1903 - The Mersey railway became the first railway in Britain to convert to full electric operation.

1904 - The first electric suburban railway was brought into operation on Tyneside in the North East of England.

Pictured left is a South Tyneside suburban train of the 1920's.
 

1921 - The Railway Act stated that most of Britain's railway companies should be merged to form four larger companies. London, Midland and Scottish (LMS), London and North Eastern (LNER), Great Western (GWR) and Southern were in operation by 1923.
 

1928 - On May 1st, LNER prepared to run two non -stop trains from London to Edinburgh. Engines 4472 'Flying Scotsman', pictured right, and 2580 'Shotover' departed at 10:00am from London Kings Cross and Edinburgh Waverley. With No. 4472 pulling the northbound express and No. 2580 pulling the southbound both trains passed at 2:02pm at Alne just north of York. Both trains achieved this amazing first and arrived at their destinations ahead of schedule.

Pictured right is 'Flying Scotsman' and 'Shotover' at London Kings Cross

 

1931 - The first diesel locomotive was brought into regular service. The engine was rebuilt from an O-6-O tank engine.
 

1933 - Southern Railway introduces Britain's first electric mainline service between London and Brighton. Electrification of the line took place between 1932 and 1935 using the 660v third rail pick -up system.

Pictured left is unit No. 3002 with Pullman and pantry car en route to the South East Coast of England.
 

1938 - LNER No.4468 'Mallard' achieved the world speed record for steam traction. A speed 125mph was reached between Grantham and Peterborough on July 3rd.

Pictured right is LNER No. 4468 'Mallard' waiting at London Kings Cross ready to depart on another non-stop run to Edinburgh.

Not only did 'Mallard' hold the fastest steam train record but she also held the record for the longest non -stop journey for a steam locomotive.
 

1947 - LMS introduces the first main-line diesel -electric locomotive.

Pictured left is engine No. 10000 and sister engine No. 10001 leaving London Euston on the first diesel hauled, non-stop run to Glasgow in June 1949.

1948 - After Royal Assent of the Transport Act of 1947, British Railways is nationalized on January 1st.


 

1954 - Between Manchester and Sheffield, Britain's first fully operational electric main line was opened and British Rail introduces the first Diesel Multiple Units (DMU).

1955 - The English Electric Co. of Lancashire builds the 'Deltic' diesel locomotive which could reach a maximum speed of 100mph.

The Class 55, 'Deltic' locomotive (pictured right), was used in regular service for nearly 30 years, mostly along the East Coast line between London Kings Cross and Scotland.

 

1959 - Locomotive, 'Evening Star' (pictured right), became the last steam engine built for British Railways.

1961 - Dr Richard Beeching became chairman of the British Transport Commission which was set up to investigate why some railway lines were running at a financial loss. Beeching became chairman of the new British Railway Board on January 1st 1963.

 

1963 - The 'Beeching Report' on Britain's railway network recommended that loss-making lines should be closed. As a result, hundreds of lines and thousand of stations were shut down. The B.R. network was reduced from 18,771 miles in 1960 to just 13,261 miles in 1969.

1968 - Steam locomotive power was withdrawn from British Rail on 8th August.
 

1975 - British Rail builds the experimental Advanced Passenger Train (APT-E), pictured right, which boasted a high-tech tilting system, which enabled the train to take corners at a much higher speeds.

Powered by gas-turbines, the train reached a top speed of 152 mph on the line between Swindon and Reading. After testing was finished, the APT-E was presented to the National Railway Museum in York.

The APT-E can be seen at Locomotion at Shildon.
 

1973 - A high speed diesel train reached a speed of 143 mph between Darlington and York, making it the fastest ever speed to be reached by a diesel locomotive.

1976 - The 'Intercity 125' (pictured left) High Speed Train was introduced on the London to Bristol route.

1978 - High Speed Trains were introduced to the 'East Coast Main-Line'.

 

1979 - British Rail's Advanced Passenger Train (APT-P), pictured right, reached a top speed of 160mph between Glasgow and Carlisle during tests.

1984 - The APT-P successfully ran from London to Glasgow in 3 hrs 52 mins at an average speed of 103mph. However, after years of tests and countless problems, the APT-P project was scrapped.

1987 -After the failure of the Advanced Passenger Train, British Rail required a new generation of electric locomotives. The Class 89, 90 and 91 locomotives were built at Crewe works and are still fully operational on the East and West Coast Mainlines.

Pictured right is a Class 91 electric locomotive passing through Northallerton. The Intercity 125 locomotive achieved the world diesel traction speed record of 148mph between Northallerton and Thirsk.


 

1993 - In November, the British Rail Privatization Bill received Royal Assent.

1994 - As privation of the network began, 'Railtrack', a government-owned organisation, became responsible for the management of stations, track and signalling. The old British Rail network was divided into 25 sections, each one being offered as a franchise. Each franchise would pay a fee to Railtrack in order for them to operate their trains.