Monthly Archives: May 2013
Network Rail have been running Britain’s rail infrastructure since October 2002. Network Rail is a statutory corporation – a corporation that is created by statute. In the UK, this is a body without shareholders, whose powers are defined and modified by Parliament. Statutory corporations include county councils, Channel 4 and the Olympic Authority.
The rail network in Britain was created and run by a number of small private railway companies until 1947 when it was nationalised and run by British Rail. In 1994 it was privatised and the running was taken over by Railtrack, a company listed on LSE.
Railtrack went into administration after the Hatfield disaster in October 2000, and Network Rail was born.
Network Rail is responsible for the railway tracks, signals, tunnels, bridges, level crossings and most stations, but not the trains which are owned by private companies. Network Rail is also not responsible for the London Underground which is run by Transport for London, the local government body responsible for most of the transport system in London.
So, if your fares go up, or your driver is on strike, don’t blame Network Rail! If your train is delayed because of a problem on the line then Network Rail will be the ones tasked to fix it.
Rail Signalling Lamp
You can keep up to date with what’s happening at Network Rail by checking the News Page of their website.
White Knight has been a leading manufacturer of Network Rail approved signalling lamps for over 25 years
