British Railways (BR), later rebranded as British Rail, ran the British railway system, between the nationalisation of the 'Big Four' British railway companies in 1948 until it was privatised in stages between 1994 and 1997.
After the grouping of 1923 by the Railways Act 1921 there were four large British railway companies:
| The "big four" pre-nationalisation British railway companies: |
|
Great Western | London Midland & Scottish | London & North Eastern | Southern |
During World War II the railways were taken into state control, but heavily damaged by enemy action. The Transport Act 1947 made provision for the nationalisation of the network, and British Railways came into existence from 1 January 1948.
Historically, the term "British Rail" only dates from the mid-1960s, the nationalised railway previously being known as "British Railways" as shown in the early logos of the nationalised railway, including the "cycling lion". In the mid-1960s the railway modernised its corporate image, introducing the famous "double-arrow" logo still used by National Rail to represent the industry as a whole (though some cynics claimed the logo meant the railway "didn't know if it was coming or going"), the standardised typeface used for all communications and signs, and the "rail blue" livery which was applied to nearly all locomotives and rolling stock. The British Railways Board was created in the early 1960s, taking over from the former British Transport Commission which, in addition to the railway, was also responsible for the waterways (canals) and road freight transport.
Between the mid-1960s and mid-1970s the size of the British rail network was reduced from around 20,000 miles to 12,000 miles as a result of the "Beeching Axe", the cost-cutting review conducted by BR Chairman Dr Richard Beeching. Some of these lines have since become heritage railways.
Under John Major's Conservative Government's Railway Act, 1993, British Rail was split up and privatised into Railtrack and other companies. By November 1997, British Rail had been divested of all its operational railway functions.
The British Railways Board is still responsible for non-operational railway land, the disposal of which is handled through Rail Property Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary. The British Railways Board also retains responsibility for the British Transport Police. As a residuary body the Board is responsible for discharging a number of functions, including its obligations in respect of liabilities acquired as a major employer over nearly half a century and as a direct result of the privatisation process.
When the Labour Government gained office in May 1997, it charged BR with providing advice on railway policy, in particular to improve public control and accountability, and to identify ways in which the railway can serve modern transport needs and be integrated with other modes.
The separation of infrastructure maintenance from train operation has been cited as a major influence in fatal rail crashes such as those at Southall, Ladbroke Grove and Hatfield.
The Government created a Strategic Rail Authority in 2000. In the aftermath of the chaos following the Hatfield disaster, Railtrack was replaced by a state-owned, not-for-profit company called Network Rail, in what was seen by many as a move toward renationalisation.