Lines Outside of The Act
A number of lines remained outside the Big Four. Some of these had been, and continued to be, operated as joint railways. Examples include the Midland and Great Northern Joint Railway (M&GN) between the LMS and the LNER in eastern England, the largest of the joint railways in terms of route mileage. The largest in terms of both passenger and freight traffic was the Cheshire Lines Committee, also LMS/LNER with operations in Lancashire and Cheshire. The third major joint line was the Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway (S&DJR) between the LMS and the SR in south-western England, perhaps the most famous of the joint railways.
The London suburban railway companies, such as the Metropolitan Railway, were also excluded.
Other exempted railways were light railways authorised under the Light Railways Act 1896, and similar lines; although some such lines still chose to join the Groups. Those lines staying independent were principally those under the influence of Colonel Stephens, who had been instrumental in securing the necessary exemption.
Read more about this topic: Railways Act 1921
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