The first train run by renationalised South Western Railway from London Waterloo departed at 06.14 this morning, bound for Shepperton. SWR is the first of ten former franchises being returned to public ownership between now and 2027, following a change in the law last November.

The first renationalised SWR train of all was the 05.36 from Woking to London Waterloo, although passengers had to change to a rail replacement bus at Surbiton because of engineering work between there and Clapham Junction..

A further Act of Parliament is due to be passed next year, and most passenger trains will be run eventually by the new ‘directing mind’ Great British Railways after the remaining former franchises have also been returned to public control.

The private sector will still be running ‘open access’ services, such as Hull Trains and Grand Central, and the majority of freight trains. More open access services are due to start running soon between London and Stirling, and also London and South Wales, but a number of additional applications are currently being considered by the Office of Rail and Road.

Seven operators had already been renationalised for various reasons since 2018. Four of these are in England, two in Scotland and one in Wales. 

Secretary of State for Transport Heidi Alexander said: ‘Today is a watershed moment in our work to return the railways to the service of passengers. Trains from Waterloo to Weymouth, Bournemouth and Exeter, will be run by the public, for the public.

‘But I know that most users of the railway don’t spend much time thinking about who runs the trains – they just want them to work. That’s why operators will have to meet rigorous performance standards and earn the right to be called Great British Railways.

‘We have a generational opportunity to restore national pride in our railways and I will not waste it.’

The next operators to be renationalised will be c2c on 20 July this year, followed by Greater Anglia on 12 October.

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