London, Midland and Scottish Railway

This company was created in 1923 during "The grouping". Following the First World War many of Britain's railway companies (of which there were many) were close to bankruptcy. Four large companies were created (London, Midland and Scottish Railway, London and North Eastern Railway, Great Western Railway and the Southern Railway) which, it was expected, would be better managed and more profitable - there was still an element of competition as many towns and cities were served by two or more of these large companies.
Act 1923

In Scotland the following major companies were merged;

Caledonian Railway
Glasgow and South Western Railway
Highland Railway

In England the following major companies were merged;

London and North Western Railway
Midland Railway

Besides these many other companies were merged into what became known as the LMS.

The LMS re-organised the management of the companies into a single management structure which was a difficult slow but ultimately rewarding process. The combined company was managed from London. The geographical nature of the lines led to some areas which had no competition but multiple lines owned by the LMS. Examples include the Clyde Coast, Ayrshire and approaches to the South of Carlisle. In Ayrshire the led to the run-down of the Caledonian Railway's Lanarkshire and Ayrshire Railway in preference to the former Glasgow and South Western Railway.

In 1948 the four large companies were merged to form British Railways - a nationalised railway company.

Page created on 19/01/1998
Page last edited on 01/07/2002
Emails to : Ewan Crawford