Passengers' first renationalised SWR train ride

Rail enthusiast Shreyas, 12, and his dad Suresh celebrated getting on the 05:36 service from Woking

South Western Railway has become the first company to be re-nationalised by the Labour government.

At 01.59 BST the staff, stations and trains all came under the control of the new Great British Rail.

There was a bumpy start - engineering work is going on most weekends to improve the railways and the first train on the timetable had been cancelled.

But train enthusiasts and regular passengers were eager to get on board the first train from Woking to London Waterloo on Sunday.

Passenger Nick from Horsell said he "feels good" about reowning the railway

As dawn broke, the 05:36 from Woking left on time with rail enthusiast Shreyas, 12, and his dad Suresh on board celebrating.

It was a long trip, as all passengers had to decamp to rail replacement buses at Surbiton.

Passenger Nick, from Horsell near Woking, Surrey, had made the early start for a seven-hour journey to see Liverpool football club's celebratory parade.

He told me he "feels good" about re-owning the railway.

"It's been a right mess in recent years - unreliable, late cancellations," he says, adding that he thinks this will improve under the Labour government.

"I think they will have more control over things."

But he was hesitant when I asked him if he thought fares would come down.

He paid £80 for his ticket to Liverpool.

The passengers on the 05:36 service from Woking had to decamp to rail replacement buses at Surbiton

This morning's disruption is not uncommon for passengers travelling by rail in the South and South East.

But the government hopes that its nationalisation programme will start to improve the way things work.

The government hopes that from today its nationalisation programme will start to improve the passengers' travel experience