West Midlands Railway Transitions to Public Ownership in Major Step for UK's Rail Reform Birmingham, 1 February 2026  — Commuters and passengers across the West Midlands and beyond woke up today to a significant change on their rail networks: West Midlands Railway (WMR), along with its sister brand London Northwestern Railway (LNR), has officially transferred into public ownership. The move, effective from Sunday 1 February 2026, sees services previously operated by West Midl