British railway companies: Since the earliest railway sanctioned by Act of Parliament - for the Surrey Iron Railway in 1801 - the railway system in the United Kingdom has had many changes. The earliest railways were often those connecting very local places: for example, the Kilmarnock and Troon Railway , the first in Scotland, opened in 1811. Over the first fifty years these local lines gradually underwent amalgamations, resulting in the larger railway companies such as the Great Western Railway and the London and North Western Railway: those original railways are included under Early railways. Amalgamations were still occurring over the next sixty years until the Grouping of railways took place: a late example being the working agreement between the London, Chatham and Dover Railway and the South Eastern Railway in 1899. The Big Four of 1923-1947 resulted in much rationalisation, as did the post-war privatisation. The latter are included under British Rail[ways]. Changes taking place under the latest rail regime are included under Railway companies.

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