The first GBR-branded train (Great British Railways) branding has been unveiled in Brighton, marking a historic moment for Britain’s railway network. Passengers across southern and south-east England can already see the new red, white and blue livery operating on the network this weekend.
The first GBR-branded train is a Class 387 electric multiple unit operated by Southern and was unveiled to mark the integration of Britain’s largest train operator, GTR, into the publicly owned rail network from 31 May, ahead of the summer season. The event also comes ahead of the first anniversary of South Western Railway entering public ownership, a move that marked the beginning of the end for nearly 30 years of fragmentation and waste under privatisation.
Passengers across Britain are already experiencing the benefits of public ownership, with train operators managed by the Department for Transport delivering, on average, better punctuality and cancellation performance than operators yet to be transferred into public management. Travellers are also benefiting from the first rail fare freeze in three decades, saving hundreds of pounds on season tickets.
GBR brings the railways together
Passengers across the country will soon begin seeing the new British branding appearing at stations, on staff uniforms and on trains. The rollout will take place gradually to ensure value for taxpayers’ money, while the new identity represents a clear sign of the Government’s commitment to bringing the railway together under a unified public brand, with passengers and the public interest placed at the centre of the system.
“The unveiling of the first GBR‑branded train in Brighton makes the future of Britain’s railways a reality. 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,” said Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander.
The GBR branding will also feature on the future Great British Railways ticketing app – a single platform where passengers will be able to check timetables, buy tickets at the best prices without booking fees and request Passenger Assist services.
All of these measures form part of plans to simplify and modernise rail travel under Great British Railways, whether for commuting, weekend breaks or spontaneous summer holidays.
GBR will manage and modernise railway infrastructure, while remaining accountable to passengers, freight customers and taxpayers. The fares and ticketing system will be modernised, a strengthened passenger watchdog will investigate poor service and demand improvements, and GBR will help develop a railway capable of supporting economic growth, housing and job creation.
As the Government continues rolling out rail reforms, passengers across Britain are already benefiting from a better railway, including the first fare freeze in three decades and several additional improvements:
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- More services for passengers: 76,000 extra seats per week through the December timetable upgrade, including 60,000 on LNER services along the East Coast Main Line, as well as more than one million passenger journeys on Northern’s new Northumberland line.
- Strong performance: publicly owned operators c2c and Greater Anglia continue to rank among the best-performing operators for punctuality and reliability, with more than 90% of trains arriving within three minutes of schedule and fewer than 2% cancellations.
- Improved onboard experience: since entering public ownership, South Western Railway has increased the number of new “Arterio” trains in service by more than four times. These trains are faster and offer more space for passengers.
- Greater flexibility: passengers can travel with greater confidence knowing that if their train is cancelled, they can use another publicly owned service up to two hours before or after their booked train at no additional cost.
From 31 May, Thameslink, Great Northern, Southern and Gatwick Express services will enter public ownership. GTR will therefore join West Midlands Trains, Greater Anglia, c2c, Northern, TransPennine Express, Southeastern, LNER and South Western, all currently managed by DfT Operator Limited (DFTO).
Chiltern Railways services will be the next to transfer on 20 September 2026, followed by Great Western Railway on 13 December 2026, marking another major step in the Government’s plans to bring rail services into public ownership. The full transfer programme is expected to be completed by the end of 2027.
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