It's a bit of an odd mix of old TOC names carried forward and some elimination of old commercial identities. It does indicate that we'll be stuck with a lot of the anomalies of the current system if this reflects the management structure underneath the new labels.

A few thoughts occur-

1 - How will the much-vaunted vertical integration work when (for example) "West Coast" "North Western" "West Midlands" and "Northern" will have considerable geographic overlap of the lines they use and "Cross Country" largely (almost exclusively?) uses track in other divisions' areas. We also seem to be left with a mish-mash of some that cover all trains in their area (like GW) and others split local and long distance/express services (like Northern and Trans-Pennine)

2- Does the separate "Sleeper" identity indicate that the two sleeper networks (GW and Caledonian) will be consolidated or that the former is for the chop?

3 - Are these just marketing names?  If so, I agree that some seem to merit revisiting.

It does indicate that re-nationalisation will not be the panacea some claim.

 
This weekend the Branch Line Society ran a three day excursion from Tonbridge to Inverness and back. This used the Hastings Diesel Limited units. Details can be seen on Blue Sky @hastingsdiesel.co.uk and searching Hastings DEMU on X
Timings on RTT

https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:U85247/2026-05-22/detailed

https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:U85251/2026-05-23/detailed

https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:U85250/2026-05-23/detailed

https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:U85254/2026-05-24/detailed

 

Glad to see that there is more dark, than light blue; but then I might be biased. 

 
9. Parkstone Quay

 

One of the class 701 Artiero fleet used in London suburbs has appeared with its new GBR South West branding.

I used to think of South West as Somerset, Devon, Cornwall etc.
Clearly DfT has now defined it as Surrey and Berkshire

Is it just me, or does anyone else think some of the names are geographically stretching it.   Another example : West Coast has about 50 miles within about 10 miles of western coast, about 80 miles near north coast of Wales, and over 400 miles that is better described as inland rather than near any coast.

 

But that is Ireland rather than Great Britain



wikipedia/commons/4/40/British_Isles_Venn_Diagram-en/size]

 
I had a major dilemma choosing where to phot the railtour. It was due to pass Pinhoe at 13:15 and arrive at St David's at 13:24. I did not want to phot the tour at either Pinhoe or St David's as both places would be crowded (based on past experience). The choice was made harder as D1015 'Western Champion' was also due to pass St David's at 13:17 on The Golden Hind railtour. So, I chose the approach to Exeter Centgral for Clan Line and chose to miss out on photting Champion.

If only humans were born with an inbuilt sense of Foresight! The Mule can be chaotic with late running trains - and sure enough Clan Line was 20 minutes late arriving at St. David's! If I had gambled on that happening, I'd have photted Champion at Red Cow Crossing and then caught the 13:25 Up Waterloo back up to Central still been in position to phot Clan Line approaching Central! Of course, if I had gambled, you can guarantee that both tours would have run to time! Oh well, such is life! I did, however, manage to phot both railtours passing Cullompton on their respective return workings.

 
Just to bear in mind, it is a Whitehall based Department for Transport document. 

 

Interestingly missing Northern Ireland too.

 
And here was me thinking that Scotland and Wales are also in Great Britain.

 
I spent over 15 mins trying to do that, unsuccessfully!!

 

Thanks, Chris - I have extracted the new names from that

 

The problem is worse than that.  The overall requirement was designed by the EU to cover airports as that was the chief method of entry before Brexit.  In airports passengers arrive at the desks on foot and can be fairly easily processed (I know there have been snafus in airports).  Entry from the UK via Dover has families in cars in a confined space.  The time to process a car load of passengers is longer that the same number of passengers at an airport.  Dover has come up with a number of interesting solutions including processing coaches off sit and then sealing them for the journey to the ferry.

 

Personally I would use a worse than poor description for things like 2 consecutive trains not running.   Woeful seems as good a word as any.

If > 3% cancellations, or less than two thirds on time, 19% not within 3 minutes, and what appears to be increasing numbers of short forms, can be described as upgraded from woeful to poor, is debatable in my mind

https://www.gwr.com/-/media/gwr-sc-website/files/publications/performance-report/gwr-performance-report-period-2701.pdf

 
New names for the old TOCs in the file attached

 
Cancellations to services between Reading and Newbury

Due to a fault with the signalling system between Reading and Newbury some lines are blocked.
Train services running to and from these stations will be cancelled or delayed.

Disruption is expected until the end of the day.

 
From the BBC:

 
From the BBC:

 
Everything was running late at Oxford on Friday afternoon, but while waiting for my train home I noticed the 1700 to Bristol was very healthily loaded. It left Oxford 22 minutes late but was only 9 late by Bristol, by the looks of it thanks partly to a scheduled six-minute dwell at Bath. https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:G15077/2026-05-22/detailed

 
Catching the 10:13 Bath Spa to Chippenham this morning to hear a thing at Chippenham's folk festival, platform at Bath was cheerfully very busy, with staff to manage it, the train came in, also cheerfully busy, everyone aboard somehow and off up we all went. Quite a few off at Chippenham and very many more waiting to board. Chippenham Station forecourt on a Sunday morning was a surprise as it was by  no means devoid of bus services and I could have chosen several destinations including, heaven help us, Castle Combe. Not sure if Melksham was an option but a bus did leave for Trowbridge, so, perhaps.

Also to be seen, that commendable covered bicycle parking provision, albeit with just two bikes in it. Useful to know that that's there. Wishing Bath had something like it.

The festival, very cheerful, and the park by the river hosting the public part of it with stalls + music - pretty ideal as the trees were providing copious shade and cooled air. It runs tomorrow as well.

Back on the 13:38 which was announced as arriving full and standing, passengers please spread out along the platform (the platform was on the way to being as busy as the one at Bath earlier). It took a little while to motivate the people standing aboard the train to free up the copious (standing) space in the carriages at each side, but once that was done, all aboard and... off we all went down the line. About 8027 people alighted at Bath, but from its appearance, the train was still pretty full when it left for Bristol. Good, well used public transport even if the route could probably have run to three trains an hour to soak up both existing and suppressed demand this sunny Sunday.

Mark

 

So what would you say GWR has done/is doing differently to upgrade performance from "woeful" to "poor"?

 
From the BBC:

 
7. Trowbridge.

 
From the BBC:

 
From the BBC: