The Railways Board shall set up Boards (hereafter in this Act referred to as " Regional Railway Boards ") which shall, in accordance with the provisions of this section, share between them responsibility for all parts of the national railway system.

In the first instance there shall be six Regional Railway Boards to be known as—

• the Eastern Railway Board,

• the London Midland Railway Board,

• the North Eastern Railway Board,

• the Scottish Railway Board,

• the Southern Railway Board,

• the Western Railway Board,

but the Minister may, after consulting the Railways Board, by order alter the number of Regional Railway Boards or give them names or new names.

An order made under this subsection may vary a previous order so made and shall be made by statutory instrument subject to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of either House of Parliament.

Part II of the First Schedule to this Act shall have effect as regards the constitution and proceedings of Regional Railway Boards, and as regards their members.

Each Regional Railway Board shall, on behalf of the Railways Board, exercise such functions of the Railways Board as respects the part of the national railway system for the management of which that Regional Railway Board is to be responsible as are for the time being delegated to them by the Railways Board ; and the Railways Board shall, in determining what functions are to be so delegated by them, act on lines settled from time to time with the approval of the Minister.

The Railways Board shall from time to time determine the parts of the national railway system for the management of which the Regional Railway Boards are to be responsible.

The Railways Board shall publish in the London and Edinburgh Gazettes notice of any determination made by them under this subsection, stating the places at which copies of the maps, plans and other documents which implement the determination may be inspected by the public, and shall at all times afford reasonable facilities in appropriate places for inspection by the public of such maps, plans and other documents authenticated by a certificate in writing by the Railways Board.