Passengers at London’s Waterloo station on 22 May this year had a very special opportunity. The South Western service to Weybridge did not look like any other train they were used to seeing on the railways. Instead, its red, white and blue branding bore the words “Great British Railways” (GBR), marking it as the first specially-decorated service of the new era of nationalised rail travel.
The day before, at the livery’s unveiling in Brighton, transport secretary Heidi Alexander said it made “the future of Britain’s railways a reality”.
Alexander added: "This isn't just a paint job – it's an important step towards building a more joined‑up, publicly-owned railway that puts passengers first, delivers better services and leaves the frustrations and fragmentation of the past behind."
It was a symbolic moment for Labour’s plans to bring all rail services under public ownership by the end of 2027. At the time of writing, ten operators have entered state control, with more to come as franchise contracts expire.
So it might be only natural to assume that, in this bold future, the train you are riding on, decked out in the colours of the flag, will be publicly owned too.
You’d be wrong. The missing piece of the UK’s rail nationalisation plans is the trains.