South Western Railway (2017–2025)

First MTR South Western Trains Limited, trading as South Western Railway (SWR), is a British train operating company owned by FirstGroup (30%) which operated the South Western franchise between August 2017 and May 2025.

On 20 August 2017, SWR took over South Western franchise operations from the previous franchisee South West Trains.

SWR operated commuter services from its Central London terminus at to south west London, suburban services in the counties of Surrey, Hampshire, Berkshire and Dorset, as well as regional services in Devon, Somerset and Wiltshire. Its subsidiary Island Line operated services on the Isle of Wight.

Rolling stock changes have included a comprehensive refurbishment of existing units and the acquisition of new-build units from Bombardier to replace SWR's , and multiple units. The fleet operated on the Island Line was also replaced by the during 2021.

During April 2018, amid concerns of SWR's performance, the Transport Secretary, Chris Grayling, announced an independent review into SWR and Network Rail. Between 2 December 2019 and 2 January 2020, the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) undertook 27days of strikes. Further industrial action by SWR's staff was undertaken in 2022. In response to the decrease in passenger travel caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, SWR had considerably curtailed its services by mid-2020. In January 2020, SWR announced that they were in discussions with the government regarding the future of the franchise. In December 2020, it was announced that SWR's franchise would be abolished and replaced by a shorter management contract. In February 2023, the contract was extended to May 2025. In December 2024, the government announced that SWR's contract would not be renewed in 2025, and on 25 May 2025, the service was renationalised.

History

During July 2015, the Department for Transport (DfT) abandoned efforts to negotiate an extension with the incumbent operator of the South Western franchise, South West Trains, (owned by British transport conglomerate Stagecoach) and announced that the South Western franchise would be re-tendered for in the coming years. This outcome was viewed by several industry commentators as being unexpected and inconvenient in its timing; the periodical ''Rail'' speculated that Stagecoach's rejection had been largely due to government officials feeling that the state was not receiving a sufficiently large share of the profits being generated by the franchise.

In February 2016, the DfT announced that two companies, FirstGroup partnered with FirstGroup in its bid, taking a 30% shareholding in the joint venture. During July 2016, the DfT issued the Invitation to Tender.

Franchise award

During March 2017, the DfT announced that the South Western franchise had been awarded to First/MTR. At the time, it was stated that its franchise period was to commence from 20 August 2017 and run through to 18 August 2024, although the deal had included an option for the DfT to extend it for a further 48 weeks.

The Competition & Markets Authority (CMA) held an inquiry into the awarding; during July 2017, it sought undertakings from First/MTR that it would not abuse its monopoly on services to the West of England, Dorset and Somerset, as FirstGroup also operated the Greater Western franchise in those regions. FirstGroup and MTR responded with an offer to implement a cap upon unregulated fares between London and Exeter as a mitigating measure; the CMA chose to accept this concession. On 20 August 2017, First/MTR took over South Western franchise operations, with services branded as South Western Railway (SWR).

By April 2018, concerns had reportedly grown over SWR's performance over previous months; there had been a noted rise in both the number of delayed services and outright cancellations. Due to these concerns, the Transport Secretary, Chris Grayling, announced an independent review into the performance of South Western Railway and Network Rail; the review was welcomed by Winchester's MP, Steve Brine. During July 2018, reports emerged that FirstGroup/MTR were in the process of renegotiating the SWR contract, allegedly due to the operator's inability to deliver on many of its promised improvements, as well as its declining performance and industrial action by its own staff.

Between 2 December 2019 and 2 January 2020, the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) undertook 27days of strikes. These were in protest to the potential introduction of DOO (driver only operation) on SWR's new fleet of Bombardier-built multiple units, which would thereby nullify the role of the guard.

In January 2020, SWR announced that they were in discussions with the government regarding the future of the franchise following a £137million loss, with termination of the contract being a possibility.

By mid-2020, SWR had considerably curtailed its services in response to the significant decline of passenger travel amid the COVID-19 pandemic. From 15 June 2020, both passengers and staff on public transport in England, including SWR services, were required to wear face coverings while travelling, and that anyone failing to do so would be liable to be refused travel or fined.

In December 2020, it was announced that terms for the abolition of the franchise system for SWR had been agreed, and that the company would be given a management contract to run until 1 April 2023 when the ERMA (Emergency Recovery Measures Agreement) for the franchise ends in March 2021. During October 2021, the contract was updated with a finish date of 28 May 2023, with an option to extend further if required by the DfT.
In February 2023, the contract was further extended until May 2025.

SWR is one of several train operators impacted by the 2022–2024 United Kingdom railway strikes, which were the first national rail strikes in the UK for three decades. Its workers were amongst those participating in industrial action due to a dispute over pay and working conditions. The number of staff involved allowed SWR to remain capable of operating a minimal timetable on any of the planned dates for the strikes.

Public Ownership

In December 2024, after the Starmer government passed legislation to re-nationalise passenger rail in Great Britain, the government announced that the South Western rail area would be taken back into public ownership following the expiry of South Western Railway's contract. South Western Railway was the first area to be re-nationalised. The DfT Operator owned South Western Railway Limited took over from SWR on 25 May 2025.

Services

South Western Railway was the main operator for western Surrey, Hampshire, Dorset and the Isle of Wight, and also served Greater London, Berkshire, Wiltshire, Somerset and Devon.

Most SWR services ran on electrified lines using the 750 V DC third-rail system. There was a diesel fleet for services on the West of England line to Salisbury and Exeter, using the unelectrified track beyond Worting Junction just west of Basingstoke, and for Salisbury to Southampton via Romsey services which also serve Eastleigh.

From , SWR's London terminus, long-distance trains ran to southern England, including the major coastal population centres of Portsmouth, Southampton, Bournemouth, Poole and Weymouth. There were also trains to Reading and Exeter, but these were not the principal fast services from London to those cities, which are operated from by Great Western Railway. The majority of its passengers were on suburban commuter lines in inner and south-west London, Surrey, east Berkshire, and north-east Hampshire.

As with most rail companies, non-folding bicycles were banned from peak-time trains to and from London. However, these restrictions applied only to cyclists boarding or alighting in the area bounded by Hook, Alton, Guildford, Reading and Dorking, in order to maximise available passenger space on the most crowded trains.

Mainline services

SWR operated regular services on four ''mainline'' routes:
* The South West Main Line (SWML) runs between London (Waterloo station) and the town of Weymouth; the route passes through several large towns and cities, including Woking, Basingstoke, Winchester, Southampton, Bournemouth, Poole and Dorchester. South Western Railway operates trains along the entire length of the line. Almost all trains operated by the company start from or terminate at London Waterloo with the exception of a Winchester - Bournemouth / Poole stopping service; these include semi-fast services to/from Southampton and Poole, and express services to/from Weymouth. There are also trains to and from Portsmouth; these trains branch off the SWML at Eastleigh, then proceed via the Eastleigh to Fareham and West Coastway lines to Portsmouth Harbour station.
* The Portsmouth Direct line (PDL) branches off the SWML at Woking and runs to Portsmouth via Guildford, Haslemere, Petersfield and Havant. South Western Railway operates all passenger trains on this route; these include fast and semi-fast services between London and Portsmouth, and semi-fast services as far as Haslemere.
* The West of England line (WEL) is the only mainline route that is not fully electrified. It leaves the SWML at Basingstoke and runs to Exeter via Andover, Salisbury, Gillingham and Yeovil. South Western Railway is the only operator on the line, with most services running between London and either Salisbury or Exeter St Davids. Some peak-time services terminate at various other destinations on the line, including Gillingham and Yeovil Pen Mill.
* The Alton line leaves the SWML at (just after Woking) and runs to Alton via Aldershot and Farnham. It is the shortest of the four mainline routes and as such it is sometimes considered an outer suburban route instead (however for ticketing purposes, it is classed as a mainline route). Services usually run the full length of the line between London and Alton, though some services terminate at Farnham.

In total, there were 14 mainline trains per hour departing London Waterloo in the off-peak; this number increased in the peak hours. The majority of mainline services were operated by or EMUs, except for the West of England Main Line which were always operated by or DMUs (because it is unelectrified) and the Alton Line which also saw the occasional use of units.

Metro and Suburban services

South Western Railway also operated many suburban "Metro" services in and around London. These all ran between London Waterloo and , where they split into two separate routes: via Putney and via Wimbledon. All services on the suburban part of the network were operated by , , and electric multiple units.

Via Putney

The main route via Putney is known as the Waterloo to Reading Line. It runs between London and Reading and passes through towns such as Staines-upon-Thames, Ascot and Bracknell. It operates as a fast service as far as , with Reading trains only calling at , , and . Branch lines on this route include:
* The Hounslow Loop Line, which leaves the main line at , runs via and rejoins the line between and (with junctions in both directions). Most services on the branch run either between London and Weybridge (described below), or run in a loop from Waterloo to Waterloo via Brentford, Whitton and Richmond (these services run both clockwise and anticlockwise).
* The Kingston Loop Line, which branches off at Twickenham, runs via Kingston and joins the South West Main Line at New Malden. Most services on this line run in an anticlockwise loop, from Waterloo to Waterloo, via Putney, Strawberry Hill, Kingston and Wimbledon.
** There is also a branch line to Shepperton, however, this is only served by Putney trains at peak times.
* The Staines to Windsor Line, which branches off the main line at Staines-upon-Thames and runs to Windsor & Eton Riverside station. Most services run semi-fast between London and Windsor.
* The Chertsey Branch Line, which leaves the main line at Virginia Water and runs to Weybridge. Most services on the line run between London and Weybridge via the Hounslow Loop Line; a few services are extended beyond Weybridge, to and from Woking.
* The Ascot to Guildford Line, which is only served by through trains at peak times; these services run between London and Aldershot.

A total of 12 trains per hour ran between London Waterloo and Putney in the off-peak; this number increased in peak hours.

Via Wimbledon

The main route via Wimbledon used the slow tracks of the quadruple-track South West Main Line. Suburban trains ran along the mainline between London and Woking. Branch lines on this route included:
* The Mole Valley Line, which branches off the main line at Raynes Park and runs via Epsom to Leatherhead, where the branch line itself splits into two lines: one to Guildford and one to Horsham via Dorking. SWR runs regular services to both Guildford and Dorking; the section between Dorking and Horsham is operated by Southern.
** The Chessington Branch Line branches off the Mole Valley Line at Motspur Park and runs to Chessington.
* The Kingston Loop Line, which leaves the SWML at New Malden, runs via Kingston and joins the Waterloo to Reading line at . Most services on this line run in a clockwise loop, from Waterloo to Waterloo, via Wimbledon, Kingston, Strawberry Hill and Putney.
** The Shepperton Branch Line, which branches off the Kingston Loop Line at Teddington. Most services on the branch line run between Waterloo and Shepperton via Wimbledon.
* The Hampton Court Branch Line, which leaves the main line at Surbiton and runs directly to Hampton Court.
* The New Guildford Line, which also branches off at Surbiton, running to Guildford via Claygate. The line joins the Guildford branch of the Mole Valley Line at Effingham Junction.

A total of 16 trains per hour ran between London Waterloo and Wimbledon in the off-peak; this number increased in peak hours.

Other services

Routes that did not start or terminate at London Waterloo include:
* The Ascot to Guildford Line, which runs between Ascot and Guildford via Aldershot. Most services on the line run only between Ascot and Guildford, with no extension in either direction; however, some peak-time services do run between London and Farnham via Ascot. The shuttle services are usually operated by units.
* The western section of the West Coastway Line between Portsmouth and Southampton. Class 450 units are usually in operation on this route.
* The Eastleigh to Romsey Line between Romsey and Eastleigh. Services on the line are extended beyond Eastleigh to and from Salisbury via Southampton Central and Romsey, in effect calling at Romsey twice. These services are operated using units.
* The Wessex Main Line between Salisbury and Southampton. Services are extended beyond Southampton via the Eastleigh to Romsey Line, as described above.
* The Lymington Branch Line between Brockenhurst and Lymington Pier runs every 30 minutes between these two stations. These services are operated using a single unit.
* The Island Line on the Isle of Wight, between Ryde Pier Head and Shanklin. These services are operated using units, converted from London Underground D78 Stock.

Service table

Details of each route, including maps and timetables, are on the South Western Railway official website ''(see External links below)''. As of December 2023, its routes off-peak Monday to Friday, with frequencies in trains per hour (tph), include:

Future services

Improvements promised under the 2017 contract were:
* Refurbished trains
* Journeys to London eight minutes faster from , nine minutes faster from , ten minutes faster from and 14 minutes faster from
* Free Wi-Fi at all stations and on mainland trains
* 29 additional weekday and Saturday services between and
* Hourly direct trains from Weymouth to Portsmouth to begin before 2019
* 35 additional weekday and Saturday services between Portsmouth & Southsea and
* More Sunday services
* Investment in stations, including improvements to Southampton Central station
* Live information on seating availability and crowding levels via a new mobile phone app

, there is also an hourly Sunday service between Reading and Salisbury via Basingstoke (with trains running between morning and evening).

In August 2021, the company announced the launch of "assisted boarding points" at all 189 stations on its network, allowing disabled or elderly passengers to ask for assistance onboard trains with as little as ten minutes' notice. The scheme will include clear signage at stations, with QR codes allowing customers to send details of the assistance they require and their planned journey to staff, replacing older systems wherein assisted journeys had to be booked six hours to a day in advance.

Rolling stock

South Western Railway inherited a fleet of Classes , , , , , , and from South West Trains, and subsequently re-introduced trains which had operated on Gatwick Express after earlier service with South West Trains. The fleet for the Island Line, , entered service on 1 November 2021.

During March 2020, the Class 442 fleet was withdrawn. One year later, SWR decided that they would not be returned to service and their re-introduction has been cancelled. In March 2021, SWR announced it would be keeping 28 Class 458 units and will refurbish and reconfigure them to four carriages for planned deployment on the Portsmouth Direct Line instead of the Class 442.

In early 2024 it was announced that the plan to use the refurbished and reconfigured Class 458s on the Portsmouth Direct Line had been dropped, and that South Western Railway has no current plans to use the 458/4s.

On 24 June 2024 the first Class 458/4 entered public service, initially doing limited outer suburban routes such as London Waterloo to Weybridge via Addlestone.

Classes , and fleets were planned to be replaced by 30 five-car and 60 ten-car units built at Bombardier's Derby Litchurch Lane Works, financed by ROSCO Rock Rail for , for use on Reading, Windsor and London suburban services.

, 42 of the 90 trains ordered had been accepted from Alstom. The trains began to be used for passengers in January 2024.

Fleet at end of franchise

Past fleet

Train types formerly operated by South Western Railway include:

* , all withdrawn from service on 3 January 2021 after 82 years of service, including their time with London Transport.
* Class 442, permanently withdrawn in March 2020.
* withdrawn from service 17 January 2022.

Depots

The following train depots and stabling sidings were used for the South Western Railway fleet:

* Bournemouth depot is southwest of station, occupying the approach to the former .
* Farnham Traincare Depot, in Weydon Lane, was opened by the Southern Railway at the time of the electrification of the Portsmouth and lines in 1937.
* Feltham depot was completed in 2021; it is intended to provide stabling for the Class 701 units.
* Fratton Traincare Depot is located on central Portsea Island, alongside station.
* Northam Traincare Facility was built by Siemens in 2002 as the home depot for the Desiro fleet as part of a 20-year maintenance contract. It is located south of station and is near Southampton Football Club's St Mary's Stadium.
* Ryde Traincare Depot, alongside Ryde St John's Road on the Isle of Wight serviced the units that used to operate on the Island Line.
* Salisbury depot maintains the Class 158 and Class 159 fleet.
* Strawberry Hill train maintenance depot in south west London, was built in 1897, is inside the triangular junction of the Shepperton Branch Line with the Kingston Loop Line, just yards from Strawberry Hill railway station.
* Wimbledon Traincare Depot is located between and stations, on the main line to Waterloo, next to the Wimbledon railway viaduct.

References

External links

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{{MTR Corporation

FirstGroup railway companies
MTR Corporation
Railway companies established in 2017
Railway companies disestablished in 2025
Railway operators in London
Rail transport in Devon
Rail transport in Dorset
Rail transport in Hampshire
Rail transport in Surrey
Rail transport in Somerset
Rail transport in Wiltshire
Rail transport on the Isle of Wight
Train operating companies in the United Kingdom
2017 establishments in England
2025 disestablishments in England