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{{short description|Rail company in
{{Distinguish|National Rail}}
{{Use British English|date=October 2012}}
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| type = [[State-owned enterprise|Government-owned company]]/[[non-departmental public body]]<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.networkrail.co.uk/about-us/governance/|title=Our legal and financial governance structure |publisher=Network Rail |url-status=live |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20160511032631/http://www.networkrail.co.uk/about-us/governance/|archive-date=11 May 2016|df=dmy-all}}</ref><br><small>(incorporated as a [[Private company limited by guarantee|private company limited by guarantee without share capital]])</small>
| predecessor = [[Railtrack]]
| successor =
| foundation = {{Start date and age|2002|10|3|df=yes}}
| location = 1 Eversholt Street <br> [[London]] <br> NW1 2DN<ref>{{cite web |title=Contact us |url=https://www.networkrail.co.uk/communities/contact-us/ |website=Network Rail |access-date=8 December 2019}}</ref>
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To cope with [[history of rail transport in Great Britain 1995 to date|rapidly increasing passenger numbers]], ({{as of|2021|lc=on}}) Network Rail has been undertaking a £38 billion [[History of rail transport in Great Britain 1995 to date#Timeline of improvements|programme of upgrades]] to the network, including [[Crossrail]], [[Railway electrification in Great Britain|electrification of lines]] and [[Thameslink Programme|upgrading Thameslink]].
In May 2021, the Government announced its intent to replace Network Rail in 2023 with a new public body called [[Great British Railways]].<ref name="GreatBritishRailways" /> In 2022 it was announced that
==History==
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[[Rail transport in Great Britain|Britain's railway system]] was built by private companies, but it was [[nationalisation|nationalised]] by the [[Transport Act 1947]] and run by [[British Rail]]ways until [[Privatisation of British Rail|re-privatisation]] which was begun in 1994 and completed in 1997.<ref>{{cite journal |url = https://www.socresonline.org.uk/7/1/strangleman.html |first = Tim |last = Strangleman |date = 2002 |title = Nostalgia for Nationalisation – the Politics of Privatisation |journal = Sociological Research Online |volume = 7 |number = 1 |pages = 92–105 |doi = 10.5153/sro.701 |s2cid = 144684740 }}</ref><ref name = "wolmar 2005">{{cite news |last = Christian |first = Wolmar |newspaper = [[The Guardian]] |date = 16 July 2005 |url = https://www.theguardian.com/comment/story/0,3604,1529802,00.html |title = Forget Byers: the scandal was in the original sell-off: Railtrack was heading for disaster long before the Hatfield crash}}</ref> As a part of the privatisation process, the railway infrastructure, passenger and freight services were separated into separate organisations. Between 1994 and 2002, the infrastructure was owned and operated by [[Railtrack]], a privately-owned company.<ref name = "parliament summary2010">{{cite web |url = https://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/SN01224/SN01224.pdf |title = Railways: Railtrack, 1994-2002 |date = 24 March 2010 |website = parliament.uk |first = Louise |last = Butcher}}</ref><ref name = "Edmondreplace independent1997">{{cite news |url = https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/beleaguered-railtrack-seeks-big-hitter-to-replace-edmonds-1257605.html |title = Beleaguered Railtrack seeks 'big hitter' to replace Edmonds |newspaper = The Independent |first1 = Sameena |last1 = Ahmad |first2 = Andrew |last2 = Yates |date = 22 June 1997}}</ref>
A spate of accidents, including the [[Southall rail crash]] in 1997<ref>{{cite news |url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/september/19/newsid_2524000/2524283.stm |title = Six dead in Southall Train Disaster |work = BBC News |date = 19 September 1997}}</ref> and the [[Ladbroke Grove rail crash]] in 1999<ref>{{cite news |url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/467919.stm |title = Ladbroke Grove Crash |work = BBC News |date = 11 October 1999}}</ref> called into question the negative consequences that the fragmentation of the railway network had introduced to both safety and maintenance procedures. Railtrack was severely criticised for both its performance for infrastructure improvement and for its safety record.<ref name = "parliament summary2010"/><ref>{{cite journal |url = https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00036840903476379?journalCode=raec20 |title = The rise and fall of Railtrack PLC: an event study |journal = Applied Economics |volume = 43 |date = 2011 |issue = 23 |pages = 3143–3153|doi = 10.1080/00036840903476379 |last1 = Glass |first1 = Anthony |s2cid = 154603770 }}</ref> The [[Hatfield train crash]] on 17 October 2000 was a defining moment in the collapse of Railtrack.<ref>{{cite news |url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/october/17/newsid_2491000/2491425.stm |title = Four dead in Hatfield Train Crash |work = BBC News |date = 17 October 2000 |url-status = live |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080307134427/http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/october/17/newsid_2491000/2491425.stm |archive-date = 7 March 2008 |df = dmy-all}}</ref> The immediate major repairs undertaken across the whole British railway network were estimated to have cost in the order of [[Pound sterling|£]]580 million and Railtrack had no idea how many more 'Hatfields' were waiting to happen because it had lost considerable in-house engineering skill following the sale or closure of many of the engineering and maintenance functions of [[British Rail]] to external companies; nor did the company have any way of assessing the consequence of the speed restrictions it was ordering. These restrictions brought the railway network to an almost total standstill and drew significant public ire.<ref name = "timeline guardian2002">{{cite news |url = https://www.theguardian.com/world/2002/jun/27/transport.uk |title = Timeline: Railtrack |newspaper = The Guardian |first1 = Mark |last1 = Tran |first2 = Sarah |last2 = Left |first3 = Philip |last3 = Pank |date = 27 June 2002}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url = https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/1482439/Hatfield-crash-was-disaster-waiting-to-happen.html |title = Hatfield crash "was disaster waiting to happen" |newspaper = [[The Daily Telegraph]] |date = 31 January 2005 |access-date = 22 August 2016 |archive-date = 10 February 2018 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20180210181641/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/1482439/Hatfield-crash-was-disaster-waiting-to-happen.html |url-status = live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/989218.stm|title=Railtrack shuts down West Coast Main Line |work = BBC News |date = 25 October 2000 |url-status = live |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20131110021218/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/989218.stm|archive-date = 10 November 2013 |df = dmy-all}}</ref> According to railway historian [[Christian Wolmar]], Railtrack's board panicked in the wake of Hatfield.<ref>{{cite book |last = Wolmar |first = Christian |title = On the Wrong Line |publisher = Aurum Press |date = 2005 |isbn = 978-1-85410-998-9|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=HSMzj9wC_soC&pg=PT290|page=290|via=Google Books}}</ref> Railtrack's first chief executive, John Edmonds, had pursued a deliberate strategy of [[outsource|outsourcing]] engineers' work wherever possible with the goal of reducing costs.<ref name = "Edmonds obituarytelegraph">{{cite news |url = https://www.telegraph.co.uk/obituaries/2020/05/27/john-edmonds-executive-forced-radical-changes-british-rail/ |title = John Edmonds, executive who forced through radical changes at British Rail – obituary |newspaper = The Telegraph |date = 27 May 2020}}</ref>
Various major schemes being undertaken by Railtrack had also gone awry. The modernisation of the [[West Coast Main Line]] had suffered from spiralling costs, rising from an estimated £2 billion to roughly £10 billion.<ref>{{cite news |url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/565507.stm |title = Repair costs spiral to £5bn |work = BBC News |date = 15 December 1999 |url-status = live |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20131110021245/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/565507.stm |archive-date = 10 November 2013 |df = dmy-all}}</ref> This programme suffered failures that were technical as well as managerial, such as the [[moving block]] signalling apparatus being immature for such a busy mixed-traffic mainline.<ref>{{cite news |url = https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2004/apr/01/transport.uk |title = The main players in the £10bn rail fiasco |newspaper = The Guardian |first = James |last = Meek |date = 1 April 2004 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title = The Modernisation of the West Coast Main Line |url = https://www.nao.org.uk/report/the-modernisation-of-the-west-coast-main-line/ |access-date = 21 July 2021 |website = [[National Audit Office (United Kingdom)|National Audit Office]] |date = 22 November 2006 |archive-date = 21 July 2021 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210721150856/https://www.nao.org.uk/report/the-modernisation-of-the-west-coast-main-line/ |url-status = live}}</ref> In 2000, reports emerged that Railtrack may not be able to go through with its planned commitment to purchase section 2 of [[High Speed 1]], resulting in disruption and uncertainty for that programme as well.<ref>{{cite news |url = https://www.theguardian.com/business/2000/may/30/7 |title = Railtrack funding of Channel rail link in doubt again |first = Keith |last = Harper |date = 30 May 2000 |newspaper = The Guardian |access-date = 1 August 2009 |location = London |archive-date = 8 May 2014 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140508231457/http://www.theguardian.com/business/2000/may/30/7 |url-status = live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url = https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/railtrack-could-ditch-new-channel-rail-link-702632.html |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20091201134427/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/railtrack-could-ditch-new-channel-rail-link-702632.html |url-status = dead |archive-date = 1 December 2009 |title = Railtrack could ditch new Channel rail link |first = Michael |last = Harrison |date = 16 January 2001 |newspaper = The Independent |access-date = 1 August 2009 |location = London}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url = https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/railtrack-to-lose-its--newline-monopoly-689651.html |title = Railtrack to lose its new-line monopoly |first = Colin |last = Brown |date = 1 April 2001 |newspaper = The Independent |access-date = 1 August 2009 |location = London}}{{dead link|date=August 2021|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref>
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During 2011, work commenced to extend the electrification of the [[Midland Main Line]], including to both Corby and Nottingham.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.railwaygazette.com/uk/electrification-to-reach-market-harborough/48150.article|title=Electrification to reach Market Harborough}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Spades in ground as government delivers on rail investment promise for North and Midlands|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/news/spades-in-ground-as-government-delivers-on-rail-investment-promise-for-north-and-midlands|access-date=2021-12-21|website=GOV.UK|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-12-21|title=Main works on next stage of Midland Main Line electrification due to begin|url=https://news.railbusinessdaily.com/main-works-on-next-stage-of-midland-main-line-electrification-due-to-begin/|access-date=2021-12-21|website=RailBusinessDaily|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Rail industry welcomes progress on Midland Mainline electrification|url=https://www.riagb.org.uk/RIA/Newsroom/Press_Releases/Progress_on_MML_electrification.aspx|access-date=2021-12-21|website=www.riagb.org.uk}}</ref> In July 2017, it was announced the then-Secretary of State for Transport [[Chris Grayling]] that the electrification scheme north of Kettering to Derby, Nottingham and Sheffield had been cancelled and that bi-mode trains would be used instead.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Butcher|first=Louise|date=22 February 2021|title=Rail electrification|url=https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/sn05907/|language=en-GB|journal=|access-date=22 February 2021|archive-date=6 May 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210506031746/https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/sn05907/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|date=20 July 2017|title=Rail electrification plans scrapped by government|language=en-GB|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/business-40669869|access-date=24 February 2021|archive-date=1 April 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190401201112/https://www.bbc.com/news/business-40669869|url-status=live}}</ref> However, in May 2022, a briefing to contractors was released ahead of an invitation to tender for Midland Mainline Electrification project work to extend electrification to Nottingham and Sheffield. This scheme is expected to cost £1.3 billion.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.newcivilengineer.com/latest/contractors-alerted-to-next-phase-of-1-3bn-midland-main-line-electrification-24-05-2022/|title=Contractors alerted to next phase of £1.3bn Midland Main Line electrification |date=24 May 2022 }}</ref>
[[File:Blackfriars Railway Bridge from Tate Modern.jpg|thumb|Blackfriars Railway Bridge with photo-voltaic roof panels
Network Rail has undertaken numerous schemes to develop its own renewable electrical generation footprint, which is used in part to power the operational railway. In January 2014, Network Rail opened the world's largest [[Solar power|solar-powered]] bridge, adjacent to the remains of the old [[Blackfriars Railway Bridge]], across the [[River Thames]]. The roof of the new railway bridge is covered with 4,400 [[Photovoltaics|photovoltaic]] panels, providing up to half of the energy requirement for [[Blackfriars station|London Blackfriars station]].<ref>{{cite web |url = https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/jan/22/worlds-largest-solar-powered-bridge-opens-in-london |title = World's largest solar-powered bridge opens in London |date = 22 January 2014 |work = [[The Guardian]] |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170202125427/https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/jan/22/worlds-largest-solar-powered-bridge-opens-in-london |archive-date = 2 February 2017 |url-status = live}}</ref> Solar panels are used at various locations across Network Rail's property portfolio, including stations and depots.<ref>{{cite web |url = https://www.solarsense-uk.com/casestudies/scarborough-rail-depot/ |title = Casestudy: Scarborough Rail Depot |date = 6 March 2020 |publisher = solarsense-uk.com |access-date = 8 December 2022}}</ref> In August 2022, an agreement between the company and [[Électricité de France|EDF]] was signed to provide more solar energy.<ref>{{cite web |url = https://tandlonline.com/rail/network-rail-signs-solar-panel-agreement-with-edf-renewables-38398 |title = Network Rail Signs Solar Panel Agreement with EDF Renewables |publisher = tandlonline.com |date = 11 August 2022}}</ref>
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In May 2021, the Government announced that Network Rail is to superseded by a new body, [[Great British Railways]], in 2023.<ref name="GreatBritishRailways">{{Cite news|date=2021-05-19|title=Rail services to come under unified state control|language=en-GB|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/business-57176858|access-date=2021-05-19}}</ref>
[[File:Network Rail sign at Ledbury railway station.jpg|thumb|Sign showing the Network Rail name on the [[signal box]] at {{rws|Ledbury}}
==Funding==
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=== Infrastructure ===
[[File:Brunel's Saltash Bridge.jpg|thumb|[[Royal Albert Bridge]] after refurbishment by Network Rail
Network Rail covers 20,000 miles of track, and 30,000 bridges, tunnels and viaducts.<ref>{{cite web |title=Our history |url=https://www.networkrail.co.uk/who-we-are/about-us/ |archive-url= |archive-date= |access-date=7 November 2022 |publisher=Network Rail |df=dmy-all}}</ref> They claim to run the world's largest [[third rail]] network.<ref>{{cite web|title=Third rail - Network Rail|periodical=Networkrail.co.uk|publisher=|url=https://www.networkrail.co.uk/running-the-railway/looking-after-the-railway/track/third-rail|url-status=|format=|access-date=2022-09-12|archive-url=|archive-date=}}</ref>
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{{col-end}}
Glasgow Central and Liverpool Lime Street stations are divided into high and low-level stations – the high-level stations are all termini used primarily by the main inter-city services to those stations. The low-level stations are through routes on local commuter networks that are largely separate from other routes to the main station; these platforms are not managed by Network Rail, but instead by the rail operator that primarily uses them,
Network Rail operated {{rws|Gatwick Airport}} station until January 2012 when it was transferred to [[Southern (train operating company)|Southern]], and {{rws|Fenchurch Street}} until November 2014 when it was transferred to [[c2c]]. Network Rail took over management of Bristol Temple Meads and Reading
A DfT franchise report in 2014 stated Network Rail's intention to subsume more major stations into Network Rail's directly operated portfolio. The report earmarked {{rws|York}} for Network Rail management, as well as [[Manchester Oxford Road railway station|Manchester Oxford Road]] and [[Manchester Victoria railway station|Manchester Victoria]] which are currently undergoing major rebuilding as part of the [[Northern Hub]].<ref>{{Cite web |url= https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/318230/tpe-prospectus.pdf |last=Department for Transport Rail Executive |title=Growth and Opportunity: TransPennine Express Prospectus |date=June 2014 |page=82 |access-date=3 February 2017 |url-status=live |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20170425082237/https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/318230/tpe-prospectus.pdf |archive-date=25 April 2017 |df=dmy-all}}</ref> However {{as of|2017|9|lc=1}} the two Manchester stations remained under the operatorship of [[Arriva Rail North]].<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/stations/MCO/details.html |title=Manchester Oxford Road station facilities |publisher=Network Rail |access-date=10 September 2017 |url-status=live |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20170911024411/http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/stations/MCO/details.html|archive-date=11 September 2017|df=dmy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/stations/MCV/details.html|title=Manchester Victoria station facilities |publisher=Network Rail |access-date=20 September 2017 |url-status=live |archive-url= http://archive.wikiwix.com/cache/20110817083349/http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/stations/MCV/details.html |archive-date=17 August 2011 |df=dmy-all}}</ref>
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===Training facilities===
[[File:Network Rail 30July06.JPG|thumb|Network Rail's Coventry leadership development centre
Network Rail has several training and development sites around Britain. These include sites in York, Peterborough, Derby, Leeds, [[Walsall]] and [[Larbert]] which provide refresher courses, and train staff in new equipment. Advanced Apprentice Scheme trainees are trained at Network Rail's Westwood training centre for the first five months of their apprenticeship and then are trained further at {{HMS|Sultan|shore establishment|6}} in Gosport over seven 2-week periods or five 3-week periods (throughout their second and third year) of their apprenticeship, using a combination of [[Royal Navy]] facilities and a specially installed training centre. All courses are taught by VT Flagship (part of [[Babcock International]]) in the first year but apprentices are trained by Network Rail staff in the second and third years.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.networkrail.co.uk/careers/schemes/students-and-graduates/advanced-apprenticeship-scheme/ |title=Advanced Apprenticeship Scheme |publisher=Network Rail |url-status=live |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20161026233524/http://www.networkrail.co.uk/careers/schemes/students-and-graduates/advanced-apprenticeship-scheme/ |archive-date=26 October 2016 |df=dmy-all}}</ref> Network Rail bought a residential centre from [[Cable & Wireless plc|Cable and Wireless]] in the Westwood Business Centre near [[Coventry]] for leadership development. The company and other industry partners such as [[VolkerRail]] and Balfour Beatty also operate a Foundation Degree in conjunction with [[Sheffield Hallam University]].{{Citation needed|date=February 2021}}
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<gallery>
File:2009 at Fairwater crane 96715.JPG|Breakdown crane
File:
File:Tamworth railway station MMB 27 43062.jpg|[[New Measurement Train]]
File:DR 98931 Tonbridge to Tonbridge (22476971424).jpg|Railhead treatment train
File:Didcot - Network Rail DR80211 (66005).JPG|[[Stoneblower]] at {{stnlnk|Didcot}}
File:Class 37 97302.jpg|[[British Rail Class 97|Class 97/3]] Locomotive for [[ERTMS in Great Britain|ERTMS]] Testing purposes.
</gallery>
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* [[Northern Ireland Railways]]
* [[Financing of the rail industry in Great Britain]]
* [[Network Rail Certification Body]]
==References==
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