Background History
The British railway system had been built up by more than 100 railway companies, large and small, and often, particularly locally, in competition with each other. The parallel railways of the East Midlands and the rivalry between the South Eastern Railway and the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway at Hastings were two examples of such local competition.
During World War I the railways were under State control, which continued until 1921. Complete nationalisation had been considered, and the 1921 Act is sometimes considered as a precursor to that, but the concept was rejected; nationalisation was subsequently carried out after World War II, under the Transport Act 1947.
The final Act largely followed proposals set out in a June 1920 White Paper, Outline of Proposals as to the Future Organisation of Transport Undertakings in Great Britain and their Relation to the State.
Read more about this topic: Railways Act 1921
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