Ross Jones interviewed by Prab Barange

Interview with Ross Jones recorded by Prab Barange on 12 April 2025, at the Dana Research Centre, Science Museum, London. Duration: 1 hour 16 minutes 31 seconds. Overview of his railway career, joining the railway in 1992 as a ticket examiner on Valley Lines in Cardiff, Wales, moving into driving after six months, and later working for Chiltern Railways, Virgin Trains and Avanti West Coast. He reflects on growing up in the Welsh Valleys, knowing he was gay as a teenager, coming out, and socialising in gay spaces. He discusses being bullied as a teenager, the impact of HIV/AIDS crisis, Section 28 and Thatcher politics then, finding role models in queer pop culture, and the importance of fighting back and being yourself. [00:13:57] Jones describes joining the railways to leave the Valleys for Cardiff. He discusses stereotypes about gay men, the challenge of working in rail as a gay man; his school experiences in an all-boys school and then a mixed gender school, how Section 28 affected teachers’ ability to support young people experiencing homophobia. How he has never felt the need to hide his sexuality at work. He talks about his aspirations, career ambitions as a child, and becoming a train driver, his dream job. [00:24:18] Jones recalls training as a driver, taking aptitude tests at Bristol Temple Meads, completing the Trainman D (trainman driver course), moving into driving, meeting other gay railway staff in Cardiff, and never feeling ashamed of being gay. He reflects on the number of gay staff in Cardiff, limited visibility of gay train drivers, being the only out gay driver at Euston in 2000, the lack of diversity in the driver workforce, and the importance of having visible LGBTQIA+ railway workers. [00:34:15] Jones discusses Cardiff social life, 1990s clubbing, friendships inside and outside rail, how he met is ex-partner at a club; how he met his current partner through online dating, 20 years relationship. His partner being also train driver and reflecting on the benefits of both understanding railway work. He also discusses their shared music interests, shift patterns, work-life balance, his work pattern preferences and destinations he drives to, working with gay crews being known as ‘Pink Pullman’; how important it is for him to stay active and caring for physical, mental health and wellbeing. [00:45:34] He discusses how he manages stress, witnessing the aftermath of fatalities, Post Traumatic Stress, and the focus required in driving, noting he has never had a SPAD (Signal Passed At Danger). He talks about encountering homophobia at work earlier in his career, religiously motivated homophobia and banter gone wrong, how it was handled and how he felt about it; he reflects on the danger of banter; how his own views and perception of others’ faith and religion has changed. [00:54:06] Jones reflects on changes in recent years on West Coast Main line (WCML), how he loves driving Pendolinos, changes in workplace culture, industrial relations, the rise of homophobic language, pay; discussing the upcoming re-nationalisation; life and work during the Covid-19 pandemic and feeling thankful he could continue working then. He considers retirement, his love of train driving, hopes for positive effects from nationalisation, widening diversity within the driving grade, better messroom conversations, and the need for more EDI (Equality/Equity, Diversity, Inclusion). [end of track 01] [Track 02] Jones reflects on being a gay train driver, changing social perceptions, and advice to younger LGBTQIA+ railway workers: value the railways, do not accept mistreatment or let others dismiss sexuality, and be yourself. [00:06:05] He discusses positive change over 30 years, including greater visibility of LGBTQIA+ railway staff, widening diversity in rail, improving attitudes, younger generations feeling more able to call out prejudice, and mentoring. [end of interview]

This interview was made as part of People Pride and Progress (PPP) project. The project was initiated in 2023 to record the stories and memories of the LGBTQIA+ community in a new oral history archive over two years. It aimed to connect past, present and future through intergenerational interviews, offering opportunities for colleagues across all parts of the rail industry to connect, reflect on and learn from each other’s lived experiences while creating an archive of oral history interviews.