Rail privatisation - a short history
Updated on 01 July 2009
As the government prepares to take over the loss making east coast rail line, Channel 4 News looks back at the history of the rails.
1993
The Conservative government introduces the railways act, which breaks British Rail into over 100 separate companies, with at heart a separation between the use of railway facilities and train operators.
2000
Four killed when a GNER InterCity 225 train details near Hatfield station, in Hertfordshire.
2001
Strategic Rail Authority set up to provide private strategic direction for railways.
2002
Seven people killed when the WAGN 1245 service from London to Kings Lynn crashed at Potters Bar in Hertfordshire, because of faulty track. Private contractor Jarvis and Network Rail jointly accepted liability on behalf of the rail industry for claims brought which were "legally justified".
Network Rail replaces Railtrack as the body with responsibility for maintaining the railway infrastructure.
2004
Transport Secretary Alistair Darling announces the Strategic Rail Authority is to be abolished.
Manslaughter charges dropped against Network Rail bosses in the wake of the Hatfield disaster.
2005
Engineering company Balfour Beatty is fined a record £10mn and Network Rail, Railtrack's successor, is fined £3.5mn in relation to the Hatfield crash.
2006
Strategic Rail Authority disbanded.
2007
A woman is killed and 22 other people are injured in a train crash in Cumbria, after an inspector cut short a trackside check metres before a broken set of points which later derailed the Virgin train. Network Rail admits a number of errors.
2009
Government announces it intends to take over the east coast rail service run by National Express.
