EPSOM DOWNS BRANCH: PRIVATISATION (1994)

Much has been said and written about rail privatisation over the past few years. What is often ignored though is the fact that the entire debate was launched by politicians and as such never really was a true discussion on transport policy but much more a debate on political credos. In this context, BR stood no chance of winning, as the same people who had drained the cashflow into public transport for decades started leashing out and accusing the system of inefficiency (true in some cases, but not in others - witness NSE for example).

Cl 455 at Banstead in December 1997 - ironically, the NSC franchise was already won by Connex Rail at that time and had thus itself become a part of British railway history.

In June 1993, BR's Board announced the abolition of its business sectors (including NSE) with effect from April 1st 1994 as part of organisational changes towards privatisation. On November 4th 1993 the Railways Privatisation Bill was passed by Parliament. In preparation for privatisation, Network SouthEast was split into 11 separate businesses on April 1st 1994. Between 1995 and 1997, these new businesses were sold off as franchises to the preferred bidder. What had been the NSE South London Lines thus became the Network SouthCentral franchise.

Almost the only sign of the coming changes to be seen on the line was the rolling stock, though one did at times have to look twice to see whether the brandings on the EMUs were NSE or NSC...