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Chiltern Railways moves into public ownership on Sunday 20 September
Marylebone services stay the same at first, but a December timetable adds 25 weekday trains and a half-hourly London to Birmingham service.
Key facts
- Chiltern Railways transfers to government ownership on Sunday 20 September
- Sixth operator taken into public ownership ahead of Great British Railways
- December timetable adds 25 weekday trains and almost 10,000 weekday seats
- RMT protest at Marylebone station on the first day after the transfer
Chiltern Railways, the operator running trains from London Marylebone, comes under government ownership on Sunday 20 September. It is the sixth train company to be taken into public hands.
Its trains run out to Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Warwickshire and the West Midlands. The company will sit within the Department for Transport’s holding company, part of the government’s plan to create Great British Railways (GBR).
What changes for Chiltern passengers
Nothing changes on the day of the handover, according to the government. Improvements planned before the transfer will follow later.
A new December timetable adds 25 trains every weekday, which means almost 10,000 extra seats from Monday to Friday. The Chiltern Main Line will carry a train between London and Birmingham every 30 minutes across the day. Saturday services gain nearly 5,000 seats, and Sunday services more than 3,000.
The December change also brings six more Chiltern Explorer trains into service, giving a fleet of 13 for routes between London and the West Midlands. They are air conditioned and more accessible, and the onboard wifi has been upgraded.
Chiltern’s older Class 168 fleet is part way through a £12 million refit that should run until 2028. Every seat is getting power and USB points, while the interiors and wifi are being upgraded.
Stations along the line are due a deep clean and fresh paint, with graffiti cleared and toilets refurbished. The five busiest will also get new signage and customer information screens. Help points and ramps to make boarding easier are being added there too.
Lord Hendy, the rail minister, described the transfer as a way to deal with “the bread-and-butter issues people care about”.
RMT protest at Marylebone station
A dispute over train doors comes with the business. The RMT objects to drivers opening and closing doors at stations and says the conductor on board should keep that safety role. The union plans a protest outside Marylebone on the first day under public ownership, and a strike ballot result is expected in about two weeks.
East West Rail is another early test. Services between Oxford and Bletchley have been delayed for a long time. The line is ready, though Winslow station reportedly still needs some work.
Key questions
When is Chiltern Railways nationalised?
Chiltern Railways moves into government ownership on Sunday 20 September.
Will Chiltern train times change after nationalisation?
Not straight away. A new timetable in December adds 25 trains each weekday and a train every 30 minutes between London and Birmingham.
Why are RMT members protesting at Marylebone?
The union objects to drivers controlling the train doors and wants conductors to keep that safety role. A strike ballot result is expected in about two weeks.
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