List of railway companies involved in the 1923 grouping


Under the Railways Act 1921 the majority of the railway companies in Great Britain were grouped into four main companies, often termed the Big Four. The grouping took effect from 1 January 1923.

List of constituents pre-grouping, later of the Big Four

The Big Four and their constituent companies, showing route mileage, were:
Over fifty railway companies were not covered by the grouping. Those in the following list were those organised on an independent basis, usually providing locomotives and rolling stock also. They are included under classification headings.

Joint railways

Joint lines in this respect were wholly owned by two or more other companies. If not all of the owning companies went into the same group then the joint company could not be grouped. Joint lines did not always operate any services: they owned the track, stations etc. and the services were operated by one or more of the parent companies:
  • These are those in which the group companies only are concerned:
  • * Cheshire Lines Committee: ; now operated under direction of a board of directors appointed by LNER and LMS. Length. Rolling stock owned by CLC; locomotive power by LNER.
  • * Great Western and Great Central Joint Railway: GWR and GCR; subsequent to the grouping the parent companies were the GWR and the LNER, but the title was not altered.
  • * Manchester, South Junction and Altrincham Railway: LNWR and GCR; subsequent to the grouping the parent companies were the LMS and the LNER.
  • * Midland and Great Northern Joint Railway:. Length. This was the largest joint system in the UK, and many of the services were operated by the joint company itself. In addition, it received substantial traffic from the GNR and MR/LMS, but rather less post-grouping from the LNER.
  • * Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway:. Length.
  • Joint lines where one or more partners were ungrouped:
  • * Aylesbury Station: joint between the GW & GC Joint and the Metropolitan and Great Central Joint Committee
  • * East London Railway: prior to grouping, this railway was owned one-sixth each by the Great Eastern Railway, London, Brighton and South Coast Railway, Metropolitan Railway, District Railway; and one-third by the South Eastern and Chatham Railway. After grouping, it was owned half by the Southern, and one-sixth each by the LNER, Metropolitan and District. Length. Managed and operated by Met; goods traffic by LNER.
  • * Metropolitan and Great Central Joint Committee: prior to grouping, owned by the Metropolitan Railway and GCR; post-Grouping, Metropolitan and LNER.

    Railways not included in group companies

Electric or electric and steam lines

  • Railways associated with the Underground Electric Railways Company of London:
  • * Central London Railway:. Trains worked through to Ealing over the Ealing and Shepherd's Bush Railway
  • * City and South London Railway:
  • * London Electric Railway: : amalgamation of the Baker Street and Waterloo Railway, Great Northern, Piccadilly and Brompton Railway and Charing Cross, Euston and Hampstead Railway
  • * District Railway:
  • Other electric/steam railways:
  • * Liverpool Overhead Railway:
  • * Mersey Railway:
  • * Metropolitan Railway: steam and electric including the Great Northern and City Railway

    Light and similar railways (standard gauge)

  • Bideford, Westward Ho! and Appledore Railway: closed at time of grouping
  • Bishops Castle Railway:
  • Corringham Light Railway:
  • Derwent Valley Light Railway:
  • Easingwold Railway:
  • East Kent Railway:
  • Glasgow Subway:
  • Hellingly Hospital Railway:
  • Hundred of Manhood and Selsey Tramways: *
  • Kent & East Sussex Railway: *
  • Mumbles Railway:
  • Nidd Valley Light Railway: public; private
  • North Sunderland Railway:
  • Rowrah and Kelton Fell Railway:
  • Shropshire and Montgomeryshire Railway *
  • Stocksbridge Railway:
  • Swansea Improvements and Tramways Company:
  • Wantage Tramway:
  • Weston, Clevedon and Portishead Railway:

    Light and similar railways (narrow gauge)

  • Ashover Light Railway: ;
  • Brighton Electric Railway: ;
  • Camborne and Redruth Tramway: ;
  • Campbeltown and Machrihanish Railway: ;
  • Corris Railway: ;
  • Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway: ;
  • Ffestiniog Railway: ;
  • Glyn Valley Tramway: ;
  • North Wales Narrow Gauge Railways: ;
  • Portmadoc, Beddgelert and South Snowdon Railway: ;
  • Rye and Camber Tramway: ;
  • Snailbeach District Railways: ;
  • Snowdon Mountain Tramroad: ; ; rack railway
  • Southwold Railway: ;
  • Talyllyn Railway: ;
  • Wolverton and Stony Stratford Tramway: ; owned by LMSR

    Railways outside the jurisdiction of the Railways Act 1921

The Railways Act 1921 only extended to Great Britain. Railways in Ireland and the Crown Dependencies were not affected unless owned by a railway company in Great Britain. The railways included in this section were standard gauge, unless otherwise noted:
The railways included in this section were standard gauge, unless otherwise noted:
  • Felixstowe Docks and Railway:
  • Manchester Ship Canal:
  • Mersey Docks and Harbour Board:
  • Milford Haven Dock and Railway:
  • Pentewan Railway: ; ; temporarily closed 1923
  • Trafford Park: