 HSBC held the exclusive contract from 1997 to 2004, between 2004 and 2013 it was held by NatWest, and Santander won the contract in 2013.Midland Bank, a part of HSBC since 1992, introduced a free four-year Railcard on 7 July 1997.It was available to any first-year undergraduate who opened a new account with the bank.