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List of railway companies involved in the 1923 grouping facts for kids

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Under the Railways Act 1921 the majority of the railway companies in Great Britain (along with a few in Northern Ireland) were grouped into four main companies, often termed the Big Four. The grouping took effect from 1 January 1923.

The Big Four

The Big Four and their constituent companies, showing route mileage, were:

Companies not covered by the grouping

Over fifty railway companies were not covered by the grouping. Those in the following list were those organised on an independent basis, usually providing locomotives and rolling stock also. They are included under classification headings.

Joint railways

Joint lines in this respect were wholly owned by two or more other companies. If not all of the owning companies went into the same group then the joint company could not be grouped. Joint lines did not always operate any services: they owned the track, stations etc. and the services were operated by one or more of the parent companies:

  • These are those in which the group companies only are concerned:
    • Cheshire Lines Committee: (GNR, Midland and GCR); now operated under direction of a board of directors appointed by LNER (two-thirds) and LMS (one-third). Length 142 miles (229 km). Rolling stock owned by CLC; locomotive power by LNER.
    • Great Western and Great Central Joint Railway: GWR and GCR; subsequent to the grouping the parent companies were the GWR and the LNER, but the title was not altered.
    • Manchester, South Junction and Altrincham Railway: LNWR and GCR; subsequent to the grouping the parent companies were the LMS and the LNER.
    • Midland and Great Northern Joint Railway: (Midland and GNR; subsequent to the grouping the parent companies were the LMS and the LNER). Length 183 miles (295 km). This was the largest joint system in the UK, and many of the services were operated by the joint company itself. In addition, it received substantial traffic from the GNR and MR/LMS, but rather less post-grouping from the LNER (which also owned the competing ex-GER system in East Anglia).
    • Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway: (Midland and LSWR). Length 105 miles (169 km).
  • Joint lines where one or more partners were ungrouped:

Railways not included in group companies

Electric or electric and steam lines

  • Railways associated with the Underground Electric Railways Company of London:
    • Central London Railway: 7 miles (11 km). Trains worked through to Ealing over the Ealing and Shepherd's Bush Railway (GWR)
    • City and South London Railway: 7+14 miles (12 km)
    • London Electric Railway: 24 miles (39 km): amalgamation of the Baker Street and Waterloo Railway, Great Northern, Piccadilly and Brompton Railway and Charing Cross, Euston and Hampstead Railway
    • District Railway: 27+34 miles (45 km)
  • Other electric/steam railways:

Light and similar railways (standard gauge)

  • Bideford, Westward Ho! and Appledore Railway: 7 miles (11 km) closed at time of grouping
  • Bishops Castle Railway: 9+34 miles (16 km)
  • Corringham Light Railway: 2+34 miles (4 km)
  • Derwent Valley Light Railway: 16 miles (26 km)
  • Easingwold Railway: 2+12 miles (4 km)
  • East Kent Railway: 48 miles (77 km)
  • Glasgow (Cable) Subway: 6+34 miles (11 km)
  • Hellingly Hospital Railway: 1+14 miles (2 km)
  • Hundred of Manhood and Selsey Tramways: 8 miles (13 km) *
  • Kent & East Sussex Railway: 24 miles (39 km) *
  • Mumbles Railway: 5+12 miles (9 km)
  • Nidd Valley Light Railway: 6 miles (10 km) public; 7 miles (11 km) private
  • North Sunderland Railway: 4 miles (6 km)
  • Rowrah and Kelton Fell Railway: 3 miles (5 km)
  • Shropshire and Montgomeryshire Railway 26 miles (42 km) *
  • Stocksbridge Railway: 2 miles (3 km)
  • Swansea Improvements and Tramways Company: 18 miles (29 km)
  • Wantage Tramway: 2 miles (3 km)
  • Weston, Clevedon and Portishead Railway: 14+12 miles (23 km)

Light and similar railways (narrow gauge)

  • Ashover Light Railway: 2 ft (610 mm); 7+14 miles (12 km)
  • Brighton Electric Railway: 2 feet 8+12 inches (826 mm); 1+34 miles (3 km)
  • Camborne and Redruth Tramway: 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm); 3+14 miles (5 km)
  • Campbeltown and Machrihanish Railway: 2 ft 3 in (686 mm); 6 miles (10 km)
  • Corris Railway: 2 ft 3 in (686 mm); 11 miles (18 km)
  • Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway: 15 in (381 mm); 7+14 miles (12 km)
  • Ffestiniog Railway: 1 ft 11 12 in (597 mm); 14+12 miles (23 km)
  • Glyn Valley Railway: 2 feet 4+12 inches (724 mm); 8+14 miles (13 km)
  • North Wales Narrow Gauge Railways: 1 ft 11 12 in (597 mm); 12+14 miles (20 km)
  • Portmadoc, Beddgelert and South Snowdon Railway: 1 ft 11 12 in (597 mm); 4+34 miles (8 km)
  • Rye and Camber Tramway: 3 ft (914 mm); 3 miles (5 km)
  • Snailbeach District Railways: 2 feet 4 inches (710 mm); 3+14 miles (5 km)
  • Snowdon Mountain Tramroad: 800 mm (2 ft 7 12 in); 5 miles (8 km); rack railway
  • Southwold Railway: 3 ft (914 mm); 9 miles (14 km)
  • Talyllyn Railway: 2 ft 3 in (686 mm); 6+34 miles (11 km)
  • Wolverton and Stony Stratford Tramway: 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm); owned by LMSR

Railways outside the jurisdiction of the Railways Act 1921

The Railways Act 1921 only extended to Great Britain. Railways in Ireland and the Crown Dependencies were not affected unless owned by a railway company in Great Britain. The railways included in this section were standard gauge, unless otherwise noted:

  • Alderney Railway
  • Belfast and County Down Railway; 5 ft 3 in (1,600 mm)
  • Cork, Bandon and South Coast Railway; 5 ft 3 in (1,600 mm); 94 miles (151 km)
  • Dublin and South Eastern Railway; 5 ft 3 in (1,600 mm); 161 miles (259 km)
  • Great Northern Railway (Ireland); 5 ft 3 in (1,600 mm);
  • Great Southern and Western Railway; 5 ft 3 in (1,600 mm); 1,100 miles (1,770 km)
  • Guernsey Railway; 3 miles (5 km)
  • Isle of Man Railway; 3 ft (914 mm); 46+14 miles (74 km)
  • Jersey Eastern Railway; 6+14 miles (10 km)
  • Jersey Railway and Tramways; 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm); 7+12 miles (12 km)
  • Londonderry and Lough Swilly Railway; 3 ft (914 mm)
  • Sligo, Leitrim and Northern Counties Railway; 5 ft 3 in (1,600 mm)
  • Manx Electric Railway; 3 ft (914 mm); 18 miles (29 km); and 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm); 5 miles (8 km)
  • Midland Great Western Railway; 5 ft 3 in (1,600 mm); 538 miles (866 km)

Miscellaneous railways

The railways included in this section were standard gauge, unless otherwise noted:

  • Felixstowe Docks and Railway: 12 mile (1 km)
  • Manchester Ship Canal: 156 miles (251 km)
  • Mersey Docks and Harbour Board: 104 miles (167 km)
  • Milford Haven Dock and Railway: 1+14 miles (2 km)
  • Pentewan Railway: 2 ft 6 in (762 mm); 4 miles (6 km); temporarily closed 1923
  • Trafford Park: 18 miles (29 km)

See also

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List of railway companies involved in the 1923 grouping Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.