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Britain's Railways are grouped into the Big Four: LNER, GWR, SR, and LMS

The "Big Four" was a name used to describe the four largest railway companies in the United Kingdom in the period 1923–1947.

The "Big Four" was a name used to describe the four largest railway companies in the United Kingdom in the period 1923–1947. The name was coined by The Railway Magazine in its issue of February 1923: "The Big Four of the New Railway Era".

The Big Four were: Great Western Railway (GWR)

London, Midland and Scottish Railway (LMS)

London and North Eastern Railway (LNER)

Southern Railway (SR)

The companies were formed as a result of the Railways Act 1921, in a process known as "The Grouping" (of the railways), which came into effect on 1 January 1923.

On 1 January 1948, the companies were nationalised to form British Railways as a result of the Transport Act 1947.

Historical Significance

The "Big Four" was a name used to describe the four largest railway companies in the United Kingdom in the period 1923–1947.

Events Before

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  2. Insulin is first used on humans when Frederick Banting injects 14-year-old Canadian Leonard Thompson to treat his diabet

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  3. James Joyce's novel "Ulysses" is first published by Sylvia Beach in Paris (1,000 copies)

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  4. American founder of the Chicago Bears football team George Halas (27) weds Minnie Bushing

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  5. Great Britain issues the Unilateral Declaration of Egyptian Independence, ending its protectorate over Egypt and grantin

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Events After

  1. Charlie Munger is born

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  2. Grossdeutsche Volksgemeinschaft and Völkische Block replace the banned NSDAP

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  3. German-Swiss poet and novelist Hermann Hesse (36) weds Swiss soprano and painter Ruth Wenger (26); divorce in 1927

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  4. 1st Winter Olympic Games open in Chamonix, France

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  5. Vladimir Lenin is placed in a Mausoleum in Red Square, Moscow

    On Monday, 21 January 1924, at 18:50 EET, Vladimir Lenin, leader of the October Revolution and the first leader and founder of the Soviet Union, died in Gorki aged 53 after falling into a coma.

More from the 1920s

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Isaac Asimov, American writer and biochemist, known for american writer and biochemist, was born on 1920-01-02.

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Charlie Munger is born

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Vernon L. Smith is born

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Byelorussian Communist Organization is founded as a separate party

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Frequently Asked Questions

What happened on January 1, 1923?
The "Big Four" was a name used to describe the four largest railway companies in the United Kingdom in the period 1923–1947. The name was coined by The Railway Magazine in its issue of February 1923: "The Big Four of the New Railway Era". The Big Four were: Great Western Railway (GWR) London, Midland and Scottish Railway (LMS) London and North Eastern Railway (LNER) Southern Railway (SR) The companies were formed as a result of the Railways Act 1921, in a process known as "The Grouping" (of the railways), which came into effect on 1 January 1923.
Why is Britain's Railways are grouped into the Big Four: LNER, GWR, SR, and LMS significant?
The "Big Four" was a name used to describe the four largest railway companies in the United Kingdom in the period 1923–1947.

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January 1 in HistoryYear 1923