Clifford Edward Perry joined British Rail as an Graduate Engineering Student from 1967 to 1969. In 1977 he became the Depot Engineer at Selhurst on British Railways Southern Region, serving in that capacity until 1981.He worked as the Engineering Director, Angel Train Contracts for British Railways between 1994 to 1995, after which, he was appointed the Managing Director for the Thameslink Train Operating Unit. He left that role in 1997 and joined AEA Technology Rail where he served as Managing Director, Vice President and Deputy Chairman, staying at the company until 2015. He subsequently has been involved with the Institution of Mechanical Engineers and has acted as an Advisor to the Board of Irish Railways.