David E. Rayner was born in 1940. He joined British Rail: London Midland Region as a Management Trainee in 1962. He went on to serve as Assistant Yard Master at Guide Bridge and Personal Assistant to David Bowick. In 1985 he became the Deputy General Manager, British Rail: Eastern Region and then General Manager, British Rail: Eastern Region in 1986. Between 1987 and 1994 he sat as a Board Member on the British Railways Board, before becoming a Board Member for Railtrack Plc from 1994 to 1998.