National Archive of Railway Oral History (NAROH), contains well over a thousand hours of recordings of the whole life  stories of a very wide range of men and women who worked on Britains Railways during the 20th century. The project was initiated in 2000 by the Friends of the National Railway Museum who, with generous support from the Heritage Lottery Fund,  developed and managed a team of volunteer interviewers to produce the largest industrial focused oral history project in the UK. Find out more here

South of England Group of the Friends of the National Railway Museum (NRM)

We support the development of the Museum by assisting and promoting its activities through

FRIENDS SOUTH OF ENGLAND GROUP

BRAC - Privatisation Oral History. The human dimension
 

Background

Between 1994 and 1996  Britains’ Railways moved from a single state owned entity to over 100 privately owned companies. This transferred nearly 120,000 employees, 11,300 miles of railway track,  2355 passenger stations, thousands of freight and passenger rolling stock from the state to the private sector. The changes were designed implemented and managed by individuals who were concurrently responsible for the provision of all existing rail services. It was a period of unprecedented pressure on the people involved. Careers were at stake, future prospects uncertain, marriages broke down and health suffered. The significant changes were accomplished, to an ambitious timetable dictated by government and introduced without serious disruption to rail users.

The Project

The BRAC Oral History Project was launched in 2017 to add a human dimension to rail privatisation and establish how it was achieved by recording  the personal stories of many of the  key people involved. It was initiated and managed by the Friends of the National Railway Museum in partnership with the Retired Railway Officers Society and funded by the Friends and generous donations from individual members of  RROS.  The interviews have been recorded and processed to meet standards stipulated by the Science Museum Group .

DIDCOT RAILWAY CENTRE

Explore the unique collection of Great Western Railway steam locomotives, carriages, wagons, buildings and small artefacts at our 21 acre living museum set around the original 1932 Engine Shed

FRIENDS NORTH EAST BRANCH (Shildon)

Supporting Locomotion at Shildon