The Department for Transport (DfT) has confirmed that West Midlands Trains – operator of services under the West Midlands Railway and London Northwestern Railway brands – is set to transfer to public ownership on 1 February 2026.
This is part of an on-going transfer of the current train franchises to the public sector in advance of the creation of Great British Railways. Northern and Transpennine Express, who also operate services on the West Coast Main Line, are already in public ownership. After February, the only WCML operator left to transfer will be Avanti West Coast.
Ian McConnell, managing director of West Midlands Trains, said: “I am extremely proud of what we have achieved under this franchise, delivering a £1billion investment in two new train fleets and delivering significantly improved performance which has transformed rail travel for millions of customers.
“As we transition to a publicly owned railway, our focus remains on delivering an outstanding service for our passengers.”
Since the start of the West Midlands Trains franchise in 2017, more than 100 new trains have been introduced onto the network, which stretches from Liverpool to London via the West Midlands”.