First GBR branded train
posted on 21st May 2026 16:54
A historic moment for Britain’s railway was marked on 21 May 2026, as the first Great British Railways (GBR) branded train was unveiled in Brighton. The Class 387 Electrostar operated by Southern marks Britain’s largest train operator Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) joining the growing publicly owned network next on 31 May 2026 – just in time for summer. It also comes ahead of the first anniversary of South Western Railway entering public ownership.
This transfer represents a landmark moment in the journey to public ownership and will mean around 8 in 10 passenger rail journeys that Great British Railways will ultimately be responsible for will be taking place on publicly owned services.
Passengers up and down the country will soon begin to see the fresh, unmistakably British design popping up at stations, on staff uniforms and on trains. The GBR brand will also feature on the incoming GBR ticketing app – a one‑stop shop where passengers can check train times, buy tickets at the best prices with no booking fees, and book Passenger Assist.
From 31 May 2026, Thameslink, Great Northern, Southern and Gatwick Express services will enter public ownership. GTR joins West Midlands Trains, Greater Anglia, c2c, Northern, TransPennine Express, Southeastern, LNER and South Western, which are currently managed by DfT Operator Limited (DFTO).
Chiltern Railways’ services will be next to transfer on 20 September 2026, followed by Great Western Railway on 13 December 2026, marking another significant step in the government’s plans to bring services into public ownership. The full public ownership programme is expected to be completed by the end of 2027.
