-c01f8a48e07e|title=Passenger journeys by year|access-date=7 August 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151008112636/http://dataportal.orr.gov.uk/displayreport/report/html/02136399-b0c5-4d91-a85e-c01f8a48e07e|archive-date=8 October 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref>
! Year
! Long distance
! London and<br />South East
! Regional
! Non-franchised<br />operators
! Total
! Total % change
|-
|2002–2003||77.2||679.1||219.2|| rowspan="7" |0||975.5||
|-
|2003–2004||81.5||690.0||240.2||1,011.7||{{increase}}3.71
|-
|2004–2005||83.7||704.5||251.3||1,039.5||{{increase}}2.75
|-
|2005–2006||89.5||719.7||267.3||1,076.5||{{increase}}3.56
|-
|2006–2007||99.0||769.5||276.5||1,145.0||{{increase}}6.36
|-
|2007–2008||103.9||828.4||285.8||1,218.1||{{increase}}6.38
|-
|2008–2009||109.4||854.3||302.8||1,266.5||{{increase}}3.97
|-
|2009–2010||111.6||842.2||304.0||1.4||1,259.3||{{decrease}}0.68
|-
|2010–2011||117.9||917.6||318.2||1.8||1,355.6||{{increase}}7.65
|-
|2011–2012||125.3||993.8||340.9||1.5||1,461.5||{{increase}}7.82
|-
|2012–2013||127.7||1,032.4||340.9||1.7||1,502.6||{{increase}}2.81
|-
|2013–2014||129.0||1,106.9||350.5||1.9||1,588.3||{{increase}}5.70
|-
|2014–2015||134.2||1,154.9||364.7||2.1||1,655.8 ||{{increase}}4.25
|-
|2015–2016||138.3||1,202.8||374.2||2.3||1,717.6<ref>[https://dataportal.orr.gov.uk/displayreport/html/excel/a10e3c7b-7766-40ae-a87a-14c56cf85a63] {{Dead link|date=August 2019|bot=InternetArchiveBot|fix-attempted=yes}}</ref>||{{increase}}3.72
|-
|2016–2017||143.5||1,196.8||388.7||2.4||1,731.5 ||{{increase}}0.80
|-
|2017–2018||144.8||1,171.2||389.6||2.4||1,707.9 ||{{decrease}}1.40
|-
|2018–2019||146.7||1,216.9||392.8||2.5||1,759.9 ||{{increase}}3.0
|}
{{reflist|group=nb}}

===Stations===
{{further|:Category:Railway stations in the United Kingdom}}
[[File:Clock and view over concourse, Waterloo Station, London.jpg|thumb|[[London Waterloo station]] is the [[List of busiest railway stations in Great Britain|busiest railway station]] in the UK. It is also the country's largest station in terms of floor space and has the greatest number of platforms.]]
There are 2,585 passenger railway stations on the Network Rail network.<ref name="ORR-infra-2023-24" /> This does not include the [[London Underground]], nor other systems which are not part of the national network, such as heritage railways. Most date from the [[Victorian era]] and a number are in or on the edge of [[town centre|town]] and city centres. Major stations lie for the most part in large cities, with the largest conurbations (e.g.  Birmingham, Bristol, [[Cardiff]], Edinburgh, [[Glasgow]], [[Liverpool]], and [[Manchester]]) typically having more than one main station. London is a major hub of the network, with 12 main-line termini forming a "ring" around [[central London]]. Birmingham, Leeds, Manchester, Glasgow, Bristol and [[Reading, Berkshire|Reading]] are major interchanges for many cross-country journeys that do not involve London. However, some important railway junction stations lie in smaller cities and towns, for example [[York railway station|York]], [[Crewe railway station|Crewe]] and [[Ely railway station|Ely]]. Some other places expanded into towns and cities because of the railway network. [[Swindon]], for example, was little more than a village before the [[Great Western Railway]] chose to site its locomotive works there. In many instances geography, politics or military considerations originally caused stations to be sited further from the towns they served until, with time, these issues could be overcome (for example, [[Portsmouth]] had its original station at [[Gosport]]).

===Inter-city===
[[File:British main lines railway diagram.png|thumb|right|Overview map of the north–south main lines in Great Britain]]
[[File:St Pancras railway station MMB 31 395018.jpg|thumb|A [[Southeastern (train operating company)|Southeastern]] [[British Rail Class 395|Class 395 ''Javelin'']] at [[St Pancras railway station]]]]
{{Main|High-speed rail in the United Kingdom|Inter-city rail in the United Kingdom}}

High-speed inter-city rail (above {{convert|124|mph|km/h|abbr=on|disp=or}}) was first introduced in Great Britain in the 1970s by British Rail. BR had pursued two development projects in parallel, the development of a [[tilting train]] technology, the [[Advanced Passenger Train]] (APT), and development of a conventional high-speed diesel train, the [[InterCity 125|High Speed Train]] (HST). The APT project was abandoned, but the HST design entered service as the [[British Rail Classes 253, 254 and 255]] trains. The prototype HST, the [[British Rail Class 252|Class 252]], reached a world speed record for diesel trains of 143.2&nbsp;mph, while the main fleet entered service limited to a service speed of 125&nbsp;mph, and were introduced progressively on main lines across the country, with a rebranding of their services as the ''[[InterCity 125]]''. With electrification of the [[East Coast Main Line]], high-speed rail in Great Britain was augmented with the introduction of the [[British Rail Class 91|Class 91]], intended for passenger service at up to 140&nbsp;mph (225&nbsp;km/h), and thus branded as the ''[[InterCity 225]]''. The Class 91 units were designed for a maximum service speed of 140&nbsp;mph, and running at this speed was trialled with a 'flashing green' signal aspect under the [[UK railway signalling|British signalling system]]. The trains were eventually limited to the same speed as the HST, to 125&nbsp;mph, with higher speeds deemed to require [[cab signalling]], which as of 2010 was not in place on the normal British railway network (but was used on the Channel Tunnel Rail Link). A final attempt by the nationalised British Rail at High Speed Rail was the cancelled [[InterCity 250]] project in the 1990s for the West Coast Main Line.

Post privatisation, a plan to upgrade the [[West Coast Main Line]] to speeds of up to 140&nbsp;mph with infrastructure improvements were finally abandoned, although the tilting train [[British Rail Class 390|Class 390]] ''Pendolino'' fleet designed for this maximum speed of service were still built and entered service in 2002, and operates limited to 125&nbsp;mph. Other routes in the UK were upgraded with trains capable of top speeds of up to 125&nbsp;mph running with the introduction between 2000 and 2005 of [[British Rail Class 180|Class 180]] ''Adelante'' DMUs and the [[Bombardier Voyager]] DEMUs (Classes [[British Rail Class 220|220]], [[British Rail Class 221|221]] and [[British Rail Class 222|222]]).

====High Speed 1====
{{Main|HS1}}
The first implementation of high-speed rail up to 186&nbsp;mph in regular passenger service in Great Britain was the Channel Tunnel Rail Link (now known as [[High Speed 1]]), when its first phase opened in 2003 linking the British end of the [[Channel Tunnel]] at [[Folkestone]] with Fawkham Junction in Kent. This is used by international only passenger trains for the [[Eurostar]] service, using [[British Rail Class 373|Class 373]] and [[British Rail Class 374|Class 374]] trains. The line was later extended all the way into [[St Pancras railway station|London St Pancras]] in 2007.

After the building of the first of a new [[British Rail Class 395|Class 395]] train fleet for use partly on High Speed 1 and parts of the rest of the UK rail network, the first domestic high-speed running over 125&nbsp;mph (to about 140&nbsp;mph) began in December 2009, including a special Olympic Javelin shuttle for the [[2012 Summer Olympics]]. These services are operated by the [[South Eastern franchise]].

====Intercity Express Programme====
{{Main|Intercity Express Programme}}
The Intercity Express Programme for replacement of the domestic fleet of InterCity 125 and 225 trains on the existing national network was announced. In 2009 it was announced that the preferred rolling stock option for this project was the Hitachi Super Express family of multiple units, and they entered service in 2017 on the Great Western Main Line and in 2019 on the East Coast Main Line. The trains will be capable of a maximum speed of 140&nbsp;mph with "minor modifications", with the necessary signalling modifications required of the [[Network Rail]] infrastructure in Britain likely to come from the phased rollout of the Europe-wide [[European Rail Traffic Management System]] (ERTMS).

====Proposed and partly under construction====
=====High Speed 2=====
{{Main|High Speed 2}}
Following several studies and consultations on high-speed rail, in 2009 the UK Government formally announced the [[High Speed 2]] project, establishing a company to produce a feasibility study to examine route options and financing for a new high-speed railway in the UK. This study began on the assumption the route would be a new purpose-built high-speed line connected to High-Speed 1 to the Channel tunnel and from London to the [[West Midlands (region)|West Midlands]], via [[Heathrow Airport]], relieving traffic on the [[West Coast Main Line]] (WCML). Conventional high-speed rail technology would be used as opposed to [[Maglev (transport)|Maglev]]. The rolling stock would be capable of travelling on the existing [[Network Rail]] infrastructure if required, with the route intersecting with the existing WCML and the East Coast Main Line (ECML). A cancelled second phase of the project was planned to reach further north to Manchester, Sheffield and Leeds, as well as linking into the [[Midland Main Line]].

=====Northern Powerhouse Rail=====
{{Main|Northern Powerhouse Rail}}

In June 2014, the chancellor of the Exchequer, [[George Osborne]], proposed a high-speed rail link [[Northern Powerhouse Rail]] (also known as High Speed 3 or High Speed North) between Liverpool and Newcastle/Sheffield/Hull. The line would use the existing route between Liverpool and Newcastle/Hull and a new route from to Sheffield will follow the same route to Manchester Victoria and then a new line from Victoria to Sheffield, with additional tunnels and other infrastructure.

====High-speed rolling stock====
As of August 2023 the following rolling stock on the British network is capable of 125&nbsp;mph or more:
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+Maximum speeds in mph (km/h)
!|Family
!data-sort-type="number" |TOPS classification
!Operator and name
!|Type
!data-sort-type="number" |Recorded speed 
!data-sort-type="number" |Design speed
!data-sort-type="number" |Speed in service
|-
||[[Siemens Velaro|Siemens ''Velaro'']]
||[[British Rail Class 374|374]]
|[[Eurostar]] ''e320''
|[[Electric multiple unit|EMU]]
||219 (352)
||200 (320)
||186 (300)
|-
||[[British Rail Class 373|TGV ''TMST'']]
||[[British Rail Class 373|373]]
|[[Eurostar]] ''e300''
|EMU
||209 (334.7)
||186 (300)
||186 (300)
|-
| rowspan="8"|[[Hitachi A-train|Hitachi A-train ''AT300'']]
||[[British Rail Class 395|395]]
|[[Southeastern (train operating company)|Southeastern]] ''Javelin''
|EMU
||157 (252)<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.railnews.co.uk/news/2008/06/10-hitatchi-hs-milestone.html|title=Bullet train in milestone run on HS1|date=10 June 2008|quote=earlier successful 'overspeed' test to check train stability and ride on 18th April, when the train achieved a maximum speed of 252 km/h|access-date=14 March 2015|archive-date=3 April 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150403012246/http://www.railnews.co.uk/news/2008/06/10-hitatchi-hs-milestone.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
||140 (225)
||140 (225)
|-
||[[British Rail Class 800|800]]
|[[Great Western Railway (train operating company)|GWR]] ''IET'', [[London North Eastern Railway|LNER]] ''Azuma''
||[[Electro-diesel multiple unit|BMU]]
||Not known
||140 (225)
||125 (200)
|-
|[[British Rail Class 801|801]]
|[[London North Eastern Railway|LNER]] ''Azuma''
|EMU
|
|140 (225)
|125 (200)
|-
|[[British Rail Class 802|802]]
|[[Great Western Railway (train operating company)|GWR]] ''IET''<br>[[TransPennine Express]] ''Nova 1''<br> [[Hull Trains]] ''Paragon''
|BMU
|
|140 (225)
|125 (200)
|-
|[[British Rail Class 803|803]]
|[[Lumo (train operating company)|Lumo]] ''(unnamed)''
|EMU
|
|140 (225)
|125 (200)
|-
|[[British Rail Class 805|805]]
|[[Avanti West Coast]] ''Evero''
|BMU
|
|140 (225)
|125 (200)
|-
|[[British Rail Class 807|807]]
|[[Avanti West Coast]] ''Evero''
|EMU
|
|140 (225)
|125 (200)
|-
|[[British Rail Class 810|810]]
|[[East Midlands Railway|EMR InterCity]] ''Aurora''
|BMU
|
|140 (225)
|125 (200)
|-
||[[InterCity 225]]
||[[British Rail Class 91|91]] + [[British Rail Mark 4|Mark 4 coaches]]
|[[London North Eastern Railway|LNER]] ''InterCity 225''
||Electric Loco
||162 (261)
||140 (225)
||125 (200)
|-
||[[Alstom]] [[Pendolino#United Kingdom|''Pendolino'']]
||[[British Rail Class 390|390]]
|[[Avanti West Coast]] ''Pendolino''
||EMU
||162 (261)<ref>{{cite news |work =Rail |location =Peterborough |date= 25 February 2009 |issue= 612}}</ref><!---INADEQUATE REFERENCE: needs page number and title of article---->
||140 (225)
||125 (200)
|-
|[[CAF Civity|CAF ''Civity'']]
|[[British Rail Class 397|397]]
|[[TransPennine Express]] ''Nova 2''
|EMU
|
|125 (200)
|125 (200)
|-
||[[InterCity 125]]
||[[British Rail Class 43 (HST)|43 (HST)]] + [[British Rail Mark 3|Mark 3 coaches]]
|[[ScotRail (brand)|ScotRail]] ''Inter7City''
||Diesel Loco
||148 (~240)
||125 (200)
||125 (200)
|-
||Class 67
||[[British Rail Class 67|67]]
|
||Diesel Loco
||143 (230)<ref>{{cite web |title=Class 67 |url=https://sremg.org.uk/diesel/class67.shtml |website=Southern Railway Email Group |access-date=10 March 2021 |archive-date=11 May 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210511125324/https://sremg.org.uk/diesel/class67.shtml |url-status=live }}</ref>
||125 (200)
||125 (200)
|-
||[[Alstom Coradia|Alstom ''Coradia'']] 
||[[British Rail Class 180|180]]
|[[Grand Central (train operating company)|Grand Central]] ''Adelante''
||[[Diesel multiple unit#Diesel–hydraulic|DHMU]]
||125 (200)
||125 (200)
||125 (200)
|-
||[[Bombardier Voyager|Bombardier ''Voyager'']]
||[[British Rail Class 220|220]]
|[[CrossCountry]] ''Voyager''
||[[Diesel-electric Multiple Unit|DEMU]]
||125 (200)
||125 (200)
||125 (200)
|-
||[[Bombardier Voyager|Bombardier ''Voyager'']]
||[[British Rail Class 221|221]]
|[[Avanti West Coast]] ''Super Voyager''<br>[[CrossCountry]] ''Voyager''
||DEMU
||125 (200)
||125 (200)
||125 (200)
|-
||[[Bombardier Voyager|Bombardier ''Voyager'']]
||[[British Rail Class 222|222]]
|[[East Midlands Railway|EMR InterCity]] ''Meridian''
||DEMU
||125 (200)
||125 (200)
||125 (200)
|}
In 2011, the fastest timetabled start-to-stop run by a UK domestic train service was the [[Hull Trains]] 07.30 [[London King's Cross railway station|King's Cross]] to [[Hull Paragon Interchange|Hull]], which covered the {{convert|125.4|km|abbr=in}} from [[Stevenage railway station|Stevenage]] to [[Grantham railway station|Grantham]] in 42{{nbsp}}minutes at an average speed of {{convert|179.1|km/h|abbr=on}}. This was operated by a [[British Rail Class 180|Class 180]] diesel unit running "under the wires" at the time, and is now operated by [[British Rail Class 802|Class 802 ''Paragon'']] bi-mode units, operating on electric power on this section. This was matched by several [[Leeds railway station|Leeds]] to London [[British Rail Class 91|Class 91]]-operated [[East Coast (train operating company)|East Coast]] trains if their two-minute recovery allowance for this section is excluded from the public timetable.<ref>{{cite journal|last=Taylor|first=Dr Colin|author2=John Heaton |title=World Speed Survey 2011|journal=Railway Gazette International|date=September 2011|volume= 167| issue =  9|pages=61–70}}</ref>

===Local metro and other rail systems===
[[File:Map of Urban rail in the UK.svg|thumb|right|Map of local urban rail networks]]
[[File:LUL-S-Stock-arrives-Croxley.jpg|thumb|A [[London Underground S7 and S8 Stock|London Underground S-stock]] train]]
{{Main|Rapid transit in the United Kingdom|Commuter rail in the United Kingdom|List of modern tramway and light rail systems in the United Kingdom|List of British heritage and private railways}}
A number of towns and cities have [[rapid transit]] networks. Underground technology is used in the [[Glasgow subway]], [[Merseyrail]] centred on Liverpool, [[London Underground]] centred on London, [[London Overground]] and the [[Docklands Light Railway|London Docklands Light Railway]] centred on London, and the [[Tyne and Wear Metro]] centred on [[Newcastle upon Tyne]].

Light rail systems in the form of trams are in [[West Midlands Metro|Birmingham]], [[Tramlink|Croydon]], [[Manchester Metrolink|Manchester]], [[Nottingham Express Transit|Nottingham]], [[Sheffield Supertram|Sheffield]] and [[Edinburgh Trams|Edinburgh]]. These systems use a combination of street running tramways and, where available, reserved right of way or former conventional rail lines in some suburbs. [[Blackpool Tramway|Blackpool]] has the one remaining traditional tram system. Monorails, heritage tramways, miniature railways and funiculars also exist in several places. In addition, there are a number of heritage (mainly steam) standard and narrow gauge railways, and a few industrial railways and tramways. Some lines which appear to be heritage operations sometimes claim to be part of the public transport network; the [[Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch Railway]] in Kent regularly transports schoolchildren.

Most major cities have some form of [[Commuter rail in the United Kingdom|commuter rail network]]. These include [[Belfast]], Birmingham, Bristol, [[Cardiff]], Edinburgh, [[Exeter]], [[Glasgow]], [[Leeds]], Liverpool, London and [[Manchester]].

==Goods services==
{{main|Rail freight transport in Great Britain}}
[[File:Rail freight in the UK 1997-2016.png|thumb|Million tonnes of rail freight moved in the UK from 1983 to 2021 (annual rolling average). There was a large decrease in coal carried in 1984–5 due to the [[1984–1985 United Kingdom miners' strike|miners' strike]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://dataportal.orr.gov.uk/displayreport/report/html/8db1c1b2-1a53-4db1-8347-ce248a12abb5 |title=ORR: Freight lifted |access-date=29 September 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160929135910/http://dataportal.orr.gov.uk/displayreport/report/html/8db1c1b2-1a53-4db1-8347-ce248a12abb5 |archive-date=29 September 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref>]]
[[File:Rail freight moved.png|thumb|Billion tonne-kilometres of rail freight moved in the UK from 1983 to 2019<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://dataportal.orr.gov.uk/media/1456/freight-moved-table-137.xlsx|title=Archived copy|access-date=5 March 2020|archive-date=11 May 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210511125310/https://dataportal.orr.gov.uk/media/1456/freight-moved-table-137.xlsx|url-status=dead }}</ref>]]

There are four main [[Freight rail transport|goods]] operating companies in the UK, the largest of which is [[DB Cargo UK]] (formerly DB Schenker, formerly English Welsh & Scottish (EWS)). There are also several smaller independent operators including [[Mendip Rail]]. Types of freight carried include ''[[intermodal freight transport|intermodal]]'' – in essence containerised freight – and coal, metals, oil, and construction materials. The Beeching Cuts, in contrast to passenger services, greatly modernised the goods sector, replacing inefficient wagons with containerised regional hubs.<ref>{{Cite web|title = Rail freight in Britain: shaped by Beeching, despite his reputation|url = https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2013/mar/17/rail-freight-britain-beeching-reputation|website = The Guardian|access-date = 21 July 2015|first = Gwyn|last = Topham|date = 17 March 2013|archive-date = 3 September 2015|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150903211800/http://www.theguardian.com/uk/2013/mar/17/rail-freight-britain-beeching-reputation|url-status = live}}</ref> Freight services had been in steady decline since the 1930s, initially because of the reduction in manufacturing and then road haulage's cost advantage in combination with higher wages.<ref name="amazonaws92119643">{{Cite web|url = http://s3.amazonaws.com/zanran_storage/www.europa-nu.nl/ContentPages/92119643.pdf#page=65|title = Annexes to the Communication on the implementation of the railway infrastructure package Directives ('First Railway Package')|date = 11 May 2006|access-date = 21 July 2015|publisher = Council of the European Union|last = Ayet Puigarnau|first = Jordi|archive-date = 3 September 2015|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150903211800/http://s3.amazonaws.com/zanran_storage/www.europa-nu.nl/ContentPages/92119643.pdf#page=65|url-status = live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|title = Private and Public Enterprise in Europe: Energy, Telecommunications and Transport, 1830–1990|url = https://books.google.com/books?id=mQ-f1IFo4IsC&q=freight|publisher = Cambridge University Press|date = 1 January 2005 |isbn = 9780521835244 }}</ref> Since 1995, however, the amount of [[freight]] carried on the railways has increased sharply due to increased reliability and competition, as well as international services.<ref name="amazonaws92119643" /><ref name="unece">{{Cite web|url = http://www.unece.org/fileadmin/DAM/trans/doc/2008/wp5/GE1_Piraeus_Background_Woodburn.pdf#page=17|title = Container Train Operations Between Ports and Their Hinterlands: a UK Case Study|year = 2008|access-date = 21 July 2015|publisher = UN Economic Commission for Europe|last = Woodburn|first = Allan|archive-date = 15 December 2016|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20161215112827/http://www.unece.org/fileadmin/DAM/trans/doc/2008/wp5/GE1_Piraeus_Background_Woodburn.pdf#page=17|url-status = live}}</ref> In 2000, the [[Department for Transport]]'s ''Transport Ten Year Plan'' called for an 80% increase in rail freight.<ref>{{Cite web |date=6 September 2000 |title=The Government's Ten Year Transport Plan |url=http://www.devon.gov.uk/cr_thegovernmentstenyeartransportplan.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150518092908/http://www.devon.gov.uk/cr_thegovernmentstenyeartransportplan.pdf |archive-date=18 May 2015 |access-date=17 May 2015 |publisher=Government of the United Kingdom}}</ref>

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. 116.6&nbsp;million tonnes of freight was lifted in the 2013–4 period, against 138&nbsp;million tonnes in 1986–7, a decrease of 16%.<ref name="gov12189">{{Cite web |title=2013–14 Quarter 4 Statistical Release – Freight Rail Usage |website=Office of Rail Regulation |url=http://orr.gov.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0003/12189/freight-rail-usage-2013-14-q4.pdf |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/http://orr.gov.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0003/12189/freight-rail-usage-2013-14-q4.pdf |archive-date=9 October 2022 |url-status=live |access-date = 21 July 2015 |date = 22 May 2014}}</ref> However, a record 22.7&nbsp;billion net tonne kilometres (14&nbsp;billion net ton miles) of freight movement were recorded in 2013–4, against 16.6&nbsp;billion (10.1&nbsp;billion) in 1986–7, an increase of 38%.<ref name="gov12189" /> Coal made up 36% of the total ''net tonne kilometre'', though its share was declining.<ref>{{Cite web|title = Rail trends factsheet, Great Britain: 2014 – Publications – Government of the United Kingdom|url = https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/rail-trends-factsheet-great-britain-2014|publisher = Government of the United Kingdom|access-date = 21 July 2015|date = 15 October 2014|archive-date = 3 September 2015|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150903211800/https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/rail-trends-factsheet-great-britain-2014|url-status = live}}</ref> Rail freight had increased its market share since privatisation (by net tonne kilometres) from 7.4% in 1998 to 11.1% in 2013.<ref>{{Cite web |title = Display Report |website = Office of Rail and Road – National Rail Trends Portal |url = http://dataportal.orr.gov.uk/displayreport/report/html/a2935b59-142f-4037-bf58-92b5d9388932 |access-date = 21 July 2015 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150903211800/http://dataportal.orr.gov.uk/displayreport/report/html/a2935b59-142f-4037-bf58-92b5d9388932 |archive-date = 3 September 2015 |url-status = dead }}</ref> Growth was partly due to more international services including the Channel Tunnel and [[Port of Felixstowe]], which is containerised.<ref>{{Cite web|url = http://orr.gov.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0008/17972/freight-rail-usage-2014-15-q4.pdf|title = Freight Rail Usage 2014–15 Quarter 4 Statistical Release|date = 21 May 2015|access-date = 21 July 2015|publisher = Office of Rail and Road|last = Amusan|first = Folusho|archive-date = 4 March 2016|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160304092030/http://orr.gov.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0008/17972/freight-rail-usage-2014-15-q4.pdf|url-status = live}}</ref> Nevertheless, as of 2008, network bottlenecks and insufficient investment in catering for 9' 6" high shipping containers restricted growth.<ref name="unece" />

A symbolic loss to the rail freight industry in Great Britain was the custom of the [[Royal Mail]], which from 2004 discontinued use of its 49-train fleet, and switched to road haulage after a near 170-year-preference for trains. [[Travelling Post Office|Mail trains]] had long been part of the tradition of the railways in Great Britain, famously celebrated in the film ''[[Night Mail]]'', for which [[W. H. Auden]] wrote the poem of the same name. Although Royal Mail suspended mail trains in January 2004, this decision was reversed in December of the same year, and [[British Rail Class 325|Class 325s]] are now used on some routes including between London, [[Warrington]] and Scotland.{{Citation needed|date=October 2022}}

==Train leasing services==
{{anchor|Leasing services}}

At the time of privatisation, the rolling stock of [[British Rail]] was sold to the new operators, as in the case of the freight companies, or to the three ROSCOs ([[rolling stock company|rolling stock companies]]) which lease or hire stock to passenger and freight train 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 selling-off of locomotives by the large freight operators, especially EWS.

Unlike other major players in the privatised railway system of Great Britain, the ROSCOs are not subject to close regulation by the economic regulatory authority. They were expected to compete with one another, and they do, although not in all respects.

===Competition codes of practice===
Since privatisation in 1995, the ROSCOs have faced criticism from several quarters – including passenger train operating companies such as [[Great North Eastern Railway|GNER]], [[Arriva]] and [[FirstGroup]] – on the basis they are acting as an oligopoly to keep lease prices higher than they would be in a competitive market. In 1998, Deputy Prime Minister [[John Prescott]] asked rail regulator [[John Swift (barrister)|John Swift]] to investigate the market's operation and make recommendations. Many believed Prescott favoured much closer regulation of the ROSCOs, perhaps bringing them into the net of contract-specific regulation, i.e., requiring every rolling stock lease to be approved by the Rail Regulator before it could be valid. Swift's report did not find major problems with the operation of what was then an infant market, and instead recommended the ROSCOs sign up to voluntary, non-binding codes of practice in relation to their future behaviour. Prescott did not like this, but he did not have the legislative time allocation to do much about it. Swift's successor as Rail Regulator, [[Tom Winsor]], agreed with Swift and the ROSCOs were happy to go along with codes of practice, coupled with the Rail Regulator's new powers to deal with abuse of dominance and anti-competitive behaviour under the [[Competition Act 1998]]. In establishing these codes, the Rail Regulator made it clear he expected the ROSCOs to adhere to their letter and spirit. The codes of practice were duly put in place and for the next five years the Rail Regulator received no complaints about ROSCO behaviour.

===White paper 2004===
[[File:Avanti West Coast 390151 at Stafford railway station, Jan 2022 02.jpg|thumb|An [[Avanti West Coast]] [[British Rail Class 390|Class 390 ''Pendolino'']] train at [[Stafford railway station|Stafford station]]]]
In July 2004, the DFT's White Paper on the future of the railways expressed dissatisfaction with the operation of the rolling stock leasing market, and the belief there may have been excessive pricing on the part of the ROSCOs.

In June 2006, [[Gwyneth Dunwoody]], chair of the [[Transport Select Committee]] of the [[House of Commons of the United Kingdom|House of Commons]], called for an investigation into the companies.<ref>{{cite news |title= Review of train leasing urged |url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/real_story/3434369.stm |date= 6 June 2006 |work= BBC News |access-date= 6 June 2006 |archive-date= 3 June 2004 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20040603080140/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/real_story/3434369.stm |url-status= live }}</ref> Transport commentator [[Christian Wolmar]] has asserted the high cost of leasing is due to the way the franchises are distributed to the train operating companies. While the TOCs are negotiating for a franchise they have some freedom to propose different rolling stock options. It is only once they have won the franchise, however, they start negotiating with the ROSCOs. The ROSCO will know the TOC's requirements and also knows the TOC has to obtain a fixed mix of rolling stock which puts the train operating company at a disadvantage in its negotiations with the ROSCO.<ref>{{cite book |last=Wolmar |first=Christian  |title=On the Wrong Line |page=289 }}</ref>

===Competition Commission===
On 29 November 2006, following a June 2006 complaint by the DfT alleging excessive pricing by the ROSCOs, the [[Office of Rail and Road|Office of Rail Regulation]] (as it was then called) announced it was minded to refer the operation of the market for passenger rolling stock to the [[Competition Commission]], citing, amongst other factors, problems in the DfT's own franchising policy as responsible for what may be regarded as a dysfunctional market. ORR said it will consult the industry and the public on what to do, and will publish its decision in April 2007. If the ORR does refer the market to the Competition Commission, there may well be a hiatus in investment in new rolling stock whilst the ROSCOs and their parent companies wait to hear what return they will be allowed to make on their train fleets. This could have the [[unintended consequence]] of intensifying the problem of overcrowding on some routes because TOCs will be unable to lengthen their trains or acquire new ones if they need the ROSCOs to co-operate in their acquisition or financing. Some commentators have suggested that such an outcome would be detrimental to the public interest. This is especially striking since the [[National Audit Office (United Kingdom)|National Audit Office]], in its November 2006 report on the renewal and upgrade of the West Coast Main Line, said that the capacity of the trains and the network will be full in the next few years and advocated train lengthening as an important measure to cope with sharply higher passenger numbers.

The Competition Commission conducted an investigation and published provisional findings<ref>{{cite press release |url=http://www.competition-commission.org.uk/press_rel/2008/aug/pdf/22-08.pdf |publisher=Competition Commission |title=Rolling stock leasing market investigation: Provisional findings |date=7 August 2008 |access-date=26 October 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081023151028/http://www.competition-commission.org.uk/press_rel/2008/aug/pdf/22-08.pdf |archive-date=23 October 2008 |url-status=usurped  }}</ref> on 7 August 2008. The report was published on 7 April 2009.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.competition-commission.org.uk/assets/competitioncommission/docs/pdf/non-inquiry/rep_pub/reports/2009/fulltext/546|title=Rolling Stock Leasing market investigation|website=Competition Commission|url-status=usurped|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140520220434/http://www.competition-commission.org.uk/assets/competitioncommission/docs/pdf/non-inquiry/rep_pub/reports/2009/fulltext/546|archive-date=20 May 2014}}</ref> A press release{{cn|date=September 2024}} summarised the recommendations as follows:

* introduce longer franchise terms (in the region of 12 to 15 years or longer), which would allow TOCs to realise the benefits and recover the costs of switching to alternative new or used rolling stock over a longer period, which should increase the incentives and ability for TOCs to exercise choice
* assess the benefits of alternative new or used rolling stock proposals beyond the franchise term and across other franchises when evaluating franchise bids. This will encourage a wider choice of rolling stock to be considered in franchise proposals, irrespective of franchise length
* ensure franchise invitations to tender (ITTs) are specified in such a way franchise bidders are allowed a choice of rolling stock
* requiring the ROSCOs to remove non-discrimination requirements from the Codes of Practice, which would provide greater incentives for the TOCs to seek improved terms from the ROSCOs
* requiring rolling stock lessors to provide TOCs with a set list of information when making a lease rental offer for used rolling stock, which would give TOCs the ability to negotiate more effectively

===Leasing companies (ROSCO)===
:''See also [[Rolling stock company]]''

Three companies took over [[British Rail]]'s rolling stock on privatisation:
* [[Angel Trains]] –  has 4,400 vehicles in the UK owned by [[AMP Capital|AMP Capital Investors]], PSP Investments and [[International Public Partnerships]].
* [[Eversholt Rail Group]] – owns a fleet of over 4,000 vehicles and is owned by [[CK Hutchison Holdings]] and [[Cheung Kong Infrastructure Holdings]].
* [[Porterbrook]] – leases some 3,500 locomotives, trains and freight wagons; owned by a consortium including [[Alberta Investment Management Corporation]], [[Allianz]], [[Électricité de France]] and Vantage Infrastructure.

A number of other companies have since entered the leasing market:
* [[Sovereign Trains]] – a company that forms part of the same group as the open-access operator [[Grand Central (train operating company)|Grand Central]]. Sovereign Trains owned the rolling stock operated by Grand Central. Dissolved after the stock was sold to Angel Trains<ref>[http://www.railwaygazette.com/news/single-view/view/10/angel-trains-in-grand-central-hst-sale-and-lease-back-deal.html Angel Trains in Grand Central HST sale and lease-back deal] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201124152510/https://www.railwaygazette.com/news/single-view/view/10/angel-trains-in-grand-central-hst-sale-and-lease-back-deal.html |date=24 November 2020 }} ''[[Railway Gazette International]]'' 2 March 2010</ref>
* [[QW Rail Leasing]] – a joint venture between the [[National Australia Bank]] and [[Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation|SMBC Leasing & Finance]] to provide the EMU rolling stock to [[London Overground]].
* [[Macquarie European Rail]] – in April 2009, [[Lloyds Bank|Lloyds TSB]] entered the rolling stock market by funding the purchase of 30 new [[British Rail Class 379|Class 379s]] for [[National Express East Anglia]]. In November 2012, Lloyds sold the company to [[Macquarie Group]].
* [[Beacon Rail]],<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.beaconrail.com/ |title=BRL Home |publisher=Beaconrail.com |access-date=20 May 2014 |archive-date=21 April 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140421080804/http://beaconrail.com/ |url-status=live }}</ref> owns [[British Rail Class 68|Class 68]] and [[British Rail Class 88|Class 88]] locomotives, as well as {{brc|220}}, [[British Rail Class 313|Class 313]] and {{brc|221}} DMUs.<ref>{{cite news|title=Rolling stock leaser Beacon Rail acquires 78-train fleet|url=https://www.globalrailnews.com/2017/07/26/rolling-stock-leaser-beacon-rail-acquires-78-train-fleet/|access-date=9 August 2017|work=Global Rail News|date=26 July 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170810050611/https://www.globalrailnews.com/2017/07/26/rolling-stock-leaser-beacon-rail-acquires-78-train-fleet/|archive-date=10 August 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Cl.313|url=https://beaconrail.com/en/fleet-item/cl-313/|access-date=6 July 2021|website=We lease passenger and freight rolling stock across Europe|language=en-GB|archive-date=9 July 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210709183150/https://beaconrail.com/en/fleet-item/cl-313/|url-status=live}}</ref>
* [[UK Rail Leasing]], owns some [[British Rail Class 56|Class 56]] locomotives
*Rock Rail Limited, owns Class 717 Siemens Desiro EMUs in service on Govia Thameslink Railway's Great Northern routes, Stadler Flirt Class 745 EMUs and Class 755 BMUs entering service on Abellio's Greater Anglia franchise, Bombardier Aventra Class 701 EMUs entering service on FirstGroup and MTR's South Western franchise, Hitachi Intercity BMUs for service on Abellio's East Midlands franchise and Hitachi Intercity EMUs and BMUs for service on First Group and Trenitalia's Avanti West Coast franchise<ref>{{Cite web|title=Rock Rail UK|url=https://rockrail.com/rock-rail-uk/|access-date=30 June 2020|website=Rock Rail|language=en|archive-date=2 July 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200702014342/https://rockrail.com/rock-rail-uk/|url-status=live}}</ref>

===Spot-hire companies===
Spot-hire companies provide short-term leasing of rolling stock.
* MiddlePeak Railways, a locomotive hire & lease company with a stock of locomotives similar to [[British Rail Class 08|Class 08]] & [[Nederlandse Spoorwegen|NS]] 0-6-0 [[NS 600 Class|600 Class]] shunting locomotives, other locomotives, rolling stock & parts.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.middlepeak.co.uk/locomotives.htm |title=MiddlePeak Railways Ltd – Shunter Lok/Loco/Loc hire – Locomotive & Rolling Stock; hire & Leasing!! Railshunters – rangeerlocomotieven |publisher=Middlepeak.co.uk |access-date=20 May 2014 |archive-date=17 January 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160117024648/http://www.middlepeak.co.uk/locomotives.htm |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.middlepeak.co.uk/railway.htm|title=MiddlePeak Railways|website=middlepeak.co.uk|access-date=27 March 2018|archive-date=15 May 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210515231901/https://www.middlepeak.co.uk/railway.htm|url-status=live}}</ref>
* GL Railease owned by [[GATX]] Capital, and Lombard, a subsidiary of the Royal Bank of Scotland.
* [[Harry Needle Railroad Company]], an industrial and main line locomotive hire and overhaul company. Operates [[British Rail Class 08|Class 08]] shunting locomotives, and [[British Rail Class 20|Class 20]] locomotives.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hnrc.co.uk/|title=HNRC – Harry Needle Railroad Company|access-date=28 April 2004|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040520002808/http://www.hnrc.co.uk/|archive-date=20 May 2004}}</ref>
*[[Riviera Trains]], a spot-hire company with a fleet of [[British Rail Class 47|Class 47]] locomotives. This company works closely with [[DB Cargo UK]].<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.riviera-trains.co.uk/ |title= Welcome to Riviera Trains |access-date= 13 March 2012 |archive-date= 7 February 2012 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20120207092126/http://www.riviera-trains.co.uk/ |url-status= live }}</ref>
*[[West Coast Railways]], a spot-hire and railtour-operator with a stock of [[British Rail Class 37|Class 37]] and [[British Rail Class 47|Class 47]] locomotives, as well as the rebuilt [[British Rail Class 57|Class 57]] locomotive.
* Eastern Rail Services, a rolling stock spot hire company, providing leasing and hire, acquisition, parts supply and overhaul and technical advice.

==Statutory framework==
{{See also|Structure of the rail industry in the United Kingdom}}

Railways in Great Britain are in the private sector, but they are subject to control by central government, and to economic and safety regulation by arms of government.

In 2006, using powers in the [[Railways Act 2005]], the DfT took over most of the functions of the now wound up [[Strategic Rail Authority]]. The DfT now itself runs competitions for the award of passenger rail franchises, and, once awarded, monitors and enforces the contracts with the private sector franchisees. Franchises specify the passenger rail services which are to be run and the quality and other conditions (for example, the cleanliness of trains, station facilities and opening hours, the punctuality and reliability of trains) which the operators have to meet. Some franchises receive a subsidy from the DfT for doing so, and some are cash-positive, which means the franchisee pays the DfT for the contract. Some franchises start life as subsidised and, over their life, move to being cash-positive.

The other regulatory authority for the privatised railway is the [[Office of Rail and Road]] (previously the Office of Rail Regulation), which, following the Railways Act 2005, is the combined economic and safety regulator. It replaced the [[Rail Regulator]] on 5 July 2004. The [[Rail Safety and Standards Board]] still exists, however; established in 2003 on the recommendations of a public inquiry, it leads the industry's progress in health and safety matters.

The principal modern railway statutes are:

* [[Railways Act 1993]]
* [[Competition Act 1998]] (insofar as it confers competition powers on the Office of Rail and Road)
* [[Transport Act 2000]]
* [[Railways and Transport Safety Act 2003]]
* [[Railways Act 2005]]

==Industry bodies==

===Statutory authorities===
*[[Office of Rail and Road]] 
*[[Department for Transport]] 
*[[UK Notified Bodies]]

==== Devolved authorities ====
*[[Transport Scotland]] 
*[[Transport for Wales]]

===Network and signalling operations===
*[[Railtrack]] (1996–2002)
*[[Network Rail]] (2002–) – (A "not for dividend" company limited by guarantee)

===Other national entities===
* Institution of Railway Operators
* [[Rail Delivery Group]] 
* Rail Freight Group 
* Rail Passengers Council and Committees 
* [[Rail Safety and Standards Board]]
* Rail Forum Midlands 
* [[Railway Industry Association]]
* Railway Mission 
* Railway Study Association

====Trade unions====
The railways are one of the most heavily unionised industrial sectors in the UK.
*[[Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen]] (ASLEF)
*[[National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers]] (RMT)
*[[Transport Salaried Staffs' Association]] (TSSA)

===Regional entities===
''See [[Passenger transport executive]]''
* [[Transport for West Midlands]] 
* TfGM ([[Transport for Greater Manchester]]) 
* [[Merseytravel]] 
* Metro ([[West Yorkshire Metro]])
* Nexus ([[Tyne and Wear Passenger Transport Executive]]) 
* Travel South Yorkshire ([[South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive]])
* SPT ([[Strathclyde Partnership for Transport]]) 
* TfL ([[Transport for London]])

See [[List of companies operating trains in the United Kingdom]].

===Freight companies===
*[[GB Railfreight]] 
*[[DB Cargo UK]]
*[[Freightliner Group|Freightliner]] 
*[[Direct Rail Services]] 
*[[Colas Rail]] 
*[[Devon and Cornwall Railways]] 
*[[Mendip Rail]]

===Open access and other non-franchised passenger operators===
*[[Eurostar]] 
*[[Grand Central (train operating company)|Grand Central]] 
*[[Heathrow Express]] 
*[[Hull Trains]]
*[[Venice-Simplon Orient Express]] (VSOE)
*[[Lumo (train operating company)]]

==1820s–1840s: Early companies==
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]]
*[[Stockton and Darlington Railway]] (1825) – First steam-hauled passenger railway in the world.
*[[Canterbury and Whitstable Railway]] (1830) – First steam-hauled passenger railway to issue season tickets.
*[[Liverpool and Manchester Railway]] (1830) – First InterCity passenger railway.
*[[Grand Junction Railway]] (1833) – The line built by the company was the first trunk railway to be completed in England, and arguably the world's first long-distance railway with steam traction.
*[[London and Greenwich Railway]] (1836) – First steam railway in the capital, the first to be built specifically for passengers, and the first elevated railway.
*[[London and Birmingham Railway]] (1837) –  First Intercity line to be built into London.
*[[Midland Counties Railway]] (1839)
*[[Birmingham and Derby Junction Railway]] (BDJR) (1839)
*[[North Midland Railway]] (1840)
*[[Taff Vale Railway]] (1840)

==Heritage and private==
{{Main|List of British heritage and private railways}}
[[File:Locomotive70013OliverCromwellNNR11March2010.jpg|thumb|Heritage railways are popular tourist attractions. The photo shows a preserved [[Steam locomotive|locomotive]] ([[British Railways|BR]] Standard [[BR standard class 7 70013 Oliver Cromwell|7MT 70013 ''Oliver Cromwell'']]) on the [[North Norfolk Railway]] on 11 March 2010.]]

Many lines closed by British Railways, including many closed during the [[Beeching cuts]], have been restored and reopened as [[heritage railway]]s. A few have been relaid as narrow-gauge but the majority are standard-gauge. Most use both steam and diesel locomotives for haulage. Most heritage railways are operated as tourist attractions and do not provide regular year-round train services.

==Proposed line re-openings==
{{See also|List of closed railway lines in the United Kingdom}}
Several pressure groups are campaigning for the re-opening of closed railway lines in Great Britain. These include:
<!-- Please respect alphabetial order -->
* Ashington–Bedlington–[[Newcastle railway station|Newcastle]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.senrug.co.uk/campaign_abt.php|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080602152753/http://www.senrug.co.uk/campaign_abt.php|url-status=dead|title=SENRUG : South East Northumberland Rail User Group|archivedate=2 June 2008}}</ref>
* [[Marlow Branch Line|Marlow Branch]] ([[Bourne End railway station|Bourne End]]–[[High Wycombe railway station|High Wycombe]])<ref>[http://www.yourwycombe.co.uk/NewsPub/News/Stories/2006/09/15/11583109671.shtml YourHighWycombe – the open forum for everyone who lives and works in High Wycombe] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080723130206/http://www.yourwycombe.co.uk/NewsPub/News/Stories/2006/09/15/11583109671.shtml |date=23 July 2008 }}</ref>
* [[Cambridge railway station|Cambridge]]–[[Oxford railway station|Oxford]], [[East West Rail]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.eastwestrail.org.uk/route/ |title=The route |publisher=EastWestRail |date=22 April 2014 |access-date=20 May 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130728034956/http://www.eastwestrail.org.uk/route/ |archive-date=28 July 2013 |url-status=dead  }}</ref> This project was approved by the Government in November 2011.
* [[Carmarthen-Aberystwyth line]]
* [[Colne railway station|Colne]]–[[Skipton railway station|Skipton]], [[Skipton-East Lancashire Rail Action Partnership]]<ref>{{cite web |author=Selrap |url=http://www.selrap.org.uk/ |title=Skipton East Lancashire Railway Action Partnership |publisher=Selrap |access-date=20 May 2014 |archive-date=21 May 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140521031907/http://www.selrap.org.uk/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
* [[Great Central Main Line|Great Central Railway]] Notts–Leicester
* [[Lynn and Hunstanton Railway]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.hunstantonrail.org.uk/|title=Take a train to Hunstanton|website=KING'S LYNN HUNSTANTON RAILWAY CAMPAIGN|access-date=27 May 2020|archive-date=7 August 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200807173005/http://www.hunstantonrail.org.uk/|url-status=live}}</ref>
* [[Peak Rail]]: ([[Matlock railway station|Matlock]]–[[Bakewell railway station|Bakewell]]). Under-funded line
* [[Portishead Railway]] from [[Portishead, Somerset|Portishead]] to [[Bristol Temple Meads railway station|Bristol Temple Meads]]<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.northsomersettimes.co.uk/news/portishead-rail-metrowest-project-could-begin-phase-one-soon-1-5911967 |title=Councillors confident trains to Bristol from Portishead will run 'by 2023' |date=1 March 2019 |work=North Somerset Times |access-date=26 April 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190425231816/https://www.northsomersettimes.co.uk/news/portishead-rail-metrowest-project-could-begin-phase-one-soon-1-5911967 |archive-date=25 April 2019 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
* [[South Staffordshire Line]] ([[Stourbridge Junction railway station|Stourbridge]]–[[Walsall railway station|Walsall]]-[[Lichfield City|Lichfield]])
* [[St Andrews Rail Link]] ([[Leuchars railway station|Leuchars]]–[[St Andrews]])
* [[Wealden Line]] ([[Uckfield railway station|Uckfield]]–[[Lewes railway station|Lewes]])<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wealdenline.co.uk/|title=Welcome to the Wealden Line Campaign|date=21 August 2009|access-date=27 March 2018|url-status=bot: unknown|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090821084118/http://www.wealdenline.co.uk/|archive-date=21 August 2009}}</ref>
* [[Woodhead Line]] ([[Hadfield railway station|Hadfield]]–[[Penistone railway station|Penistone]])
* [[York to Beverley Line]] ([[York railway station|York]]–[[Beverley railway station|Beverley]])

From 1995 until 2009, 27 new lines (totalling 199 track miles) and 68 stations were opened, with 65 further new station sites identified by [[Network Rail]] or government for possible construction.{{ATOCConnectingCommunitiesReportS10|page=6}}
On 15 June 2009 the [[Association of Train Operating Companies]] (ATOC) published the report ''[[Connecting Communities: Expanding Access to the Rail Network]]'', detailing schemes around England where it believed there was a commercial business case for passenger network expansion. The published proposals involved the re-opening or new construction of 40 stations, serving communities with populations of over 15,000, including 14 schemes involving the re-opening or reconstruction of rail lines for passenger services. These would be short-lead-time local projects, to be completed in timescales ranging from 2 years 9 months to 6 years, once approved by [[Local government in England|local]] and [[Regions of England|regional]] governments, Network Rail and the [[Department for Transport]], complementing existing long-term national projects.{{ATOCConnectingCommunitiesReportS10}}<ref name=BBC8099912>{{cite news
|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/8099912.stm
|title=Move to reinstate lost rail lines
|date=15 June 2009
|access-date=15 June 2009
|work=BBC News
|archive-date=11 May 2018
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180511100322/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/8099912.stm
|url-status=live
}}</ref>

===Most populous towns without rail services===

This is a list of towns in England that do not have any sort of rail service. Services taken into account include [[National Rail]], [[tram]] and metro services such as the [[Manchester Metrolink]] or the [[Tyne and Wear Metro]]. The first list is of separate towns.  The second is of towns that form part of larger [[conurbation]]s.

====Built-up areas====
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Town !! Population (2019 estimate)<ref>{{cite web |title=United Kingdom: Urban Areas in England |url=https://www.citypopulation.de/en/uk/cities/englandua/ |website=www.citypopulation.de |accessdate=19 June 2021 |archive-date=8 April 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180408141615/https://www.citypopulation.de/UK-EnglandUA.html?cityid=10795 |url-status=live }}</ref> !! Railway station closed !! Notes
|-
| [[Rushden]] || 41,387 || 1969<ref>{{cite web |title=Disused Stations: Rushden Station |url=http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/r/rushden/index.shtml |website=www.disused-stations.org.uk |accessdate=10 April 2020 |archive-date=5 January 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200105181936/http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/r/rushden/index.shtml |url-status=live }}</ref> || Proposals have been put forward for [[Rushden Parkway railway station]] on the [[Midland Main Line]], to the west of the town.
|-
| [[Coalville]] || 41,223 || 1964<ref>{{cite web |last1=Quick |first1=Michael |title=Railway Passenger Stations in England, Scotland and Wales; a Chronology |url=https://rchs.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Railway-Passenger-Stations-v5.01-2.pdf |website=rchs.org.uk |accessdate=10 April 2020 |page=123 |date=2019 |archive-date=15 November 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191115225509/https://rchs.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Railway-Passenger-Stations-v5.01-2.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref> || Proposed for reopening on the [[Leicester–Burton upon Trent line]].<ref name="RM">{{cite magazine |last1=Pickering |first1=Graeme |title=Rail Reopening Schemes |magazine=The Railway Magazine |date=April 2020 |volume=166 |issue=1,429 |page=39 |publisher=Mortons Media |location=Horncastle |issn=0033-8923}}</ref>
|-
| [[Abingdon-on-Thames]] || 40,074 || 1963<ref>{{cite web |title=Disused Stations: Abingdon Station |url=http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/a/abingdon/index.shtml |website=www.disused-stations.org.uk |accessdate=10 April 2020 |archive-date=24 February 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200224090551/http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/a/abingdon/index.shtml |url-status=live }}</ref> || [[Radley railway station]] lies less than a mile outside the town's boundaries.
|-
| [[Canvey Island|Canvey]] || 38,849 || N/A || [[Benfleet railway station|Benfleet]] is sited nearby on the mainland.
|-
| [[Blyth, Northumberland|Blyth]] || 39,535 || 1964<ref>{{cite web |title=Disused Stations:Blyth Station (2nd) |url=http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/b/blyth_second/index.shtml |website=www.disused-stations.org.uk |accessdate=10 April 2020 |archive-date=30 December 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191230050153/http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/b/blyth_second/index.shtml |url-status=live }}</ref> || The [[Blyth and Tyne Railway#2019-present: Revised plans and the Northumberland Line project|Northumberland Line project]] is reopening a railway passenger service to Newsham (on the edge of Blyth) by 2024.
|-
| [[Wisbech]] || 35,681 || 1968<ref name="QUICK">{{cite web |last1=Quick |first1=Michael |title=Railway Passenger Stations in England, Scotland and Wales; a Chronology |url=https://rchs.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Railway-Passenger-Stations-v5.01-2.pdf |website=rchs.org.uk |accessdate=10 April 2020 |page=433 |date=2019 |archive-date=15 November 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191115225509/https://rchs.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Railway-Passenger-Stations-v5.01-2.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref> || A 2009 report stated that it was feasible to reopen the [[Bramley Line]] to {{rws|March}} railway station for £12&nbsp;million, as the line was extant but unused. Since then, little had been done and the cost had risen to an estimated £70&nbsp;million by 2019.<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Johnston|first=Howard |title=Regional News (Anglia) |magazine=Rail Magazine |date=28 August 2019 |issue=886 |page=11 |publisher=Bauer Media |location=Peterborough |issn=0953-4563}}</ref>
|-
| [[Bideford]] || 30,783 || 1965  ||
|-
| [[Witney]] || 30,518 || 1962<ref name="QUICK"/> ||
|-
| [[Norton Radstock]] || 30,319 || 1966  ||
|-
| [[Consett]] || 30,023 || 1967<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/c/consett/index.shtml|title=Disused Stations: Consett Station|access-date=5 March 2023|archive-date=29 January 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210129234116/http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/c/consett/index.shtml|url-status=live}}</ref>||
|-
| [[Clay Cross]]/[[North Wingfield]] || 29,975 || 1967 ||
|-
| [[Burntwood]] || 29,525 || 1965 || The town is served by the [[Chasewater Railway]] which is a [[heritage railway]].
|-
| [[Haverhill, Suffolk|Haverhill]] || 27,481 || 1967<ref>{{cite web |title=Disused Stations: Haverhill Station |url=http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/h/haverhill/index.shtml |website=www.disused-stations.org.uk |accessdate=10 April 2020 |archive-date=19 February 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200219131916/http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/h/haverhill/index.shtml |url-status=live }}</ref> ||
|-
| [[Portishead, Somerset|Portishead]] || 26,535 || 1964 || {{As of|2020|}}, there are plans afoot to reopen [[Portishead railway station|Portishead station]].
|-
|{{anchor|Daventry}}[[Daventry]] || 25,781 || 1958 || The nearest station at present is [[Long Buckby railway station|Long Buckby]] on the [[Northampton Loop]]. Proposals have been made to reopen [[Weedon railway station]] as a new Daventry Parkway station.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Home|url=https://daventryparkway.co.uk/|access-date=2021-11-01|website=Daventry Parkway Project|language=en-GB|archive-date=30 November 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211130212416/https://www.daventryparkway.co.uk/|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|date=2021-09-11|title=Daventry boy, 15, leads campaign for £20m new railway station|language=en-GB|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-northamptonshire-58432976|access-date=2021-11-01|archive-date=17 February 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230217110958/https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-northamptonshire-58432976|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Daventry Parkway: the right station at the right time?|url=https://www.modernrailways.com/article/daventry-parkway-right-station-right-time|access-date=2021-11-01|website=www.modernrailways.com|date=25 August 2021|language=en|archive-date=17 February 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230217111007/https://www.modernrailways.com/article/daventry-parkway-right-station-right-time|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Citation|title=Harry Burr and Daventry Parkway on BBC Look East in the evening| date=20 September 2021 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5jrQIBAA_Yg|language=en|access-date=2021-11-01|archive-date=17 February 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230217212006/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5jrQIBAA_Yg&gl=US&hl=en|url-status=live}}</ref> Both stations are about the same distance (about {{convert|4.5|mi|abbr=on}}) from central Daventry.
|-
| [[Stubbington]] || 25,239 || N/A || Lies within the [[Borough of Fareham]] and is 2{{nbsp}}miles from [[Fareham railway station]].
|-
| [[Stanley, County Durham]] || 22,553 || 1955 || The previous station was [[West Stanley railway station]].
|-
| [[Maldon, Essex|Maldon]] || 22,032 || 1964<ref>{{cite web|title=The Old Railway Lines to Maldon|url=https://www.itsaboutmaldon.co.uk/railway/|website=itsaboutmaldon.co.uk|access-date=25 January 2021|archive-date=31 January 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210131110053/https://www.itsaboutmaldon.co.uk/railway/|url-status=live}}</ref> ||
|-
| [[Clevedon]] || 21,138 || 1966 ||
|-
| [[Bordon]] || 20,789 || 1957 ||
|-
| [[Dereham]] || 21,362 ||1969 || The town is served by a station on the [[Mid-Norfolk Railway]], which is a heritage railway.
|-
| [[Stourport-on-Severn]] || 21,096 || 1970<ref>{{cite book|author=Marshall, John|title=The Severn Valley Railway|year=1989|publisher=David St John Thomas|location=Newton Abbot|page=164 |isbn=0-946537-45-3|authorlink=John Marshall (railway historian)}}</ref> ||
|-
| [[Dinnington, South Yorkshire|Dinnington]] || 20,443 || 1929 || Previous station was [[Dinnington and Laughton railway station]] which is on a line still used for freight.
|-
| [[Hythe, Hampshire|Hythe]] || 20,402 || 1966 || The [[Hythe railway station (Hampshire)|previous station]] was on a line in use until 2016.
|}

====Built-up area subdivisions====
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Town !! Population ([[United Kingdom Census 2011|2011 census]]) !! Railway station closed !! Urban area !! Notes
|-
| [[Dudley]] ||	79,379<ref>{{NOMIS2011|id=E35000284|title=Dudley (Dudley) Built-up area sub division|accessdate=10 April 2020}}</ref> || 1964<ref>{{cite web |title=Disused Stations: Dudley station |url=http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/d/dudley/index.shtml |website=www.disused-stations.org.uk |accessdate=10 April 2020 |archive-date=16 February 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200216181147/http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/d/dudley/index.shtml |url-status=live }}</ref> || [[West Midlands Conurbation]] || The town is served by [[Dudley Port station]], just over a mile from the town centre but outside the borough boundary. Work began in January 2020 on a £449&nbsp;million {{convert|6.8|mi|adj=on}} extension of the [[West Midlands Metro]] tram system from Wednesbury to Dudley, on the formation of the old [[South Staffordshire line]].<ref>{{cite magazine|editor1-last=Harris |editor1-first=Nigel |title=Dudley Metro extension begins |magazine=Rail Magazine |date=12 February 2020 |issue=898 |page=11 |publisher=Bauer Media |location=Peterborough |issn=0953-4563}}</ref>
|-
| [[Gosport]] || 81,529<ref>{{NOMIS2011|id=E35001479|title=Gosport Built-up area sub division|accessdate=10 April 2020}}</ref> || 1953<ref>{{cite web |title=Disused Stations: Gosport Station |url=http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/g/gosport/index.shtml |website=www.disused-stations.org.uk |accessdate=10 April 2020 |archive-date=29 January 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200129065302/http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/g/gosport/index.shtml |url-status=live }}</ref> || [[South Hampshire]] || While Gosport does not have a railway station, [[Portsmouth Harbour railway station|Portsmouth Harbour station]] is a short pedestrian ferry ride away.
|-
| [[Newcastle-under-Lyme]] || 75,082<ref>{{NOMIS2011|id=E35001436|title=Newcastle-under-Lyme Built-up area sub division|accessdate=10 April 2020}}</ref> || 1964<ref>{{cite web |last1=Quick |first1=Michael |title=Railway Passenger Stations in England, Scotland and Wales; a Chronology |url=https://rchs.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Railway-Passenger-Stations-v5.01-2.pdf |website=rchs.org.uk |accessdate=10 April 2020 |page=297 |date=2019 |archive-date=15 November 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191115225509/https://rchs.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Railway-Passenger-Stations-v5.01-2.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref> || [[Stoke-on-Trent Built-up Area]] ||Newcastle-under-Lyme lies 45 minutes on foot from [[Stoke-on-Trent railway station]].
|-
| [[Washington, Tyne and Wear|Washington]] || 67,085<ref>{{NOMIS2011|id=E35001427|title=Washington Built-up area sub division|accessdate=31 May 2021}}</ref> || 1964 || [[Wearside]] || The town previously had a station on what is now the mothballed [[Leamside line]]. It has been the subject of many reopening proposals,<ref>{{cite news |last1=Conner |first1=Rachel |title=Questions raised over future of Leamside line |url=https://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/15784565.questions-raised-future-leamside-line/ |accessdate=10 April 2020 |work=The Northern Echo |date=20 December 2017 |language=en |archive-date=10 April 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200410184854/https://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/15784565.questions-raised-future-leamside-line/ |url-status=live }}</ref> including a potential extension of the [[Tyne and Wear Metro]] system.<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Pickering |first=Graeme |title=Keeping Tyne & Wear moving |magazine=Rail Magazine |date=25 March 2020 |issue=901 |page=47 |publisher=Bauer Media |location=Peterborough |issn=0953-4563}}</ref>
|-
| [[Waterlooville]] || 64,350 || N/A || [[South Hampshire]] || Lies within the [[Borough of Havant]] which has four stations.
|-
| [[Halesowen]]  || 58,135<ref>{{NOMIS2011|id=E35000476|title=Halesowen Built-up area sub division|accessdate=10 April 2020}}</ref> || 1958<ref>{{cite web |title=Disused Stations: Halesowen Station |url=http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/h/halesowen/index.shtml |website=www.disused-stations.org.uk |accessdate=10 April 2020 |archive-date=11 September 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190911081323/http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/h/halesowen/index.shtml |url-status=live }}</ref> || [[West Midlands conurbation]] || A 40-minute walk from [[Old Hill railway station]].
|-
| [[Leigh, Greater Manchester|Leigh]] || 52,855 || 1969<ref>{{cite web |last1=Quick |first1=Michael |title=Railway Passenger Stations in England, Scotland and Wales; a Chronology |url=https://rchs.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Railway-Passenger-Stations-v5.01-2.pdf |website=rchs.org.uk |accessdate=10 April 2020 |page=249 |date=2019 |archive-date=15 November 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191115225509/https://rchs.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Railway-Passenger-Stations-v5.01-2.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref> || [[Greater Manchester Built-up Area]]
|Lies on the [[Leigh-Salford-Manchester Bus Rapid Transit]] guided busway that links Leigh, [[Salford]] and [[Manchester city centre|Manchester City centre]].
|-
| [[Swadlincote]] || 45,000<ref>{{NOMIS2011|id=E35001337|title=Swadlincote Built-up area sub division|accessdate=10 April 2020}}</ref> || 1947<ref>{{cite web |last1=Quick |first1=Michael |title=Railway Passenger Stations in England, Scotland and Wales; a Chronology |url=https://rchs.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Railway-Passenger-Stations-v5.01-2.pdf |website=rchs.org.uk |accessdate=10 April 2020 |page=387 |date=2019 |archive-date=15 November 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191115225509/https://rchs.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Railway-Passenger-Stations-v5.01-2.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref> || Burton upon Trent Built-up area || A reopening of the [[Leicester–Burton upon Trent line]] would see a station at {{rws|Gresley}}, south of the town.<ref name="RM"/>
|-
| [[Kingswood, South Gloucestershire|Kingswood]] || 40,734 || N/A || [[Bristol Built-up Area]] ||
|-
| [[Skelmersdale]] || 38,813<ref>{{NOMIS2011|id=E35001425|title=Skelmersdale Built-up area sub division|accessdate=10 April 2020}}</ref> || 1963<ref>{{cite web |title=Disused Stations: Skelmersdale Station |url=http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/s/skelmersdale/index.shtml |website=www.disused-stations.org.uk |accessdate=10 April 2020 |archive-date=6 January 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210106161427/http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/s/skelmersdale/index.shtml |url-status=live }}</ref> || [[Wigan Urban Area]] ||Skelmersdale was designated as a '[[New towns in the United Kingdom|new town]]' in 1961, with a focus on people owning cars. However, a proposal was considered by the [[Lancashire County Council]].<ref>{{cite magazine |last1=Pickering |first1=Graeme |title=Rail Reopening Schemes |magazine=The Railway Magazine |date=April 2020 |volume=166 |issue=1,429 |page=41 |publisher=Mortons Media |location=Horncastle |issn=0033-8923}}</ref> The Department for Transport announced in July 2022 that it was rejecting the Strategic Outline Business Case, throwing the scheme into doubt.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Lopez |first1=Jamie |title=Skelmersdale rail station plan rejected in decision branded a 'cruel joke' |url=https://www.lancs.live/news/lancashire-news/skelmersdale-rail-station-plan-rejected-24434213 |access-date=17 July 2022 |work=LancsLive |date=8 July 2022 |language=en |archive-date=17 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220717080420/https://www.lancs.live/news/lancashire-news/skelmersdale-rail-station-plan-rejected-24434213 |url-status=live }}</ref>
|-
| [[Dunstable]] || 30,184<ref>{{NOMIS2011|id=E35000218|title=Dunstable Built-up area subdivision|accessdate=31 May 2021}}</ref> || 1965<ref>{{cite web |title=Disused Stations: Dunstable Town Station |url=http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/d/dunstable_town/index.shtml |website=www.disused-stations.org.uk |accessdate=10 April 2020 |archive-date=17 February 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200217125912/http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/d/dunstable_town/index.shtml |url-status=live }}</ref> || [[Luton/Dunstable Urban Area]] || Lies on a [[Luton to Dunstable Busway|guided busway]] that links to the town to stations in [[Luton]].
|-
| [[Willenhall]] || 28,480<ref>{{NOMIS2011|id=E05001319|title=Willenhall North Ward (as of 2011)|accessdate=10 April 2020}}</ref><ref>{{NOMIS2011|id=E05001320|title=Willenhall South Ward (as of 2011)|accessdate=10 April 2020}}</ref> || 1965<ref>{{cite web |last1=Quick |first1=Michael |title=Railway Passenger Stations in England, Scotland and Wales; a Chronology |url=https://rchs.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Railway-Passenger-Stations-v5.01-2.pdf |website=rchs.org.uk |accessdate=10 April 2020 |page=429 |date=2019 |archive-date=15 November 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191115225509/https://rchs.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Railway-Passenger-Stations-v5.01-2.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref> || [[West Midlands Conurbation]]  || The railway station at [[Willenhall Bilston Street railway station|Willenhall]], which is on a freight/diversionary line between {{rws|Wolverhampton}} and {{rws|Walsall}}/{{rws|Tame Bridge}} railway stations, will reopen to passengers in 2023.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.railengineer.co.uk/two-new-black-country-railway-stations-receive-planning-approval/ |title=Two new Black Country railway stations receive planning approval |date=16 October 2020 |access-date=17 March 2023 |archive-date=17 March 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230317035710/https://www.railengineer.co.uk/two-new-black-country-railway-stations-receive-planning-approval/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
|-
| [[Aldridge]] || 26,988<ref>{{NOMIS2011|id=E05001301|title=Aldridge Central and South Ward (as of 2011)|accessdate=10 April 2020}}</ref><ref>{{NOMIS2011|id=E05001302|title=Aldridge North and Walsall Wood Ward (as of 2011)|accessdate=10 April 2020}}</ref>  || 1965<ref>{{cite web |title=Disused Stations: Sutton Park Station |url=http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/a/aldridge/index.shtml |website=www.disused-stations.org.uk |accessdate=10 April 2020 |archive-date=24 February 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200224090901/http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/a/aldridge/index.shtml |url-status=live }}</ref> || [[West Midlands Conurbation]] || The station at {{rws|Aldridge}} has been proposed for reopening by 2040. It is on a freight/diversionary line between {{rws|Walsall}} and {{rws|Water Orton}} railway stations.<ref name="RAIL">{{cite magazine|last=Stephen|first=Paul|title=Mayor's £15bn plan for West Midlands rail |magazine=Rail Magazine |date=12 February 2020 |issue=898 |page=11 |publisher=Bauer Media |location=Peterborough |issn=0953-4563}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Padgett |first1=David |last2=Szwenk |first2=John |editor1-last=Bridge |editor1-first=Mike |title=Railway track diagrams. book 4, Midlands & North West |date=2013 |publisher=Trackmaps |location=Bradford on Avon |isbn=978-0-9549866-7-4 |edition=3|at=18}}</ref>
|-
| [[Ferndown]] || 26,559<ref>{{NOMIS2011|id=E35001246|title=Ferndown Built-up area sub division|accessdate=10 April 2020}}</ref> || 1974 || [[South East Dorset Conurbation]] || The previous nearest station was [[West_Moors_railway_station|West Moors]]. Ferndown is located approximately 7 miles from [[Bournemouth_railway_station|Bournemouth station]] and has a half-hourly bus service connecting the town with the station.
|-
| [[Woodley, Berkshire|Woodley]] || 25,932<ref>{{NOMIS2011|id=E04001243|title=Woodley Parish|accessdate=10 April 2020}}</ref>  || N/A || [[Reading/Wokingham Urban Area]] ||[[Earley railway station|Earley]] station is on the southern boundary of the parish, but separated from Woodley by the A3290 dual carriageway. Woodley is within the Borough of Wokingham, which has six stations including the aforementioned Earley.
|-
| [[Rawtenstall, Lancashire]] || 23,128<ref>{{NOMIS2011|id=E35000572|title=Rawtenstall Built-up area subdivision|accessdate=31 May 2021}}</ref> ||1972 || [[Accrington/Rossendale Built-up area]] || The town has a station on the [[East Lancashire Railway]] served by a heritage railway.
|}

==Links with adjacent countries==
[[File:Comparison of British track gauges.svg|thumb|Comparison of British track gauges]]
* Great Britain ({{RailGauge|1435mm}} in [[standard gauge]])
** [[Rail transport in France|France]] ([[Eurostar]]) via the [[Channel Tunnel]]<br /> formerly by [[Train ferry|Train ferries]]. <!-- Any train ferry to the Netherlands?? -->
**  [[Rail transport in Belgium|Belgium]] ([[Eurostar]]) via France using the [[Channel Tunnel]].
** [[Rail transport in the Netherlands|Netherlands]] ([[Eurostar]]) via France and Belgium using the [[Channel Tunnel]].

===Rail-ferry-rail services===
There are no [[train ferry|train ferries]] in operation, but some rail services are integrated with [[ferry|ferries]]:
*  [[Rail transport in the Netherlands|Netherlands]] – [[Dutchflyer]] rail/sea/rail service
*  [[Rail transport in Ireland|Ireland]] – [[SailRail]] service via Holyhead, Cairnryan or Fishguard

==See also==
{{columns-list|colwidth=25em|
*[[Campaign to Bring Back British Rail]]
*[[Campaign to Electrify Britain's Railways]]
*[[Concessionary fares on the British railway network]]
*[[Financing of the rail industry in Great Britain]]
*[[Irish Sea tunnel]]
*[[List of funicular railways#United Kingdom|List of funicular railways]]
*[[London Post Office Railway]]
*[[Mainline steam trains in Great Britain]]
*[[National Railway Museum]]
*[[Rail transport by country]]
*[[Royal Train]]
*[[Transport in the United Kingdom#Railways|Transport in the United Kingdom]]
*[[UK Ultraspeed]]}}

== References ==

=== Citations ===
{{Reflist}}

=== Sources ===
{{refbegin}}
*[http://www.nao.org.uk/report/network-rail-making-a-fresh-start/ Network Rail – Making a Fresh Start] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140408214415/http://www.nao.org.uk/report/network-rail-making-a-fresh-start/ |date=8 April 2014 }} – [[National Audit Office (United Kingdom)|National Audit Office]] report, 14 May 2004.
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20050320190714/http://www.imeche.org.uk/railway/events/list_of_past_events.asp Railway industry topic guides from the Institution of Mechanical Engineers]
*''On The Wrong Line: How Ideology and Incompetence Wrecked Britain's Railways'', [[Christian Wolmar]], Aurum Press Ltd. {{ISBN|1-85410-998-7}}.
{{refend}}

==External links==
{{sister project links|d=y|commons=category:Rail transport in the United Kingdom|voy=Rail travel in the United Kingdom|n=no|b=no|wikt=no|s=no|v=no|mw=no|q=no|m=no}}
* [http://www.nationalrail.co.uk National Rail] Official UK Rail timetable site
* [http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/tocs_maps/maps/ National Rail maps page] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090621103912/http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/tocs_maps/maps/ |date=21 June 2009 }} UK railway maps

{{Major UK railway stations}}
{{British railway ticket machines (computerised)|style=width:auto;clear:none}}
{{British Rail Spot_Hire Companies}}
{{British ROSCOs}}
{{GB-rail-history}}
{{Britishmetros}}
{{Rail transport in Europe}}
{{Proposed rail infrastructure projects in the United Kingdom}}

[[Category:Rail transport in Great Britain| ]]