Big Four (British railway companies) Facts for Kids

The Big Four was a special name given to the four largest railway companies in the United Kingdom. This was between 1923 and 1947. A magazine called The Railway Magazine first used the name in February 1923. They called them "The Big Four of the New Railway Era."

These four companies were:

Great Western Railway (GWR)
London, Midland and Scottish Railway (LMS)
London and North Eastern Railway (LNER)
Southern Railway (SR)

They were created because of a law called the Railways Act 1921. This process was known as "The Grouping" of the railways. It officially started on 1 January 1923. Later, on 1 January 1948, these companies became part of the government-owned British Railways. This happened because of the Transport Act 1947.

What Made Each Company Special?
- Southern Railway: The Passenger King
- GWR and Others: Keeping Their Identity
Working Together: Joint Activities
What Happened Next: British Railways
See also

What Made Each Company Special?

The three bigger railway companies carried a lot of goods. This included things like coal. They also carried many passengers on long trips.

Southern Railway: The Passenger King

The Southern Railway was different. It mostly carried passengers. Even though it was smaller, it moved over a quarter of all UK passengers. This was because it served busy areas near London. Many people used its lines to travel to work. To handle this, the Southern Railway made many of its lines electric.

GWR and Others: Keeping Their Identity

The Great Western Railway (GWR) was the only company that kept its original name. It also made all the smaller companies it took over use its identity. The other three companies found it harder to change. The Southern Railway kept its different parts separate. The London, Midland and Scottish Railway (LMS) had trouble mixing its old traditions. This changed in 1932 when Sir William Stanier joined from the GWR. The London and North Eastern Railway (LNER) never made a profit. This was partly because it took on huge debts from another railway.

Working Together: Joint Activities

Even though the four companies were rivals, they often worked together. They cooperated on big projects for the railway industry.

Railways During World War II

During World War II, the railway companies worked as one. They were managed by the Railway Executive Committee. The government rented the railways from 1941. They paid a fixed amount of money each year. This agreement was set to last for one year after the war ended.

Shared Railway Lines

Sometimes, two or more of the Big Four companies shared railway lines. This happened when the original owners of a line ended up in different new companies. Most of these shared lines were near the borders of the companies. However, some important ones stretched further.

One example was the Midland and Great Northern Joint Railway. It was shared by the LMS and LNER. This was the biggest shared network in Great Britain. Another was the Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway. It connected Bath and Bournemouth. The LMS managed its trains, and the Southern Railway looked after the tracks.

Working with Bus Companies

The Big Four also got involved in bus services. They took over parts of local bus companies after 1928. However, a new law in 1928 changed things. The railways could not own most of a bus company. So, they partnered with big bus groups instead. They bought smaller shares in many bus and coach companies. In total, they invested in 33 different bus companies.

Other Shared Ventures

The railway companies also worked together on air travel. The GWR, LMS, and Southern Railway formed Railway Air Services Ltd. They also owned companies that ran flights to the Channel Islands. The Big Four also bought Thomas Cook & Son, a famous travel company.

What Happened Next: British Railways

The areas served by the Big Four became the basis for the new British Railways regions.

The GWR became the Western Region.
The English and Welsh parts of the LMS became the London Midland Region.
The North Eastern part of the LNER became the North Eastern Region.
The rest of the English LNER (its Southern Area) became the Eastern Region.
The SR became the Southern Region.
The LMS and LNER lines in Scotland joined to form the Scottish Region.
The LMS-owned Northern Counties Committee in Northern Ireland moved to the Ulster Transport Authority. Northern Ireland's railways have been separate ever since.

These regions had more power in the 1950s. However, they stopped being separate units in the 1980s. They were finally removed in 1992, before the railways became private again.

Big Four (British railway companies) facts for kids

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