British Railways



British Railways is the company owned by Britain following the merger of the Big four (the LMS, LNER, SR, and GWR) in 1948. This company lasted from 1948 to 1995 when it was privatized and divided up into different companies. The Island of Sodor was never really affected by the formation of British Rail, or it's demise.

In the Railway Series it is known as "the Other Railway"

Modernization
A report was published in December of 1954 to bring the railway into the 20th century. In 1956 another report stated that modernization would help bring and reduce BR's budget problems. In this plan was the removal of Steam and replacing them with Diesel and Electric locomotives, this led to the demise of British Mainline Steam.

The introduction of "Rail Blue" brought in the introduction of the new logo.

In the Railway Series
British Rail's biggest appearance in the series is in the form of diesel locomotives who come on trial, and usually fail, misbehave, get embarrassed, or are rude.

Though good, helpful engines have arrived, over the years such as, Pip and Emma, The Works Diesel, BoCo and Derek (though he had engine issues).

The first mention of the railway was in The Eight Famous Engines, when Gordon, Duck, and a foreign engine get into an argument over which station serves London. (Each having never been on the other companies' lines, thought that their's was the only station when, in fact, their are over 10, thus leading to an argument over which station was in London, King's Cross, Paddington, or Euston.)

The North Western Railway's mainline connects with BR's main line just over the bridge to the main land.

Privatization
British Rail was Privatized in 1995, and divided into over 20 different companies, none of these have ever been mentioned in the series (or privatization itself).