John Tilley Interviewed by Frank Paterson

Interview with John Tilley conducted by Frank Paterson on the 9th of November 2021 in the RMT offices in Liverpool. Duration 2 hrs. 14 min. 40 sec. Signalman training; Trade union branch; signalman’s representative; conferences; elected to National Executive Committee 1993; Train Operating Companies responses and issues; Union use of Preparing for Privatisation machinery; Department of Transport intervention; integrity statement; signalman’s strike 1994; resolution; National Executive role on privatisation; secondment to full time union work; Parliamentary Select Committee; key amendments; 1993 2 day strike; British Rail; Response; Working Parties on Privatisation; 92 procedure designed; going back to work as a signalman; re-election to the National Executive Committee in 2000; signalman’s ballot; Joint Working Party; negotiations; RMT headquarters sold; 2003 change Railtrack to Network Rail; Railtrack National Council effectiveness and processes; move to full time employment by RMT in 2005; national structure of the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport; cases; meetings; outcomes; recent issues; Personal reflections.

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.