Philip Dunkley joined Derby Locomotive Works as an Engineering Apprentice in 1953, before becoming a Fitter at Derby No. 4 Shed Motive Power Depot from 1958 to 1959. He then moved to work in Nottingham as Motive Power Improver between 1959 and 1960 and then served as Mechanical Foreman at Willesden Motive Power Depot until 1961. He joined the General Manager’s Office in Euston in 1961, serving as a Work Study Investigator until 1963, when he became a Work Study Team Manager serving in this capacity until 1965. He then began to work in Crewe, firstly as Traction Assistant Line Control before becoming the Deputy Chief Controller from 1968 to 1971. He then served as Trains Assistant in the Divisional Manager’s Office until 1974. He was appointed as the Area Manager at St Pancras until and served as Area Manager at Rugby from 1975 until 1977. In 1977 he then became an Operating Officer in the Divisional Manager’s Office at Euston, working in this capacity until 1979 when he became the Divisional Operating Superintendent at Nottingham. He then moved back to Euston, where he was the Area Manager between 1981 and 1986. He then worked as a Project Manager (Fennell Inquiry) at the British Railways Board Headquarters from 1986 to 1989. He moved into safety roles, working as Safety Advisor in the Safety Directorate for the British Railways Board from 1989 to 1991. He was then appointed as the Head of Safety Advisory Unit for the British Railways Board, serving in this role from 1991 until his retirement in 1994.