National Union of Railwaymen

The National Union of Railwaymen was a trade union of railway workers in the United Kingdom. The largest railway workers' union in the country, it was influential in the national trade union movement.

History

The NUR was an industrial union founded in 1913 by the merger of the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants, the United Pointsmen and Signalmen's Society and the General Railway Workers' Union.
The NUR represented the majority of railway workers, but not white-collar workers, who were members of the Railway Clerks' Association. NUR membership was open to drivers and firemen but most chose instead to be members of the Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen.
In 1914 the NUR joined forces with the National Transport Workers' Federation and Mining Federation of Great Britain to form the Triple Alliance – perhaps an unfortunate name, as the same year the Triple Entente of [United Kingdom of Great United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland|Britain and Ireland|Britain], France and Russia and the Triple Alliance of Germany, and Austria-Hungary went to war.
In 1919 the NUR and ASLEF jointly organised the 1919 United Kingdom railway strike, which prevented a proposed wage reduction and won an eight-hour maximum working day. The NUR formed Federation agreements with ASLEF in 1903 and 1982 but both were short-lived.
The NUR had 408,900 members in 1945, making it the fifth largest union in Britain. Its membership fell to 369,400 in 1956 and 227,800 in 1966.
Following the formation of British Rail, the majority of NUR members worked for the nationalised organisation. However, other members worked for London Transport, the National Freight Corporation and various smaller companies. It also recruited British Rail workers in associated industries, such as its hotels, docks and harbours, and on the Sealink ferries.
In 1990 the NUR merged with the National Union of Seamen to form the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers and ceased to exist as a separate union.

Election results

The union sponsored numerous Labour Party Parliamentary candidates, many of whom won election.

Election	Constituency	Candidate	Votes	% share	Position
1918 general election	Cardiff East		5,554	28.5	3
1918 general election	Derby		25,145	37.8	1
1918 general election	Manchester Ardwick		5,670	31.8	2
1918 general election	Middlesbrough West		5,350	32.8	2
1918 general election	Newcastle-upon-Tyne East		5,195	34.7	2
1918 general election	Reading		8,410	29.8	2
1918 general election	Wakefield		5,882	33.7	2
1918 general election	Warrington		5,377	22.6	3
1921 by-election	Dudley		10,244	50.7	1
1921 by-election	Heywood and Radcliffe		13,430	41.7	1
1922 general election	Bolton		20,156	15.8	4
1922 general election	Bristol East		13,759	49.7	2
1922 general election	Cardiff East		7,506	31.4	3
1922 general election	Derby		25,215	27.0	1
1922 general election	Dudley		8,522	39.8	2
1922 general election	Heywood and Radcliffe		15,334	44.6	2
1922 general election	Leeds South		13,210	53.7	1
1922 general election	Leyton East		6,300	30.9	2
1922 general election	Manchester Ardwick		14,031	52.3	1
1922 general election	Salford West		8,724	32.3	2
1922 general election	Wakefield		9,798	48.5	2
1922 general election	Wolverhampton East		3,076	12.2	3
1923 general election	Derby		24,887	29.0	1
1923 general election	Leeds South		11,705	44.2	1
1923 general election	Manchester Ardwick		15,673	60.4	1
1923 general election	Heywood and Radcliffe		15,273	47.1	2
1923 general election	Rushcliffe		6,882	24.7	3
1924 general election	Barkston Ash		11,894	41.4	2
1924 general election	Derby		27,423	25.7	1
1924 general election	Leeds South		12,799	46.3	1
1924 general election	Manchester Ardwick		15,941	54.9	1
1924 general election	Oldham		22,081	18.4	4
1924 general election	Paddington North		10,481	38.1	2
1924 general election	Wakefield		10,192	47.9	2
1928 by-election	Ashton-under-Lyne		9,567	40.6	1
1929 general election	Ashton-under-Lyne		13,170	44.4	1
1929 general election	Berwick-upon-Tweed		5,402	18.4	2
1929 general election	Bethnal Green South West		6,849	38.7	2
1929 general election	Clitheroe		15,592	39.5	2
1929 general election	Derby		39,688	30.0	1
1929 general election	Leeds South		18,043	52.5	1
1929 general election	Lonsdale		7,303	25.4	3
1929 general election	Manchester Ardwick		20,041	60.3	1
1929 general election	Oldham		32,727	25.0	2
1929 general election	Paddington North		13,348	39.3	2
1929 general election	Rossendale		14,624	36.0	1
1929 general election	Wakefield		13,393	48.8	1
1929 general election	Westbury		7,458	22.5	3
1929 general election	York		20,663	45.0	1
1931 by-election	Ashton-under-Lyne		11,005	39.4	2
1931 by-election	Manchester Ardwick		15,294	50.5	1
1931 general election	Ashton-under-Lyne		11,074	37.1	2
1931 general election	Leeds South		14,156	40.1	2
1931 general election	Manchester Ardwick		15,664	42.0	2
1931 general election	Middlesbrough West		13,040	33.4	2
1931 general election	Oldham		26,631		4
1931 general election	Plymouth Sutton		14,073	36.7	2
1931 general election	Rossendale		11,135	27.5	3
1931 general election	Stalybridge and Hyde		14,251	28.1	2
1931 general election	Wakefield		11,774	42.6	2
1931 general election	York		16,310	35.1	2
1933 by-election	Rotherham		28,767	69.1	1
1935 by-election	Edinburgh West		10,462	33.9	2
1935 general election	Accrington		21,203	45.6	2
1935 general election	Barrow-in-Furness		17,919	49.7	2
1935 general election	Eccles		20,055	47.3	2
1935 general election	Gateshead		25,804	47.3	2
1935 general election	Leeds South		15,223	46.0	1
1935 general election	Manchester Ardwick		16,364	52.9	1
1935 general election	Middlesbrough West		12,764	33.7	2
1935 general election	Norwich		22,055	17.8	4
1935 general election	Plymouth Sutton		15,394	41.7	2
1935 general election	Pontefract		19,783	53.4	1
1935 general election	Rotherham		29,725	67.5	1
1935 general election	Salford North		15,272	43.4	2
1941 by-election	Pontefract		unopposed	N/A	1
1944 by-election	Sheffield Attercliffe		unopposed	N/A	1
1945 general election	Acton		19,950	56.1	1
1945 general election	Eccles		23,008	51.1	1
1945 general election	Exeter		15,245	40.2	2
1945 general election	Manchester Ardwick		14,360	64.0	1
1945 general election	Newcastle upon Tyne West		28,149	58.5	1
1945 general election	Pontefract		24,690	60.6	1
1945 general election	Rotherham		35,654	74.2	1
1945 general election	Salford North		18,327	60.5	1
1945 general election	Sheffield Attercliffe		23,468	81.4	1
1945 general election	South Derbyshire		47,586	57.7	1
1945 general election	The Hartlepools		16,502	41.2	1
1945 general election	The Wrekin		22,453	56.3	1
1945 general election	West Stirlingshire		16,066	54.4	1
1948 by-election	Glasgow Camlachie		10,690	42.1	2
1950 general election	Acton		21,751	49.1	1
1950 general election	Birmingham Perry Barr		23,178	56.6	1
1950 general election	Eccles		27,409	50.7	1
1950 general election	Manchester Wythenshawe		17,191	37.2	2
1950 general election	Newcastle upon Tyne West		31,230	58.2	1
1950 general election	Nottingham East		20,404	46.5	1
1950 general election	Sheffield Attercliffe		30,726	71.6	1
1950 general election	South East Derbyshire		30,039	49.1	1
1950 general election	The Hartlepools		25,609	50.6	1
1950 general election	The Wrekin		19,730	53.7	1
1950 general election	Westbury		15,766	35.6	2
1950 general election	West Stirlingshire		19,930	55.6	1
1951 general election	Acton		23,287	52.2	1
1951 general election	Birmingham Perry Barr		23,322	58.1	1
1951 general election	Eccles		27,941	52.5	1
1951 general election	Haltemprice		19,584	41.9	2
1951 general election	Newcastle upon Tyne West		31,765	57.9	1
1951 general election	Nottingham East		20,865	47.8	1
1951 general election	Sheffield Attercliffe		29,958	71.1	1
1951 general election	South East Derbyshire		33,020	52.7	1
1951 general election	The Hartlepools		27,147	52.6	1
1951 general election	The Wrekin		20,109	52.4	1
1951 general election	Westbury		17,623	39.2	2
1954 by-election	Haltemprice		9,974	38.2	2
1955 general election	Acton		20,645	50.6	1
1955 general election	Birmingham Perry Barr		18,732	51.0	1
1955 general election	Eccles		25,351	52.4	1
1955 general election	Newcastle upon Tyne West		25,401	55.7	1
1955 general election	Nottingham North		26,552	55.4	1
1955 general election	Sheffield Attercliffe		33,071	71.0	1
1955 general election	South East Derbyshire		25,620	51.6	1
1955 general election	South Northamptonshire		17,339	44.7	2
1955 general election	The Hartlepools		25,145	51.6	1
1955 general election	The Wrekin		18,541	49.4	2
1955 general election	Westbury		16,295	37.8	2
1958 by-election	St Helens		26,405	64.7	1
1959 general election	Acton		18,438	48.8	2
1959 general election	Birmingham Perry Barr		16,811	42.6	1
1959 general election	Darlington		19,901	39.7	2
1959 general election	Eccles		25,566	52.0	1
1959 general election	Newcastle upon Tyne West		28,956	54.8	1
1959 general election	St Helens		35,961	62.1	1
1959 general election	Sheffield Attercliffe		33,676	68.8	1
1959 general election	South East Derbyshire		25,362	45.5	2
1959 general election	The Hartlepools		25,281	49.8	2
1964 general election	Birmingham Perry Barr		18,156	49.5	2
1964 general election	Carlisle		19,169	45.6	1
1964 general election	Glasgow Springburn		16,828	65.3	1
1964 general election	Newcastle upon Tyne West		29,603	58.3	1
1964 general election	St Helens		34,137	67.0	1
1964 general election	Sheffield Attercliffe		30,318	66.8	1
1964 general election	Sunderland South		25,900	51.6	1
1966 general election	Carlton		24,589	39.2	2
1966 general election	Carlisle		22,565	56.1	1
1966 general election	Glasgow Central		11,673	74.8	1
1966 general election	Glasgow Springburn		15,998	67.8	1
1966 general election	Nottingham South		24,580	50.3	1
1966 general election	St Helens		33,325	70.8	1
1966 general election	Sheffield Attercliffe		32,336	77.3	1
1966 general election	Sunderland South		27,567	57.5	1
1970 general election	Carlisle		21,866	53.2	1
1970 general election	Glasgow Central		7,936	66.0	1
1970 general election	Glasgow Springburn		14,968	64.3	1
1970 general election	Nottingham South		23,031	46.3	2
1970 general election	St Helens		31,587	65.7	1
1970 general election	Sunderland South		26,840	56.4	1
Feb 1974 general election	Carlisle		23,119	55.2	1
Feb 1974 general election	Exeter		17,686	31.2	2
Feb 1974 general election	Glasgow Central		9,400	58.7	1
Feb 1974 general election	Glasgow Springburn		18,067	53.7	1
Feb 1974 general election	St Helens		32,621	59.0	1
Feb 1974 general election	Sunderland South		28,296	49.6	1
Feb 1974 general election	West Bromwich East		21,895	52.8	1
Oct 1974 general election	Carlisle		21,079	51.2	1
Oct 1974 general election	Glasgow Central		9,231	63.6	1
Oct 1974 general election	Glasgow Springburn		17,444	54.6	1
Oct 1974 general election	St Helens		32,620	64.1	1
Oct 1974 general election	Sunderland South		28,623	55.0	1
Oct 1974 general election	West Bromwich East		19,942	50.5	1
1976 by-election	Newcastle upon Tyne Central		4,692	47.6	1
1979 general election	Carlisle		21,343	49.7	1
1979 general election	Derby North		28,797	44.9	1
1979 general election	Edinburgh Central		12,191	47.9	1
1979 general election	Glasgow Central		8,542	72.5	1
1979 general election	Holborn and St Pancras South		12,026	49.3	1
1979 general election	Huddersfield West		16,996	40.6	2
1979 general election	Islington North		12,317	52.6	1
1979 general election	Newcastle upon Tyne Central		10,395	67.3	1
1979 general election	St Helens		32,489	59.6	1
1979 general election	Sunderland South		29,403	53.1	1
1979 general election	Swansea East		31,909	69.9	1
1979 general election	West Bromwich East		19,279	47.0	1
1979 general election	West Lothian		36,713	54.9	1
1983 general election	Carlisle		15,618	37.5	1
1983 general election	Crewe and Nantwich		22,031	41.1	1
1983 general election	Derby North		18,797	36.8	2
1983 general election	Glasgow Garscadden		19,635	56.2	1
1983 general election	Holborn and St Pancras		20,486	47.5	1
1983 general election	Linlithgow		19,694	45.1	1
1983 general election	Livingston		14,255	37.7	1
1983 general election	Sunderland South		22,869	45.7	1
1983 general election	Swansea East		22,297	54.4	1
1983 general election	Tyne Bridge		21,127	56.5	1
1983 general election	West Bromwich East		15,894	38.1	1
1983 general election	Wrexham		16,120	34.3	1
1987 general election	Crewe and Nantwich		25,457	44.0	1
1987 general election	Derby North		20,236	37.2	2
1987 general election	Glasgow Garscadden		18,920	64.4	1
1987 general election	Holborn and St Pancras		22,966	50.6	1
1987 general election	Linlithgow		21,869	47.4	1
1987 general election	Livingston		19,110	45.6	1
1987 general election	Swansea East		27,478	63.7	1
1987 general election	West Bromwich East		18,162	42.6	1
1987 general election	Wrexham		22,144	43.9	1