The first train in Great British Railways (GBR) livery has been unveiled in Brighton ahead of Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) transferring into public ownership on 31 May 2026.
GTR operates Thameslink, Great Northern, Southern and Gatwick Express services and is the largest train operator in the UK by passenger volume. Following its transfer, GBR will be responsible for more than 11,000 services each weekday, with around 80% of passenger journeys falling under publicly owned operators.
The new branding will be introduced gradually across England’s rail network, including trains, stations and staff uniforms. The rollout is linked to the government’s programme to consolidate passenger services under a single publicly owned structure.
GTR joins West Midlands Trains, Greater Anglia, c2c, Northern, TransPennine Express, Southeastern, LNER and South Western Railway under DfT Operator Limited (DFTO) management. Chiltern Railways is scheduled to transfer on 20 September 2026, followed by Great Western Railway on 13 December 2026, with the full public ownership programme due for completion by the end of 2027.
The GBR brand will also be used for a national ticketing app integrating journey planning, ticket sales and Passenger Assist services.
