List of railway companies involved in the 1923 grouping
Under the Railways Act 1921 the majority of the railway companies in Great Britain 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:- Great Western Railway
- * Great Western Railway
- * Alexandra Docks and Railway
- * Barry Railway
- * Cambrian Railways
- * Cardiff Railway
- * Rhymney Railway
- * Taff Vale Railway
- ** for the list of subsidiary companies and joint railways see List of constituents of the Great Western Railway
- London and North Eastern Railway
- * Great Central Railway
- * Great Eastern Railway
- * Great Northern Railway
- * Hull and Barnsley Railway
- * North Eastern Railway
- * Great North of Scotland Railway
- * North British Railway
- ** for the list of subsidiary companies and joint railways see List of constituents of the London and North Eastern Railway
- London, Midland and Scottish Railway
- * London and North Western Railway ;
- ** including Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway amalgamated from 1 January 1922
- * Furness Railway ;
- * Midland Railway
- * North Staffordshire Railway
- * Caledonian Railway
- * Glasgow and South Western Railway
- * Highland Railway
- ** for the list of subsidiary companies and joint railways see List of constituents of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway
- *The Railways Act 1921 did not extend to Ireland, but Irish lines owned by constituent companies became part of the LMS:
- ** Dundalk, Newry and Greenore Railway
- ** Northern Counties Committee lines
- *** The NCC and Great Northern Railway operated the County Donegal Railways Joint Committee lines jointly, and these became joint lines of the LMS and GNR after grouping.
- Southern Railway
- * London, Brighton and South Coast Railway
- * London and South Western Railway
- * South Eastern and Chatham Railways' Managing Committee: a working union of the South Eastern Railway and the London, Chatham and Dover Railway
- ** for the list of subsidiary companies and joint railways see List of constituent companies of the Southern Railway
Companies not covered by the grouping
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: ; now operated under direction of a board of directors appointed by LNER and LMS. Length. 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:. Length. 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.
- * Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway:. Length.
- Joint lines where one or more partners were ungrouped:
- * Aylesbury Station: joint between the GW & GC Joint and the Metropolitan and Great Central Joint Committee
- * East London Railway: prior to grouping, this railway was owned one-sixth each by the Great Eastern Railway, London, Brighton and South Coast Railway, Metropolitan Railway, District Railway; and one-third by the South Eastern and Chatham Railway. After grouping, it was owned half by the Southern, and one-sixth each by the LNER, Metropolitan and District. Length. Managed and operated by Met; goods traffic by LNER.
- * Metropolitan and Great Central Joint Committee: prior to grouping, owned by the Metropolitan Railway and GCR; post-Grouping, Metropolitan and LNER.
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:. Trains worked through to Ealing over the Ealing and Shepherd's Bush Railway
- * City and South London Railway:
- * London Electric Railway: : amalgamation of the Baker Street and Waterloo Railway, Great Northern, Piccadilly and Brompton Railway and Charing Cross, Euston and Hampstead Railway
- * District Railway:
- Other electric/steam railways:
- * Liverpool Overhead Railway:
- * Mersey Railway:
- * Metropolitan Railway: steam and electric including the Great Northern and City Railway
Light and similar railways (standard gauge)
- Bideford, Westward Ho! and Appledore Railway: closed at time of grouping
- Bishops Castle Railway:
- Corringham Light Railway:
- Derwent Valley Light Railway:
- Easingwold Railway:
- East Kent Railway:
- Glasgow Subway:
- Hellingly Hospital Railway:
- Hundred of Manhood and Selsey Tramways: *
- Kent & East Sussex Railway: *
- Mumbles Railway:
- Nidd Valley Light Railway: public; private
- North Sunderland Railway:
- Rowrah and Kelton Fell Railway:
- Shropshire and Montgomeryshire Railway *
- Stocksbridge Railway:
- Swansea Improvements and Tramways Company:
- Wantage Tramway:
- Weston, Clevedon and Portishead Railway:
Light railways (narrow gauge)
- Ashover Light Railway: ;
- Brighton Electric Railway: ;
- Camborne and Redruth Tramway: ;
- Campbeltown and Machrihanish Railway: ;
- Corris Railway: ;
- Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway: ;
- Ffestiniog Railway: ;
- Glyn Valley Railway: ;
- North Wales Narrow Gauge Railways: ;
- Portmadoc, Beddgelert and South Snowdon Railway: ;
- Rye and Camber Tramway: ;
- Snailbeach District Railways: ;
- Snowdon Mountain Tramroad: ; ; rack railway
- Southwold Railway: ;
- Talyllyn Railway: ;
- Wolverton and Stony Stratford Tramway: ; owned by LMSR
Railways outside the jurisdiction of the Railways Act 1921
- Alderney Railway
- Guernsey Railway
- Isle of Man Railway; ;
- Jersey Eastern Railway
- Jersey Railway and Tramways; ;
- Manx Electric Railway; ; ; and ;
Miscellaneous railways
- Felixstowe Docks and Railway:
- Manchester Ship Canal:
- Mersey Docks and Harbour Board:
- Milford Haven Dock and Railway:
- Pentewan Railway: ; ; temporarily closed 1923
- Trafford Park: