| 1840 |
The London & South Western
Railway completes its railway line from London to Southampton |
| 1843 |
The London & South Western starts
operating ship services under the name `New South Western Steam
Navigation Company` |
| 1847 |
The London, Brighton and & South
Coast Railway Company starts operating cross-channel passenger steamer
sailings between Newhaven and Littlehampton (Sussex) and Dieppe. Later
sailings also operated to and from Southampton |
| 1863 |
L&SWR takes over the New South
Western`s vessels |
| 1864 |
The London, Chatham & Dover
Railway starts sailings between Dover and Calais |
| 1892 |
L&SWR buys Southampton Docks |
| 1899 |
The South Eastern & Chatham
Railway Company is formed by the merger of the the London, Dover &
Chatham Railway and the South Eastern Railway. |
| 1923 |
The London & South Western,
London Brighton & South Coast and South Eastern & Chatham Railway
Companies merge to form the Southern Railway. The new company operates
trains and ships across the south east of England |
| 1939 |
At the start of World War I, the
UK Government takes over the operation of the railways and their ships |
| 1948 |
The British Transport Commission
is formed, taking state control of the railways, their ship operations
as well as dock and road haulage operations |
| 1962 |
British Rail is formed from the
railway division of the British Transport Commission, including the
shipping routes |
| 1979 |
British Rail`s ship operations
are sold to Stena and Sealink UK |
