Great British Railways, Boris Johnson’s proposed quango to revitalise UK train services, is poised to be saved from the policy scrapheap under new plans that will leave ministers in far greater control than had been envisaged.
Called the “Fat Controller” after the fictional Thomas the Tank Engine character, GBR was proposed over two years ago by the then prime minister. It was to be an independent body, free from ministerial meddling, that would oversee the organisations making up the chronically underperforming UK rail system.
The plans became mired in delays, and many in the industry thought GBR would be quietly dropped. However, under changes now being discussed, it could be launched under the remit of Network Rail – the state-backed owner of stations, tracks
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