British rail: as GTR hands its Southern and Thameslink services back to public ownership on May 31, trains serving Croydon are the first to get the new GBR livery
Transport secretary greets the unveiling of GBR liveried train: ‘This isn’t just a paint job – it’s an important step towards building a more joined‑up, publicly owned railway that puts passengers first’
The first trains in the new Great British Railways livery will operate on routes between East Croydon, Norwood Junction, Purley and Coulsdon stations, as operators Govia Thameslink hand the London to Brighton services back to state control from May 31.
The first GBR branded train was unveiled this morning at Brighton.
Thameslink, Great Northern, Southern and Gatwick Express services will enter public ownership at the end of this month, joining West Midlands Trains, Greater Anglia, c2c, Northern, TransPennine Express, Southeastern, LNER and South Western, which are all managed by DfT Operator Ltd.
The first GBR-branded train, a Class 387 operated by Southern, was unveiled to mark Britain’s largest train operator Govia Thameslink Railway joining the publicly owned network next Sunday.
The Department for Transport said this morning, “This transfer represents a landmark moment in the journey to public ownership and will mean around 8-in-10 passenger rail journeys… will be taking place on publicly-owned services.”
DfT says that its services have been operating better on punctuality and cancellations, while passengers are benefiting from the first freeze in rail fares in three decades.
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The GBR livery will be rolled out gradually across the country, at stations, on staff uniforms and on trains. “The brand is a clear signal of the government’s commitment to bringing the railway together under one publicly owned identity – putting passengers and the public interest firmly in the driving seat.”
Heidi Alexander, the transport secretary, said, “The unveiling of the first GBR-branded train in Brighton today makes the future of Britain’s railways a reality.
“It represents all of the work being done by staff up and down the country to fundamentally reform our railway.
“This isn’t just a paint job – it’s an important step towards building a more joined‑up, publicly owned railway that puts passengers first, delivers better services and leaves the frustrations and fragmentation of the past behind.”
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.
Chiltern Railways’ services will be next to transfer, in September, followed by Great Western in December. The GBR full public ownership programme is expected to be completed by the end of 2027.
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