Placard in style of British Railways design manual ''Privatisation is Not Progress, Bring Back British Rail'' with the 'reverse arrows’ log

A2 sized Placard in style of British Railways design manual ''Privatisation is Not Progress, Bring Back British Rail'' with the 'reverse arrows’ logo designed by Fraser Muggeridge studio to launch the campaign in 2009. Designed by Manchester based design company UHC, a co-operative, social enterprise which specialises in working with ethically motivated organisations and campaigns, printed on environmentally friendly corrugated cardboard.

Railways in Great Britian were privatised in the 1990s, they had been in state ownership for almost 50 years and had been known as British Railways, later British Rail. As a result of privatisation, the operation of passenger services was contracted to private companies known as franchises.

The Bring Back British Rail campaign was founded in 2009 by Ellie Harrison. The campaign identified two main failings in the current rail system. Firstly, that the franchise system allowed companies to ''shirk responsibility by passing the blame for delays and bad service''. Secondly that, whilst in private ownership, passengers suffered by paying more for a worsening service.

The Bring Back British Rail campaign advocated for reintegration of the country’s rail network as one organisation with a common goal of providing the best value, most efficient and reliable public transport system possible. It campaigned for a non-profit making industry where ''both passengers and employees could feel ownership and pride in their rail network, knowing that their fares and hard work are continually helping to improve the system''.

The group continues to campaign for improvements to rail services, it undertakes research for the purpose of lobbying political parties towards the ends of reintroducing a vertically integrated, publicly owned and operated British railway network.

Campaigning for lower rail fares is not new. There is evidence in newspapers from the 1800s showing how groups and individuals advocated for lower ticket prices.