 However, lack of money, political pressure and the launch of the prototype into passenger service before technical problems were fully overcome lead to the project being cancelled in the early 1980s.The major engineering works of BR were split-off into a separate company, British Rail Engineering Limited, in 1970.This was subsequently split further, becoming British Rail Maintenance Limited, whose ownership was retained by British Rail; and British Rail Engineering (1988) Limited, which was prepared for privatisation.