As an ex-BR Southern Commuter during the 1970's and early 80's I recall the experience as miserable, overcrowded, unreliable and very expensive. So railways haven't got worse, and have probably got better.
I am neither in favour or against Nationalisation. Either name is just cheap "spin" to cover up the fact that we have an legacy of Victorian infrastructure, and 100 years of underinvestment in railways.
The real solution is a massive investment over the next few decades in new equipment, track, signalling systems and maybe new routes ----spending perhps 1000 times more than is already being spent . (Though where they find the experienced staff to do it is another question)
What makes me annoyed is passengers (Press) complaining about the state of the railways AND then complaining about delays when someone tries to do something about it. e.g Rugby, WCML, Portsmouth etc etc.
Let's have more year-long blockades, I say
