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<p>The national rail infrastructure is held and managed by Network Rail, a Non-Departmental
Public Body reporting to the Department for Transport. A number of privately owned
lines and sidings are connected to the national rail network. Almost all rolling stock
in operation on the national rail network is privately owned. The franchised passenger
train operating companies are contracted out by the Department for Transport or devolved
administrations. The Intercity East Coast franchise is currently operated by a publicly
owned operating company, LNER Ltd, pending the letting of a new franchise. All these
train services operate on the national rail network alongside privately owned freight
and passenger train operating companies.</p><p> </p><p>The High Speed 1 infrastructure
between London St Pancras and the UK Channel Tunnel portal is owned by the Department
for Transport and let as a thirty year concession. Some UK cities own and operate
their own rail networks, notably London, Newcastle and Glasgow.</p>
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