Catalogue description Records of the Railway Executive, 1947-1953

The Railway Executive of the British Transport Commission was established under Section 5 of the Transport Act 1947, and came into existence on the date of the Royal Assent, 6 August 1947. The Second Schedule to the Act, Section 2 (5) provided that the Executive should be a body corporate with perpetual succession and a common seal. The said schedule also contained provisions as to membership of the executive.

The Railway Executive was responsible for the management and operation of the former four main-line railway companies, the Great Western Railway Company, the London Midland and Scottish Railway Company, the London and North Eastern Railway Company, and the Southern Railway Company, and their associated undertakings.

The Transport Act of 1953 provided that the British Transport Commission should prepare and submit to the Minister of Transport a scheme for the re-organisation of that part of their undertaking which consists of the operation of the railways.

This scheme provided, inter alia, for the abolition of the Railway Executive which was abolished as from 1st October 1953 under the British Transport Commission (Executives) Order 1953, dated 19th August 1953 (No. 1291). The rights, powers and liabilities of the Railway Executive, in force immediately before the 1st October 1953, were transferred to the British Transport Commission.