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UK train operator nationalised by government after 30 years of privatisation (www.independent.co.uk)
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Chiltern Railways’ services became the latest to transition into public ownership on Sunday, marking the sixth train operator to be nationalised by the Government.

The UK’s largest train operator, Govia Thameslink Railway, alongside c2c, Greater Anglia, South Western Railway, and West Midlands Trains, have already been brought into public ownership by the Government.

From December, the Department for Transport (DfT) confirmed that 25 additional daily Chiltern Railways services will be introduced to help tackle "overcrowding", delivering 10,000 extra seats during each weekday. This plan incorporates half-hourly weekday trains running along the Chiltern main line between London and Birmingham, as well as an increase in weekend journeys.

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[–] 55 points 1 month ago (7 children)

Quick, hook Thatcher up to a magnet for infinite electricity. She's spinning so fast we could end climate change.

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  • [–] 23 points 1 month ago (4 children)

    To be fair, not even Thatcher dared attempt rail service privatisation. It was her disciple Major who pushed it through and enthusiastically promoted battling business units on rails in Brussels.

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  • [–] 5 points 1 month ago (1 child)

    The privatisation of British Rail did indeed begin under Thatcher, though she did so with reluctance due to the obvious need for ongoing subsidy. Sealink and the hotels were the first parts to go in 1984 (at much less than book value).

    These were swiftly followed by a laundry company set up for the hotels, an internal ad agency, a travel agency, and the Vale of Rheidol railway which was privatised in 1989.

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  • [–] 7 points 1 month ago (1 child)

    Ah my bad. I thought most of the privatisation over there was under her. Did she do the water and BT or was that him too?

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  • [–] 14 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

    Most of it was. BT was Thatcher and she did most buses too. Water was started by her, after chickening out at least once, but finished under Major.

    Major has a surprisingly popular "underdog" reputation because he was uncharismatic, won against poll predictions in 1992 and he had lots of infighting in his own party, but he was a pretty zealous capitalist in practice.

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  • [–] 6 points 1 month ago

    So much piss on her grave that it's now a designated protected wetlands, home to birds and animals found nowhere else in the UK. Afraid that we can't dig her up again. Beautiful place to visit; have a couple of bottles of water before you go.

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