Oral history interview with Brian Bushell conducted and recorded by Bob Gwynne and Jonathan Aylen on 2 December 2016 in Tremadog, Wales. Duration: 2 hours 23 minutes 54 seconds. The interview focuses on Brian Bushell career in computing (starting at Unilever, moving to British Rail) and role in the development of TOPS (Total Operations Processing System) at British Rail. Family background, childhood, railway interest, career start, British Rail, Lever Brothers (Unilever); IBM computing skills test; computer programming training, IBM college, IBM machines; BACS (Banks Automated Credit system) system at Unilever, transporting magnetic tapes on train; designing software, coding, machine code, programming language, Autocoder, use of punch cards and discs; System controller at Lever Brothers (Unilever); applying to Computer Project Officer role at British Rail, salary comparison, British Rail computing work structure, International Computers Limited (ICL); barcoded wagons, IBM and Southern Pacific starting developing TOPS in 1964 ; British Rail Management Services responsible for computer development, difference with BR Research Derby; technical support, Computer Centres at Crewe and Peterborough, type of computing equipment; issues with computerisation of payroll, fixing programming errors; decimalisation, use of COBOL programming language, decimal conversation sub-routine; designing TOPS for British Rail, working with IBM, Southern Pacific, international collaboration; introduction of packet switching, ARPANET, standard IP address; how TOPS worked, TOPS developed by Americans, needed modification for British Rail; TOPS legacy; TOPSTRANS software

This interview was recorded by Bob Gwynne (then Associate Curator at the National Railway Museum) and Dr Jonathan Aylen of Alliance Manchester Business School, as part of their joint research to understand the history of computerisation on British Railways and their efforts to collect memories of people involved in the implementation of TOPS on British Railways.

TOPS was a computer system implemented by British Railways from August 1973 onwards to control its freight traffic. It provided information on all train movements and all rail vehicles in real time and underpins how the rail system works. It is still in operation today.

TOPS allowed British Rail to keep tabs on its rolling stock across the whole rail network. TOPS was developed in the USA through a collaboration between IBM and Southern Pacific. The British Railways version of TOPS was noteworthy for pioneering multiplexing for computer communication across a national network. The software used was TOPSTRANS, essentially a set of IBM Macros which would call forth the appropriate sub-routines and activate drives.

As with many automation systems, TOPS forced the introduction of new management processes and shaped the way the railway operated. For the first time, there was a systematic inventory of railway assets with a consistent numbering system. It was not just an automation system but a step towards modern management of railways in the UK.