Just give it back, please.

Maggie Gallimore, Nottingham

I started with BR just before all the fat cats got fatter with privatisation. The railway loses a fortune on all the contractors, middle men etc.

Stewart Brown, Glasgow

Northern Rail. What a joke. Late every day, cancelled trains, overcrowded services. They refund daily tickets but not season tickets.

Duane Barkakoti, Leeds

I grew up with British Rail and the mess we’re in now should never have been allowed to happen.

Jan Woodhouse, North Walsham

Fare-payers and taxpayers alike are currently subsidising rail operators’ profits. Look at the East Coast to see how much better trains run in public ownership.

Martin Price, Rowlands Gill

About ticket pricing. I had to tell USA tourists why I had a saver return ticket with seat (£12) to London & they paid £92+ each to stand.

Margaret Hunt

It’s called public transport for a reason. Public transport trumps private enterprise and profit.

Samuel Lerman-Hahn

Beeching began the demise of the railways.

Mary Blundell, Grantham

Too much of our country has been sold off without consultation with us.

Sandra Cotterell, Ross-on-Wye

We need a better, more affordable rail service which will reach many more destinations, so bring back the stations closed by Dr Beeching.

Susan Cooper, Plymouth

We bitched about the sandwiches at the time but my goodness do we miss a fully integrated affordable system?

Denis Tweedy, Newcastle-upon-Tyne

I love traveling by train but now, even with my rail card, it is becoming too expensive to use the West Coast and yet the fares still keep rising.

Nick Prince, Staffordshire

Railways and other forms of public transport should be subsidised by the state for the benefit of the users and employees and not for shareholders in private companies.

Alison Harris, Pontefract

l support the re-nationalisation of Network Rail. A rail network owned by the taxpayer but not administered by civil servants and interfering ministers.

Terry Hunt, Leicester

Bring back British Rail. All is forgiven.

Andrew Green, Swansea

Passengers are being ripped off. If Richard Branson wants to play trains he should buy himself a train set.

Stephen Bowles, Normanton

Please re-nationalise the railway! This has been well overdue, British people want their railway back.

Lee Montgomery, London

About time, bloody Thatcher.

John Devine, Chippenham

I worked for British Rail, joining in 1972. It was run down and needing investment. After privatisation a lot of the money for the industry now lines shareholders’ pockets.

Ivan Trevor Watson, Morpeth

Bring back British Rail.

Lee Randall, London

Franchising services to First, South West Trains and other companies is totally pointless and costly.

M Godwin, Bath

Privatisation in all services has been a disaster. We’re paying lots more for very much less.

Greg Doull, Cwmbran

Better train transport is vital to cut emissions and pollution and improve accessibility for people outside cities. Profits should be re-invested to develop a bigger network.

Fiona Maclennan, Dunfermline

One railway publicly owned.

David Deadman, Belvedere

The railway should be a social service, not a commodity to be traded.

Chris Parsons, Bodmin

It’s one very important thing we can do now we’re out of the EU.

Charlott Ndupuechi, Southampton

The current system is run for the friends of politicians, not the people.

Andrew Ridgway, Manchester

Rail travel in this country is ridiculously expensive and, because of the closure of so many routes during Beeching’s reign, people had no option but to take to the roads.

Patricia Shave, Leicester

Bring an end to private ownership of our network. It would mean lower fares and save for the nation.

Steven O’Neill, Armagh

National action now!

Daniel Carr, Birmingham