Regional Railways
| Provincial | |
A Class 156 at Bristol Temple Meads (May 1989) | |
| Overview | |
|---|---|
| Main regions | East Anglia, North West England, North East England, Wales, South West England |
| Other regions | East Midlands, Merseyside, Scotland, West Midlands |
| Parent company | British Rail |
| Dates of operation | 1982–1997 |
| Successors | Central Trains, First North Western, Midland Mainline, Arriva Trains Merseyside, Wales & West, Valley Lines, Arriva Trains Northern |
Regional Railways (originally Provincial) was one of three passenger sectors of British Rail. It was created in 1982 and was the most subsidised (per passenger km) of the three sectors; upon formation, its costs were four times its revenue. The sector was broken up into eight franchises during the privatisation of British Rail and ceased to exist on 31 March 1997.