- Great Western Railway (GWR) services are set to be nationalised from 13 December, becoming the 11th operator with a Government contract to be taken into public ownership.
- The Department for Transport announced this move as part of the Government's "flagship public ownership programme" aimed at creating a simpler, more reliable network under Great British Railways.
- The Great British Railways initiative plans to deliver better value, modernise ticketing with tap-in, tap-out and digital options, and invest in superfast Wi-Fi.
- New red, white and blue branding, inspired by the Union flag, will be introduced for GBR trains, websites and stations, departing from the previous practice of retaining old owners' branding.
- The process of nationalising England's trains began in 2024 with the Passenger Railway Services (Public Ownership) Act, with South Western Railway being the first major operator brought under state control in May 2025, and Govia Thameslink Railway next on 31 May.
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