It is common these days to describe the periods in which railways existed in Eras. These are thought to be the periods and Eras relevant to our railways:
| Era | Description | Timeline |
|---|---|---|
| Era 1 | Pioneering | 1804-1875 |
| Era 2 | Pre-Grouping | 1875-1922 |
| Era 3 | The Big Four | 1923-1947 |
| Era 4 | BR (early emblem) | 1948-1956 |
| Era 5 | BR (Last Crest) | 1957-1966 |
| Era 6 | BR (Pre-TOPS) | 1967-1971 |
| Era 7 | BR (TOPS) | 1971-1982 |
| Era 8 | BR (Sectorisation) | 1982-1994 |
| Era 9 | Post Privatisation | 1995 onwards |
| Era 10 | Network Franchising | 2006-2017 |
| Era 11 | Current operations | 2014- |