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1[[quoteright:320:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/national_rail_5701.png]]
2[[caption-width-right:320:[[{{Tagline}} "Britain's train companies working together".]]]]
3
4->''The supply of an Empire''
5->''Where the sun never set.''
6->''Which is now deep in darkness,''
7->''But there railway's there yet.''
8-->-- '''Music/ThePogues''', "Navigator"
9
10Formerly British Rail and British Railways before that, this is the current collective brand name for the main railway network of the island of Great Britain (UsefulNotes/NorthernIreland and the Republic of Ireland have their own separate network with a completely different gauge[[note]]run by Northern Ireland Railways (NIR) in the north and Iarnród Éireann (IE) in the south[[/note]]).
11
12The British railway system was the first in the world and one of the most developed, but is now somewhat smaller than it was in the past. This was significantly due to a man named Dr. Richard Beeching who helped close down about a third of the network (mostly smaller branch lines, but it also included most of the longer Great Central Railway (GCR) from London to Manchester via Leicester, Nottingham and Sheffield) on grounds of economic non-viability (he proposed further cuts but these were rejected). This didn't really work and some of the lines have since been reopened as railway use has grown, with further reopenings planned or actively campaigned. In addition, there is a controversial proposal to build a up to 250mph (400 [[superscript:km]]∕[[subscript:h]]) [[UsefulNotes/HighSpeedRail high speed line]] from London to Manchester, dubbed '[=HS2=]', which may or may not see the light of day.
13
14About one-third of the network is electrified, mostly via two different systems- 25,000 volt AC overhead wires, or 750v DC third rail (UsefulNotes/TheLondonUnderground uses four rails in most cases, with the DLR having a different system). This is due to the history of the network.
15
16Previously a massive batch of [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Pre-grouping_British_railway_companies 120 privately owned companies]], in 1921 the government amalgamated these into four big networks, known as "The Big Four". These were:
17* London, Midland and Scottish Railway (LMS)- the main routes were the London-Glasgow West Coast Main Line (WCML) and the London-Sheffield Midland Main Line (MML). Only electrified suburban lines, such as the Euston-Watford Junction ("Watford DC") line and the North London Line, with other stuff following later. Also ran part of the railway network in Northern Ireland until this was separated out.
18** A long-time underdog to the GWR and LNER in terms of locomotive design and organisation, the LMS eventually turned things around under William Stanier, who modernised the railway with engines such as the "Black 5" and the 8F. Less glamorous than the competition, but the modernity and ease-of-maintenance led to LMS locomotives becoming the design basis for BR's "Standard" fleet.
19* Great Western Railway (GWR)- developed by the famous Isambard Kingdom Brunel and initially wide gauge (at 2,140 millimetres, equal to seven feet wide), which accounts for the big tunnels. Most well known is the London-Bristol Great Western Main Line (GWML), which, along with the MML, still has not been electrified for the most part (except for shorter portions around London), but is currently being so. The GWR was the only railway to keep its identity after the Grouping.
20** GWR inspired much loyalty in its staff and those who used it. Often known as God's Wonderful Railway, and for many years, even after nationalization as the Western Region of British Rail, seemed to go out of its way to be as different from everybody else as possible. Chances are, an idyllic rural branch line in fictional media is probably a GWR line - dark green engine, chocolate-and-cream coaches. The [[Franchise/HarryPotter Hogwarts Express]] is pulled by a repainted GWR engine (5972 ''Olton Hall''... which has the name ''Hogwarts Castle'' on screen, which has led to jokes among railway enthusiasts as a 'Castle' is a larger class of engine), and another GWR engine takes the Pevensie children out of London at the beginning of ''Film/TheChroniclesOfNarnia: Film/TheLionTheWitchAndTheWardrobe''.
21* London and North Eastern Railway (LNER)- the London-Edinburgh East Coast Main Line (ECML) is its best-known part. It was the second-largest of the Big Four after the LMS. The LNER promoted its express trains, which were pulled by some of the fastest engines in the world.
22** Perhaps most famous as the railway of No. 4468 ''Mallard'' (reached the steam speed record of 126 miles per hour in 1938) and No. 4472 ''Flying Scotsman'' (first to reach a verified 100 miles per hour). Both designed by Sir Nigel Gresley, they currently live at the National Railway Museum in York, itself a key junction on the LNER network.
23* Southern Railway- Electrified its suburban lines with third rail (the sheer presence of the lines there, plus the unsuitable geology means that there isn't much Tube-wise south of the River Thames). It made more money from passengers than from freight thanks to its dense suburban network.
24
25After the UsefulNotes/SecondWorldWar (where the large number of different networks made the system more resilient than the centrally planned networks of mainland Europe), the network was nationalised and became British Railways (later British Rail). Northern Ireland Railways[[note]]Briefly called the "Ulster Transport Authority"[[/note]] was then created in Northern Ireland to run the system there, and today is still functionally separate from the National Rail system in the rest of the UK.
26
27British Railways operated a [[SchizoTech collection of rolling stock]] from Victorian-era six-wheelers and locomotives still eking out an existance on branch lines[[note]]At least partially due to the disruption of the Second World War, which probably kept many older designs that would otherwise have been scrapped around for at least a decade past their intended replacement dates[[/note]] to the top-link express locomotives of the big four and their predecessors, their own advanced designs and the harbingers of modernisation such as the electric blue and bespeedwhiskered Deltic prototype and GWR railcars. The late '50s to early '60s were probably the golden age of [[RailEnthusiast trainspotting]] as a result.
28
29British Rail operated for most of its life in a regional basis centred on London in a manner analogous to the Big Four with Scotland as a separate region; the old LNER routes became Eastern Region, for example. In 1982, this was 'sectorised' into three groups, called (at the time of privatisation), [=InterCity=], Network [=SouthEast=] and Regional Railways. In addition, there were six Passenger Transport Executives that ran local services in the bigger urban areas like Manchester.
30
31Privatised under the [[UsefulNotes/JohnMajor Major government]], the track maintenance was ultimately (quite effectively, although the government wouldn't admit it) renationalised after Railtrack [[IncompetenceInc decided that it was a shopping mall company which couldn't really be bothered to run a rail network]], [[LongList replaced most of its skilled engineers with unskilled casual labourers working for £5 an hour, 'lost' most records of its infrastructure assets i.e. what was built when and how, became one of the first British corporations to be prosecuted under the Corporate Manslaughter Act after two fatal train wrecks caused by -surprise surprise- sloppy maintenance, deliberately adopted a culture of defiance (its words) to its own regulator, virtually shut down the system in a panic for months to make up the maintenance backlog, and then went bankrupt.]] This did not make the already controversial decision to privatise the rail network any more popular.
32
33It was also thought that passenger numbers were in decline or would remain stagnant at best. In reality whilst the percentage of people choosing rail over other forms of transport has not changed, the population has as has overall travel across all modes of transport, and passenger numbers have increased appropriately. The network now carries more people now than in the late 19th c. when it had a monopoly.
34
35It is now a collection of 24 passenger train operating companies (plus freight companies), which change ownership and name fairly frequently, as networks are merged, split or franchises get revoked early - as in the case of the infamous Connex. These companies frequently incorporate the name of their owner into their name (Govia Thameslink Railway or Abellio Greater Anglia) or reference a historical Big Four company (Great Western Railway).
36
37Note that the ticket and pricing structure is ''insanely'' complicated and often even railway company staff don't know the best option to offer you for your journey. There are apocryphal reports that one particular journey had ''30'' different ticket options available to choose from at that time. Your best bet is to use one of the many online ticket finder websites to find the best deal. Beware - some tickets are only valid between the specific stations mentioned - if you alight at a different station, [[FridgeLogic even if it's before the one you were supposed to get off at]] you may risk a fine!
38
39As of 2015, the Labour Party under Jeremy Corbyn have promised to renationalise the entire railway network, [[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8253804.stm which pretty much everyone seems to think is a good idea.]]
40
41The British railway system also has the distinction of hosting the world's most scenic railway journey, as voted by the travel magazine ''Wanderlust''. The West Highland line, which links Glasgow to the highland port towns of Oban and Mallaig, has held the title for three years, beating the Trans-Siberian Railway and the Cuzco-Macchu Picchu line in Peru. It passes over Rannoch Moor and the Glenfinnan viaduct, where Franchise/HarryPotter was attacked by Dementors. In summer, part of the route from Fort William (sleeper trains run from London Euston) to Mallaig is covered by regular steam trains marketed as "The Jacobite" and which sell a large array of Potter merchandise.
42
43Much of the network is centred around London and the famous rail termini. Some of the relevant lines will described under each.
44
45'''London Terminals and interesting London railway stuff'''
46
47London has several major railway stations, referenced in media (there's even a case from ''Literature/TheRailwaySeries'' where engines argue about which station is London, not realising they are all correct). In all, at least ''twelve'' stations in Central London open today can be counted as being "major" termini - rather more than the number in other large cities (for comparison, Paris has six,[[note]] maybe seven if you count the Gare Du Bercy [[/note]] Berlin four, and New York two[[note]]Although the low number for New York can be attributed in part to the general decline of rail travel in the United States and in part to the American mania for "union stations" - that is, single stations to host multiple railroads (New York Penn presently plays host to three, even with the decline) - the fact that the rail-crazy Europeans also have fewer stations just goes to show how strange London is.[[/note]]). This is in large part because of the aforementioned bit with the large number of railway companies in Britain; each liked to operate its own smaller station rather than gather together in a few larger ones. In many major European cities railway stations were consolidated in the 19th or 20th century and there was a further push in the 21st century in Vienna, Berlin and (still ongoing) Madrid to transform the hodgepodge of terminus stations built by different private railroads into a single thru-station. Paris and London are the big exception to this rule and thus whoever is unfortunate enough to have to change from one long distance train to another in those cities has to schlep from one terminus to another. Maybe not coincidentally, those cities tend to have the most "imperial" approach to the "provinces" among European capitals west of Moscow. So London now has twelve big stations. In clockwise order from the West direction, these are the current ones:
48* London Paddington: Departure point for the Great Western line, which was fully electrified in recent years and it's a visually impressive station. The Great Western line is currently operated by Great Western Railway, and suburban services to Reading operated by TfL Rail. Originally dubbed "Worst Great Western" and "Worst Late Western" by many, it suffered a fare strike in 2007-08, once had the worst punctuality record in the country (until Thameslink and Great Northern came along) and once had the government considering pulling the franchise. [[TheEngineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel]] would not approve.
49** Where Literature/PaddingtonBear arrived. There is a statue of him at the station.
50** Features in the second ''Film/AustinPowers'' film.
51** The Creator/AgathaChristie novel ''4.50 From Paddington''.
52** Used to be criticized for its poor air quality when it was still served by Intercity 125 trains. Electrification has mostly mitigated this old problem, with newer Class 802 and 801 trains now serving the station.
53* London Marylebone. Only six platforms, it provides Chiltern Railways' all-diesel services along the Chiltern Main Line to Birmingham and beyond - it is the only non-electrified London terminus. It was the historic terminus of the Great Central Railway (GCR), formerly known as the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire until its ill-advised and never remunerative construction of a new line from Sheffield to London, the last British main line to be constructed until the high-speed rail era. The route was closed under Dr. Beeching's "axe", although some of it is now a heritage route. British Rail coopted the ornate hotel at 222 Marylebone Road as their corporate headqurters.
54** As well as playing Paddington a few times, the station has appeared on its own. The most memorable appearance (although it's not stated as such, you can ID it via the timetables) is in the classic in both senses of the word ''Series/DoctorWho'' story "Doctor Who and the Silurians" where a lot of people keel over and die from an alien virus.
55** It's also on the London Monopoly board.
56** It's the only London terminus which Sherlock Holmes never used, even though he supposedly lived just round the corner in Baker Street - because the station hadn't been built when the stories up to and including "The Final Problem" were written (it opened in 1899).
57** Music/TheBeatles departed from this station in ''Film/AHardDaysNight''.
58* London Euston - Home of the West Coast Main Line, which goes to Scotland via Manchester, London Northwestern Railway services to Birmingham and London Overground trains to Watford Junction. The WCML, formerly owned by a certain Richard Branson as part of the Virgin network, is, as of 2019, now owned by a [=FirstGroup=]-Trenitalia joint venture named "[[GratuitousItalian Avanti]] West Coast". The current station is an unpopular 1960s concrete affair that is a controversial replacement for the original that was knocked down along with the famous arch.
59* London St. Pancras International - so close to King's Cross it shares a Tube station (see next entry); it's also a hop, skip, and a jump from Euston (abut 10-15 minutes' walk down Euston Road, or just one stop on the [[UsefulNotes/LondonUnderground Tube]]). It is now the home of the Eurostar services (hence the "International"). Frankly, it needed some love (having spent the 60s through the 80s underused and under threat of demolition) and was refurbished as a result in the late 2000s/early 2010s to the point it is now considered one of the best stations in the world, but takes a long while to get around. Terminus of the Midland Main Line and [=InterCity=] services operated by East Midlands Railway, as well as the [[UsefulNotes/HighSpeedRail High Speed services]] to Kent operated by Southeastern. All Thameslink services at this station call at the lower level station, designated Platforms A and B to avoid confusion.
60** In a more interesting example, in a 1995 adaptation of ''Theatre/RichardIII'', set in a fictionalised 1930s England, it is moved to Westminster via special effects and becomes the titular monarch's seat of government.
61** The Midland Hotel, which takes up much of the impressive frontage of the station, was renovated back into a hotel and luxury flats shortly after Eurostar moved there, having served as railway offices for some years and stood empty since the mid-1980s. The Music/SpiceGirls' debut video, ''Wannabe'', was filmed in the then-deserted building, along with many other films and TV shows (probably its last use before renovation was for some of the Arkham Asylum scenes in ''Film/BatmanBegins'').
62** The finale of the Creator/DouglasAdams novel ''Literature/TheLongDarkTeaTimeOfTheSoul'' is set in St Pancras and the deserted Midland Hotel. [[spoiler: Which is also Valhalla, sort of]].
63* London King's Cross. Home of the East Coast Main Line (current operators London North Eastern Railway and three open access operators, Hull Trains, Lumo and Grand Central). UsefulNotes/TheLondonUnderground station, King's Cross St. Pancras, is a six line station and the busiest on the network. It's been claimed, probably inaccurately, Boudica is buried there. Underwent a major renovation in the late 2000s/early 2010s, which saw the removal of a much-maligned 1972 extention that obscured the station's facade.
64** No discussion of this station is complete without discussing the use and misuse of this station by ''Franchise/HarryPotter'', where it is the departure point for the Hogwarts Express via Platform 9¾. Platforms 9 and 10 in real life not only have no wall between them, they are not even in the ECML part of the station. 4 and 5 were used in filming, with the more photogenic St. Pancras used for exteriors.
65*** Creator/JKRowling has stated that she had got confused when writing the first book and had been visualising the platforms at Euston (which, like King's Cross, are platforms separated by two rails).
66*** However, there is a half a trolley sticking out of the wall of the building near platforms 9, 10 and 11 at King's Cross... which is now a tourist trap with long queues to get your photo taken wearing a scarf, and a shop where you can buy Potter merchandise. This annoys travellers, who would really just like to get on their train already.
67** In TheEighties, the sewers beneath King's Cross were home to then-popular puppet character Roland Rat's ElaborateUndergroundBase - the Ratcave.
68** And it features on the London ''Monopoly'' board.
69* London Moorgate: Has 10 platforms, but 5-6 are disused following the withdrawal of Thameslink services from Farringdon when platform extension there severed the line, which is now used for storage. Of the rest, UsefulNotes/LondonUnderground operates from 1-4 and 7-8, with the only National Rail services being from platforms 9-10, with Great Northern operating full size dual-voltage trains using third rail up to Finsbury Park on what was a branch of the Northern Line until 1975, where it was the site of the worst peace time disaster in the network's history, after a train failed to stop at Platform 9 and ploughed into the end wall of the tunnel beyond, killing 43 people - the precise reason the driver failed to stop remains unknown. These two platforms (and indeed, the rest of the branch) were, until recently (where the line has been somewhat refurbished with new trains and decor) still laid out in their 1990s appearance under the British Rail [=Network SouthEast=] brand and served by trains built in the mid-1970s.
70* London Liverpool Street. Used to be grimy and confusing to get around due to its split-level concourse, but was completely refurbished in the early 1980s and is now bright, airy and spacious... except for platforms 11-18. Home of the Abellio Greater Anglia services to the Anglia region, the network was formerly known as "one" ('''o'''perated by '''N'''ational '''E'''xpress), which led to jokes, like "The eleven twenty-one one service". Or confusion, as in "[[WhosOnFirst The 1120 "one" service...]]". It is now also served by London Overground and [=TfL Rail=] suburban services; the latter being the beta version of the Elizabeth Line aka Crossrail running to Shenfield.
71** Features in the first ''Film/MissionImpossible'' film and also in ''[[Series/TwentyFour 24]]''.
72** The most likely terrorist target, given its proximity to the City. Since 9/11, the place has been "attacked" twice in drama, such as in a 2004 {{Mockumentary}} that involved the place getting chlorine gassed by terrorists (and bombings on the Tube - one of the real 7/7 attacks took place near Liverpool Street). In fact the station's glass roof was partially shattered by a bomb in the 1980s, but no other damage occurred.
73** The Broadgate shopping centre next door sits on the site of the former Broad Street terminus, closed in 1986.
74** It also features on the London ''Monopoly'' board.
75* London Fenchurch Street. Has a graceful curved pediment above the main entrance. Only four platforms and home to c2c, the rebranded LTS Rail. The London, Tilbury and Southend Line, formerly dubbed "The Misery Line", a moniker it has now lost after new trains were introduced (the Class 312 slam door trains were not nice at all). Fairly nice station - just make sure you go out the right exit (the one from the middle of the platforms) if you're transferring to Tower Hill. The only London terminus with no directly-linked tube station, although Aldgate and Tower Hill are quite close.
76** Features in ''Monopoly''.
77** Where Fenchurch from ''Franchise/TheHitchhikersGuideToTheGalaxy'' was conceived- ''in the ticket queue''.
78* London Bridge (always called that, since it's the actual name of the nearby bridge). The main part of the station is a terminus, but some lines run past it and on to Waterloo East and Charing Cross, or to Cannon Street, or to Blackfriars, St. Pancras and beyond on the Thameslink line. Trivia: the station is right next to London's tallest building (as of 2014), the Shard. From 2014 to 2017, Blackfriars underwent a major refurbishment with a huge new concourse having then opened, allowing Thameslink services to proceed to the station.
79* London Cannon Street - a commuter station serving the City of London (ie the financial district) with platforms extending onto the river. The original Victorian concourse was replaced by a bland 1960s building, but the red brick walls and towers at the river end have been refurbished. The original arched glass roof over the platforms was removed during [=WW2=] to protect it from bomb damage, and placed in storage in a safe location, which got bombed. Eventually the empty space was used for an office building which makes the station look, from the river side, as if a giant hovercraft is taking a dump in it. Trains using the station have to negotiate a tight curve around Southwark Cathedral, which causes a lot of wear and tear on the wheels.
80* London Blackfriars:
81** Reconstructed between 2009 and 2012, and now uniquely has platforms running across the River Thames with entrances on both banks.
82** Some Blackfriars trains used to be continue northward to a terminus at Holborn Viaduct. This was demolished and replaced by City Thameslink, on the Thameslink route between Blackfriars and St Pancras International.
83* London Waterloo. Named after the 1815 battle (before any more French people complain, they should note Gare d'Austerlitz in Paris), it contained Waterloo International, home of Eurostar until 2007. It also had (until UsefulNotes/WorldWarII) the London Necropolis station next door, a station dedicated to running funeral trains for the London Necropolis company, who ran trains to the Brookwood Cemetery, where over 240,000 people are buried and designed to deal with London's deceased. Waterloo East is a smaller station, between London Bridge and Charing Cross as noted above. It is connected to the main station by a footbridge, while the eastern end of the station connects with Southwark Underground Station. In the days of transatlantic ocean liners, your boat train to Southampton would most likely depart from Waterloo.
84** Part of ''Film/TheBourneUltimatum'' is filmed there.
85** It was used a few times for RunForTheBorder plots in ''Series/TheBill'' when Waterloo International was there.
86** In ''Film/MrBeansHoliday'', the title character sets out from here.
87** Recent proposals have been made for all London-bound sleeper trains terminate at the now-disused International part of the station... instead, it was brought back into regular use for South Western Railway trains in 2018.
88** The footbridge to Waterloo East used to carry trains; there's a scene early in ''Literature/TheWarOfTheWorlds'' where it's being used for a troop train.
89** Creator/JohnSchlesinger's first film, ''Film/{{Terminus}}'', depicts ADayInTheLife of this station.
90* London Charing Cross. One of the smaller termini with only six platforms, home to Southeastern services to the south-east of England. The closest station to Trafalgar Square and the West End, it sits on the north bank of the Thames, and can be seen from Waterloo. Southeastern are known for their tendency to shut down their entire network if even a single millimeter of snow is detected, something which naturally pisses off the thousands of commuters who rely on it every day. Like St. Pancras above, much of the Charing Cross frontage contains a hotel.
91* London Victoria: Until the advent of Eurostar and direct connections through the Channel Tunnel, Victoria was where you started your journey to the continent.[[note]]Charing Cross also filled this purpose prior to the First World War.[[/note]] Regular trains ran to Dover and Folkestone to connect with the channel ferries, not to mention more luxurious trains such as the Golden Arrow and the London extension of the Orient Express network. It still has some international connections, as many tourists use it to go to and from Gatwick Airport because nobody's told them it's cheaper to go from Blackfriars.
92
93All these stations, again, are in [[UsefulNotes/OneLondonThirtyThreeBoroughs Central London]]. Paddington, Marylebone, Charing Cross, and Victoria are in the City of Westminster; Euston, St. Pancras, and King's Cross are in the Borough of Camden; Liverpool Street, Fenchurch Street, Cannon Street, and Blackfriars are in the City; London Bridge is in Southwark; and Waterloo is in Lambeth.
94
95'''British Train-ing'''
96
97In the late 1960s, British Rail bought the TOPS computer system from Southern Pacific to keep track of its rolling stock. They allocated numbers to their locos, ships (yes, they did own some ships through their Sealink ferry business) and multiple units in a numbering system that survives with some changes to this day - Website/TheOtherWiki has [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Rail_locomotive_and_multiple_unit_numbering_and_classification more information]]. In addition, the Southern Region inherited a multiple unit system from the Southern Railway that still sort of survives today in unofficial form and you will generally hear the Southern classification used for these units in favour of the TOPS one.
98
99Most of the trains in regular service the network now have automatic doors, while the rest have doors that are locked remotely pre-departure and can be opened only after arrival. Bizarrely, to leave a non-retrofitted [=Mk3=] carriage[[note]]still the most common type on long-distance services[[/note]]you must open the window, lean out of it, and use the door handle on the outside - much to the confusion of uninformed tourists. Not counting the Eurostar trains, the fastest ones on the network are the InterCity 125, the current confirmed record holder as the fastest diesel-powered train at 148 mph (238 km/h), the Class 91 "Intercity 225" loco-hauled trains found on the East Coast Main Line, the Class 390 "Pendolino" units on the West Coast Main Line, and fastest of all (at 140mph top speed) Southeastern's Class 395 "[[UsefulNotes/HighSpeedRail High-Speed]]" or "Javelin" trains, which partly use domestic sections of Eurostar track with overhead wiring, and partly third-rail commuter lines at slower speeds.
100
101Common trains to see on the network today are:
102* The Turbostar (Class 168, 170-172) DMU/Electrostar EMU family (Class 357,375-379,387) - replaced a larger number of older classes post-privatisation; the variants have different ends to them, but they all combine good top speed with comfort and air condition.
103* The Desiro (Class 185 DMU, Classes 350/360/380, 444/450/700/707/717 [=EMUs=]) - built by Siemens, these replaced a lot of older units post-privatisation, mostly with South West Trains in Southern England and London Midland in the Midlands.
104* Networker Family - known under this as they were developed for the BR 'Network South East' sector covering London and SE England in the late 1980s (best known for its three-stripe livery) and intended to the third generation multiple units, but a poor economy in the early 1990s hindered orders. Have distinctive round front ends.
105* 'Second Generation' multiple units - based on the Mark 3 coach, these older sliding door units (such as the Sprinter family, found in the provinces) are still common for longer distance journeys, albeit getting long in the tooth.
106* Class 43 (HST) power car - the world's fastest diesel locomotive, the '[=InterCity=] 125' (always operated as two power cars with a number, varying between franchise, of Mark 3 coaches between them) is nearing the end of its life despite new engines, but is still very common, especially on Great Western regional services as a shortened "Castle" set.
107* Mark 3 coaches - still very common on long-distance routes, usually hauled by a locomotive with a driving trailer at the other end or sandwiched between two HST power cars - the HST versions are not compatible with other Mark 3 stock). These include the above-mentioned manually operated doors and in most cases, toilets that flush directly onto the track... which is why there are signs telling you not to flush them in stations.
108** They were also sold to Ireland, but have now been retired.
109** The Australian XPT was also a modification of the HST.
110** Can be distinguished from the older (still around on limited numbers) Mark 2 coaches by counting the big windows - they have eight on each side, the shorter Mark 2 has seven.
111* The Class 350 'Desiro' and 390 'Pendolino' Electric Multiple Units. Very common on the WCML; the 350s are commuters and operated by London Midland Trains and the 390s are express units and operated by Virgin Trains. Both of these can easily hit 125 miles per hour and have very smooth rides. In fact, the Pendolinos are so incredibly fast that station announcers warn those on the platform to stay back from the edge as these go rocketing through. Not be confused with the 'Pretendolino', which is a Class 90 electric locomotive and rake of Mark 3 carriages painted to look like a Pendolino.
112* The Class 220 Voyager Diesel Multiple Units. Operated by Cross Country and Virgin Trains. Like the 390s above, these operate on the same routes and are quite speedy.
113* On the UsefulNotes/IsleOfWight, there's a quirky set of trains that aren't seen anywhere else on the Network, and are ''the'' oldest class of trains still in use on the mainline to date. These are the '''Class 483'''s, a class of [=EMUs=] that were constructed by renovating old 1938 London Underground stock from 1989 to 1992. The main reason why these trains still rumble reliably down the line from Ryde to Shanklin is that they can fit through a tunnel in Ryde that has a raised track bed to avoid being flooded. They were retired in the 2020s, to be replaced by the Class 484s, which - like the 483s, were from retired Tube stock. This has become a tradition, as the 483s themselves replaced the earlier Class 485 and 486 trains, built from 1923-vintage "Standard" tube stock.
114* The Intercity Express Programme led to the advent of the Class 800 Bi-modal Multiple Unit [[note]]meaning it can convert from diesel to electric power and back[[/note]] and the Class 801 Electric Multiple Unit. Both the 800 and the 801 are high-speed trains brought in to gradually replace the Intercity 125 and 225 trains. The Class 802, and the soon-to-be-built Classes 803 and 804 were also developed from them, and look rather similar. Currently they operate by a range of corporate names like 'Azuma'[[note]]LNER[[/note]], 'Intercity Express Train' (or IET)[[note]]Great Western Railway[[/note]], 'Nova 1'[[note]]Transpennine Express[[/note]], and 'Paragon'[[note]]Hull Trains[[/note]]. Hitachi, which made all variants of the Intercity Express Programme, also manufactures Shinkansen bullet trains in Japan, and it shows.
115
116Freight locomotives that can be often seen as well:
117* Class 37: A diesel locomotive built for BR in the 1960s, many of these still run over both Network Rail and Heritage lines. They have a low axle load, meaning high route availability. Known to Rail Enthusiasts as "tractors" due to the distinctive sound of their engines.
118* Class 47: The most common diesel locomotive built for BR, the 47 remains in use. Some have been refurbished and re-engined with second-hand EMD engines to become the Class 57. (Sixteen of which were used by Virgin as "rescue engines" for failed Pendolinos, and were given ''Series/{{Thunderbirds}}''-themed names. One, ''Lady Penelope'', kept its name - and pink nameplate! - when they passed out of Virgin ownership again).
119* Class 59 and 66: Two versions of an American (EMD) design, the first American-build standard gauge diesels to be used in the UK and the first to be built for private operation on main lines. They are nicknamed 'Sheds', because, well, they look like one. Very distinctive shapes, due to the pointed roof corrugated sides and large windows. Also notable at their introduction for hardly ever breaking down, a quality that set them apart from [[TheAllegedCar more than a few British-built classes]]. Carry a number of liveries, including Freightliner, EWS, GBRF, Railfreight Services and DB Schenker (which, along with their virtual omnipresence, also makes them beloved of railway modellers). Were so successful that they were eventually sold to operators on the Continent.
120* Class 70: Another recent US-designed locomotive (GE this time), these are operated by Freightliner and Colas Rail. Some were built in Turkey.
121* Class 90: Electric locomotive powered by overhead wires and operated by several companies. A late British Rail era replacement for [[EveryCarIsAPinto several electric locomotives of the 80-series]]. They have cabs similar to a class 91 but not as pointy, and weren't as fast (110 mph).
122* Pacers - What you get when you stick a Leyland bus body on train wheels. Unpopular, uncomfortable, ugly and have been around a lot longer than planned; they aren't really suitable for modern use (unless refurbished, they can't be used after 2019 due to the Disability Discrimination Act) and their crash protection is dubious. Intended for rural use, they were once common commuter units in the North, Wales and the South West. All have been retired from regular service, but some heritage railways have picked them up.
123
124
125It is common for trains to be 'cascaded' as one operator gets some new trains and passes its old ones to someone else; combined with franchise changes, the change from region to sector-based operation in BR in the 1980s and general new paint jobs, a train can easily go through four or five different liveries in its lifetime.
126
127Notable retired trains include:
128* Class 42/43 (Warship Class) - diesel-hydraulic locos introduced in 1958, these were licenced modifications of the West German V200s for the smaller loading gauges of the UK. All bar two were named after Royal Navy ships, Their career was short; BR became prejudiced against hydraulic and they couldn't haul new coaching stock because of a difference in brake and heating technology, leading to their withdrawal in 1971.
129* Class 55 'Deltic' - known for their distinctive sound from their pair of two-stroke engines, these diesels were a major improvement in East Coast performance; they were clocking 100mph regularly from 1963. After their replacement by the HST, six have preserved and still do railtours.
130* Class 117 DMU - A popular and long-running three-car unit (entered service 1959, finally retired 2000), a number of these can be found on heritage lines.
131* Class 421 '4-CIG' ('''C''orridor Br'''ig'''hton - IG being the old SR telegraph code for Brighton) EMU - one of the Southern Region's most common 'slam-door units' with 166 built; these entered service in 1964 and didn't finally leave it until 2010; four have been preserved.
132** There were 22 examples of a version with a buffet car in place of the trailer coach; these were known as '4-BIG'.
133* The Class 442 Wessex Electrics ('5-WES'), formerly used on the London - Brighton line as part of the Gatwick Express service. These trains were the fastest third-rail electric trains in the world, and were set to transfer to the Portsmouth Direct Line in 2018 after being relieved of their duties on the London - Brighton line. However a project to upgrade their outdated motors [[DoomedUpgrade was deemed a failure]], and in 2021 it was announced the class would be scrapped.
134* LMS Stanier Class 5 aka 'Black Five' - 842 of these steam locos were built for mixed traffic work and survived into the BR era; 18 ended up preserved and remain highly popular for railtours.
135* BR Mark 1 coaches: Inheriting a wide array of rolling stock going back to Victorian times, British Rail decided to build a new standard design type combining most of the best features of the existing coaches. Built from 1951-63, these coaches (with no less than 21 versions) also spawned a series of multiple units based on them that were being built until 1974. They do not meet modern safety standards (although they were a considerable improvement on what was before) due to doors that can be opened while the train is moving and body frame issues; as a result any unmodified versions are now banned without getting an exemption from NR. This is usually given to rail tour companies, which have a steward on board to stop doors being opened. Available in both corridor and open form,
136** However, the sheer quantity built (and the relative lack of anything older) means that they are extremely common in the heritage world.
137
138It's important to note two things about British trains, especially when writing fiction:
139* Britain has historically the most heavily restricted 'loading gauge' to rail width in the world, which basically means that the trains tend to be less wide and less tall than those on the continent; this can cause issues when shipping freight between countries and indeed the first Eurostar trains, the Class 373, are slightly smaller versions of the TGV designed for use on British lines in the south of England that the service ran through until the opening of [[UsefulNotes/HighSpeedRail High Speed 1]]. Running Eurostars beyond London as was initially planned is much complicated by that fact and the rise of low cost airlines has all but guaranteed no such service at least until the opening of High Speed 2. This has also precluded the widespread adoption (or indeed much adoption at all) of double-decker trains, the only example being the two 4DD [=EMUs=] built for the Southern Railway in 1949; they weren't very successful, and weren't really double deckers, but stayed in service until 1971, well into the BR era.
140* The standard platform height is 915mm (give or take 25mm) compared with the much lower heights in many other countries - you will only have to make one step up to the train when boarding as opposed to the two or three elsewhere. The platform also impinges on the loading gauge, making British rolling stock use taller wheels and frames then those on the continent.
141
142'''National Rail and its predecessors in popular culture'''
143
144No discussion of the British rail network is complete without discussing its [[RailEnthusiast fans]], often known as "trainspotters" (inaccurately applying a sub-type to the whole community). "Trainspotters", people who note train numbers as they go past, are depicted as anorak-wearing geeks, even by other railfans.
145* ''Series/MontyPythonsFlyingCircus'' had a go as well - rather ironically, as Creator/MichaelPalin is himself a trainspotter.
146* Since the beginning of the "War on Terror", and in particular since the 7/7 bombings, the hobby has come under threat. Trainspotters have complained of rough treatment - even harassment - by over-zealous policemen and anti-terror officials. Naturally this state of affairs has proved controversial, and has been reported on by national newspapers on more than one occasion.
147
148These people maintain websites, write books, take photographs and work to restore older trains and closed lines. There is also a considerable amount of slang. They usually do not break the law (sometimes helping in its enforcement and rail safety via reporting stuff).
149
150(This is of course, not just confined to the UK.)
151
152!!!Heritage railways
153
154Linked to all of this is the very active 'heritage' railway scene in the UK, which got started in the 1960s as BR removed steam from the main line and Beeching was removing lines from the passenger maps. A good number of old locomotives were saved from scrapping by a Barry Island owner who decided it made more economic sense to sell them to the preservation movement [[note]]This was mainly due to the price of scrap metal being depressed as a result of mass engine scrapping and engine scrapping being labour intensive -- As a result, over 200 locomotives that should have been scrapped stayed in existence long enough for the emerging preservation movement to ultimately rescue them. The Barry survivors also are partially why Great Western locomotives are common in preservation and LNER locomotives are rare -- lots of GWR engines ended up at Barry, while hardly any LNER engines did.[[/note]] than cut them up. Many of these run on (mostly) single-track heritage lines that are reopened passenger lines, where they have been joined by ex-BR locomotives and some Diesel Multiple Units, but there are companies that do fairly expensive steam tours on the mainline, something guaranteed to make regular users gawp in amazement.
155
156Famous works involving British railways are legion:
157* ''Film/BriefEncounter''
158* ''Film/{{The 39 Steps|1935}}''
159* ''Literature/TheRailwayChildren''
160* ''Film/TheTitfieldThunderbolt''
161* Several {{Expy}}s of British locos appear in the game ''VideoGame/TransportTycoon''.
162* And indeed ''WesternAnimation/ThomasAndFriends''[=/=]''Literature/TheRailwaySeries''. The island's railway is a fictional region of British Railways with a greater degree of operating independence accorded to it and the island's baronet as Controller, which is why the mainland dieselization order didn't affect it. Since the railway still turns a profit, well enough has been left alone. The engines are mostly based on British locomotives, for example Gordon is an LNER A3 (like Flying Scotsman), Henry became an LMS Black 5MT after his rebuild, and Thomas himself is an LBSCR E2; in real life, these were all scrapped, making Thomas the LastOfHisKind.
163* ''Series/OhDoctorBeeching'' is named after and set during the titular Doctor's review of the railways.
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