Licences issued by the Office of the Rail Regulator/Office of Rail Regulation/Office of Rail and Road (ORR)

A (hopefully) comprehensive listing

Companies beginning B

Last update 26 January 2024

Additional information is always gratefully received, whether entirely new records (particularly historical records) or information to fill in gaps or correct errors, via the contact link under the Miscellaneous entry in the navigation bar above. Thank you.

Please select a letter from the list below:

Babcock Rail Limited

Formerly Scotland Infrastructure Maintenance Co Limited (to 15 February 1996) then First Engineering Limited (16 February 1996 to 14 July 2008)

Initially a British Railways Board subsidiary, change of control 14 February 1996 (Track Action Limited)

Network licence UK 03 1995 0025

Consultation began 15 September 1995; from 12 November 1995

Sidings, yards, etc.

Non-passenger licence UK 03 1995 0024

Consultation began 15 September 1995; from 12 November 1995

Licence exemption 1995 No 12

Consultation began 15 September 1995; from 12 November 1995

Light maintenance depots:

Georgemas

Crianlarich

Balfour Beatty Civil Engineering (SW) Limited

Formerly Dean & Dyball Construction Limited (to 28 September 2008) then Dean & Dyball Civil Engineering Limited (29 September 2008 to 31 August 2015)

Licence exemption 2004 No 15

Consultation began 23 July 2004; from 24 August 2004

Non-passenger trains within possessions only

Balfour Beatty Group Limited

Licence exemption 2009 No 19

Consultation began 23 July 2009; from 21 August 2009; revoked 16 August 2011

Network forming Dalston Junction to New Cross and New Cross Gate for duration of testing, any non-passenger train on network for duration of testing

A passenger licence exemption was also revoked on 16 August 2011, though it is thought that one was never granted

Balfour Beatty Rail Infrastructure Services Limited

Formerly Balfour Beatty Rail Maintenance Limited (to 14 January 2002)

Network Licence

Consultation began 8 August 1997

Sidings, yards, etc.

Network Licence UK 03 2000 0001

Consultation began 26 May 2000; from 28 June 2000

Sidings, yards, etc.

Licence exemption 2000 No 4

Consultation began 26 May 2000; from 28 June 2000; revoked 14 January 2003

Non-passenger trains within possessions only

Balfour Beatty Rail Limited

Formerly Balfour Beatty Rail Plant Limited (to 13 August 2009)

Network Licence UK 03 2000 0003

Consultation began 26 May 2000; from 28 June 2000

Sidings, yards, etc.

Non-passenger licence UK 03 2000 0002

Consultation began 26 May 2000; from 28 June 2000

Licence exemption 2000 No 5

Consultation began 26 May 2000; from 28 June 2000

Light maintenance depots:

Ashford

Colchester

Eastleigh

Hither Green

Romford

Temple Mills

Three Bridges

Woking revoked 13 December 2000

Licence exemption 2000 No 13

Consultation began 27 October 2000; from 1 December 2000

Light maintenance depots:

Darlington Park Lane

Hither Green Pre-assembly depot

Hoo Junction Downside Yard

Newcastle Heaton Yard

Peterborough Maskew Avenue

Toton Sandiacre Station Yard

Licence exemption 2003 No 1

Consultation began 6 September 2002 (presumed not completed); further consultation began 20 December 2002; from 6 February 2003

Light maintenance depot:

Woking Poole Road

Balfour Beatty Rail Maintenance Limited

See Balfour Beatty Rail Infrastructure Services Limited

Balfour Beatty Rail Plant Limited

See Balfour Beatty Rail Limited

BAM Nuttall Limited

Formerly Edmund Nuttall (to 8 October 2008)

Licence exemption

Consultation began 25 August 1999; further consultation began 12 November 1999

Non-passenger trains within possessions only

Licence exemption 2003 No 3

Consultation began 4 September 2002, from 12 March 2003

Non-passenger trains within possessions only

Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council

Trading as The Elsecar Steam Railway

Licence exemption 1996 No 7

From 26 April 1996

Network forming line defined in the Elsecar Steam Railway Order 1996 S.I.1996/937, any passenger or non-passenger train and any station or light maintenance depot on network

Barrow Hill Engine Shed Society Limited

Licence exemption 1998 No 9

Consultation began 27 March 1998; from 1 October 1998

Network forming Barrow Hill depot site

Also light maintenance depot:

Barrow Hill

Bideford Railway Company Limited

Licence exemption

Application withdrawn 3 June 2004

Activity not defined

Birse Construction Limited

Licence exemption 2000 No 6

Consultation began 9 April 1999; from 4 July 2000

Non-passenger maintenance plant within possessions only

Birse Rail Limited

Licence exemption

Consultation began 30 October 2002

Non-passenger trains

Licence exemption

Application withdrawn 26 August 2004

Non-passenger trains

Licence exemption 2010 No 1

Consultation began 15 January 2010; from 12 February 2010; into liquidation 24 September 2018

Non-passenger trains within possessions only

Black Country Innovative Manufacturing Organisation

Licence exemption NE/21/04

Consultation began 20 April 2021; from 31 May 2021

Network forming Very Light Rail National Innovation Centre, any train on network

Blackstone (South Wales) Limited

See Merthyr (South Wales) Limited

Bluebell Railway plc

Licence exemption 2010 No 7

Consultation began 13 May 2010; from 11 June 2010

Network forming The Bluebell Railway and agreed extensions, but not anything already exempted by the Railways (Class and Miscellaneous Exemptions) Order 1994, any passenger or non-passenger train and any station on network

Blue Circle Industries plc

See Lafarge Cement UK plc

Blyth Harbour Commission

Licence exemption 2006 No 5

Consultation began 11 May 2006; from 15 June 2006

Network forming 1.1km single line from Freemans signal box, plus 650m run round loop, any passenger or non-passenger train and any station or light maintenance depot on network

Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Licence exemption NE/17/02

Consultation began 16 November 2017; from 18 December 2017

Network within Locomotion (Shildon) and approved extensions, any train, station or light maintenance depot on network

Boden Rail Engineering Limited

Licence exemption L/21/02

Consultation began 12 May 2021; from 11 June 2021

Colwick from 2 January 2024

Nottingham Eastcroft removed 2 January 2024

and light maintenance depot and any train on network within depot

Bombardier Transportation UK Limited

See Alstom Engineering And Services Limited

The Bowes Railway Company Limited

Licence exemption 1996 No 3

Consultation began 18 November 1994; from 29 February 1996

Network forming line defined in The Tyne and Wear County Council (Bowes Railway) Light Railway Order 1981 S.I.616 and The Bowes Extension Light Railway Order 1994 S.I.691, any passenger or non-passenger train and any station or light maintenance depot on network

BP Oil UK Limited

Licence exemption L/17/02

Consultation began 9 January 2018; from 1 March 2018

Isle of Grain Depot, Rochester

and any other approved light maintenance depot and any train within the depot

Breedon Cement Limited

Formerly Hope Construction Materials Limited (to 31 July 2016) then Hope Cement Limited (from 1 August 2016 to 30 July 2017)

Licence exemption NE/14/03

Consultation began 28 October 2014; from 4 December 2014

Networks:

Hope Works to signal 20 (Earles Sidings)

Midland Yard freight terminal (West Midlands)

and any non-passenger train on networks

Bridgen Construction Limited

See Kehoe Rail Services Limited

Bridgend Enterprises Limited

Name as shown on application, believed to refer to Bridgen Enterprises Limited

Licence exemption

Consultation began 5 November 2001

Activity not defined

Bridgend Valleys Railway Company Limited

Licence exemption

Consultation began 28 August 2002

Non-passenger trains

Licence exemption

Consultation began 20 February 2004; withdrawn 3 September 2004

Network forming line Pontycymmer to Pant-y-Gog, any passenger or non-passenger train on network

Also station:

Pontycymmer

Also light maintenance depot:

Pontycymmer

Bridgen Enterprises Limited

Also referred to as Bridgen Group Limited

Licence exemption 2004 No 8

Consultation began 26 September 2003; from 11 May 2004; revoked 7 December 2007

Non-passenger trains within possessions only

Licence exemption 2007 No 1

Consultation began 12 January 2007; from 13 February 2007; revoked 14 November 2008

Non-passenger trains within possessions only

The ORR's 2008-09 annual report states a network exemption was revoked on 14 November 2008 with no reference to non-passenger exemption

Bridgen Group Limited

See Bridgen Enterprises Limited

Bridgen Holdings Limited

Licence exemption 2008 No 10

Consultation began 12 May 2008; from 4 July 2008; revoked 25 September 2012

Non-passenger trains within possessions only

Bridgen (Rail) Maintenance Limited

Licence exemption 2008 No 11

Consultation began 12 May 2008; from 4 July 2008; revoked 25 September 2012

Non-passenger trains within possessions only

Bridgen (Rail) S&T Limited

Licence exemption 2008 No 14

Consultation began 12 May 2008; from 4 July 2008; revoked 25 September 2012

Non-passenger trains within possessions only

Bridgen (Rail) Welding Limited

Licence exemption 2008 No 12

Consultation began 12 May 2008; from 4 July 2008; revoked 25 September 2012

Non-passenger trains within possessions only

Bridgeway Consulting Limited

Licence exemption 2007 No 6

Consultation began 3 March 2007; from 6 June 2007

Non-passenger trains within possessions only

Licence exemption C/12/01

Consultation began 9 March 2012; from 19 April 2012

Non-passenger trains within possessions only

Bristol City Council

Trading as Bristol Harbour Railway

Licence exemption 2001 No 8

Consultation began 29 June 2001; from 3 August 2001; revoked 30 May 2007

Network forming Bristol Industrial Museum to Create Centre, any passenger or non-passenger train and any station on network

Licence exemption 2007 No 4

Consultation began 2 May 2007; from 30 May 2007

Network forming lines between OS Grid References ST58237219 and ST56927214 and between ST56967215 and ST57017216, any passenger or non-passenger train and any station or light maintenance depot on network

British Railways Board

Passenger licence LIC/55/05

From 1 April 1994; revised 1 February 2001; revoked 28 March 2002

Light maintenance depot licence LIC/55/01

From 1 April 1994; revised 1 February 2001; revoked 28 March 2002

Depots not listed, but the operator is required to supply the ORR with a list at annual intervals (believed never to have happened)

Station licence LIC/55/06

From 1 April 1994; revised 1 February 2001; revoked 28 March 2002

Stations not listed, but the operator is required to supply the ORR with a list at annual intervals (believed never to have happened)

Network licence (Isle of Wight) LIC/55/02

From 1 April 1994; revised 1 February 2001; revoked 28 March 2002

Isle of Wight only

Network licence (sidings) LIC/55/03

From 1 April 1994; revoked 28 March 2002

Non-passenger licence LIC/55/04

From 1 April 1994; revised 1 February 2001; revoked 28 March 2002

Broadway Rail Limited

See West Coast Main Line Company Limited

Brodie Engineering Limited

Licence exemption L/13/02

Consultation began 19 June 2013; from 25 July 2013; revoked 3 September 2020

Light maintenance depot at Bonnyton Rail Depot (Kilmarnock), any non-passenger train in above depot

Licence exemption L/20/04

Consultation began 5 August 2020; from 3 September 2020

Bonnyton (Kilmarnock)

Caledonia Works (Kilmarnock)

and any agreed light maintenance depot and any train in depot

BR Telecommunications Limited

See Racal BR Telecommunications Limited

Brunel Trains Limited

Passenger licence

Consultation began 28 November 2005; application withdrawn by applicant 15 December 2005

Light maintenance depot licence

Consultation began 28 November 2005; application withdrawn by applicant 15 December 2005

Station licence

Consultation began 28 November 2005; application withdrawn by applicant 15 December 2005

Non-passenger licence

Consultation began 28 November 2005; application withdrawn by applicant 15 December 2005

Brush Barclay Limited

See Wabtec Rail Scotland Limited

Buxton Lime Industries Limited

Licence exemption

Consultation began 28 February 2003, withdrawn by applicant 18 August 2003

Network not defined