Out of Control

This book is a personal account of a 25 year career with British Rail, from a Signalbox Lad in 1970 at Wigan, through various Signalling and Supervisory positions at London, Liverpool, Northampton, and Crewe, to a Resources’ Controller at Warrington in 1995. It is a view of the workings on BR from a person at the sharp end of railway operating, not from an office bound higher manager who has little appreciation about what really goes on in the daily struggle to keep Britain’s railways running.
I would like to believe this book will appeal not only to those working in the industry, but also those from outside who have an interest in it, however, if you don’t know your “Up” Line from your “Down”, then this book may not be for you. It is an honest, true, and hopefully amusing account of the way I played my part in running BR. At the end, it’s pitiful to reflect that after 25 years loyal and conscientious service, I felt not a tinge of sadness in leaving an industry in such an obvious rapid decline, as it suicidally headed towards privatisation.