Clifford Perry Interviewed by Chris Kinchin-Smith (Session 2 of 2)

Oral history interview with Clifford Perry conducted by Chris Kinchin-Smith on the 26th July 2021 In Swindon. Duration 1hr. 5min. 35 sec. This interview is a follow up of an interview conducted on the 19 July 2018. Railway industry Research between 1964 and 1997; Wheel-rail dynamics and computer based signalling; Advanced Passenger Train; Privatisation of British Rail Research; Management Buy Out bid; AEA Technology; Track recording car; Cliff Perry’s role at AEAT; staff; AEAT turnover and profitability; Technologies; Financial issues with the research company; successes and failures; Evolution of railway research; Train in the years after Train operation Company privatisation; benefits of the Association of UK Rail Research providers and the Rail safety Standards board; Sale of AEAT Rail; Delta Rail; SNC-Lavelin Atkins; Vampire wheel-rail dynamics software; challenges of achieving better railways.

One of over 150 oral history recordings made as part of the Britain’s Railways All Change (BRAC) archive project. BRAC was set-up to cover gaps in documenting the railway privatisation process in the United Kingdom, between 1994 and 1997, when the government-owned British Rail was dismantled into over 100 privately-owned companies. The interviews capture the recollections of people involved in the planning and implementation of the privatisation process, the management of change and running the railway during privatisation.