West Midlands Trains to Transfer to Public Ownership with Key Transition Date

The Department for Transport has announced that West Midlands Trains will transition into public ownership starting February 1, 2026. This initiative is part of the UK government's broader plan to transfer non-devolved passenger rail services from private operators to the state-owned DfT Operator Ltd as existing contracts conclude. Prior to this, South Western Railway became the first to make the switch on May 26, followed by c2c on July 20. Greater Anglia is scheduled for transition on October 12. Currently, West Midlands Trains operates as a joint venture, with 85% owned by Transport UK and 15% previously held by East Japan Railway, which has now been sold. The franchise began in December 2017 and was originally set to end on March 31, 2026. However, due to the impacts of the pandemic, the franchise has shifted to a directly awarded National Rail contract. The company manages two brands: West Midlands Railway for local and regional routes around Birmingham, and London Northwestern Railway for longer-distance services along the West Coast Main Line connecting Birmingham with London, Crewe, and Liverpool. Ian McConnell, Managing Director of West Midlands Trains, announced the ha...