1835
Great Western Railway incorporated
1838
Great Western Railway opened
1843
Cheltenham & Great Western Union Railway [inc 1836 .... opened 1841]
1844
Oxford Railway [inc 1843 .... opened 1844]
1846
Oxford & Rugby Railway [inc 1845 .... opened 1850]
Berks & Hants Railway [inc 1845 .... opened 1847]
1847
Great Western & Uxbridge Railway [inc 1846 .... opened 1856]
1848
Birmingham & Oxford Jc. Railway [inc 1846 .... opened 1852]
1851
Wilts Somerset & Weymouth Railway [inc 1845 .... opened 1848]
1854
Shrewsbury & Chester Railway [inc 1846 ]
----> which was formed from the
----> Shewsbury, Oswestry & Chester Jc Railway [inc 1845 .... opened 1848]
----> and the North Wales Mineral Railway [inc 1844 .... opened 1846]
Shewsbury & Birmingham Railway [inc 1846 .... opened 1849]
1862
Hereford, Ross & Gloucester Railway [inc 1851 .... opened 1853]
1863
South Wales Railway [inc 1845 .... opened 1850]
----> which had absorbed in 1847 the
----> Forest of Dean Railway which was re-incorporated 1826 from the
--------> Bullo Pill Railway [inc 1809 .... opened 1812]
West Midland Railway [inc 1860]
----> which was formed from the
----> Newport, Abergavenny & Hereford Railway [inc 1846 .... opened 1854]
----> and the Worcester & Hereford Railway [inc 1853 .... opened 1859]
----> and the Oxford, Worcester & Wolverhampton Railway
[inc 1845 .... opened 1850] which had absorbed the
-------->Stratford & Morton Railway [inc 1821 .... opened 1826]
1865
Vale of Neath Railway [inc 1846 .... opened 1851]
----> which had absorbed in 1863 the
----> Swansea & Neath Railway [inc 1861 .... opened 1863]
----> and in 1864 the Abadare Valley Railway [inc 1855 .... opened 1856]
1866
Wellington & Drayton Railway [inc 1863 .... opened 1867]
1867
Wycombe Railway [inc 1846 .... opened 1854]
1868
Bristol & South Wales Union Railway [inc 1857 .... opened 1863]
1869
Tenbury & Bewdley Railway [inc 1860 .... opened 1864]
1870
Severn Valley Railway [inc 1853 .... opened 1862]
Stourbridge Railway [inc 1860 .... opened 1863]
1871
Wrexham & Minera Railway [inc 1861 .... opened 1862]
Great Western & Brentford Railway [inc 1855 .... opened 1859]
1872
Wallingford & Watlington Railway [inc 1864 .... opened 1866]
1873
Briton Ferry Dock & Railway [inc 1851 .... opened 1861]
1874
East Somerset Railway [inc 1856 .... opened 1858]
Bourton on Water Railway [inc 1860 .... opened 1862]
Gloucester & Dean Forest Railway [inc 1846 .... opened 1851]
1876
Bristol & Exeter Railway [inc 1836 .... opened 1846] (worked by the GWR until 1849)
----> which absorbed in 1863 the Chard & Taunton Railway [inc 1861 .... opened 1866]
----> and in 1865 the Cheddar Valley & Yatton Railway [inc 1864 .... opened 1869]
----> and in 1875 the Exe Valley Railway [inc 1874 .... opened 1885]
Pontypool, Caerleon & Newport Railway [inc 1865 .... opened 1874]
1877
Bala & Dolgelly Railway [inc 1862 .... opened 1868]
1878
South Devon Railway [inc 1844 .... opened 1846]
----> which absorbed in 1862 the Dartmouth & Torbay Railway[inc 1857 .... opened 1859]
----> and in 1865 the South Devon & Tavistock Railway [inc 1854 .... opened 1859]
----> and in 1869 the Launceston & South Devon Railway [inc 1862 .... opened 1865]
----> and in 1872 the Moretonhampstead & South Devon Railway [inc 1862 .... Opened 1866]
West Cornwall Railway [inc 1846 .... opened 1852] (leased from opening to GWR, B&ER, and SDR)
----> which was formed by re-building and extending the Hayle Railway [inc 1834 .... opened 1838]
1880
Mitcheldean Road & Forest of Dean Junction Railway [inc 1871 .... opened 1851]
Ely & Clydach Valleys Railway [inc 1873 .... opened 1878]
Culm Valley Light Railway [inc1873 .... opened 1876]
Malmsbury Railway [inc 1872 .... opened 1877]
Monmouthshire Railway & Canal [inc 1792 ....opened 1798]
1881
Carmarthen & Cardigan Railway [inc 1854 .... opened 1860]
1882
Berks & Hants Extension Railway [inc 1854 .... opened 1862]
Swindon & Highworth Railway [inc 1875 .... opened 1883]
1883
Torbay & Brixham Railway [inc 1864 .... opened 1868]
Watlington & Princes Risborough [inc 1869 .... opened 1872]
Stratford upon Avon Railway [inc 1857 .... opened 1860]
---> which had vested the Alcester Railway [inc 1872 .... opened 1876]
---> jointly with the GWR in 1878
Llynvi & Ogmore Railway [inc 1866] formed by amalgamation of the
----> Llynvi Valley Railway [inc 1846 .... opened 1861]
------> which had absorbed in 1847 the
------> Duffryn, Llynfi & Porthcawl Railway [inc 1825 .... opened 1829] .
----> and the Ogmore Valley Railway [inc 1863 .... opened 1865]
------> which had absorbed in 1865 the
------> Ely Valley Extension Railway [inc 1863 .... opened 1865]
1884
Coleford Railway [inc 1872 .... opened 1883]
Bristol & North Somerset Railway [inc 1863 .... opened 1873]
Bristol & Portishead Pier & Railway [inc 1863 .... opened 1867]
1886
Faringdon Railway [inc 1860 .... opened 1864]
1887
Coleford, Monmouth, Usk & Pontypool Railway [inc 1853 .... opened 1856]
1888
Kingsbridge & Salcombe Railway [inc 1882 .... opened 1893]
Leominster & Bromyard Railway [inc 1874 .... opened 1884]
Worcester, Bromyard & Leominster Railway [inc 1861 .... opened 1874]
1889
Cornwall Railway [inc 1846 .... opened 1859]( leased from opening by GWR, B&ER and SDR)
Llanelly Railway & Dock [inc 1828 .... opened 1833
1890
Whitland & Cardigan Railway [inc 1869 .... opened 1873]
Witney Railway [inc 1859 .... opened 1861]
East Gloucestershire Railway [inc1862 .... opened 1873]
1892
East Usk Railway [inc 1885 ....opened 1898]
Newent Railway [inc 1873 .... opened 1885]
Ross & Ledbury Railway [inc 1873 .... opened 1885]
Calne Railway [inc 1860 .... opened 1863]
Wellington & Severn Junction Railway [inc 1853 .... opened 1857]
1894
Oldbury Railway [inc 1873 .... opened 1884
Tiverton & North Devon Railway [inc 1875 .... opened 1884]
1896
Wenlock Railway [inc 1861 .... opened 1864]
Llangollen & Corwen Railway [inc 1860 .... opened 1865]
Abbotsbury Railway [inc 1877 .... opened 1885]
Vale of Llangollen Railway [inc 1859 .... opened 1861]
Much Wenlock & Severn Junction Railway [inc 1859 .... opened 1862]
Milford Railway [inc 1856 .... opened 1863]
Marlborough Railway [inc 1861 .... opened 1864]
Corwen & Bala Railway [inc 1862 .... opened 1866]
Cornwall Mineral Railway [inc 1873]
----> formed from the Treffry Tramroads [inc 1844 .... opened 1842]
----> and the Newquay & Cornwall Junction Railway [inc 1864 .... opened 1874]
----> absorbed in 1892 the Lostwithial & Fowey Railway [inc 1862 .... opened 1869]
1897
Great Marlow Railway [inc 1868 .... opened 1873]
Nantwich & Market Drayton Railway [inc 1861 .... opened 1867]
Banbury & Cheltenham Direct Railway [inc 1873 .... opened 1881]
Woodstock Railway [inc 1886 .... opened 1890]
Kington & Eardisley Railway [inc 1862 .... opened 1874]
Pembroke & Tenbury Railway [inc 1859 .... opened 1863]
Buckfastleigh, Totnes & South Devon Railway [inc 1864 .... opened 1872]
Minehead Railway [inc 1871 .... opened 1874]
1898
Leominster & Kington Railway [inc 1854 .... opened 1857]
Helston Railway [inc 1880 .... opened 1887]
North Pembrokeshire & Fishguard Railway [opened 1895]
----> renamed 1884 from the Rosebush & Fisguard Railway [inc 1878]
----> absorbed in 1881 the Narbeth Road Railway [authorised 1872 .... opened 1894]
1899
Golden Valley Railway [inc 1876 .... opened 1881]
1900
Birmingham & Henley in Arden Railway [opened 1894]
----> renamed 1884 from the Henley in Arden & Great Western Junction Railway [inc 1873]
Staines & West Drayton Railway [inc 1873 .... opened 1894]
Birmingham, North Warwickshire & Stratford on Avon Railway [inc 1894 .... opened 1907]
1901
Devon & Somerset Railway [inc 1864 .... opened 1871]
Bridport Railway [inc 1855 .... opened 1857]
1903
Ely Valley Railway [inc 1857 .... opened 1860]
1904
Abingdon Railway [inc 1855 .... opened 1856]
1905
Wye Valley Railway [inc 1866 .... opened 1876]
Lambourn Valley Railway [inc 1883 .... opened 1898]
1909
Liskeard &Caradon Railway [inc 1843 .... opened 1846]
1910
Bala & Festiniog Railway [inc 1873 .... opened 1882]
Festiniog & Blaenau Railway [opened 1868]
----> vested in the GWR and the Bala & Festiniog Railway 1883
1911
Manchester & Milford Railway [inc 1860 .... opened 1866]
1922
Taff Vale Railway [inc 1836 .... opened 1840]
----> which absorbed in 1889 the Cowbridge Railway [inc 1862 .... opened 1865]
----> and the Cardiff, Penarth & Barry Junction Railway [inc 1885 .... opened 1887]
----> and the Dare Valley Railway [inc 1863 .... opened 1866]
----> and the Rhondda Valley & Hirwain Junction Railway [inc 1867 .... opened 1878]
----> and the Llantrisant & Taff Vale Junction Railway [inc 1861 ....opened 1863]
----> and the Treferig Valley Railway [inc 1879 ....opened 1883]
----> absorbed in 1895 the Cowbridge & Aberthaw Railway [inc 1889 .... opened 1892]
----> absorbed in 1902 the Aberdare Railway [inc 1845 .... opened 1846]
Breckon & Merthyr Tydfil Junction Railway [inc 1859 .... opened 1863]
----> absorbed in 1863 the Rumney Railway [inc 1825 .... opened 1836]
Neath & Brecon Railway [opened 1864]
----> renamed in 1863 from the Dulas Valley Mineral Railway [inc 1862]
----> absorbed in 1869 the Swansea Vale and Neath & Breckon Junction Railway [inc 1864 .... opened 1875]
Alexandra (Newport & South Wales) Dock & Railway [opened 1875]
----> renamed in 1882 from the Alexandra (Newport) Dock [inc 1865]
----> absorbed in 1897 the Pontypridd, Caerphilly & Newport Railway [inc 1878 .... opened 1884]
Cambrian Railways [inc 1864]
----> by amalgamation of the Llanidloes & Newtown Railway [inc 1853 .... opened 1859]
----> and the Oswestry & Newtown Railway [inc 1855 .... opened 1860]
----> and the Oswestry, Ellesmere & Whitchurch Railway [inc 1861 .... opened 1863]
----> and the Newtown & machynlleth Railway [inc 1857 .... opened 1863]
------> absorbed in 1865 the Aberystwith & Welsh Coast Railway [inc 1861 .... opened 1863]
------> absorbed in 1904 the Mid Wales Railway [inc 1859 .... opened 1864]
------> absorbed in 1913 the Vale of Rheidol Railway [inc 1897 .... opened 1902]
------> absorbed in 1921 the Tanat Valley Light Railway [authorised 1898 .... opened 1904]
Rhymney Railway [inc 1854 .... opened 1858]
Cardiff Railway [opened 1911]
----> renamed in 1897 from the Bute Docks [inc 1886]
Barry Railway [inc 1884 .... opened 1888]
Burry Port & Gwendreath Valley Railway [inc 1865 .... opened 1869]
Port Talbot Railway & Docks [inc 1894 .... opened 1897]
Lampeter, Aberaron & New Quay Light Railway [authorised 1906 .... opened 1911]
Penarth Harbour, Dock & Railway [inc 1856 .... opened 1859]
Cleobury Mortimer & Ditton Priors Light Railway [authorised 1901 .... opened 1908]
Rhondda & Swansea Bay Railway [inc 1882 .... opened 1885]
Ross & Monmouth Railway [inc 1865 .... opened 1873]
Princetown Railway [inc 1878 .... opened 1883]
Vale of Glamorgan Railway [inc 1889 .... opened 1897]
West Somerset Railway [inc 1857 .... opened 1862]
Wrexham & Ellesmere Railway [inc 1885 .... opened 1895]
1923
Swansea Harbour Trust [inc 1854 .... opened 1852]
Midland & South Western Junction Railway [inc 1884]
----> by amalgamation of the Swindon, Marlborough & Andover Railway [ inc 1873 .... opened 1881]
----> and the Swindon & Cheltenham Extension Railway [inc 1881 .... opened 1883]
------> absorbed in 1899 the Marlborough & Grafton Railway [inc 1896 .... opened 1898]
Gwendreath Valleys Railway [inc 1866 .... opened 1871]
Penarth Extension Railway [inc 1876 .... opened 1878]
Forest of Dean Central Railway [inc 1856 .... opened 1868]
Van Railway [authorised 1873 .... opened 1871]
Didcot, Newbury & Southampton Railway [inc 1873 .... opened 1882]
Exeter Railway [inc 1883 .... opened 1903]
Teign Valley Railway [inc 1863 .... opened 1882]
South Wales Mineral Railway [ inc 1853 .... opened 1860]
Mawddwy Railway [inc 1865 .... opened 1865]
Llanelly & Mynydd-Mawr Railway [inc 1875 .... opened 1883]
Liskeard & Looe Railway [inc 1825 .... opened 1879]
Welshpool & Llanfair Light Railway [inc 1899 .... opened 1903]
1930
Corris Railway [opened for passengers 1883]
----> renamed in 1864 from the Corris, Machynlleth & River Dovey Tramroad [inc 1858 .... opened 1859]
