Two more train companies brought into public ownership – See if yours is next

Two train operators are the latest to be brought into public ownership as the creation of the Great British Railways trundles on.

Train travel was the big topic of last year, from grinding delays plaguing passengers to the measures being taken to improve it.

And rail will continue to dominate this year as more rail firms are nationalised, with the latest operators – London Northwestern Railway and West Midlands Railway – up for it today.

The move, which has already seen c2c, South Western Railways and Greater Anglia nationalised – is part of the push for Great British Railways, a publicly owned train operator set to fully launch next year.

It will ‘shake up’ train travel with more reliable and punctual services and ticketing under one app, according to the government.

Heidi Alexander, the Transport Secretary, said: ‘From this Sunday, the thousands of passengers who travel with London Northwestern Railway and West Midlands Railway will be using services that are owned by the public and run with their interests at heart.

‘We’re working hard to reform a fragmented system and deliver a reliable railway that regenerates communities, rebuilds the trust of its passengers and delivers the high standards they rightly expect.’

Speaking to Metro in her office, the Transport Secretary said 11 operators will be publicly owned by the end of 2026, which was part of Labour’s election manifesto promise.

She said: ‘I think people will start to feel that things are changing when it comes to the trains – better train services and better times ahead.’

The look of the Great British Railways was officially unveiled last month, with the branding featuring a giant Union Jack design across the trains, which sparked a healthy debate online.

What is the Great British Railways?

The Great British Railways will be a publicly owned body, which will own and operate train services and UK’s railway infrastructure like track and signals currently under Network Rail.

It is expected to be up and running by 2027, with the Railways Bill going through the Parliament at the moment.

Once the company is fully set up, the nationalised train operators like South Western Railway and West Midlands Railway will display the Great British Railways sticker alongside existing branding.

The burning question for passengers is whether train tickets will be cheaper under GBR.

When asked previously about ticket prices, Ms Alexander told Metro that she would ‘love to be able to tell your readers that I would be able to bring ticket prices down, but I can’t do that at the moment.’

The focus will be on ensuring ‘decent value for money,’ meaning more reliable services, fewer cancellations and ‘better passenger experience,’ she said.

While the historic revamp of the railways is ongoing, passengers continue to face disruption, although in some areas like fewer cancellations.

Data from the watchdog, the Office of Rail and Road, shows that 84.8% of trains arrived on time between July and September last year, which is 0.3% lower than in the same quarter in the previous year.

However, there was a drop in cancelled trains – 3.7% of services were cancelled between July and September, which is 0.5% better than the previous year.

Severe disruption was recorded on 15 days during this time.

What train companies are up for it next?

Not all train companies in the UK will be nationalised. Some, like Northern, Southeastern, TransPennine Express and LNER, are already publicly owned.

Govia Thameslink Raiway (GTR) will be up for the overhaul on May 31, 2026, followed by Chiltern Railways and Great Western Railways, although the exact date is yet to be confirmed.

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