Rail Revolution: Day of Action
11th December 2018 | Demonstration / News
Sick of rising rail fares and chaotic commuting?
Tired of the endless tinkering with our broken privatised railway system?
It’s time for a #RailRevolution.
On Wednesday 2 January 2019, as our rail fares rise again by 3.1%, we’re joining forces with our friends at We Own It, the Association of British Commuters and NOR4NOR to organise a national day of action calling for radical reform.
Coinciding with the public consultation for the government’s new ‘root and branch’ review of rail: the Williams Rail Review, we’re calling on passengers all over the country to respond in favour of a re-unified national rail network run for people not profit.
Protests will take place at stations across the county, with a central one at London King’s Cross from 7:30-9:00am (photo call at 8:00am).
Jeremy Vine on bringing back British Rail
20th September 2018 | Media Coverage / News
Following the Office of Rail and Road finding that ‘systemic failings’ have been the cause of the huge problems with new timetables on the Northern and Govia Thameslink Railway franchises, Ellie Harrison was invited to address the question ‘should we bring back British Rail?’ on BBC Radio 2’s Jeremy Vine show.
‘Privatised rail just doesn’t work’ – Ellie Harrison
20th September 2018 | Media Coverage / News
Bring Back British Rail campaign founder Ellie Harrison was interviewed by Johanna Ross for Sputnik News, following Chris Grayling’s acknowledgement that ‘systemic failings’ are the cause of the many problems on our privatised rail network. Isn’t that what we’ve been saying for the last nine years?
Success! Or is it?
1st June 2018 | Fundraising / Media Coverage / News
On 16 May 2018, one month after we launched our Crowd Justice campaign to take Transport Secretary Chris Grayling to court over his handling of the Virgin Trains East Coast franchise fiasco, it was announced in the media that the route would be ‘re-nationalised’, as LNER (London North Eastern Railway) from 24 June 2018.
Success! Or is it? It later emerged that the new LNER franchise (unlike ‘East Coast’, which ran the line from 2009-15 and was wholly publicly-owned by the Department for Transport), would be run by a consortium of private companies: Arup, Ernst & Young and SNC-Lavalin.
Our legal action continues. Our lawyers have now written to Government for a forth time: to request further information about the new LNER arrangement, as well as the ongoing review of the suitability of Stagecoach and Virgin to retain their franchise ‘Passports’, given the dramatic failure of their Virgin Trains East Coast operation after just three years.
Thanks to all 907 people who have so far pledged support on Crowd Justice. Together we have already had a huge impact on events. Please continue to join this historic action.
Pledge and share our case page today: crowdjustice.com/case/eastcoast
Our Lawyers’ Letters
• 5 March 2018: Leigh Day to Department for Transport
• 16 April 2018: Leigh Day to Department for Transport (Pre-Action Protocol)
• 15 May 2018: Leigh Day to Government Legal Department
• 1 June 2018: Leigh Day to Government Legal Department
• 17 July 2018: Leigh Day to Government Legal Department
Our Case in the News
• 18 April 2018: The Canary (Interview with Ellie Harrison of Bring Back British Rail)
• 19 April 2018: BBC News
• 19 April 2018: ITV News
• 19 April 2018: City AM
• 16 May 2018: Financial Times
Help us take Transport Secretary Chris Grayling to court!
17th April 2018 | Fundraising / News
Enough is enough! Our East Coast mainline was a brilliant success in public-ownership and should never have been re-privatised in 2015. Now it has failed for the third time at the hands of private operators: GNER in 2007, National Express in 2009 and now Virgin Trains East Coast in 2018.
Transport Secretary Chris Grayling has admitted that Virgin Trains East Coast “got its numbers wrong” and breached “a key financial covenant” in their franchise agreement. Yet, he is allowing its owners – Stagecoach and Virgin – to walk away and continue running and bidding for other rail franchises. We can’t let them get away with this.
We’re now working with public law experts Leigh Day to bring Chris Grayling to court to account for these decisions. We expect this to be a landmark Judicial Review case; exposing the farce of rail franchising for the shameful waste of public money that it is, and paving the way to a re-unified national rail network run in the public’s interest once again.
Please pledge and share today: crowdjustice.com/case/eastcoast
Please help us reach more people by sharing on Facebook or Twitter!
Commemorating 70 years since Nationalisation
29th March 2018 | Merchandise / News
New Embroidered Patches available for 2018!
2018 year is bittersweet. We’re commemorating 70 years since our railways were unified and nationalised as ‘British Railways‘, as well commiserating 25 years since the disastrous 1993 Railways Act, which paved the way to the fragmented mess of privatisation that we have now.
These contrasting anniversaries show that times can, and do, change. In the last nine years since our campaign was founded in July 2009, we have been central in transforming the national debate, taking the re-nationalisation of our railways from a taboo topic to mainstream policy. Now we’re sure it’s only a matter of time until we realise our dream.
Make East Coast Public!
1st February 2018 | News / Petition
The Virgin Trains East Coast rail franchise is close to collapse, making it the third private sector operator, after GNER in 2007 and National Express in 2009, to fail.
We’re working with our friends at We Own It and many other partners to campaign for our East Coast mainline to be brought back into public ownership, permanently.
Please sign the petition here: weownit.org.uk/east-coast
Stop Privatisation Merchandise
28th November 2017 | Merchandise / News
This Christmas we’re working with Teemill on some new Bring Back British Rail merchandise, available as jumpers, hoodies, t-shirts, tote bags and tea towels! All ethically sourced organic cotton with proceeds going to support our volunteer-run campaign for rail re-nationalisation founded in 2009.
Order at: bringbackbritishrail.teemill.com
With free delivery if you order by midnight on Sunday 3 December 2017
A Public Future for Scotland’s Railways
21st November 2017 | News
This summer Bring Back British Rail contributed ideas to this new Report by TSSA and Commonweal as part of our ongoing campaign for the Public Ownership of Scotland’s Railway launched in September 2014.
Please support the Report Launch on Tuesday 28 November 2017, 11am-1pm
Serenity Cafe Meeting Room
8 Jacksons Entry
Edinburgh
EH8 8PJ
Don’t Scrap the Electrification of our Railways!
12th October 2017 | News
This summer, the Department for Transport scrapped plans to electrify railways across South Wales and the north of England, meaning we’ll be stuck with filthy diesel trains for years to come.
Bring Back British Rail supports our friends at 10:10 Climate Action and Campaign for Better Transport in demanding investment in cleaner, greener public transport.
Bring Back British Rail shared NOR4NOR's photo.
19 hours ago
3 reasons why we need a new publicly-owned railway 🚆 from our friends at NOR4NORNOR4NOR's 3 reasons why we need a new publicly-owned railway 🚆 ...
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Our local station (Sherborne) has nearly 250,000 passengers each year and apart from Fridays, the ticket office closes at lunchtime! (Need the loo when you have a couple Grandchildren with you? Forget it...)
I'm all for renationalisation, but I don't think that things that are already controlled by the government make particularly good reasons to end privatisation. With that in mind... Fares increases: the 3.1% average increase is essentially the result of how fares are regulated by the DfT - a cap based on inflation, and franchise agreements that include an expectation that the train companies will make most or all of the fare increases that are allowed to them. The removal of guards: Public-sector control of railways has not exactly been a fan of guards - British Rail's Network Southeast introduced lots of driver-only operation, when TfL launched London Overground one of the first things they did was to get rid of the guards who remained on their routes, and one of the main reasons for recent & current attempts by train companies to get rid of guards is that the DfT has demanded it through the franchising process.
In relation to point one The fares rise for regulated fares ie season tickets and most walk on fares are set by the Dft and always has been in privatisation There is a certain amount of flex for the operators but the percentage is set by the government not the RDG or Franchises.
3.1%, I wish, our Northern Rail fares went up by 40% in less than 2 years along with the introduction of afternoon peak fares. Our local line is electrified but hasn't seen an electric train in years as they were transferred to another region. The weekend strikes are an inconvenience but I fully support the strikers.
With regard to item No3, it's a shame that no mention is made of the Guard's role being safety critical. Having read through some BR Rule Books, it's very obvious that the Guard has a large number of safety related duties to carry out in any given situation, and in conjunction with the driver. Nothing has changed in this matter, but the profit obsessed TOCs are blindly happy to shift all of the responsibilty on to one person - the driver, thus creating a less safe railway, which is in itself a contradiction to the DOTs own rules. The media are happy to blame strikes over this matter on "Out of date" Unions, but Joe public needs to realise and understand that any proposal to diminish or remove the role of guards is a short sighted and dangerous idea.
another reason (today especially ) is Scotrail!
There are many reasons.. my main reason perhaps is the preponderance of foreign companies and esp foreign state-owned railways profiting from our failed railways, it’s just so ironic. Greater Anglia and all the rest need unmasking as who they really are, most people don’t even know.. in this case I believe they are the Dutch state railway and Matsui.
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Bring Back British Rail shared their photo.
2 days ago
Last chance to get your Bring Back British Rail merchandise! Orders must be placed by end Sunday 16 December to receive in time for Christmas. All proceeds support campaign materials and activities: bringbackbritishrail.org/supportBack by popular demand! We've got a new run of our favourite Bring Back British Rail enamel badges first launched in 2010. Wear one with pride to show your support for our campaign: bringbackbritishrail.org/support ...
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Will they let me on the train if I wear one?
Too pricey for me :(
Are there stickers?
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Bring Back British Rail shared their post.
3 days ago
Last chance to get your Bring Back British Rail merchandise! Orders must be placed by end Sunday 16 December to receive in time for Christmas. All proceeds support campaign materials and activities: bringbackbritishrail.org/supportAll the Bring Back British Rail merch you need! 😄 Get yourself a Rail Card Wallet and one of our new Embroidered Patches for just £6 inc. delivery and free stickers! All proceeds help fund our campaign for a re-unified national rail network, run for people not profit bringbackbritishrail.org/bundle ...
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BRING BACK BRITISH INDUSTRY. BRING BACK BRITAIN (GREAT).
Do you do cufflinks? Probably a bit niche and I have a Dremel :)
Al second that
Wish they would
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Bring Back British Rail added a new photo.
4 days ago
‘Our fragmented railways are in a mess - expensive and unreliable. We need a nationalised service where all revenue goes back into the service and not shareholders’ pockets’ says Bring Back British Rail Supporter Barbara Segal, Bristol. Join us at: bringbackbritishrail.org ...
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Scrap hs2 and money abound for proper railways
I see a comment on "dirty, knackered trains" below. Perhaps I should point out that ScotRail has just leased some of British Rail's finest (at the time it was built) stock, viz. a few HST sets, and is attempting to run them on inter-city routes between the Lowlands and Aberdeen/Inverness. Also, Northern is still running Pacers (142) on many routes, including (e.g.) Morpeth-Newcastle and Middlesbrough-Whitby. Again, ancient BR stock. It is actually the present-day franchisees who are running the ancient, clapped-out stock.
Contribute to the Williams Rail Review consultation, making it plain that public ownership is the only workable long-term solution for running our railways: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/williams-rail-review
As I remember growing up in the 70s/80s British rail were the butt of everyone’s jokes because always on strike , dirty knackered trains with crap service and never on time & cost the country a fortune to run!!! So are labour wanting to take us back to this
Railways are too expensive Anyway
If we remain in the EU their commitment to “free market “ economics and competition is written into the charter Its says there must be competition so even if nationalised there would have to be open to competition from other private companies That’s partly why the EU is a bosses charter
The tories don’t think so.
We shall never get anything right in funding transport too many Mps have varied interest in payment s as shareholders or directors in these accompanied
Chaotic! Every journey- guaranteed!
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Do any of the people contributing to this actually use trains regularly because the media talk cobblers most of the time. British Rail, considering they were always underfunded, were pretty good and weren't that expensive. What we now have is the worst of all possible options. The public subsidy has increased, depending on where you live the service may have improved or not but all the prices have increased and will continue to do so.
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Bring Back British Rail
1 week ago
Did you or your family/friends work on the railways in the south east region between 1948-1994 when they were publicly-owned? If yes, then please share your story! Our friends at NOR4NOR are helping to capture the history of our public transport workers' lives as part of Britain at Work London’s new Loco-Focus project. Follow the link to get involved. ...
Britain at Work London Project | Over & Under 1945-1995
britainatworklondon.com
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Austerity Britain by David Kynaston has some good first hand accounts of the railways in it. Brilliant anecdote about a railwayman sorting out a pigeon that got into their rest room about that time.
Privatisation of GM Buses wasn't that bad until a few years ago, because there were so many companies, Bluebird, Go Goodwins, Stagecoach, Arriva, Finglands etc etc competing, but it's more or less only First and Stagecoach. Which means almost all of the routes have been cut or are too expensive. We need to either see the return of lots of companies (Whilst banning Stagecoach from buying them) or the return of GMB/GMPTE
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