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Interview with Simon Shepherd recorded by Polly McGillivray on 15th October 2024 at the Worthing Training Centre Depot, Worthing. Duration: 35min 17secs. Introduction, current job; born in South London, childhood, mixed ethnic background family, many siblings, Jamaican father, British mother; 1970s, experiences of homophobia and racism as a child in London, colour bar and segregation; examples of racist abuse, racism within black community, being protected by mother; [00:04:00] powerful Black activists figures; how not identifying to gay icons and stereotypes delayed coming out as gay in his 20s; commenting on LGBTQIA+ representation in the media; confronting homophobia in his family; [00:07:50] getting married, choosing marriage over civil partnership, what getting married meant for him; first Pride in Clapham Common, red balloons for people who died of AIDS; importance of LGBTQ+ rights activism; [00:09:45] first job, joining the railways, Railway Trainee Scheme (RTS) at 16 yo, different roles for 2 years, Network SouthEast; left railway and came back in 1990, fitter at Wimbeldon Park Depot, dirty work, colleagues’ behaviour and comments in communal showers, presenting as butch (very masculine) whilst questioning his own sexuality; how he identifies, how he feels in relation to LGBTQ+ community; communal showers at railway depots; shunter role at London Bridge, shunting activities; working up the grades, listing roles and grades, station control point, station announcer, duty station manager, filling up secondment/interim position but not being given permanent promotion; leaving station management roles to become a driver; [00:15:18] 1999, train driver; pay as a driver; homophobia, how other drivers acted towards him as a gay man, abuses, offensive graffiti in his cab, a friend being bullied, manager being clueless how to help; first Pride train 2004-2005, homophobic reactions and comments from colleagues, change to relationships with people finding out he is gay, coming out on Pride train 2004-2005; hiding being gay, Charing Cross’s ‘pink brigade’ secret meetings in LGBTQ+ bars, abuse when LGBTQ+ people came out or were outed, some supportive reaction when he came out; [00:19:25] secret safe LGBTQ+ spaces, the ‘pink brigade’ secret LGBTQ+ community, word-of-mouth on third carriage of a train being safe, secret clubs in Cornwall and Blackpool, getting together, sense of community, importance of knowing of like-minded people; how and when he realised he was gay, being confused about his sexuality; [00:23:30] first Pride train 2004, class 319, Brighton-Clapham Junction, positive reception, press coverage, LGBTQ+ crew on-board, Pride train then, journey experience on Pride train, balloons and champagne; [00:25:40] career progression from being a driver, not getting promotions because of being gay; first managing role in 2011, Driver Manager; 2012 changes to Driver Manager and Competency Development Manager (CDM) roles and drivers recruitment, diversity, open to change, resistance to change in some areas; CDM role; [00:28:45] reflecting on how LGBTQIA+ community perception and experience has changed during his career, comparing with Black Lives Matters, displays of tolerance but homophobia and racism still present, people behaviours, examples; his personal views on how social media impact on LGBTQ+ people representation, lack of diversity in gay or LGBTQ+ representations in popular form of entertainment/sports; [00:31:20] being considered a role-model by others, being the first openly gay CDM, unfairness of having to fight to get promotions, having to disclose being sexuality or gender identity; personal views on railway industry and LGBTQIA+ community inclusion, on People Pride and Progress oral history project; having knowledge of bullying and abuses suffered by LGBTQ+ people within the railway industry; final message to people listening interview, importance of being true to oneself, being ‘Born this way’ [end]

Simon Shepherd interviewed by Polly McGillivray

2024-10-15
Interview with Stuart Meek recorded by Polly McGillivray on 25th October 2024. Duration: 1hr 24min 50secs. Childhood, family; education, school, small town; career prospects, GCSEs, vocational A level, supportive teachers; social life, choosing universities; [00:08:20] Loughborough University, Transport and railways, challenges, working hard, masculine environment; industry placement, work discipline; [00:13:40] 2006, PhD in transport economics, meeting partner, coming out to family, student union jobs, personal life kept private; PhD in 2½ years, his work discipline [00:15:20] post-PhD, Transport For London (TfL) graduate scheme; 2009, first job at TfL; Leicester to London move; first day at London Underground headquarters, commuting [00:16:20] PhD on interchange, Park and Ride schemes, impact on his railway job, communication skills in leadership [00:21:40] work at TfL, placements, operations at London Underground (LU), people and work culture, work as Operations Manager to Chief Operating Officer (Howard Collins); progressing to senior role running LU Network Operations Centre, Centurion Grade managers [00:26:20] LU Network Operations Centre, colleagues; not involved in LGBTQIA+ community; work culture, vision of diversity then, not LGBTQIA+, ethnicity, BAME communities, accessibility; transphobic abuse; [00:32:30] 2013, personal life, family, adopting child impact on being openly gay at work; changes at LU and TfL in operations and culture; prioritising family, adoption leave, colleagues reactions; headhunted by railway companies, responsibilities at TfL, move to Southern Railway TOC (Train Operating Company); Head of Control at Southern Railway, challenges, Three Bridges Rail Operating Centre (ROC), culture compared to TfL [00:36:20] Go-Ahead Group, South Central franchise, bid for Govia Thameslink Rail (GTR); General Manager, working with COO Dyan Crowther, GTR bid structure, sub-franchises, roles and responsibilities, being part of directors team, diversity; timeline Go-Ahead winning GTR contract, merger with South Central franchise [00:42:00] start of GTR, impact of Southern Driver-Only Operation (DOO) dispute, change in GTR, working with Angie Doll Managing Director of Southern/Gatwick Express as General Manager of Operations, DOO dispute, strikes, poor level of service, impact on passengers; setting LGBTQIA+ group, responsibility to support colleagues; [00:47:00] beginning of LGBTQIA+ support group; trainbow, Pride flag wrapping on train, new class 700; LGBTQIA+ group impact; leaders responsibilities towards their community; [00:53:30] team achievements at Southern; Business Development at Go-Ahead, international operations; final months as Train Services Director GTR, personal life, family grief, support at work; summer 2019, event management Brighton Pride, milestone GTR float at Pride; [00:58:00] September 2019, Go-Ahead, commute to Germany, work culture; 2020 covid-19 pandemic, remote work; covid impact on business development in railways; summer 2021 Thameslink Great Northern Passenger Service Director in GTR, changes; 2016 MBA sponsored by GTR, diversity in other industries, celebrating diversity, LGBTQIA+ heritage, bringing new perspectives; [01:05:30] LGBTQIA+ and BAME communities representation at South Western Railways (SWR); diversity beyond LGBTQIA+, “All Aboard” campaign National Inclusion Week 2023, everyone welcomed on SWR trains; LGBTQIA+ people and public transport; lack of support within LGBTQIA+ community, intersectionality, language for inclusivity [01:11:00] “All Aboard” campaign; employee engagement survey; Vauxhall station adopted by SWR Pride Network and LGBT HERO charity October 2024; [01:16:40] inclusivity in the railway industry; celebrating diversity; having a positive impact on all colleagues; loneliness of leadership in a large organisation, trusting he does the right thing; how contemporary society has changed, role of railways in society [end of interview]

Stuart Meek interviewed by Polly McGillivray

2024-10-25
Interview with Daniel Richards recorded by Polly McGillivray on 15th October 2025 at the Worthing Station Training Centre. Duration: 48min 59secs. Introduction; childhood in Cornwall, school, leaving before A-levels, first job, customer service, work at Marks and Spencer’s (M&S); being a young gay man in Cornwall, gay club in Penzance in someone’s home; feeling the need to leave Cornwall, move to work to M&S foodhall in London; [00:05:50] move to North London, family support in London, finding own accommodation, flat share; 1996, social life at 18 yo, going out with housemates, clubbing, G-A-Y gay night club at the London Astoria; the Millenium, 2000, feeling need to return home in Cornwall, resigning from M&S in London, support from former manager, offered job at M&S in Cornwall; 6 month in Cornwall, feeling need to move, how Cornwall had changed whilst he lived in London, gay night club, gay people, LGBTQIA+ community, labour club, Cornish Mafia bouncers, feeling safe; meeting first boyfriend; gay clubs feeling safer than straight clubs, comparing music played at either; [00:12:25] feeling safe but bored in Cornwall, childhood, school, being gay and coming out to friends, coming out to his mother, family; how he felt about Cornwall lifestyle, liking busy city life; [00:15:50] where his confidence comes from, previous work experiences airlines, British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, breakup and relationship with ex-partner, helped with interview for new job; 2000-2008 airline steward/cabin crew roles and progression at Virgin Atlantic; why he left airline job, being away from home a lot; homophobia; [00:20:10] how he became a train driver, considering pay, wanting a role with less social interactions than previous roles, no opportunities on Virgin Trains; trainee train driver, Southern Railway, Brighton; assessment process, physics exam, being given feedback; [00:25:50] living in Brighton since 2004, comparing with when he lived near aviation site; accommodation in Brighton, sense of belonging in Brighton, train driver job limiting ability to move, plans to move to Cornwall when retired, limited train driver job opportunities in Cornwall; [00:29:00] 18-years career on the railway; comparing railways and airlines work culture and ethics, more disciplined on railways; training as a driver, his driving instructor, how he felt as a gay person, being okay with banter when reciprocal, colleagues at Brighton depot; microaggression, how he felt when an unfamiliar colleague made an abusive comment in front of a new trainee when he was a driving instructor; [00:35:10] Brighton depot, being openly gay at work, LGBTQIA+ community there, how banter has changed, reflecting on his own words/use of language, worrying of offending, struggling with some changes in contemporary culture and discussing it with his daughter; his two children, relationship with his children and extended family, his children’s jobs not on the railways; [00:39:35] how he feels about working on the railways, what he loves about it, how it fits his lifestyle, working shifts, missing work when being on leave, advocating for railways, convincing friends to work on the railways, Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) culture and depot; driver for 6 years, driving instructor (DI) for 10 years; profile of trainee drivers, not only people in early career; what he loves about being a DI, meeting new people, seeing trainees’ progression, training over 5 months, missing his partner; friendship with former trainees [00:44:05] challenging some trainees on how they used the word ‘gay’, making them aware it can be offensive; reflecting on his railway career, being openly gay, feeling privileged, hoping to be seen as someone others can confide in, being confident, where his confidence comes from, relationship with family; LGBTQIA+ community, importance to recognize what previous generations did, still facing challenges [00:49:00] [end of interview]

Daniel Richards interviewed by Polly McGillivray

2024-10-15
Interview with Gemma Burgess recorded by Esker Saward on 31st March 2025 at the interviewee's home in London. Duration: 1hr 40min 01secs. Childhood, Luton, education, career prospects; studying aerospace engineering at Surrey University, 2008, challenges; reflecting on time at university; 2011, questioning and realising own identity; how she realised she was transgender and how she felt, June 2012, period of significant change, from university to workplace, job interview, support from friend on online gaming platform; [00:18:50] start first job, oil and gas industry, how she felt, impact of realising she was trans, impact of being neurodivergent on office work experience, performance; temporary jobs at university, not being openly trans, meeting a transition buddy; being unemployed, experience at job centre, spring 2013, application and interview for Network Rail graduate scheme, personal interest in railways, confidence at interview; Track and Train scheme by Network Rail, details of graduate scheme, placements in Train Operation Companies (TOCs), Freight Operating Companies (FOCs), Rail Safety and Standards Board (RSSB), Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) and Office of Rail Regulation (ORR); Network Rail Westwood Training Centre, Coventry, corporate training; personal health and safety considerations; first placement, suicide prevention, working with Fatality Mitigation Manager; [00:30:25] not being out as trans at start of graduate scheme, feeling positive in Network Rail environment, comparing inclusivity in railway industry and private sector; how she found out about Archway LGBTQIA+ support network attending early meetings; coming out as trans to line manager, support; 2012, mental health, referral for transitioning; June 2014, coming out at work, starting transition, name change; second placement, performance office, support at start of transition; process of transitioning gender at work, colleagues/team briefed by line managers, updating IT, issues getting new ID card, support from Head of Diversity and Inclusion at Network Rail; no policies for gender transition then, supportive environment; [00:45:24] graduate scheme placement, performance, measurement of delays, why team call performance ‘the magical railway money’; train performance issues, example; anecdote, report on gapped Class 54 at Clapham Junction; other things she worked on; [00:52:23] third placement with Track Maintenance Engineer (TME) in Woking, data input, office based; interest in operational work; April 2015, end of 18-months graduate scheme, applying for jobs internally within Network Rail; reflecting on first years of her transition, physical wellbeing and health, job hunting; successful interview at Network Rail Head Office London, Project Manager role, planning and finance, how different it was to previous experiences; 2015, impact of Great Western Electrification project going over budget, enhancement projects cancelled; relationship with colleagues, politics, 2015 elections, Brexit, wellbeing and mental health; [01:11:10] new role, Freight Documentation at Network Rail, Head Office, relationship with colleagues; attending early Archway meetings; being neurodivergent, challenges at work; freight documentation role, what she does and what she likes about it; experiences being misgendered; [01:26:30] reflection on career; 2016-2020 focussed on work, 2020, Covid-19 pandemic impact on her work and life, adapting to work from home, restrictions and living conditions during lockdowns; hybrid working (2025), reassessing her life/work balance; what motivates her in her job; her personal view on how Archway started, LGBTQIA+ diversity within Archway in 2015 compared to post-Covid 2022-2023; reflecting on doing the oral history interview, feeling lucky that she hasn’t encountered a lot of adversity in her life and work [end of interview]

Gemma Burgess interviewed by Esker Saward

2025-03-31
Interview with Stephen Jenkins recorded by Robert Morgan on 20th March 2024 at Exeter Library. Duration: 52 minutes 40 secs. Joined railway 1973, education, boarding school, studying modern languages at university in Oxford, career prospects; knowing he was gay from a young age, sex education at school then; not being out as gay at university; early 1970s changes in society, Campaign for Homosexual Equality (CHE) impact, questioning his own sexuality and coming out, feeling of not fitting in with people openly gay at university; [00:05:05] career considerations, interest in industry, interest in transport and railways; traffic management training scheme with British Rail (BR), South Wales, his impressions at start of training, cultural shock, experienced railway staff there, feeling isolated as a gay man, no knowledge of other LGBTQIA+ people; coming out attempts, experience going to gay pub for first time in Cardiff; [00:11:05] shift supervisor role at Severn Tunnel Junction, dealing with male employee known to chase young male employees; Total Operations Processing System (TOPS), yard supervisor role and TOPS officers, work culture then, pranking and goofing around; how he felt about being asked out by colleague; [00:16:30] work at Head Office, doing masters at university funded by BR; exploring his sexuality and coming out when doing masters at university, discovering LGBTQIA+ community, surprised when meeting someone from BR at gay pub for the first time, how different it felt then (1970s-early 1980s) compared to now (2024); occasionally met LGBTQIA+ people working in railway industry, gradually realising there were more LGBTQIA+ people in railways than he thought; Railtrack, early 1990s, assumptions and gossips about a manager being gay, anecdote how he came out to his line manager, hierarchical relationship with line manager, how he feels about talking about his sexuality; [00:24:00] applying for job at Railtrack in Swindon, wanted to be open about his sexuality, being chairman of lesbian and gay switchboard for 5 years, sexuality not made a topic at work/when hired; anecdote, hearing people gossiping about him; used to keep quiet about his sexuality, changed in late 1990s, how things feel different now with visibility of LGBTQIA+ people; [00:28:10] impact of 1980s HIV/AIDS crisis, more discreet about his sexuality; lack of knowledge how HIV was caught, ticket collectors worried they could catch it from tickets; microagression, when he was off work with flu and people thought he had AIDS, lack of support at work then; Severn Tunnel Junction job, anecdote, colleagues’ prank with fax machine; when his boss tried to find out if he was gay, unofficial support; not coming out at work, how he dealt with gossip, reflecting on having kept part of his identity secret throughout his railway career; [00:37:00] Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) in workplace now, employers embracing people’s identities, being able to bring whole self to work; how it felt for him not being fully himself at work, impact on confidence and ambition, not wanting to be in high profile position; how railway felt a safe workplace to him as a gay man, but may have felt different to others; [00:44:30] how railway industry has changed for LGBTQIA+ community, rail employers at pride events, employers supporting employees; how BR supported well its employees when straight, married with kids; advice he would give to LGBTQIA+ person joining railways now, not to be put off from joining railway industry, support, be yourself and do not hide your sexuality; what his dad said about work when he came out; generational differences in acceptance of LGBTQIA+; reflecting, used to think senior management was always made of straight people, impact of knowing that senior staff could be gay [00:52:40] [end of interview]

Stephen Jenkins interviewed by Robert Morgan

2024-03-20
Interview with Daniel Simpson-Leek recorded by Claire McHugh on 29 May 2026. Total duration: 1 hour 5 minutes 59 seconds. [Start of interview, track 01] Childhood in Milton Keynes, in close-knit community, outdoor interests and friendships. Education, attending Stantonbury Campus, a large, liberal and culturally diverse school where teachers were called by first names and students were treated as mature. Studying criminology and sociology at A Level, choosing to take a gap year before university, and choosing Coventry University. His experience at university, hobbies, part-time job, how he met his future husband. Life and work after university, between Coventry and Milton Keynes, job at a bank, job at a law firm, relationship with his boyfriend. Coming out to his parents, their reaction. Work in insurance claim, how he felt about it, then working in counter-fraud, enthusiasm for counter-fraud work, workplace cultures in places he worked then. He talks about the legalisation of same-gender marriage and consequently getting married to his partner, adopting a child together. He details the adoption process they went through with his husband, how social services are more experience working on adoption by same-gender couple, the types of questions and training they went through prior to adopting. [00:27:13] He reflects his parenting experience, family life, paternity leave, returning to flexible work, and coping with the disruption of Covid-19 pandemic. Redundancy during the pandemic, led him to join Network Rail (NR) in May 2021 as a Counter Fraud Data Analyst. He explains that NR’s counter-fraud work protects public money, investigates expenses, supplier fraud and collusion; working with British Transport Police [BTP] and others to gather evidence and prosecute cases. He joined Archway, NR’s LGBTQIA+ network, having previously led an LGBTQIA+ network, and was keen for it to benefit its wider membership, including gay parents and those under-represented in leadership. [00:41:19] He describes organising Archway conferences, arranging speakers on topics including transgender experiences and hate crime, and navigating the logistics of venues, costs and strong personalities. He discusses changes planned for the re-nationalisation of the railways, under Great British Railways (GBR), he acknowledges the experiences of LGBTQIA+ colleagues within NR can be very different dependant on the type of role held, whether office-based or working on trackside, NR’s male-dominated workforce. His role including counter-fraud and Whistleblowing line, investigating reports of homophobia. He praises NR support to staff networks and questions about whether support will continue as structures change. He values public-sector counter-fraud work and talks about future career progression. [end of track 01] [Track 02] He describes working with a colleague who is also a same-gender adopter, how they created together an Archway conference session on adoption for same-gender couples. Interest was greater than expected, leading to an online session and then an adoptive parent support group at NR, open beyond LGBTQIA+ staff, with monthly catch-ups. [00:05:00] He reflects further on parenthood and adoptive parenting. He hopes that the move to GBR will protect structures supporting minority groups and continues to make progress. [end of interview]

Daniel Simpson-Leek interviewed by Claire McHugh

2026-05-29
Interview with Joe Brown recorded by Scott Heath on 8th July 2024 at the Transport for London Office. Duration: 1hr 35min 47secs. Childhood, living near District Line, London; education; parents, mother’s health and death, father’s remarriage; [00:03:37] gender identity, identifying as gay at age 12; seeking friends with magazine’s lonely hearts ads, meeting people, discovering London gay scene; [00:09:00] bullying at gender segregated school, change to gender diverse in Sixth Form, making friends; relationship with his father, coming out to family; his husband; [00:13:00] education choices, A-levels, university; diversity at school versus university; [00:16:00] working on the London gay scene in the mid-1990s, [00:20:00] HIV-positive people and AIDS then; [00:22:00] 1997, joining London Underground (Transport for London, TfL, since 2000), guard role vacancy poster, recruitment process; work as guard on Northern Line, East Finchley, last trains with guards; [00:26:30] personal commute to work, working hours, shifts; work as a guard, interacting with passengers; driver training on 1959 stock, Ashfield house Training Center, qualification exam; East Finchley, guard/motorman role; mess room in late 1990s, not an inclusive environment; requesting transfer to Parsons Green known as ‘The Pink Depot’; mess room at East Finchley, how people behaved; [00:35:24] how driver and guard worked in pairs, ‘mafia’ system for drivers to swap shifts; doing shifts with different drivers every day, difficulties being open in small talk, thinking carefully about whether to disclose being gay or not, no visibility of LGBTQ+ colleagues then; [00:39:25] experience at Parsons Green (‘The Pink Depot’), roles of Julian Hows and Dave Hirst (first openly gay driver in 1970s) in establishing ‘The Pink Depot’, safe space for LGBTQ+ people, comparison with other lines; [00:44:40] Parsons Green’s demographic, allies, gender balance at different depots, social environment; routine as a driver, work-life balance, friendships; becoming a Trains manager, Earls Court; [00:51:25] anecdote with straight male colleague wearing proposed new female uniform, ambiance at depot; importance of LGBTQ+ representation in Union; reflecting on 1980s unemployability of open LGBTQ+ people, London Underground seeking workers; difference with now (2024), change in numbers of LGBTQIA+ people at TfL; [00:57:00] Parsons Green, reactions to environment; silo mentality within a depot, no wider community network; [00:59:55] 2007, Trains Operations Manager at Elephant and Castle (Bakerloo Line), comparing environments, LGBTQ+ representation; women and lesbians on TfL; further change of roles; 2005, creation of OUTbound, how it was perceived, divide between head office and operational roles, unofficial network at line levels; [01:05:20] experience at Wembley Park as Trains Manager, larger depot, 2012 London Olympics, LGBTQ+ representation; general societal changes observed during his career, reflecting on gay/LGBTQ+ culture since 1990s; [01:10:10] meeting his husband, marriage in 2006, being open about his relationship in the workplace, why he occasionally avoids disclosing being gay; [01:15:05] new role, Executive Officer as covid-19 pandemic and lockdown began, operational challenges bringing back services and managing staff; changes and pause to OUTbound network during covid, remote events, impact of furlough leave; office work experience during and after pandemic; husband’s operational role during pandemic; personal impact of covid; [01:21:50] new role of Strategic Delivery and Change Manager, supporting colleagues; chairing OUTbound, making changes, BFI Flare Festival, increasing diversity and accessibility; project planning London Pride 2023; collaborating with other network groups; [01:28:10] LGBTQ+ vinyl wrapping TfL bus and trains, other Pride activities [01:32:30] reflecting how LGBTQ+ inclusion has changed at TfL [end of interview]

Joe Brown interviewed by Scott Heath

2024-07-08
Interview with Ife Akande recorded by Rachel Norman on 13 February 2026. Duration: 1 hour 27 minutes 30 seconds. [Start of interview] Childhood, London, family background, Nigerian heritage, impact of parents divorce on childhood and family relations; growing up in London, friendships, travelling by bus, mobile phones then; Education, schools attended, experiencing racism at primary school, all-girl secondary school, values of attending a predominantly Black school; academic expectations, studying, pressure and resilience, school life, friendships [00:11:23]; University of Sheffield, studying mechanical engineering, career aspirations, interest in railways and renewable energy; her family’s expectation for her career, reflecting on education and career choices; placement at Network Rail (NR) during university, introduction to the railway industry, learning about rail operations and infrastructure, dealing with rail defects, High Speed 1 (HS1) in Kent. Return to university after placement, part-time job whilst at university; friendships from childhood and new friends during university. Family relationships, her responsibilities as the eldest child in a Nigerian household to care for relatives; impact of Covid 19 pandemic, cancelled A-levels. Reflecting on independence at university, how it felt to live away from her family, new friendships. [00:27:09] How successful placement at NR led to starting career after graduation being recruited by NR, joining NR Graduate Scheme, training details, values and positive team culture. Professional development and long-term career goals, working towards Engineering Chartership. Reflections on rail industry, being a Black woman in a predominantly white male industry, workplace culture. Work within NR Delivery Unit (NRDU), maintenance work, rail assets and infrastructure, York Central, East Coast Main Line, collaborative working, relationships within the team. She reflects on her identity, interest and hobbies. She talks about her experience of the workplace as a part of the LGBTQIA+ community, being openly queer, how LGBTQ+ issues are addressed, respect and inclusion in workplace. How employees’ wellbeing is handled, supportive management. She discusses and reflects on representation and diversity in the workplace and in the rail industry, increase LGBTQIA+ diversity, a lack of ethnic diversity, awareness of Black engineers pursuing careers outside of rail, need for advocacy of rail engineering career. Relationships with family, support and pride of her family for her academic and career achievements. Relationship with younger sibling, reflecting on family dynamic, relationships and expectations on academic performance. Reflecting on equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) in education, differences in her experiences at school and university, reflections on racism, microaggressions; her involvement in the LGBTQIA+ community at University, being a Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) LGBT+ representative on university LGBT Committee, societies she joined at university, hobbies, social life and friendships. [00:58:21] Coming out in sixth form and at university, first long term relationship, independence and being openly queer at university. Reflections on coming out. Career aspiration within NR, her interests and future plans. Travel and future aspirations, interest in living and working in North America, places and countries she wants to visit. Hobbies and leisure, interest in perfume, collecting fragrance, cigars; LGBTQIA+ identity, lesbian identity, importance of identity and representation, her personal style and appearance. Reflections on identities within the LGBTQIA+ community and gender expression; links between identity and working in rail industry. [01:21:46] Reflecting on gender expression, identity and expectations; her preference for masculine clothes and presentation, cultural identity, asserting personal identity through appearance. [end of interview]

Ife Akande interviewed by Rachel Norman

2026-02-13
Interview with Liz Lumber recorded by Ashlynn Hudson-Welburn on 9th September 2024 at the National Railway Museum, York. Duration: 2hr 5min 3secs. Childhood 1960s, family, education, school; unemployment mid 1980s; early career, casino, trying for armed forces, work for Metropolitan Police, fitness industry; joining the railways, railway career evolution; [00:07:08]; challenges in childhood, boarding school, changes in her family, working to help parents, her interests then [end of track 01] [track 02] education, hard times at school, friendships; working with parents after school; work at the casino; joining the police, 1988-1993; living with her first girlfriend; her sexuality, coming out to family, supportive parents; first girlfriend, her life then; HIV/AIDS crisis impact on public perception of same-sex relationships, keeping her sexuality private from work; 1984-85, LGBTQIA+ scene in Portsmouth, feeling part of the community [00:20:52]; police force 1988-1993, double life, hiding sexuality/relationship at work, homophobia in police, male dominated environment; work in fitness industry, private life separate from work; how double life impacted her, microaggressions, LGBTQIA+ people not accepted; meeting new partner, coming out to a few at work; reasons for joining the railways, 2000, trainee train driver, Brighton; driver training school, challenges as female in male dominated environment, practical handling; few female trainees; choosing Brighton depot, social life, sports, healthy lifestyle; relationship with her partner then, hiding sexuality at work, coming out to a few at work, homophobic abuse of male gay colleagues; feeling a shift in acceptance of LGBTQIA+ people [end of track 02] [track 03] Brighton depot, how it suited her not to be out as gay, how her feelings about that changed; offensive comment written in cab; 2005, driver manager role; romantic relationships impact on her confidence in own identity, not caring about other people opinions; denial of LGBTQIA+ identity in older generations; driver manager role, locomotives driven, drivers training, her motivation to take on manager role, work/life balance; [00:16:20] 2010, competence assessment team leader, Southern Railway, professional development, degree in Railway Operations, changing roles every 5 years to avoid boredom; Operational Standards Manager at Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR), Head Office, GTR structure; 2019, change in workplace culture and society in acceptance of LGBTQIA+ people, open about sexuality, how it felt before, glass ceiling; growing up without lesbian role models, when she realised she was gay, book ‘The Well of Loneliness’ influence; current and ex partners [end of track 03] [track 04] Meeting partner, meeting other lesbians through golf, sports; Railway Operational Standards role at GTR; family life, paternity leave from work, impact of flexible working; changes at work as a LGBTQIA+ person; 2022, Alstom, supportive workplace culture; lack of women in strategic operations [00:11:15] early career challenges as female train driver, night work, last train, facilities/equipment made for men; being driven by challenges, her role at Alstom, personal development opportunities, responsible for competence assessment of all Alstom UK staff; comparison with previous work environment; how challenging it is being female in operations, glass ceiling; challenges getting women and new people to join the industry; achievements within career, plans for coming years; work/life balance, pioneering flexible working from home pre-Covid-19 pandemic, post pandemic hybrid work, remote teams; occasionally driving rail tour trains for Hanson and Hall [end of track 04] [track 05] Life in the 1980s during the AIDS crisis, how LGBTQIA+ community was perceived by public opinion and government; anti-section 28 demonstrations; support within LGBTQIA+ community then; support from her own family [end of track 05]

Liz Lumber interviewed by Ashlynn Hudson-Welburn

2024-09-09
Interview with Madison Dolby recorded by Jenny Hill on 15 April 2026 at Croft House, Sheffield. Duration: 55 minutes 47 seconds. [Start of interview] Railway family, grandfather working for London Midland and Scottish Railway [LMS], childhood visits to railway sheds, preserved railways and museums. University; work for British Railways Midland Main Line [MML] in Sheffield in the late 1990s-early 2000s; leaving railway industry, starting own business, returning to railways through travel, acquiring historic rolling stock, and volunteering driving and firing steam locomotives. [00:04:34] impact of privatisation on MML work environment, computerisation and agency staff; call centre work at Milton House selling specialist and contract tickets for other train operators; rail network knowledge, autism and autistic traits, older British Rail women colleagues and a camp colleague. Experiences of trying to fit into workplaces while presenting male, difficulty with male-dominated environments, more accepting atmosphere at MML, queer experience in early 1990s jobs, bullying, hazing, imposter syndrome while closeted, call handling pressures and customer service, including Advanced Passenger Train [APT] and Railway Technical Centre [RTC] anecdote. [00:15:15] Gender and railways, views on being a transgender worker, New Labour and age of consent; childhood interest in machines and engines, barriers to becoming a train driver due to eyesight, work in the motor trade and starting a garage business; Covid-19, railway changes, heritage railways, preservation, public interaction and narrow-gauge railways. [00:20:16] Joining narrow gauge societies, buying railway equipment, volunteering at Ashover Light Railway Society and Peak Rail; heritage rail demographics, white male dominance, transphobic behaviour, fear of being outed, and leaving an unwelcoming society. Travel to South Africa after Covid-19 [post-2020] to buy historic railway equipment at Sandstone Estate, Orange Free State; coming out during visits, positive reception from chief engineer Gert, and purchase of wagons and diesel locomotive. [00:28:37] Acquiring General Electric 91 class diesel-electric locomotive and carriage NG29, built for Natal Government Railways [SA] and in 1910 at Craven’s, Sheffield; restoration work, involvement with Ffestiniog & Welsh Highland Railways [F&WHR], and navigating heritage railways as an older trans woman, including transition, changing perceptions, second adolescence, expensive equipment and competence. [00:31:50] Transition, self-image, gender euphoria, femininity, misogynistic assumptions at F&WHR, owning the largest collection of working narrow-gauge Baldwin steam locomotives, becoming perceived as female, community acceptance, National Railway Museum’s Flying Scotsman restoration context, reputation and competence. [00:38:14] Time in Wales, meeting queer and diverse railway people, gay men and transgender women, LGBTQIA+ people, lifelong friendships through railways, Talyllyn Railway youth outreach and queer acceptance, right-wing politics, safe spaces, and a transgender friend in Direct Rail Services. Coming out fears and positive realities; Welsh Christmas “Cold Turkey Special” events and travelling at Beddgelert with partner and other transgender women. [00:46:00] Volunteering as a 'fireman' at Bala Lake Railway, staying at rural stations, building skills, Quarry Hunslet locomotives, Leeds carriages from the 1800s, dangerous quarry work, skilled labour and “Victorian injuries” including burns from Winifred. [00:50:40] Public interaction after transitioning, avoiding deadnaming, fears around public perception as a trans woman, public toilets and politics, management raising which toilet she would use, “manly” hobbies, parents encouraging daughters to work with trains after seeing her, representation, internalised shame, imposter syndrome, fear of being worth less, and joyful volunteering. [end of interview]

Madison Dolby interviewed by Jenny Hill

2026-04-15
Interview with Adam Baldwin recorded by Ashlynn Hudson-Welburn on 1st August 2024 at the National Railway Museum, York. Duration: 2hr 21min 12secs. [Track 01] Introduction; father’s railway jobs, railways in childhood; being gay in 1980s, school bullying, rail commute; parents influence joining railways, 1987, Canterbury Telephone Enquiry Bureau; Great storm of 1987; [00:05:50] denial of own sexual identity, HIV and AIDS crisis; Gillingham Ticket Office 1988-1990; [00:07:15] 1990-1997, International Rail Centre (IRC) London Victoria, training, gay and HIV positive colleague; HIV and AIDS awareness, stigmatisation and ignorance; HIV positive colleague, mentor; [00:13:25] IRC, coming out story, supportive colleagues; [00:18:20] last railway job, British Travel Centre (BTC) Lower Regent street, ticket office, LGBTQ+ colleagues; asserting gay identity 1990s; own gay identity connected to work on railways; [00:21:40] railway in family, relationship with parents; childhood, gender segregated school, train commute, friendships, bullying; [00:29:00] family pressure to work, how he was at 16 yo; relationship with parents, coming out; [00:33:15] friendships, colleagues; moving to York from London; [00:37:16] job at Canterbury, his father’s role, colleagues; his behaviour at 16, denial own identity, putting on a mask/persona; training at Canterbury; [00:45:44] jobs with British Railways (BR); Gillingham, social life, office ambiance, APTIS ticket machine; [00:50:04] IRC recruitment, training; moving to Colchester, purchasing flat, railway worker commuting benefits; why chose IRC job, London entertainment; [00:55:12] social life before coming out, girlfriend; day outing with colleagues to Dunkirk, ferry [00:59:35] denial being gay, commenting how common it can be; [01:01:40] impact of identity/sexuality on experiences/opinions; how he was after coming out; [01:03:10] first days at IRC, socialising; boat trains; shift work, commuting; friendships, diversity, LGBTQ+ colleagues; [01:08:37] IRC, HIV positive friend/colleague, his death; [01:12:45] 1990s HIV and AIDS crisis, comparing current perception of HIV; [01:16:35] how he was before coming out, IRC colleagues impact on how he changed; [01:19:10] coming out story, admitting to himself he was gay, supportive friends; [01:25:11] IRC isolated from other BR department; Boeing 929 Jetfoil and Hoverspeed Sealink; [01:27:50] BTC colleagues, LGBTQ+ community; [01:29:45] after coming out, life in London as an openly gay man, anecdotes; LGBTQ+ newspapers; [01:34:01] pink pound, adverts targeting gay men, places/services dedicated to LGBTQ+; [01:36:14] relationships after coming out, dating colleagues; LGBTQ+ colleagues, diversity; work shifts, colleagues in relationship, supportive environment; [01:41:20] LGBTQ+ experience depend on jobs, traditional masculinity in operational roles; [01:42:15] shift work impact on relationships; socialising, work outings; [01:50:46] first break-up, colleagues support; [01:52:10] 1997 leaving BR, privatisation, redundancies, official dinner; work social events; [01:55:20] privatisation impact, closure of BTC and IRC; Eurostar; railway vacancies following privatisation; [01:58:44] travel agency work; retail work; move to York 2003, varied career experience, railway experience impact on career in customer service; [02:03:17] being loaned from IRC to BTC; InterRail [end of track 01] [Track 02] 1992 HIV Awareness Year, InterRail poster, complaints, reasons for rejecting part of campaign; [00:03:23] links between IRC and BTC, contacts with former colleagues; how he changed during 10-year BR career, feelings about leaving, jobs since; [00:06:04] Free travel with BR, free railway pass, European rail pass; short trips to Europe; Eurostar test train, Paris day-trip; [00:10:10] fun memories at IRC; tickets sold at IRC, ledgers used for tickets not on system, handwriting tickets; [00:12:30] final reflections on job and people at IRC [end of interview]

Adam Baldwin interviewed by Ashlynn Hudson-Welburn

2024-08-01
Interview with Alex Abbuehl recorded by Fiona Slater on 13 February 2026 at Mott Macdonald office, Birmingham. Duration: 2 hours 27 minutes 37 seconds [Start, track 01] childhood in Northern Italy, family background, Russian and Swiss parents, multilingual upbringing, Swiss German identity, feeling different from Italian peers. [00:05:59] School, friendships, lack of gay or LGBTQIA+ visibility in childhood, delayed development, Italian and Swiss cultural differences; early interests in trains, railways and music. Train journeys to Rome as a gateway to a bigger world. [00:28:15] School in Switzerland, friendship with girls, LGBTQIA+ not talked about, inability to join conversations about girls and football, shared understanding of being different; relationship with mother as single parent. [00:42:32] Friendships exposed him to different cultures; interest in singing, Gianna Nannini as a public lesbian musician and idol, piano and singing technique. [00:52:59] Visits to Rome by train built independence; early “girlfriends” aged 10, start of gay consciousness, lack of romantic feeling towards girls and noticing men in films. [01:00:00] Move to Lucerne, bullying due to accent, making LGBTQIA+ friendships, misogynistic and homophobic jokes, refuge in friendships; dislike of sports due to male atmosphere and changing rooms, lack of LGBTQIA+ role models, no reference point to realise he was gay. [01:12:49] Music, reading, dancing, school achievement, languages including German, French, English and Italian; considering careers as train driver, writer or musician and moving to Milan aged 16. [01:31:08] Standing up to injustice, being gay only discussed mockingly, attraction to men aged 16–18 while dating women and not realising relationships with men were possible; songwriting, bar performances, recording a CD for school project. [01:34:16] Supportive American English teacher encouraged singing and interest in USA/UK culture; positive image of gay people through British media, Miranda television show; Milan school, peers supporting interests, teacher steering him towards Oxbridge while he wanted music. [01:47:41] Moving to Liverpool for songwriting and performance course, learning recording and performance skills, liberal university culture, exploring sexuality, discovering the possibility of being gay, positive queer community, self-acceptance, close friendships and social life. [01:58:24] Wariness over being out, frustration over straight crushes; serious recording, improved songwriting, networking, promotion, Spotify and blogs, releasing two songs, second reaching New Music Friday playlist, earning money and industry interest. [end of track 01] [Track 02] Music industry, London deal opportunity, co-writing with professionals, commuting Liverpool-London, recording EP [Extended Play]; Covid-19 pandemic, EP released online, inability to perform or meet people, loss of interest in music as profession and being let go. [00:06:10] Lockdown in Liverpool, social care work on minimum wage with long hours for 2.5 years, Masters in Marketing, moving to head office, belonging in Liverpool, considering railways, writing or civil service. [00:10:59] Joining Department for Trade, corporate world, move to London, performances, civil service friendships, reasons for leaving role then; year out, relationship with Turkish boyfriend, learning Turkish, considering career. [00:16:00] why he chose to work for the railways, reasons he was not interested in a train driver role, concerns about frontline work as a queer man; discovering Network Rail office careers, joining graduate scheme, long-term prospects; back-of-house versus frontline work for LGBTQIA+ people, privilege of accepting environment, hostile attitudes in wider society and among customers, fears about UK society’s direction, and Network Rail efforts to improve LGBTQIA+ inclusion with senior leaders support. [end of interview]

Alexandre Abbuehl interviewed by Fiona Slater

2026-02-13
Interview with Rob Bullock recorded by Victor Cai on 18 October 2025, at the Dana Research Centre, Science Museum, London. Duration: 1 hour 19 minutes 25 seconds. [Start of interview, track 01] Family background, childhood, education at University of Nottingham studying Geography with Business, interest in human geography, environmental sustainability and the built environment; when he knew he was gay, when he accepted it; university, coming out, diversity at university compared to home. [00:09:30] Joined Network Rail (NR) graduate scheme in 2010, attracted by infrastructure, environmental work and rail investment including CrossRail, London Bridge and King’s Cross redevelopment; completed funded Project Management Master’s Degree at University College London (UCL), and asked at interview about working for NR as a gay man. [00:16:00] diversity and inclusion at NR, how it used to be, how it felt to him, how it has changed; worked on Great Western Railway (GWR) Electrification as Project Management Assistant, including branch lines, Welsh Valley Lines and feasibility studies. [00:24:40] His role as Executive Assistant to the Director of the Region, supporting team management, role of Personal Assistant; coming out during interview for the role, learnt from senior colleagues; background, role and responsibilities of the Director, their work relationship, how RB championed LGBTQIA+ inclusion. [00:30:40] Volunteered during the 2012 London Olympics at Charing Cross Station; after hearing a homophobic slur about people visiting Heaven nightclub, called out the colleague involved, prompting him to explore forming an LGBTQIA+ network at NR and become more vocal about workplace inclusion. [00:36:20] Moved to Stonewall as Project Manager for three years, running LGBTQIA+ inclusion events and conferences and maintaining links with railway companies through the Stonewall Diversity Champions programme; reflects on equal marriage, transgender inclusion, winning hearts and minds, and rising transphobia and homophobia. [00:41:20] Grew Stonewall’s workplace conference and engagement by 50%, bringing public and private sector organisations together to learn about inclusion; reflects on behind-the-scenes inclusive influencing with senior leaders and politicians, toxic debates about transgender rights, and meeting people where they are to take them on a journey. [00:47:50] Joined Department for Transport (DfT) in 2018 as Project Management Specialist on High Speed 2 (HS2), bringing project management expertise to DfT, helping oversee HS2 Limited and considering national benefits, governance, political sensitivity and regeneration; discusses scope reductions under Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak and Rail's needs more investment. [00:58:50] Reflects on demoralising HS2 reductions, impartial advice to governments, reduced confidence in large projects, need for realistic costs and long-term rail strategy, and value of greater diversity of thought in NR and the Civil Service. [end of track 01] [Track 02] Discusses value of non-STEM backgrounds alongside technical expertise; after six years at DfT moved to Science Museum Group (SMG) to set up a project management office for construction projects, linking back to rail through the National Railway Museum (NRM). [00:06:30] Describes Stonewall as the biggest change to his personal life, helping him embrace the LGBTQIA+ community, develop a gay social circle in London and build lasting friendships. [00:09:10] Concerns about current society going backwards with regard to LGBTQIA+ community, book bans and changes in laws in the USA, rise of far-right in the UK, challenges for politically neutral LGBTQIA+ organisations to potentially work with far-right; hopes LGBTQIA+ communities will respond to adversity and that Stonewall or other organisations will “lead the charge” for LGBTQIA+ equality. [end of interview]

Rob Bullock interviewed by Victor Cai

2025-10-18
Interview with Ron Whalley conducted by Matt Smith on 15th April 2024, at a charity office in Crewe. 1hr 15min 30secs.

Ron Whalley interviewed by Matt Smith

2024-04-15
Interview with Daniel Lamb (Danny) and Peter Goulding (Pete) recorded by Rachel Norman on 10 April 2026. Duration: 1 hour 26 minutes 22 seconds. [Start of interview] PG’s childhood memory, Ilford; DL’s childhood memory, East Ham; PG, adoption as a child, Anglo-Indian background, his family, how his parents met; DL’s family, when he was born, relationship with his siblings; PG’s sibling, awareness of being adopted as a child, how he felt about it; PG’s researching his biological family, DNA testing; PG and DL on their relationship, being together for 24 years; PG search for his birth family, wanting to meet them in person; DL move to Essex as a child, school, interest in music, school clubs, impact of realising he was gay then; friendship, coming out to a friend, being outed to his family, family’s reaction then; joining the London Underground (LU) and moving out of family home; changes in family attitude since first finding out he was gay; LU work environment at Oxford Circus, inclusivity colleagues, gay colleagues [00:16:13]. PG childhood, London suburbs in 1970s-1980s, negative attitudes in culture and society towards gay people; coming out as gay in mid-20s, reactions from family members; relationship with family now; support from both their families for their civil partnership, relationship between their families; DL and PG, their respective reasons for working on the underground, DL’s interest in rules, shift patterns and childhood interest in train, PG’s father used to work on underground, tried on father’s advice after university didn’t work out; how they met, working on Jubilee line, being set up by a colleague, dating, early dates and gay nightlife culture then; impact of shift work on their relationship, colleagues’ reaction to them dating; [00:29:15] their current and past roles on the underground, changes they have observed over their respective 30 years careers; PG role as Lead Operation Delivery Manager, work on Victoria Line upgrade, for on other lines upgrades District, Metropolitan, Hammersmith & City, Circle, plans for retirement; DL role as Trains Manager at Barking Depot, previous roles at Oxford Circus driver on District line, duty manager on Jubilee line; changes observed in workforce at Barking; changes in DL’s role due to operational changed on the railways. PG mentions discrimination encountered in the past, less opportunities for non-white colleagues to progress, how there has been positive changes now, colleagues network groups, diversity and inclusion for staff and customer. They discuss safe spaces for LGBTQIA+ colleagues on LO in the past, Parsons Green, Earls Court; why some places became safe ‘gay hubs’, reminding of the context then of AIDA/HIV crisis and Section 28; challenging inappropriate comments and discrimination in the past; Transport for London (TFL) colleagues networks, LGBTQIA+ network call OUTbound, TfL participation to Pride, senior managers support; DL and PG, both being part of Pride with underground 23 years ago; support and positive action at TFL for LGBTQIA+ issues; [00:54:00] Discrimination against LGBTQIA+ community in current society, they compare their experiences of Pride in 2003 and Pride in 2025, how important Pride still is, concerns over push back for LGBTQIA+ right and trans rights; safety and public displays of affection; comparing their life now and 30 years ago, their Civil Partnership, the ceremony, what it meant to them, relationship with family members; how they felt about same-sex marriage law being enacted; their experience living through Section 28 and when it was repelled; reflecting on 30 years careers in same organisation, having family members joining TFL, family links common at TFL; being well supported at TFL. [end of interview]

Peter Goulding and Daniel Lamb interviewed by Rachel Norman

2026-04-10
Interview with Reesha Dyer-Evans recorded by Christopher Nairne on 19 May 2025 at a public library in Buckinghamshire. Duration: 2 hours 32 minutes 37 seconds. [Start of interview, track 01] Childhood in Rugby and Kilsby; family, religious and political influences; love of maths and music; their mother’s feminism, their father’s acceptance of transgender people, and changing family attitudes to gay people. [00:21:42] Reflecting on toxic childhood friendships; lack of queer education at school and home, legacy of Section 28; faith and religion growing up. [00:33:00] Importance of music in their life and family. Education, Grammar School 6th form, choice of subjects, more diversity at school, finding queer friends, LGBTQIA+ students, compared to comprehensive school; family holidays as a child; school trips to Uganda, later finding out scandal of conversation therapy at the place where they went in Uganda; how UK LGBTQIA+ students were advised to hide their sexuality in Uganda, how impactful the debates they had with Ugandan students were on them, in relation to death penalty, Christian faith and value and family life. [00:56:20] Reasons for choosing to study engineering, Durham University engineering degree; LARPing (Live Action Role Play) with Treasure Trap Society; meeting transgender people, discovering pansexuality and queer politics; meeting their future husband. [01:03:02] Hobbies, Folk Society, Morris dancing and rapper sword dancing, co-founding Dancing Spires queer rapper side in Oxford; joining Transport for London (TfL) graduate scheme, rotating through placements, gaining front-line insight. [01:10:02] TfL’s support for London Pride and LGBTQIA+ staff; Mental Health Ambassador role; permanent Systems and Control post, pivot into software development and simulations. [01:21:56] Mental health issues and recovery, including later understanding some experiences as autistic burnout; being a mental health ambassador, TfL ‘Time to Talk’ Ambassador, work on widening mental health discussion at TfL. [01:34:01] Comparing software engineering roles in different companies, at start-up WND, then City Fiber; becoming involved with the internal LGBTQIA+ network after City Fiber left Stonewall’s diversity scheme, concerns over limited visible queer staff and representation. [01:41:36] Non-binary identity, describing themself as “politically female” because of others’ perceptions; realising they are agender; questioning why society treats gender as central. [01:47:06] How they realised their pansexuality, how they realised they were agender; LARP as a space for exploring sexuality and gender; preference for clear labels; coming out to husband and family, their reactions; choosing to come out publicly on social medial following scandal of conversion therapy in Uganda. [02:01:56] Parenthood as a non-binary person; heteronormative assumptions around families; lack of choice for non-cis-het (cis-gender, heterosexual) couples on official forms; phrase “culturally queer” for cis-het people raised by queer parents. [end of track 01] [Track 02] Engagement with local MP over transgender rights, attending protests and encouraging cis-gender allies to wear trans pride badges; exhaustion at transphobic rhetoric and explaining queer rights, alongside duty to stand up for less safe trans people. [00:10:22] Social media hostility and friends experiencing worse prejudice. [00:13:54] Discovery of their own neurodivergence; reflections on links between neurodivergence, gender and sexuality. [00:18:24] Future hopes, relying on To Do lists, possible return to music, political hope, support for Good Law Project’s trans-rights work and the importance of trade unions. [00:25:42] Positive start in new Oxford-based job; the advice they would give their younger self; conclusion. [end of interview]

Reesha Dyer-Evans interviewed by Christopher Nairne

2025-05-19
Interview with Gavin Gerrard recorded by Esker Saward on 29 May 2026, at the Network Rail office at Waterloo station in London. Duration: 1 hr 55 min 16 secs.

Gavin Gerrard interviewed by Esker Saward

2026-05-29
Interview with Craig McNally conducted by Ashlynn Hudson-Welburn, session 2 of 2, on 19th September 2024 at the National Railway Museum. Duration: 2 hours 06 minutes 51 seconds. [Start of session 2, track 01] McNally discusses gaming, fantasy and X-Men as escapism from difficult school experiences and as stories about difference, prejudice, passing, fear and minority groups being blamed collectively, linking these themes to LGBTQIA+ experience and noting later non-binary representation in X-Men 97. [00:19:30] He recalls early internet use, including AOL [America Online], Freeserve, EverQuest, MMORPGs [massive multiplayer online role-play games], Microsoft chatrooms and ASL [Age, Sex, Location]. Entering gay chatrooms felt frightening and shameful, but gave him his first conversations with other LGBTQIA+ people and a route into community. [00:30:00] He describes first dates from chatrooms, gay bars in Newcastle’s Pink Triangle, feeling unable to hold hands with a man in public, and the value of gay bars as more protective social spaces. He also discusses dating a rail colleague while both were closeted and the burden of coming out in workplaces where heterosexuality was assumed. [00:40:00] He reflects on inclusion lanyards, Pride symbols and visible workplace signals that LGBTQIA+ people are welcome, explaining the emotional pressure of hiding relationships, remembering lies and living a double life while working. [00:50:00] McNally describes bringing work friends and LGBTQIA+ friends together, and changing family attitudes, including his mother becoming a strong ally after knowing him as a gay person and recognising discrimination faced by same-gender couples.[00:58:36] [Session 2, Track 3, 00:00:00] He outlines railway career progression through GNER [Great North Eastern Railway], National Express, East Coast, Virgin Trains and LNER, contrasting company cultures, morale and Virgin’s stronger emphasis on bringing your full self to work. [00:05:10] In Virgin’s Community Team he helped organise York Pride, formed a Pride Committee, worked with organisers and sponsorship, and saw Pride become emotionally significant for colleagues who had not previously had anyone to attend with. [00:15:00] He discusses LNER staff networks, including the LGBTQIA+ network and Being You, Together Tuesday wellbeing check-ins, executive sponsorship, and a gender identity toolkit for colleagues and managers created with lived experience and shared externally. [00:25:00] His EDI [Equality/Equity, Diversity and Inclusion] work includes colleague-led networks, safe spaces, lived experience, allyship, inclusion lanyards, train messaging and LNER’s Pride livery. [00:30:00] He describes the Together train, Pride flag designs, educational carriage artwork, FOI [Freedom of Information] requests and LNER’s decision to visibly support LGBTQIA+ inclusion. Mental health support campaign, You belong train, partnership with CALM (Campaign Against Living Miserably, suicide prevention charity). [00:40:00] He links this visibility to support for LGBTQIA+ young people and transgender colleagues, active allyship, senior leader engagement and employer responsibility for inclusion. [00:55:00] In his current role as Employee Experience Business Partner and EDI lead, he works with colleague networks, allyship training, employee survey data, inclusion index work and EDI KPI [key performance indicators], arguing that retention, lived experience and supportive culture matter as much as diversity measures. He ends by saying rail changed his life and helped him come out and be himself. [end of session 2, end of interview]

Craig McNally interviewed by Ashlynn Hudson-Welburn (session 2 of 2)

2024-09-19
Interview with Lisa Charlwood-Green recorded by Nat Palethorpe. Duration: 1 hour 22 minutes 18 seconds. [Start of interview] Lisa Charlwood-Green discusses growing up, memories of AIDS and the negative impact of Section 28, alongside education, confidence and developing an organised approach to work. [00:03:30] She joined Network Rail [NR] aged 28, first as a temp worker and then in the Infrastructure Projects team, working on the Forth Bridge project, bridge renewals and on-track renewals. She discusses being out at work, feeling that being queer was treated negatively at NR compared with a previous education role, and trying to find other queer colleagues in a large office where no one else was out. She recalls Human Resources offering counselling, and joining the new national EDI [Equity, Diversity, Inclusion] LGBTQIA+ steering group in 2014, through which she found queer colleagues and a “railway family”. [00:09:00] Lisa describes the railway workplace as dominated by straight white men, with women concentrated in administration and Human Resources. She discusses challenging colleagues behaviour, microaggressions, selective application of parental leave policy, intrusive questions about family life, and the pressure on women and queer people to manage anger or frustration carefully. [00:19:00] She moved into the Safety Team as a Project Management Assistant, then worked for a university and a qualification agency as a change practitioner. At the qualification agency she chaired the LGBTQIA+ society, having previously been Deputy Chair of Archway at NR, and describes a more positive environment for LGBTQIA+ people. She later returned to NR as a Project Manager, saving £3 million in six weeks, working on seasonal projects such as leaf removal, then managing a programme for strike contingency in Scotland. [00:28:20] Lisa discusses being asked to apply for a secondment as Head of Organisation, Development and Culture in Scotland, then moving to North-West and Central in the same role as maternity cover, reflecting on workplace culture, psychological safety and change-focused roles. [00:31:40] She describes her work with Archway, beginning on the steering group in a male-dominated network, and argues that corporate queer activity needs clear purpose because it uses public money. She recalls internal hostile homophobic comments about the network and London Pride, and Chief Executive Mark Carne attending Archway’s first London Pride in 2018, after which his public comments against bigoted behaviour helped shift workplace rhetoric. She discusses continuing limitations faced by NR in diversity and inclusion despite high inclusion scores in staff surveys. [00:39:00] Lisa reflects on running staff networks well, including avoiding concentrated power, creating safe spaces for community, not over-focusing on allies, supporting queer colleagues through mentoring, and ensuring leadership changes over time. [00:46:00] She describes mentoring as a major source of energy, encouraging people to consider what work energises or drains them, and valuing the friendships and development that come from mentoring relationships. [00:56:50] Lisa reflects on what she would tell her younger self, therapy, confidence, activism and charity work, including an LGBT+ History Month photo exhibition launched at the Scottish Parliament, and advises being open to opportunities. [01:05:00] She says she does not regret working for NR, seeing difficult experiences as opportunities for growth, and reflects on resilience, processing difficult feelings, travel, family time, new work opportunities and continued connection with her railway family. [01:17:20] She concludes that a mentor need not be a more successful version of oneself, but someone admired for particular qualities, and asks, “what better legacy than helping others?” [end of interview]

Lisa Charlwood-Green interviewed by Nat Palethorpe

2025-06-25
Group discussion with a group of Morgan Sindall (MS) employees, discussion led and recorded by Fiona Slater, on 5 February 2026, at the National Railway Museum. A group of MS employees, members of MSI Allies Network, participated to a day at the National Railway Museum to find out about People, Pride and Progress oral history project and have a LGBTQIA+ history led tour of the museum. Divided into smaller groups, participants were invited to listen to and discuss a selection of extracts of oral history interviews recorded as part of People, Pride and Progress, with railway workers sharing their experience on the railways as members of the LGBTQIA+ community. The Morgan Sindall employees taking part in this recorded discussion are James Goddard (Senior Quantity Surveyor – Rail), Seth Shepherd (Apprentice Project Controller) and Kirsty Bailey (Senior Information Manager).

Group discussion, Morgan Sindall group 2

2026-02-05
Interview with Simon Jackson recorded by Esker Saward on 20 February 2026 at a public library in London. Duration: 2 hr 33 min 57 secs.

Simon Jackson interviewed by Esker Saward

2026-02-20
Interview with Katie Eeles recorded by Roberto Martinez on 29th May 2024 at the National Railway Museum, York. Duration: 54min 34secs. Joining the railways, Network Southeast British Railways (BR), signaller role Watford, 1992, application, recruitment, signalling course Waterloo, training Stratford signal box; early career training, Bedford to Bletchley line, transfer to other signal boxes, Woburn Sands, Millbrook, East Midlands freight line, Kew East signal box, upgrade to Willesden High Level signal box, 1994 to 2009; [00:05:50] resignalling of line for London 2012 Olympics, moved from Willesden to vacancy at Cambridge, signaller team, shift work; 2016, coming out as transgender to colleagues, starting transition; coming out to her wife, knowing she was trans since childhood, challenges coming out, transitioning journey, mental health; [00:08:50] challenges for trans people to be openly trans; relationship with colleagues after coming out; issues, how management handled her transition, impact on her mental health, lack of support; incident leading to suspension, investigation and disciplinary hearing, being dismissed; appealing dismissal, bias, appeal case demonstrated same error made by a cisgender signaller was not sanctioned the same way; regained job, penalised by reduction in grade; jobs after appeal, medication impact on job allocation, transfer to Liverpool street offices, course, secondment Milton Keynes offices, capacity planning, freight traffic; redundancy, notice in November 2023, impact of ADHD; [00:17:20] coming out as transgender at work, management reaction; support, Inclusion and Diversity team, Archway staff network; LGBTQIA+ community at work, joining Archway, friendships, events; how operational jobs are isolated from rest of company, not knowing LGBTQIA+ colleagues before coming out in 2016 [00:23:10] comparing operational environment and office environment, operations being a male dominated environment, small changes, few women in operations, need more change; childhood, interest in hobbies seen as traditionally female, bored by traditionally male hobbies; Danny La Rue, drag entertainer on television, trying to talk about her own trans identity; [00:28:10] experience coming out outside of work, LGBTQIA+ community support for her then, transvestite group in Milton Keynes but not what she needed; transitioning took time, impact of starting medication, felt accepted and integrated, anecdote on commute to Liverpool street; how it felt to be gendered correctly by strangers for the first time; [00:32:40] personal experience with hormone therapy, medical process and support, anecdote with nurse taking blood, waiting list on public health; impact of transitioning, being herself, relationships with friends and family, anecdote about her name; [00:43:03] relationship with her wife, how they met, how she came out to her wife, support from her wife; learning about being transgender, impact of watching BBC television series ‘A Change of Sex’ with Julia Grant, looking out for tv programmes about gender transition; worrying about impact of gender reassignment surgery on relationship with wife, mental health; [00:45:57] hopes for the future, having retired, hobbies, motorsport, race marshal at Silverstone, joining Racing Pride for LGBT inclusivity in sports industry, Formula 1, recruiting more transgender marshals, making racing more inclusive, circuits being a safe place; advice for younger self, being yourself and being open [00:51:23] story of an incident at Peterborough Signal box, after she came out as trans, exposed to abusive and offensive behaviour, deadnaming, misgendering, using wrong pronouns, filling in a complaint/grievance against the person, how she hoped they would learn from incident and educate others; her views on how to educate people to inclusivity, importance of sharing personal stories, understanding people want to be themselves without a mask [end of interview]

Katie Eeles interviewed by Roberto Martinez Luis

2024-05-29
Group discussion with Journey network members, discussion led and recorded by Scott Foster on 27 March 2026, at the National Railway Museum. A group of members of Journey (network for LGBTQ+ professionals working in transport), participated to a day at the National Railway Museum to find out about People, Pride and Progress oral history project and have a LGBTQIA+ history led tour of the museum. Divided into smaller groups, participants were invited to listen to and discuss a selection of extracts of oral history interviews recorded as part of People, Pride and Progress, with railway workers sharing their experience on the railways as members of the LGBTQIA+ community. The people taking part in this recorded discussion are Matt Smith (Principal Consultant, AtkinsRéalis), Joe Brown (Strategic Delivery & Change Manager, Transport for London, TfL; founder of Journey) and Jack Satterthwaite. Extract from Simon Shepherd interview: secret safe LGBTQ+ spaces, ‘pink brigade’, secret LGBTQ+ community, word-of-mouth on third carriage of a train being safe, secret clubs; discussing third-carriage culture, travelling in last carriage on London Underground (LU), slam-door trains; past and present experiences of personal safety for women, LGBTQIA+, passengers with disabilities; meeting railway colleagues in LGBTQIA+ social spaces, secrecy at work, guard-driver relationships; LGBTQIA+ in workplace today; avoiding assumptions about sexuality or gender identity; friendships between LGBTQ+ and non-LGBTQ+ colleagues, allies; reflections on changing attitudes since 1980s-90s; impact Section 28 and its repeal on education, school and social change; [00:17:57] playback of Craig McNally interview extract: perception of inclusivity within railway industry, railway industry reputation, positive experience overall; participants discussing workplace culture, supportive colleagues and environments, the role of luck; LU depot culture; gender balance in teams; how diverse workplace impacts on confidence, career progression; comparing organisational cultures; [00:25:44] playback of Lisa Charlwood-Green interview extract: microaggressions; gossips, colleagues belief that EDI (Equality, Diversity and Inclusion) training was because of her; being treated differently by HR when placing her parental leave request, selective application of policy, no friends at work; questions from colleagues about how she had her children; reticence to EDI training, experience as OUTbound chair (at TfL), intrusive questions to LGBTQ+ parents, allyship; microaggressions, discrimination, example Pride train at 2025 Great Gathering event; reflections on reporting discrimination, complaints processes, resilience, getting used to unfair treatment; workplace friendships, support networks; playback of Joe Brown interview extract: mess-room culture on LU in 1997-98, homophobic banter, being perceived as straight, transfer request to Parsons Green depot, perceptions of LGBTQ+ depots; reflections on masking or “passing as straight” in cisgender male-dominated workplace; progression from guard to driver; Parsons Green and Earl’s Court, friendships, LGBTQ+ workplace communities, authenticity, confidence, wellbeing and career progression; reflections on privilege, barriers faced by women, ethnic minorities and LGBTQIA+ people; playback of Darran Brown interview extract: becoming a senior conductor, train crew culture, working with women and openly gay catering staff, macho atmosphere on the platforms, confidence whilst being around more LGBTQIA+ people at work; supportive cultures at Parsons Green/Earl’s Court and Virgin Trains; comparing platform and on-board cultures; gender representation, homophobia and harassment; comparisons with airline industry; geographical differences in LGBTQ+ experiences, growing up in London, exposure to LGBTQIA+ culture; how neighbourhood, social and cultural backgrounds shape attitudes toward LGBTQIA+ communities [end of interview]

Group discussion, Journey network group 2

2026-03-27
Interview with Karen Bennett recorded by Claire Mayoh on 23 March 2026 at the National Science and Media Museum, Pictureville, Bradford. Duration: 2 hours 7 minutes 51 seconds. [Start of interview, track 01] Childhood in Dartford, Kent; early interests in history, music, drawing and train travel; work as a Butlins Redcoat and for Thomas Cook before moving to Yorkshire, training as a teacher at Bradford College and teaching at Lidgett Green Primary School. [00:06:19] Redcoat and teaching work built performance, public speaking, confidence and people skills; discusses exploring sexuality [bisexuality], attraction to women, teaching friendships and pride in teacher training. [00:15:26] Leaving a restrictive school culture and moving into Community Rail, where autonomy, trust and creativity helped restore confidence and allowed her to develop her own curriculum and projects. [00:23:01] Explains Community Rail Partnerships [CRP], station adopters, Community Rail Lancashire and Community Rail Network; school and community work on rail safety, confidence, careers, tourism and accessibility; working with Train Operating Companies (TOCs), Transport for Wales and Northern, and chairing monthly network meetings to support CRP delivery. Describes projects including Dewsbury Station mural, women’s rail stories, 100 Women 100 Journeys, 100 More Women 100 More Stories, 200 Stories of Railway Pride with the LGBTQIA+ community, and Arlo’s Adventures rail safety books, with 100,000 copies distributed. [00:32:58] Discusses rail’s safety-focused culture, LNER [London North Eastern Railway] Bradford City of Culture 2025 moquette project with young people, reduced funding, nationalisation and evidencing Community Rail’s social impact, including low-cost projects with high community value. [00:38:48] Working in rail as part of the LGBTQIA+ community; bisexuality, assumptions of heterosexuality, coming out, dating women while teaching, dating a transgender person, being a vocal transgender ally, and feeling uncertain at Pride or LGBTQIA+ events when dating a man. [00:45:02] Allyship, avoiding assumptions about sexuality or partners, using 200 Stories of Railway Pride to present rail as inclusive, Devon’s story as a transgender woman at Freightliner, pockets of poor rail culture, supporting people facing prejudice, and planned CRP work with LGBTQIA+ communities, including older LGBTQIA+ people in Bradford. [00:52:14] Family views, the threat Reform UK pose, transphobia, and why respect for LGBTQIA+ rights cannot be treated as “agree to disagree”. [01:03:12] Social media backlash during LGBTQIA+ History Month, political hostility towards transgender people, changing attitudes, rail as comparatively inclusive, union culture, misogyny in rail and hope in younger generations. [01:08:25] Career progression, possible future move into TOCs, GBR [Great British Railways] transition, Community Rail’s role in inclusion and loneliness agendas, and work on violence against women and girls. [01:26:13] Family history research, archives, DNA testing and ADHD (Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder). [End of track 01] [Track 02] Singing and performance through Bradford City Football Club ‘Bantam of the Opera’ choir [2025], including performances with Lesley Garrett (English soprano singer, musician, broadcaster and media personality) and Chris Kamara (English former footballer and manager), for King Charles and Queen Camilla, and on BBC1 Sports Personality of the Year. [00:13:41] Son’s pride in KB’s rail career, feeling more supported in rail than teaching, pride in rail’s future role. Work on the Railway 200 Exhibition Inspiration Train as Railway Teacher, travelling to 60 locations between 2025-2026. [end of interview]

Karen Bennett interviewed by Claire Mayoh

2026-03-23
Interview with Scott Heath recorded by Alexandre Abbuehl on 11 February 2026, at the Hitachi offices in Birmingham. Duration: 1 hour 58 minutes 3 seconds. [Start of interview] Childhood, near Crewe, working class upbringing, family life with his parents and sister, his parents' divorce, death of his father, support from grandmother in family life. Reflecting on lack of diversity in village and at school, Iraq war refugees welcomed at village, his parents' open-mindedness towards queer people. Experience using early internet and online chat room, impact on his awareness of his sexuality; neighbour working at Network Rail, career ambitions then related to cooking, medicine and chemistry. [00:12:10] Discussing impact of Section 28 at school and on sexual education, impact of Section 28 being repelled; coming out to his mother; experiences of online chat rooms and video chats, talking about sexuality with friends as a teenager; friendships at school, commuting to high school, helping his mother at work, getting first job at 15 yo; influence of watching the news on his views of the world, as a child and young adult; trip to Sarajevo, wanting to travel to the USA, ambitions when at school, wanting to leave his village; [00:30:44] Subjects chosen in sixth form, choosing to do a chemistry degree, choosing Imperial College London; dating a boy when in sixth form; moving to London for university, making friends, attending queer events on campus; students part of the LGBTQIA+ community, becoming Secretary of the Royal College of Sciences Union, degree in Chemistry with Management, sabbatical year managing the Students' Union, attending events with IQ (Imperial Queers) network, relationships with other student groups; changes in student loans policy, politics of the university and responsibilities as President of Students' Union; discovering Network Rail (NR) graduate programme through social media advertising; joining NR MSc. (Master of Science) project management graduate programme at University of Warwick, joining NR LGBTQIA+ network, Archway; details of NR course, site visits, Life Saving Rules, NR safety culture; taking part in student Pride in Brighton; [01:03:45] completing master’s, post-degree placement in London with NR, enhancement work on railways. Reflecting on innovation culture, findings from his master’s degree. Placement as Project Management Assistant based at Waterloo, train lengthening project, experience working in the office. Witnessing mild sexism, decision to come out at work, reaction from team; developing rapport with team, progressing with NR, training on unconscious bias, links between inclusion and safety culture. Move to work on design and detail designs; increasing involvement with Archway. Starting work on signalling at NR Southern. Coordinating events for Archway, inclusion at NR. Joining NR Research and Development and Innovation department in Milton Keynes, impact on commute and moving in with boyfriend; his responsibilities in new role, working with European commission, travelling to Europe and across the UK for work, gender parity and queer culture in Europe; his role in creating first Archway conference; leaving NR, new role at Thales Ground Transportation Systems, based in London; setting up Round-up network at Milon Keynes, organising panel speaker series, attend Pride event with Archway, impact of Archway on colleagues, being awarded a British Empire Medal in acknowledgement of his work with Archway; work for LGBTQIA+ inclusion in Thales, training session on trans identity and transitioning in the workplace, Employee Resource Groups, Thales LGBTQIA+ network and events, impact of the network on wider organisation; Thales acquired by Hitachi, comparing working cultures between Thales/Hitachi and NR. Personal life, current hobbies; current work at Hitachi, innovation activities for railways; the positive role of sexual identity in his life. [end of interview]

Scott Heath interviewed by Alexandre Abbuehl

2026-02-11
Interview with Emily-Jane Sanders recorded by Ashlynn Hudson-Welburn on 7th April 2025 at the National Railway Museum, York. Duration: 1hr 59min 32secs. Family background, parents, between England and Czech Republic, comparing schools, education systems and languages; being neurodiverse, impact on education [00:15:00] social life and friendships at school; relationships with her parents; neurodiversity and passion for transports, joining the Royal Air Force Air Cadets (RAF Air Cadets); accepting neurodivergence; experience in RAF Air Cadets, flying experiences; impact of meeting someone who identified as gender fluid; first coming out as LGBTQIA+; [00:32:30] vocational school, aviation operations, considering role of airport dispatcher; unemployment then work in call centre; coming out as trans, reality of living as trans and discovering herself; coming out at work; call centre environment; issues with name change on email signature, importance of knowing employees’ rights and trade union support; working and living in Newcastle, what work is like in call centres; what led to working in railway call centre for LNER, how call centre work can be challenging for mental health; railway call centre experience, handling calls from angry customers, example; hobbies, railway modelling and video games, job with video game developer; [00:52:00] covid pandemic, work as Universal Credit case manager; work for Lumo, Open Access Operator, Newcastle; her father’s death; ambassador role at Lumo, on-board customer service role; typical day as Lumo ambassador; working with a face-mask during covid pandemic, how it helped her with gender dysphoria, mental health; joining LNER, end of travel restriction post covid pandemic; evolution within LNER, from call centre customer service role to host on-board train, comparing trainings; how LNER manages call centres and customer services, LNER Customer Solution Centre, examples of customer enquiries; what it is like as a trans person working in a call centre, challenges; handling difficult calls and angry customers, example calls after strike announcements by trade union; LNER work culture, relationships with colleagues, feeling included [01:14:19] applying to on-board roles, interview process and questions; comparing training for call centre role and on-board role, shadowing on-board train staff, other roles on-board; trainees cohort, internal and external recruits; dealing with inappropriate questions, unpleasant people, inappropriate behaviours; supportive colleagues, many colleagues part of the LGBTQIA+ community, demographics and ages amongst colleagues; being on the spare roster for on-board role, how it works; meritocracy in the railway industry; current role, on-board customer experience host, career progression ambitions, progressing to train manager role, interest in operational responsibilities; customer experience host role, catering, dealing with passengers on-board, being compassionate, example of challenging situation: delayed train impact on a passenger; [01:39:20] origins of her interest in operational railways, plane and train travels to Czech Republic in childhood, interest in railways in childhood; relationship with colleagues at LNER; best experiences working at LNER, taking part in London Pride parade, first time working on Intercity 225/Mark 4 and not being the only trans worker on-board; LNER LGBTQIA+ colleague network, involvement when she worked at call centre, less interactions with network since working on board; how the network has helped her; changes in Diversity and Inclusion management at LNER, Together network (LNER LGBTQIA+ colleague network), how Pride events are organised; London Pride and York Pride; reflecting on how her younger self would be proud of what she has achieved; social life and friendships; hobbies, video games, train simulation, role play, cosplaying; socialising with work colleagues, anecdote [end of interview]

Emily-Jane Sanders interviewed by Ashlynn Hudson-Welburn

2025-04-07
Interview with Haydon Walker recorded by Nat on 1 March 2025 at the National Railway Museum, York. Duration: 1 hour 23 minutes 16 seconds. [Strat of interview] Childhood, family circumstances, living in Rode, early awareness of sexuality, being closeted at school, and travelling by rail. Beginning of career, building vacuum cleaners, a friend’s recommendation led him to contact British Rail and begin a railway career in November 1988. Coming out to his family, their reactions. [00:04:32] Joining signalling engineering team at Bletchley, installing equipment at Harrow and Wealdstone and Euston to Watford line, becoming team leader, long days, poor depot facilities, male-dominated culture, and staying closeted at work. Moving into faulting and maintenance brought rewarding problem-solving but also dangerous conditions, misogyny, homophobic comments, impact of the AIDS/HIV crisis and pressure to mask sexuality, homophobic and misogynistic behaviour from some colleagues. [00:19:40] With privatisation he moved into office roles, signalling technical expert for P-way (permanent way), West Coast infrastructure Service Unit, promotion to senior management team, then Head of Performance Monitoring, work with CAD computers, self-taught computer programming. Coming out to friends outside of work, lack of Equity/Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI). Relationships with colleagues, socialising, homophobic incidents, verbal abuse, others reactions, culture, lack of support then. Hiding evidence of living with his partner when friends visited his house, coming out to his friends, their reaction. When women started entering engineering roles, misogyny, resistance to women managers, benefits of increased diversity with the inclusion of women, including improved facilities. Friendships at work, at school. [00:36:11] How he saw signs of acceptance/tolerance from other colleagues in the way they didn’t judge a colleague identified as a crossdresser. In 2007, civil partnership and rail staff travel recognition showed institutional change. [00:39:28] Joining OPRAF (Office of Passenger Rail Franchising), later the Shadow Strategic Rail Authority, working on money flows, train company performance and franchise management with TOCs (Train Operating Companies). More acceptance in central government, came out at work, celebrated civil partnership with colleagues, became involved in LGBTQIA+ workplace groups, groups becoming inclusive, normalised support. [00:49:41] He discusses EDI as education rather than language policing, the impact and harm of being outed by someone else, loss of control involved when someone is denied choice about coming out. [00:54:22] He talks about seeing progress in inclusion and acceptance of transgender colleagues, how empowering it is to see senior leaders who are part of the LGBTQIA+ community, reflecting on EDI changes since BR era. He speaks about the struggles he had in his youth with his sexuality, internalised homophobia, the impact of the AIDS/HIV crisis and the hostility towards gay people, impact on mental health impacts, friendships, what it is like to fear for personal safety, having friends injured in homophobic attacks, and staying closeted to protect career. [01:07:47] How progress can be London-centric, differences across the UK, example of homophobic language heard in Yorkshire as banter, feeling it is more out of ignorance than hate. Discussion around evolution of language associated to the LGBTQIA+ community, terms like gay and queer, historic slurs, pronouns, how people can react to pronouns or misgendering. [01:16:20] He considers current LGBTQIA+ representation, efforts by senior leaders to understand transgender and nonbinary identities, how his experience of finding the workplace supportive may not be the same for others in the community. Being close to retirement, recent move to York, limited local support networks, friendliness in the North. Favourite moment in his career. [end of interview]

Haydon Walker interviewed by Nat Palethorpe

2025-03-01
Interview with Darran Brown conducted by Matt Smith on 13 August 2024 at the Science and Industry Museum, Manchester. Duration: 48 minutes 26 seconds. [Start of interview] Childhood, education; his railway career, how he joined the railway in 1996 as a summer Station Announcer at Preston before moving onto platforms, despatching trains and progressing to Station Supervisor at Wigan North Western, Senior Conductor and Train Driver with Virgin Trains in 2002. He describes a lifelong interest in railways, family railway connections dating back to 1834, childhood cab rides and a family collection of rulebooks. [00:07:00] Being out in his personal life but closeted at work, living a double life and facing homophobia, homophobic abuses at work, example abusive material placed in his pigeonhole in 2003. He explains how ASLEF union [Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen] LGBTQIA+ support helped him respond, including advice when approaching management, and recalls a request from the ASLEF General Secretary not to discuss homosexuality. He says workplace attitudes made him feel being openly gay would have harmed his career, but that union backing later helped him be out and open as a driver. He recalls laughing along with homophobic messroom comments to protect himself, avoiding gay colleagues to prevent gossip, and feeling Section 28 had set equality back by years. [00:16:00] His rapid career progression, running a station within 12 months and becoming a Senior Conductor within three years. Reflecting on macho platform culture, learning football to fit into messroom conversations, and becoming more comfortable among women and openly gay catering staff. Being seen with his partner meant colleagues became aware of his sexuality, which he experienced positively because he no longer had to hide. [00:23:20] Comparing Virgin’s public brand with railway culture on the ground, describing poor understanding of LGBTQIA+ issues, abuse in his pigeonhole while driving, and strong support from his union and Virgin HR (Human Resources), with management taking a positive stand. He discusses Preston and Blackpool depot cultures and joining the ASLEF LGBTQIA+ Committee, set up in 2000 to support members across areas, including giving confidential advice on colleagues’ personal LGBTQIA+ concerns. [00:30:50] Committee work advising colleagues, challenging transphobia and confronting discriminatory comments. He reflects on a transgender person leaving the railway after abusive colleague behaviour, and ongoing resistance to LGBTQIA+ visibility. Negative reactions to Pride flags and colleague surprise around non-binary colleagues working on track. He stresses the importance of being an LGBTQIA+ ambassador. [00:36:00] DB describes the railway as a closed environment with limited diversity, messroom cliques and senior leadership still dominated by “male, pale and stale” demographics, but sees slow cultural change through education, challenge, trainbows and queer community organising. He argues that railway staff and passengers both need better LGBTQIA+ awareness because everyone uses the railways, and notes the importance of legal protections alongside visibility. [00:43:20] DB discusses recognition of same gender partnerships on the railway, including late 1990s efforts to secure equal partner benefits and wider progress in the 2000s through queer community work. He ends by emphasising the value of People, Pride & Progress and LGBTQIA+ networks in increasing visibility, preserving experience and pushing equality forward. [end of interview]

Darran Brown interviewed by Matt Smith

2024-08-13
Interview with Robert (Bob) Hughes recorded by Claire McHugh on 27 March 2026 at the Dana Research Centre and Library, Science Museum, London. Duration: 1 hour 15 minutes 14 seconds. [Start of interview, track 01] Childhood in Croydon, South London, and teenage years; feeling fortunate to grow up in London; realising he was gay; memories of ‘Gayest Moments on British TV’ with Boy George; working at Switchboard (LGBTQIA+ support helpline in the UK, registered charity); reflections on coming out and how his experience compared with others. Discussion of coming out, attending an LGBTQIA+ Youth Centre, having a positive early life experience and a strong support network. [00:11:41] Teaching abroad, transgender acceptance among children and children’s social awareness; gap year; University of York, socialising, and differences between London and Yorkshire gay nights out; realising others had not had the same positive life experiences. [end of track 01] [Track 02] Studying English Literature at university and A Levels; joining campaigning and social LGBTQIA+ groups; feeling a duty of care towards LGBTQIA+ folk and describing how being part of the community shaped his life. Post-university work in the Students’ Union as Welfare Officer; teaching in China, South Korea and Austria; being closeted, experiencing heterosexism from a head teacher, and learning to hide in less LGBTQIA+ friendly cultures. [00:13:20] Teaching in Wales in a macho environment and feeling guilt about not being a queer role model for students; working in Korea, attending Seoul Pride, seeing protests against Pride, mistaken conflation of tradition with being anti-LGBTQIA+, being closeted and facing the possibility of dismissal for being gay; decisions about which countries felt safe or not to work in. Personal life abroad, dating while hiding, partners’ fears about being outed, and losing carefree feeling about being gay; living and working in Austria and being more open in a relationship with a flight attendant. [00:24:50] Relationship with parents and accepting family; co-chairing the University of York LGBTQIA+ society; becoming a donor parent; reflections on family, social pressure and not feeling pressure to follow traditional life milestones such as marriage and house buying. Having a donor child; moving back to London from Austria in 2017; working for an education charity in fundraising; volunteering at Switchboard from 2020. [00:35:07] Work at Switchboard, hearing other LGBTQIA+ experiences, bringing together queer individuals from different generations and walks of life, and trying to make things better for queer people; the damaging effect on staff morale of a hostile Supreme Court judgement (April 2025). Continued education charity work alongside Switchboard volunteering, including schools work, fundraising and tackling educational disadvantage; reflections on hate crime, shootings, and the contrast between an all-queer team at Switchboard and the education charity. [00:47:05] Reflecting on life path, future jobs and body confidence as a gay man. [00:51:12] Discussion of the impact of Section 28, young people’s understanding, gaps in older teachers’ training, the negative effect of misinformation filling educational voids, and thoughts on passing work on to younger generations. [end of interview]

Robert Hughes interviewed by Claire McHugh

2026-03-27
Interview with Andrew Lambert recorded by Christopher Nairne on 13 March 2025 at Marylebone station, London. Duration: 2 hours 43 minutes 22 seconds. [Start of interview, track 01] Childhood in London, school in the 1960s, family background; his career before railways, early jobs in Selfridges, Dulcie’s shoe shop; career in aviation industry, including British European Airways (BEA), Singapore Airlines, Gulf Air, Virgin Atlantic and Scandinavian Airlines; challenges, difficult customers, cultural differences, poor pay and why he chose to leave airlines. [00:13:25] Joining railway industry, becoming a driver for Chiltern Railways, recruitment, testing and training; first experience of trade unions, differences between airline and railway cultures; gossip and nosiness on the railways; driving exam, rules exams and first solo driving. [00:27:37] How he made his first career choices, his work ethic, comparisons with other colleagues; frustrations with attitudes of some driver colleagues; personal views on union leadership, LGBTQIA+ representation, upcoming rail re-nationalisation, job security and public perceptions of drivers. [00:39:28] Family relationships, parents and siblings, his hobbies in childhood; early memories of railways, how is perception of inclusivity on railways and airlines then influenced his early career decisions. [00:54:34] Coming out in his early 20s, father’s accepting response, coping strategies for school, lifelong friends, childhood difficulty reading, coming out to family and friends, knowing other gay children, and views on social media for schoolchildren today. [01:09:11] Social life, not enjoying drinking or clubbing, first gay club visit, early relationships, travel through airline concessions, fond memories of Singapore Airlines, exhausting working culture at Virgin, and importance of standing up for personal opinions. [01:22:45] Marylebone depot, union disputes over Spare turns and diversity, government ownership, Southern guards dispute, reasons for joining Chiltern, training challenges, interest in signalling and liking structure. [01:42:00] Incidents linked to lack of guards, passenger alarms, storms, blame culture, SPAD [Signal Passed At Danger], accessibility issues including ramps, needs of blind and disabled passengers, PA announcements, pressure during incidents, views on cab technology, evacuation concerns and social media during disruption. [01:59:00] Changes in the driver’s job, punctuality focus, blame culture, staff social media monitoring, negative public perceptions and difficulties with some colleagues. [end of track 01] [Track 02] Rostering changes, retirement plans, voluntary work, his partner’s work history, their relationship and marriage at Marylebone Registry Office, live streamed on BBC; refusal by venue to host wedding they planned previously in Danmark because they were gay. [00:15:30] Recent changes in society, observing increase of homophobic prejudice in London, concerns over rise in extreme views, feeling society is moving backwards, importance of diverse opinions, how homophobia feels more extreme in society than it used to. [00:23:08] 1980s AIDS/HIV crisis in London, stigma towards gay people, trauma of people dying, volunteering for Terrence Higgins Trust, charities; holiday/ leave entitlement in rail compared with airlines; reflecting on trauma of AIDS/HIV crisis and current attitudes towards sexually transmitted diseases. [00:27:28] Having tattoos, railway-themed tattoos, tattoo policies in airlines, pride in railway work, advice to younger self not to be his own worst critic or take homophobic comments to heart; being generally curious about other people, wanting to continue to learn, what he likes about being a train driver. [end on interview]

Andrew Lambert interviewed by Christopher Nairne

2025-03-13
Interview with Julian Hows conducted by Scott Heath on 11th November 2024 at the Hitachi Rail Offices, London. Duration: 2 hours 55 minutes 56 seconds. [Start of interview, track 01] Hows discusses being a LGBTQIA+ activist since age 15, involvement in the UK’s first Pride march, work in the AIDS/HIV sector, being a long-term HIV survivor, HIV Justice Network, and life in Brixton as an older gay man. He recalls childhood in South London, Catholic education, school, feeling different, and using public libraries to research homosexuality and gay literature, having few role models or safe adults to speak to. [00:19:45] He describes coming out to himself at 15, gay role models among teachers, and introduction to London’s gay scene and activism. His involvement in the Gay Liberation Front (GLF), attempting to invite GLF to speak at school, National Union of School Students activism, arrest at County Hall, and conflict with school authorities over GLF support and homophobia. [00:44:49] Hows discusses GLF offices, leafletting, not outing others rule, expulsion from school as a “corrupting influence”, squatting in Colville Terrace and Notting Hill Gate, radical gay communal living, protest campaign against their eviction. [end of track 01] [Track 2] Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament was permitted at school while GLF was barred, reflects on criminalisation, age of consent and privacy law, and describes leaving home for commune life, life in a radical commune. [00:19:45] He recalls 1970s gay social life in London, Earls Court and Notting Hill venues, refusal of entry due to GLF links or dress, organising dances, Pride marches and Come Together magazine, Brixton squats, London Friend, refugee gays, a gay centre and council attitudes to LGBTQIA+ people. [00:41:26] How and why he joined London Transport (LT), training at White City, Parsons Green’s reputation as gay depot, closeted gay men, being out and proud, and support from gay colleagues. [00:54:08] He describes challenging gendered uniform rules after 1976 Sex Discrimination Act, asking to wear women’s uniform, involving ASLEF, LT executives missing the point, being offered time off for “sex change” without loss of job or pension rights, and learning LT had experience with colleagues transitioning. Resigning in protest, attended work in women’s uniform, issued press release and gained international media coverage, helping other gay railway workers realise they were not alone. [end of track 02] [Track 03] Reflects on Parsons Green, shift work, borrowing uniform for the protest, uniform now at Bishopsgate Institute. Leaving LT, formalising Brixton gay squats into a Cooperative, and later work in LGBTQIA+ venues and London Lesbian & Gay Switchboard (LGBTQIA+ support helpline). [00:08:56] Hows discusses the 1980s AIDS/HIV crisis, an early HIV conference at Conway Hall, terms including GRID (Gay Related Immune Deficiency) and Four H disease (Haemophiliacs, Homosexuals, Haitians, Heroin users), hospital visits, bereavement, international activism, later British Telecom work, gay-friendly colleagues, transphobia. [00:15:23] He describes HIV diagnosis, redundancy from BT, how he expected to die before effective treatment, volunteering with London Lighthouse, Gay Men Fighting AIDS, Metro Centre and Global Network of People Living With HIV, treatment for HIV around 2000, and becoming a professional activist. [00:23:21] He summarises his consultancy work as a professional activist, in relation to HIV stigma, refugees, asylum seekers, LGBTQIA+ people coming out, peer-based research, healthcare, human rights and criminalisation of people living with HIV. [00:31:32] Hows reflects on being invited by Outbound at Transport for London, appearing on the London Transport Museum website and in permanent exhibition, Pride roundels, gender-neutral uniform changes, and his view that companies should support people because of who they are, not in spite of who they are. [end of interview]

Julian Hows interviewed by Scott Heath

2024-11-11
Interview with Warren Scott recorded by Kosma Mrzyglod on 19 April 2026 at the Dana Research Centre and Library, Science Museum, London. Duration: 1 hr 1 min 20 secs. This interview follows a first interview recorded with Warren Scott on 12 February 2025.

Warren Scott interviewed by Kosma Mrzyglod

2026-04-19
Interview with James Goddard recorded by Fiona Slater on 13 March 2026 at the Dana Centre, Science Museum, London. Duration: 1 hour 18 minutes 59 seconds. [Strat of interview] Goddard recalls a middle-class childhood in outer suburban London, private school, family life, and an early interest in trains. He discusses bullying at primary school, growing up with a strong railway interest, volunteering on heritage railways from age 12 to 16, making railway videos on YouTube, and developing interests in history, politics and economics. [00:10:10] Reflects on his railway interest through his grandfather, including a model railway in the loft and heritage railway volunteering ending after his grandfather’s death; mentions possible ASC (Autism Spectrum Condition) in relation to his grandfather, noting this would not have been discussed at the time. He describes friendships at school, beginning to feel more confident in 2010, realising he was gay, losing weight, changing his wardrobe, and later being able to indulge his train hobby more fully. [00:19:00] Discusses GCSEs, sixth form, studying History and Philosophy at York, coming out to friends and family at university, and feeling it was a good time to grow up. After graduating, he worked for a year in a commercial law firm in London before exploring railway career options. He reflects on Alex Warner, head of a TOC (Train Operating Company), setting up a Railway Study Association network and becoming its Secretary, networking, the Shaw Report and decentralisation of rail planning, and applying for graduate schemes before joining Colas Rail in 2016 as part of an infrastructure contractor in rail construction, becoming a Quantity Surveyor (QS). [00:30:46] Reflects on university independence, social life, experimenting with identity, being true to yourself, the impact of leaving university, post-university confidence, student debt and trying to find work. [00:40:45] Describes moving to Brockley in 2019, dating and meeting his partner Duncan in February 2019, lockdown, changing jobs from Colas Rail to Morgan Sindall during Covid-19, Colas Rail redundancies, and moving into civil engineering. He discusses buying a flat with his partner in Crystal Palace in 2022, getting a dog in 2023, and building an LGBTQIA+ friendship network with gay men through a local pub. [00:54:00] Discusses the LGBTQIA+ network at Morgan Sindall, responding to a bulletin to help set it up, changing aims of the network, visibility during Pride months, LGBTQIA+ mental health support, giving talks on LGBTQIA+ issues to colleagues, linking with other networks, and wanting inclusion work to be more than “pink washing”. [00:59:39] Reflects on being out at work, having few bad experiences, workplace banter in rail and construction, supportive allies and HR processes, experiences of homophobic colleagues including offensive language, passing as a straight man, privilege, the lack of a gender transition policy because of legal difficulties creating one, and Morgan Sindall’s supportive policies and processes. [01:06:15] Discusses being an ally within the LGBTQIA+ community, solidarity with groups who have it worse than gay men, listening to 'People, Pride and Progress' project recordings and not recognising some harrowing past experiences because “we’ve moved on”, attending transgender protest marches, solidarity with the transgender community, and political backlash. [01:10:45] Reflects on class and workplace inclusion, rail as a working-class profession, LGBTQIA+ networks as a way to meet people across the industry, next career steps, and continuing railway interests through volunteering, including work in the locomotive department at the Bluebell Railway and exploring volunteering in North Wales. [end of interview]

James Goddard interviewed by Fiona Slater

2026-03-13
Interview with Lee Forster-Kirkham recorded by Scott Foster on 15 October 2025, at the Dana Research Centre, Science Museum, London. Duration: 1 hour 52 minutes 3 seconds. [Start of interview] Railway family background, including grandfather’s raised at Southern Railway Orphanage Woking (now Woking Homes)and 1926 General Strike. Early career in local council, theatre and retail; university experiences, autism and neurodivergence; being gay at work, pressure to tone down his personality, limited job security for LGBTQIA+ people, and creating opportunities for queer people. Discusses HIV/AIDS diagnosis in 1997-1998, antiretroviral treatment and long-term health impacts. [00:15:55] Civil service and Child Support Agency [CSA] work, including homophobic workplace cultures, formal complaint processes, becoming armed forces focal point and Proactive Service Manager for London and the South East, masking as an autistic person, targeted hostility. [00:33:25] Getting new queer friendly job with state pension system, redundancy under the Conservatives & Liberal Democrats coalition government, running seafront gift shop in Hastings as a queer-friendly employer, supporting LGBTQIA+ young people, and moving to Citizen’s Advice as National Housing Policy Lead. At Department for Transport (DfT), he worked on passenger service and rail fares regulation; achievements included the 26–30 Railcard, extending child fares for 16–18 year olds, work on the Veterans Railcard, chairing the DfT LGBTQIA+ staff network, and Trainbow Europe (cross European LGBTQIA+ rail conference”). [00:38:55] Work on transgender passenger safety, misinformation, domestic violence and homophobic abuse on railways; concerns that women’s safety campaigns could exclude LGBTQIA+ experiences and fears among transgender and LGBTQIA+ passengers. He discusses Pride messaging, transgender inclusion, and witnessing transphobic harassment on a train. [00:51:57] Compares openly queer theatre workplaces with conservative benefits agency cultures, pressure to conform, and how homophobia strengthened his resolve to challenge poor behaviour and create safer workplaces. Links HIV/AIDS experience to charity and advocacy, including Patron of a national HIV charity and chair of local Citizen’s Advice. Mentions DfT allyship, rainbow posters/lanyards. A colleague’s complaint to HR (Human Resources) about the use of term bisexual in the workplace, his decreasing tolerance for queerphobia. [01:06:05] Reflects on legal and cultural change from the 1960s–1980s onwards, including HIV/AIDS stigma, conservative hostility to queer people, school homophobia, and rises in racism, Islamophobia, homophobia and transphobia. [01:14:46] Rail industry working environments, including Trainbow Europe at the National Railway Museum, differences between office and frontline/operational spaces, “bantery” male-oriented cultures, closeted colleagues, gendered facilities, transphobia and barriers for transgender workers. [01:19:56] Neurodivergence and autism: childhood experiences of being labelled “weird”, adult autism diagnosis, university struggles, stigma, masking, social barriers, benefits of neurodiversity in questioning assumptions, and differences between queer and neurodiverse journeys. Being in abusive relationship while at university. [01:36:28] Feeling able to be himself at work, being widowed, recognition of same-sex relationships, LGBTQIA+ rights and employment rights, discriminatory age of consent and marriage discrimination. Discusses activism, including arrest in 1991 for kissing a man outside Westminster and a 1999 “Gaytime TV” [television show] wedding after the Admiral Duncan bombing as a statement about lack of marriage rights. [01:47:32] Transition to Great British Railways [GBR], see how GBR implementation develops. [end of interview]

Lee Forster-Kirkham interviewed by Scott Foster

2025-10-15
Interview with Ash Read recorded by Ashlyn Hudson-Welburn on 15 April 2026, at the National Railway Museum, York. Duration: 1 hr 51 min 59 secs.

Ash Read interviewed by Ashlynn Hudson-Welburn

2026-03-15
Group discussion with Journey network members, discussion led and recorded by Scott Foster on 27 March 2026, at the National Railway Museum. A group of members of Journey (network for LGBTQ+ professionals working in transport), participated to a day at the National Railway Museum to find out about People, Pride and Progress oral history project and have a LGBTQIA+ history led tour of the museum. Divided into smaller groups, participants were invited to listen to and discuss a selection of extracts of oral history interviews recorded as part of People, Pride and Progress, with railway workers sharing their experience on the railways as members of the LGBTQIA+ community. The people taking part in this recorded discussion are Nathan Wyllie (Train Driver, South Western Railway), Skye Haynes (Body Worn Video Engagement Coordinator at South Western Railway) and Weifeng Jiang (Transport Economist and Rail Operations Specialist, Atkins). Extract from Simon Shepherd interview: secret safe LGBTQ+ spaces, ‘pink brigade’, secret LGBTQ+ community, word-of-mouth on third carriage of a train being safe, secret clubs in Cornwall and Blackpool, participant discussions and reflections on coming out at work, workplace support, Pride networks and public attitudes, inclusion and employee morale; [00:08:27] playback of Craig McNally interview extract: GNER, National Express, East Coast, Virgin and LNER workplace cultures, franchise change, morale, customer service ethos, Pride participation; participants sharing own experiences at different companies; union representation, LGBTQIA+ advocacy and network, equality policies, comparing frontline and office environments; [00:21:46] playback of Craig McNally interview extract: perception of inclusivity within railway industry, railway industry reputation, positive experience overall; participants discussing LGBTQIA+ inclusivity in the railway industry, comparing London bubble and other regions, big cities vs more rural areas, comparing before and after covid pandemic, Southampton Pride, rainbow lanyards, Trans Day of Visibility, discrimination, support networks, visibility of LGBTQ+ staff and workplace culture; [00:32:20] Playback of Lisa Charlwood-Green interview extract: microaggressions; gossips, colleagues belief that EDI (Equality, Diversity and Inclusion) training was because of her; being treated differently by HR when placing her parental leave request, selective application of policy, no friends at work; questions from colleagues about how she had her children; discussions of privilege, labels imposed on people by society, how most EDI training are not suitable, online training unsuitability, important of meeting people in-person, giving opportunities for people to engage; discussing intersectionality, disability, race, religion, Black Pride, cultural identity, ADHD, autism, neurodiversity, Southampton Pride, mental health support, neurodiversity networks, peer support; [00:46:52] playback of Darran Brown interview extract: becoming a senior conductor, train crew culture, working with women and openly gay catering staff, macho atmosphere on the platforms, confidence whilst being around more LGBTQIA+ people at work; discussion, comparison between platform staff and on-board staff, workplace culture; belonging, workplace friendships, banter, customer interactions and authenticity; visibility and acceptance of LGBTQ+ identities; family background, upbringing, sexuality, neurodiversity, school experiences, generational attitudes and changes in society with regards to inclusivity; impact of COVID-19 on people in the LGBTQIA+ community, development of workplace community networks, Brighton Pride volunteering, being used to masking own identity and code-switching, authenticity, ability to be own authentic self in the workplace, reflections on progress and continuing challenges facing LGBTQ+ railway workers [end of interview]

Group discussion, Journey network group 1

2026-03-27
Interview with Mark Beresford recorded by Nat Palethorpe on 15 November 2024 at Vision Northumberland, Morpeth, Northumberland. Duration: 2 hours 50 minutes 15 seconds. [Start of interview, track 01] Childhood in Northumberland, school, early awareness of same gender attraction, the absence of LGBTQIA+ sex education, and the harm caused by treating same gender attraction as taboo. He reflects on Section 28, safe sex education, and later RMT LGBTQIA+ Advisory Committee work challenging misinformation, supplying condoms to RMT members, and engaging schools. [00:14:53] MB describes leaving school at 16 and joining British Rail as a Junior Railwayman Messenger in the Cambois area, delivering mail to signal boxes and learning office roles in a largely middle-aged, white, straight, male workplace. He recalls isolation as a young gay man, closeted railway workers, family attitudes, being outed, homophobic name-calling and graffiti, propositions from older closeted colleagues, and stereotypes linking gay men with predatory behaviour. [00:29:00] MB discusses training as a signaller, working in Sunderland, meeting his current partner, joining the RMT union LGBTQIA+ Advisory Committee, helping organise a queer conference in Newcastle in 1985, taking cis-gendered heterosexual [cis-het] colleagues to gay bars, and supporting closeted gay colleagues, including those in cis-het marriages. [00:41:19] He describes being open at work, challenging misogyny and homophobia, working at Network Rail (NR), joining an NR equalities working group, and collaborating with the British Transport Police LGBTQIA+ group. He reflects on improved policies, inductions, reporting systems for queerphobic abuse, mental health and domestic abuse support, and support for colleagues facing dismissal or discrimination. [00:49:47] MB recalls organising RMT Advisory Committee conferences, dealing with homophobic hotel staff, supporting LGBTQIA+ early career railway workers, educating colleagues afraid of saying gay, and developing a long-term relationship with his partner, later husband. He discusses family tensions, religious objections, later acceptance, and inclusion by work colleagues in men’s and women’s social spaces. [01:01:32] MB contrasts earlier workplace conditions with later allyship from colleagues and managers, including managers seeking his advice on queer issues and transgender women using women’s toilets. He also discusses his partner’s childhood, health, upbringing and relationship with his family. [01:17:57] MB describes supporting LGBTQIA+ colleagues and local groups, advising employers on LGBTQIA+ issues, explaining protections under the Equality Act 2010, and bringing one’s full self to work [01:24:30] He reflects on criminalisation until 1967, Margaret Thatcher, Section 28, the AIDS/HIV epidemic, fear-based public messaging, Freddie Mercury, workplace homophobia, anti-LGBTQIA+ hate and violence, activist exhaustion, and the emotional toll on union representatives. [01:34:42] MB reflects on becoming a union representative, using his experiences to guide others, regrets about not doing more for closeted colleagues, LGBTQIA+ friendship networks, local town council work, continuing anti-LGBTQIA+ sentiment, and hopes for inclusion. [01:55:55] He discusses advice to future generations, the value of People Pride and Progress, work-life balance, avoiding activist burnout, and railway oral history work. [end of track 01] [Track 02] MB reflects on optimism, adapting to change, 40 years as a union member, the 1980s railway induction process, 44 years in rail, friendships through RMT and rail, and improvements still needed. [00:15:15] He discusses meeting his husband, supporting LGBTQIA+ colleagues coming out, the lack of support available when he came out, life philosophy, career impacts of union work, supportive friends and family, life with his husband, and closing reflections. [end of interview]

Mark Beresford interviewed by Nat Palethorpe

2024-11-15
Interview with Alex Fowles conducted by Laura Stoffers on 8th October 2024 at the National Railway Museum, York. Session 1 of 3. Duration: 1 hour 7 minutes 46 seconds. [Start of interview, session 1, track 01] Fowles discusses growing up in Nottinghamshire and Norfolk, childhood interest in railways through Thomas the Tank Engine, family links to stations and trainspotting with his grandmother, and joining the North Norfolk Railway junior railway club aged 14. He describes learning railway roles through heritage volunteering, beginning with station duties and onboard ticket checking, then joining the diesel department as a Drivers Assistant aged 16, progressing through driver training to become a diesel multiple unit driver and later qualifying as a diesel locomotive driver. [00:13:28] He discusses studying Economic & Transport Studies at the University of Leeds, using heritage railway connections to secure a placement with Great Western during the Dawlish Seawall collapse, and joining the First Group Rail Operations Graduate Scheme, working with First Great Western, TransPennine Express, South Western Railway and LNER. He met his partner at First Great Western, describes their long-distance relationship, shared rail careers, wedding plans, and moving to LNER in part to support the relationship. [00:19:04] Fowles outlines his current operations-side customer experience responsibilities, working with Train Managers and stations, and explains how practical heritage railway knowledge helps him gain respect and solve operational problems through railway networks. He reflects on shift work, railway social life, and friendship groups that include many LGBTQIA+ people, including his fiancé’s friendship group among drivers. [end of track 01] [Track 02] Fowles describes finding railway and university communities where he could be himself, noting increased LGBTQIA+ visibility over time, the importance of online information for young LGBTQIA+ people, and the presence of many LGBTQIA+ colleagues in rail, while questioning company diversity statistics. [00:08:57] He reflects on becoming more confident through volunteering, customer service, public speaking and dating, and on meeting his partner Graham. He says his identity has not been an issue at work, although colleagues sometimes assumed his gender-neutral “partner” was a woman; he tends to come out naturally when relevant. [00:27:10] Fowles discusses placements with First Bus during the Olympics and Great Western in planning and projects, including timetabling around floods, and explains how planning knowledge later helped his operational career. He describes LNER responsibilities in operational standards, legal compliance for train running, staff qualifications, rule book changes and station whistle procedures, plus previous roles as Compliance Manager for stations, managing train crew at Leeds and Guards Manager. He values supporting colleagues’ career ambitions and passing on the help he received. [end of session 1]

Alex Fowles interviewed by Laura Stoffers

2024-10-08
Group discussion with Journey network members, discussion led and recorded by Fiona Slater on 27 March 2026, at the National Railway Museum. A group of members of Journey (network for LGBTQ+ professionals working in transport), participated to a day at the National Railway Museum to find out about People, Pride and Progress oral history project and have a LGBTQIA+ history led tour of the museum. Divided into smaller groups, participants were invited to listen to and discuss a selection of extracts of oral history interviews recorded as part of People, Pride and Progress, with railway workers sharing their experience on the railways as members of the LGBTQIA+ community. The people taking part in this recorded discussion are Aaron Philips (Hitachi Rail), Pippa Armstrong (Alstom) and Alex Garnett-Scherer (Service Manager Bakerloo Line, London Underground).

Group discussion, Journey network group 3

2026-03-27
Interview with Alan Martin recorded by Ash Read on 20th February 2025 at Portsmouth. Duration: 1 hour 17 minutes 25 seconds. [Start of interview, track 1] Childhood on the Isle of Wight, education, self-understanding by mid teenage years, homophobic bullying, coming out as gay at 21, catering studies and early career prospects. Work history including Youth Training Scheme with local Council, various jobs, applying for railway work, Revenue Protection Assistant role, Retail Relief post on the Isle of Wight, and disillusionment with a possible police career after hostile treatment connected to homosexuality. [00:15:52] Working on the Isle of Wight and at Ryde St. John’s, qualifying as a driver in 2007, gay colleagues, difficulty finding LGBTQIA+ community locally, volunteering for the island’s LGBTQIA+ Switchboard, and ASLEF LGBTQIA+ advisory committee role representing the Southeast of England excluding London. Discusses being gay in the workplace, colleague and public attitudes, challenging behaviour as a union representative, differences between railway company policies, South West Trains, same gender partner travel passes, Section 28, a large LGBTQIA+ rail workforce, supportive line managers, gay relationships, family support, union work, and attitudes on the Isle of Wight including bullying, policing, limited social opportunities and employment. [00:35:11] Island Line work, stations, seasonal issues, animals on the railway, personal railway interest, local and company council union representation, Pride events including London Pride, Brighton Pride, Rainbow Railway Staff Association, Isle of Wight Pride and UK Pride, Isle of Wight gay men’s chorus, and impact of railway rota on participation. [end of track 01] [Track 02] Island and mainland differences including pay gap, maintenance, signalling, cost of living, driver training at Woking and Basingstoke, refurbished London Underground trains, data recorders, power brake controllers and dead man’s handles; technological progress, company regulations, colleague attitudes to data recording and computers, and memories of a gay colleague. [00:09:08] Impact of union work on career progression; Island Line workers, lack of women drivers and drivers from ethnic minorities, island demographics, Island Line known as The Pink Line, gay male workers, word-of-mouth recruitment, banter, homophobic reactions from colleagues, and links with airline industry workers. [00:21:45] Family relationships, social life, ice hockey, opportunities on the island, thoughts around retirement, family in Florida, Brightline railway jobs and concerns about level crossings in the USA. [00:24:28] Railway company attitudes, support of Section 28, numbers of LGBTQIA+ workers, increasing acceptance of gay people, current hostility towards transgender people, imported attitudes from America, homophobic assaults on public transport, lack of British Transport Police on the Isle of Wight, and current issues around spouse passes, partner passes and the Rail Delivery Group. [end of interview]

Alan Martin interviewed by Ash Read

2025-02-20
Interview with Babak Erfani recorded by Chris Nairne on 25 February 2026. Duration: 3 hours 54 minutes 59 seconds. [Start, track 01] Childhood in Brighton, family background, mother from Brighton, Iranian father, parents divorce; mother’s remarriage, his stepfather and brothers, his relationship with his mother; origin of his love for railways, influence of his grandfather who worked for Southern Railway. Relationship with his father, visits and holidays to the USA as a child, family living in USA. Childhood in Brighton, hobbies, family relationships. Education, schools attended and friendships, focus on academia. [00:30:00] His relationship with faith and religion, developing faith in adulthood, support and positive influence of a priest at school; earlier coming out to a friend at 14, being outed and bullied; coming out to parents at 16, their reactions. Relationship with his brothers, being a role model as the eldest. Hobbies as a child, relationship with grandparents, friendships. [00:51:07] Reason for choosing to study at University at Loughborough, being openly gay from the start, joining the LGBTQIA+ association, becoming Communications Officer then Chair, reviving the group, providing welfare support, organising LGBTQIA+ events and creating a visible queer student community; how much he enjoyed his experience at university and his involvement in the LGBTQIA+ society and student union. [01:20:48] Reflects on the society’s growth since he has left university, increased diversity. How difficult it is to handover projects to others, example work on Crossrail programme. Why and how he changed his initial career plans to be a commercial pilot to working on the railways. [01:40:38] October 2009, join NR graduate scheme, commercial and project management on Crossrail, track works, bridge demolition and rebuilding, station remodelling and depot work; later Wessex route sponsor, setting up a signalling projects team and becoming senior sponsor for signalling and digital rail, delivering major schemes including Feltham and Woking resignalling. [01:48:01] NR Consulting role in the USA as Associate Director of Project and Programme Management, working on Boston commuter rail decarbonisation, Amtrak train fleet work and California High Speed Rail. Work on capital projects, role of sponsor/sponsorship in rail, responsibilities of handling multi-million pounds budget, moving from Crossrail to sponsorship. [end of track 01] [Track 02] Role as a consultant, drawing on past experiences. US consultancy work and differences between UK and USA rail systems. [00:13:06] Role as Principal Portfolio Manager at NR, supporting capital delivery from finance function. [00:27:51] Being a founding Chair of Archway, Network Rail’s LGBTQIA+ employee network, how Archway was founded in 2013, how it grew, early events, impact. [00:34:48] Why doing Pride is important, his involvement in Archway, actions and events he has taken part of across the country, influence on other networks, Stonewall awards to NR and Archway. [00:42:50] Discusses diversity and inclusion, pinkwashing/rainbow-washing and the need for policies and safe working environments beneath visible Pride messaging. [00:58:31] Reflects on proud moments with Archway and in his career, NR values and culture, enjoying people management, mentoring, having observed NR becoming more inclusive. His Iranian heritage, his identity, intersectionality, his faith. [01:20:01] Marriage, how he met his husband, family life with husband and dog. His hopes for Great British Railways. [01:35:13] Advice to younger self about confidence and being yourself; Archway as the hardest project to leave because chairing it had become part of his identity. [01:41:59] Receiving an MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire) for services to Network Rail and diversity in transport, Buckingham Palace visit and meeting Prince William. [01:48:15] Final reflections on a varied railway career [end of interview]

Babak Erfani interviewed by Christopher Nairne

2026-02-25
Interview with Anthony Smale (Tony) recorded by Christopher Nairne on 3 July 2025 at Woking Signalling Centre. Duration: 1 hour 46 min 5 secs.

Anthony Smale interviewed by Christopher Nairne

2025-07-03
Interview with Polly McGillivray recorded by Ash Read on 20 April 2026. Duration: 1 hour 47 minutes 15 seconds. [Start of interview, track 01] Childhood in London, school, poverty, Section 28, council estate, and working at age 14 to help her family. She recalls family links to entertainment industry, and her early interest in special effects, learning special effects, working on film sets in Los Angeles. [00:12:05] Leaving special effects for sales and marketing for financial security; life in shared house and coming out; losing job due to recession; future jobs prospects, Royal Air Force, applying to become a train driver with LOROL (London Overground Rail Operations Ltd). Train driver role assessments, being offered train driver job, receiving her train key and rule books, and valuing the pay and benefits. [00:23:35] PM reflects on more women entering train driving, her choice of staying closeted at work, and sexist and queerphobic remarks faced by LGBTQIA+ women. She discusses poor women’s uniform design, being denied men’s clothing when women’s uniform was impractical and exposing, how she challenged this and helped change uniform policy. [00:33:45] She describes learning to drive trains, taking a stand in a misogynistic workplace, and choosing not to come out while training. She discusses the Huntingdon Incident (2025 Cambridgeshire train stabbing) as an example of decisions drivers may face. She recalls driving freight trains in Australia between Melbourne and New South Wales, shifts, pay, Outback scenery, 2-kilometre trains, rail buckling in heat, derailment, heatstroke. Leaving Australia following redundancy, unemployment in the UK, and later gaining a Learning Specialist role at Southern. [00:52:50] PM talks about working at GTR (Govia Thameslink Railway) and marrying her wife in 2018. She discusses Southern workers’ strikes, support for conductors/Onboard Supervisors for passenger safety, perimenopause, protests, campaigning against Reform UK to defend workers’ and human rights and developing RSSB (Rail Safety and Standards Board) training on human behaviour, motivation, safety and recruitment bias. [end of track 01] [Track 02] PM discusses living with her father after the USA, wanting to rent in London, realising she was part of the LGBTQIA+ community, questioning her sexuality in her youth and realising in her early twenties that she was gay. She recalls women-seeking-women adverts, phone messages, Gay Scene magazine, and finding LGBTQIA+ venues including the Candy Bar and Soho clubs. [00:07:00] She compares generations’ attitudes, discusses coming to understand nonbinary gender, continued activism, threats from figures such as Trump and Farage, and how workplace banter, jokes and complicity embolden bigotry. She reflects on being closeted in rail, difficulties faced by openly gay colleagues, the lack of many out LGBTQIA+ people in the industry, and gay women being fetishised or dismissed by straight men. [00:15:25] PM discusses finding little gay scene in Australia, racism and cultural differences, people-pleasing, redundancy and returning from Australia. She reflects on becoming interested in Britain’s railway history and architecture, views on renationalisation and funding, the need to focus on safety, trauma and the impact on drivers of hitting a person. [00:28:21] She describes dating after becoming a trainer as exhausting, then taking up strongman competitions, gaining confidence through weightlifting/heavy lifting, how she met her future wife through the Brenda app, moving from Brighton to Worthing, and experiencing a homophobic incident there. [end of track 02] [Track 03] PM reflects on volunteering to People Pride and Progress as an interviewer, how hard it was to find participants, connecting this to closeted colleagues and her own experiences of hiding her sexuality. She wants the NRM to do more on women in rail, LGBTQIA+ railway history and women’s history. [end of interview]

Polly McGillivray Interviewed by Ash Read

2026-04-20
Interview with Keith Barber recorded by Laura Stoffers on 10 May 2025. Duration: 4 hours 20 minutes 2 seconds. [Start, track 01] Born in London, living close to railway early interest in signalling, engineering and science. Denial about being gay, isolation at school and university, mental health; 1978, starting railway career. [00:11:10] Awareness of a gay underground on the railway, how Chief Divisional Inspector discreetly expressed KB was safe, LGBTQIA+ support; police entrapment and queer protection networks. [00:23:40] Signalling responsibilities, accidents, route-setting panels, Solid-State Interlocking [SSI] and European Train Control System [ETCS]. [00:39:20] Relief signalman at Kensington Olympia; Liberal Party campaigning; meeting openly gay people, colleague support; accepting he was gay aged 21. [00:44:40] Living as a gay man under Thatcher, homophobic policy, calls for recriminalisation, tabloid outing, parallel with attacks on transgender people and LGBTQIA+ rights today. [00:53:00] Section 28, HIV/Aids crisis, Lesbians and Gays Support the Miners, queer solidarity, London Friend [LGBTQIA+ counselling organisation], current supervisor role there. [01:06:30] Permanent signalling job, Marylebone; anecdote, wearing “I’m a fucking queer” badge at work. [01:09:00] religion, joining St Botolph’s Aldgate, meeting his partner, BK’s family relationship with his partner; how they celebrated their 25th anniversary, special church service; workplace openness as a gay couple; managing freight as Relief Supervisor, shunting, Speedlink delays. [end of track 01] [Track 2] Work at Willesden Brent Sidings; queer social life, gay bikers, LGBTQIA+ bellringing group, other bellringing groups, London Pride. [00:06:00] Lack of organised LGBTQIA+ rail groups; leaving rail 1994, Station Manager role at Enfield Town, heritage signalling and simulators. [00:30:00] Station Supervisor responsibilities, staff acceptance, preferring the term Gender Sexual Relationship Diverse [GSRD] [00:49:15] Religion and LGBTQIA+, Christianity, inclusive parish at St Botolph's Church, Aldgate, gay carol services, Gay Christian Movement (founded 1976, known as Lesbian and Gay Christian Movement (LGCM) from 1987, and OneBodyOneFaith since 2017), conflicts and confrontation within the Church of England around LGBTQIA+ inclusion, his personal opinion of some church leaders then, how LGCM being established at St Botolph’s church was legally challenged by the Archdeacon of London [01:12:15] Living openly as a couple in Stepney and East Ham, Civil Partnership, support from Sikh and Muslim neighbours, visibility, normalising queer lives. [01:30:00] Training and Recruitment Officer for Anglia Freight, set recruitment/training systems, Channel Tunnel driver-trainer and traction-inspector selection criteria, work with British Railways Board psychologists. [01:39:10] Railways Act 1993, privatisation, redundancy; training as therapist, openness about his gay relationship, ASLEF stall at Pride 1994, Sexual Harassment Counsellor role; social progress for gay men. [01:50:30] AIDS/HIV crisis, St Botolph’s response and support to affected people, impact of combination therapy. [02:00:40] Criticism of attacks on transgender people. [end of track 02] [Track 3] Discussing the Supreme Court ruling (April 2025) and its impact on trans people, reactions to the ruling, his opinion of it. [00:05:05] Hoping for renewed LGBTQIA+ progress, dismantling privilege and broader representation, reflections on his own life and privileges; activities in retirement, boating and interrailing. [end of interview]

Keith Barber interviewed by Laura Stoffers

2025-05-10
Interview with Tom Garlick recorded by Christopher Nairne on 13 February 2026 at Hitachi Offices, Birmingham. Duration: 3 hours 36 minutes. [Start] Childhood in Lincolnshire and Hong Kong; family, school, friendships, how homosexuality was not talked about then (Section 28), reflecting on how his confidence has grown. [00:18:57] School and adolescence, being in small town, friends, his interests at school, how it relates to his work now; hobbies as a child, shopping outings and train trips with his mother; his dislike of city life, being a countryside person; how similar he is to his grandmother. [00:47:29] Hobbies in childhood, music, arts, Blue Peter, being academia oriented, studying a lot, friends; feeling unsure about his future as a teenager, lack of role models, unsure about what career he wanted; studying media production at local college, experience at college, friendships, coming out to a few peers, part-time job. [01:07:37] Going to University of Lincoln, supportive friends, being more authentic, working in a gay bar, meeting new people, finding his place within the LGBTQIA+ community, discovering a love for musical theatre, drag queens, ability to be his authentic-self there. [01:33:00] Degree in Media production. Work after university on supply chain for a poultry manufacturer, his skills and strengths, creative problem-solving, social skills. Socialising and making friends after moving for work. [01:55:24] 2012, moving to new job, Procurement and supply chain role for a poultry chain, progression to more strategic role, then Head of Procurement, what his responsibilities entailed, his decision to leave in 2023 [end of track 01] [Track 02] Taking a year off, returning to Hong Kong, hobbies, reflecting and planning his life goals; [00:09:39] joining the railway industry, new job at Network Rail (NR) in December 2025, managing corporate supply chain, his responsibilities, national procurement, facilities management, drug and alcohol testing, consultancy services and retail property; working across teams, managing post-contract relationships, using public funds, assessing value, assessing need for outsourcing, when external expertise is needed. [00:23:57] Hybrid working, working from home, commute when in the office, reviewing contracts, KPI (Key Performance Indicator) meetings, supplier performance evaluation, Rail Delivery Group, Great British Rail (GBR), fares and ticketing, future-proofing, writing papers for leadership, mentoring staff, supporting career development, slow decision-making, change resistance and finding Network Rail collaborative, values-led and focused on connecting communities. [end of track 02] [Track 3] Discussing not feeling the need to formally come-out to family, relationships he has had, not feeling the need to have a partner, what being gay means to him; how he used to keep work and his sexuality separate, how it changed over his career, how is personal values are linked to queerness, community and openness, building trust by being opened about himself; employee networks, Building Equality, Pride marches and visible LGBTQIA+ support. [00:20:01] Archway LGBTQIA+ staff network at Network Rail, networking, British Transport Police, safety, LNER, applying conference connections to influence security and passenger safety; future railway challenges including budgets, commercial focus, revenue thinking, gradual change and TOC (Train Operating Company) staff. Integration of AI [artificial intelligence] into the workplace, for contract checking, plain English accessibility, redactions and storytelling tools. [00:39:40] Future rights and equality, social media amplification, fear and ignorance, semi-retirement hopes, hobbies, Land Rover project, birds, charitable procurement or non-executive work for causes such as Birmingham LGBTQIA+ centre; advice to his younger self to listen more, accept being wrong, and reassurance that life will be full and positive. [end of interview]

Tom Garlick interviewed by Christopher Nairne

2026-02-13
Interview with Dr Karen Wightman recorded by Matt Smith on 17 November 2025, at the National Railway Museum, York. Duration: 1 hour 16 minutes 58 seconds. [Start of interview] Karen Wightman introduces herself as 59 years old, transgender, out for five years and having completed transition six months earlier. She outlines her education and career: cryogenic physics at Nottingham University, graduate training with Rolls-Royce, a Ph.D. at Nottingham, British Gas research sites in Solihull and Loughborough, then rail industry roles with Metro-Cammell, Rail Safety and Standards Board in London, and Siemens PLC in Solihull, where she has worked for nearly twenty years. [00:09:10] Karen discusses becoming self-aware as transgender during COVID-19 after crossdressing throughout adult life, using a private transition pathway, and leading her own workplace transition at Siemens with support from colleagues despite limited HR experience. She recalls a colleague transitioning around thirty years earlier, prior Equality Act 2010, how it was handled and announced by company then, reactions from people, details of her only direct interaction with her trans colleague then. She reflects on when and how she realised herself she was trans. She discusses the poor LGBTQIA+ representation in the 1980s and negative depictions in media such as The Crying Game, Diamonds are Forever and Silence of the Lambs. [00:28:00] Karen describes and reflects on marriage and family relationships, including her wife’s reaction to her coming out. She comments on continuing negative transgender representation, the Supreme Court ruling (April 2025), UKSC 16 Judgement that ruled on the definition of gender in Equality Act and the negative impact of ruling on trans people, the issues and inconsistencies of the ruling. She explains how legislations and laws are built, the role of case law, the remaining issues with Equality Act 2010, the need for new legislation. She notes that transgender people are simply trying to live and highlights the link between attacks on transgender rights and the wider erosion of human rights and women’s rights, including examples of legal cases and laws in the USA. [00:37:20] Karen recalls the fear of being outed for crossdressing before coming out, childhood memories of wanting feminine clothing, and when she started buying and wearing female clothing. She discusses gender, sexuality and a research study showing evidence of correlation between brain activity and acquired gender. She describes fear of being outed while working at Rail Safety and Standards Board (RSSB), hearing negative comments from track workers when referring to LGBTQIA+ people. She reflects on losing male privilege after transition, experiencing misogyny in meetings and everyday life, and noticing women relaxing differently when men leave an office. [00:58:10] Karen gives more detail about her rail career, including work at Metro-Cammell running an electromagnetic compatibility department, projects for the Northern Line, Jubilee line, Stockholm Arlanda Airport and West Coast Pendolino, and her move into engineering management and bid management. She discusses the Midland Mainline bid, details of bidding and outcomes, Stagecoach in litigation, Astom’s reputation with clients, Advanced Passenger Train (APT), Fiat Ferroviaria (also known as Alstom Ferroviaria, Italian division of Alstom), sorting issues with toilets on Pendolino trains. She discusses the consequence of separate companies managing rolling stock and track, Train Protection and Warning System (TPWS) Authority insurance issues, and RSSB. [01:12:30] She ends by describing neurodiversity, her role as governance specialist, business-process work, governance responsibilities and being involved in innovative work. She concludes with a message about the importance of treating trans people like people. [end of interview]

Dr Karen Wightman interviewed by Matt Smith

2025-11-17
Interview with Mark Ovenden recorded by Kosma Mrzyglod on 28 April 2026 at Cowes Library on the Isle of Wight. Duration: 1 hr 46 min 32 secs. [Start of interview, track 01] Earliest memory of railways, London Underground (LU), move to Isle of Wight, Beeching cuts in 1960s, playing on railway tracks; childhood, importance of imagination, feeling different from other children; paper round job and pocket money jobs as a teenager to pay for railway modelling hobby; interest in music, collecting vinyl records, interest in media and broadcasting, recording a show for hospital radio station on Isle of Wight, disco and electronic music, DJing; interest in art, school art project making his own version of LU map, led to going to art college [end of track 01] [Track 02] Experience at school, interest in geography, history and art, influence of teachers; when and how he realised he was gay, Southampton university gay society, first gay relationships, involvement in Southampton local LGBTQIA+ community, events and activities, gay pride 1981; Setting up a local gay-friendly magazine ‘Due South’, challenges for distribution; student society radio show; 1980s AIDS/HIV crisis, impact of how it was covered by the media, youth group, politics then, homophobia, deciding to get involved in politics; witing a report to improve the railways in Southampton, meeting with Head of Network Southeast to discuss the report; Section 28, creating Outrage! group in Southampton to campaign against homophobic laws; becoming a journalist, work for Southampton local radio stations; developing a pilot for a national radio show for LGBTQIA+ youth, rejected by BBC; moving to Manchester, work on non-discrimination policies for city council [00:31:15]; music, gay scene and LGBTQIA+ community in Manchester; developing new radio show pilot for young LGBTQIA+ audience ‘Loud and Proud’, commissioned by BBC Radio 1, Pride events coverage for BBC Radio 1; moving back to Isle of Wight, his transport radio programme on Vectus Radio; other previous experience on tv and radio programmes; his collection of transit map from around the world, inspiration to make his first book ‘Metro maps of the world’ preparation, research and rights clearance when contacts were made by letters not the internet; idea and designing the book cover, publication in 2003, anecdote seeing the advert for his book on LU [00:50:45]. Being a collector, his maps and railway signs collections; British Railway branding and corporate identity, his current book project; how he feels about the National Railway Museum (NRM), being a regular visitor to Search Engine; railways studies course with the University of York, research visits at NRM; becoming a railway lecturer, accreditation process with the Arts Society, subjects of his lectures, LU and railway architecture and design, Margaret Calvert; end of Section 28, political changes in the UK, 1997 general election, Tony Blair’s labour government, impact on the LGBTQIA+ community; reflections on progress achieved for LGBTQIA+ rights, worries around current political climate, risks of losing what has been fought for in the past; how he met his partner, life on the Isle of Wight, relationship with his partner; being an author, books he has written and published; 2005 moving to Paris, work on book about Paris metro, his experience there; book on railway maps of the world, research and rights clearance; moving back to London, work on a book ‘Johnston and Gill : very British types’, how he developed and presented a TV documentary on the same topic; current book projects, ‘Mapping Britain’s Railways’ with Andrew Smithers, and book on the corporate identity of British Railways; how design and diagrams underpin everything on the railways; importance of maintain pride within the LGBTQIA+ community, the part of public transport in LGBTQIA+ community [end of interview]

Mark Ovenden interviewed by Kosma Mrzyglod

2026-04-28
Interview with Clive Ryan recorded by Matthew Hayes, session 2 of 2, on 17 January 2025 at the Science Museum, London. Duration: 1 hour 02 minutes 54 seconds. [Start of session 2] CR gives detailed memories of working at Victoria International Rail Centre [IRC] during British Rail, including internal recruitment, seasonal work, ticket selling, international and domestic tickets, manual ticketing, rail cards, European rail cards, interrail tickets, computer passes and foreign ticket validation. He describes the busy summer periods, specialist systems, call-centre work, ferry routes before Eurostar, and the customer experience of the IRC. [00:11:19] CR discusses the language skills used at the IRC, including French, some Spanish and a little German and Dutch, and recalls helping international customers, manually working out routes, producing paper itineraries and selling tickets at Watford Junction. He describes phone enquiries and tele-sales, preferring in-person sales, the IRC’s location at Victoria, training for the role and being sent to experience the services that staff sold. [00:19:13] CR recalls receiving a letter of thanks after his first year, returning for further six-month seasons, BR International arrangements, the decline of the IRC before privatisation, personal stamps for staff, handling currencies and the social life of Victoria staff, including the William IV pub and annual reunions. [00:25:23] He describes a relaxed workplace atmosphere with around 60 staff, about half of whom were openly gay, and contrasts this openness with Euston’s higher-pressure environment. He also recalls openly gay colleagues at Midland Mainline, customer anecdotes from the IRC, and the diversity of railway ticketing work. [00:32:50] CR discusses his final railway roles across Camden, Willesden Junction, Overground House, Norwood Junction, Surrey Quays and Palestra, especially station and revenue protection staff rostering in a team of four. He explains rostering for the North London Line [Richmond to Stratford], DC Line [Euston to Watford Junction] and GOB Line [Gospel Oak to Barking], including nights, agency staff, overtime, staffing difficulties, unstaffed stations, gatelines and decisions about where staffing was needed. [00:40:35] He reflects on Camden Road under Silverlink, later Transport for London [TfL], ticket office work, gatelines, the impact of the TfL takeover and connections with railway writing such as Clandestine Railway. [00:43:20] CR explains why union membership mattered, including protection from harassment, learning reps and a Clause 9 disciplinary hearing involving bookkeeping problems, missing money, dyscalculia, embarrassment about disability and colleague's reassignment to gateline work. This experience motivated him to become more active in the union. [00:49:57] CR discusses Arriva Rail London’s EDI steering group [Equality/Equity, Diversity, Inclusion], company EDI policy, goals, group structure, Black History Month, LGBTQIA+ History Month, recruiting an ASLEF rep, and leaving the group when he left Arriva. [00:55:00] He reflects on discrimination, grievances, toxic workplaces, accusations around rostering discrimination, and the impact of TfL and Arriva. CR says his sexuality motivated his EDI involvement and that people should not have to hide personal issues at work. He contrasts Silverlink, where there were fewer gay colleagues, with the openness of the IRC, and discusses support for causes including mental health, neurodivergence, dyspraxia, dyslexia and neurodiversity. [end of interview]

Clive Ryan interviewed by Matthew Hayes (session 2 of 2)

2025-01-17
Interview with Craig McNally conducted by Ashlynn Hudson-Welburn, session 1 of 2, on 4th September 2024 at the National Railway Museum, York. 1hr 26min 16secs. [Start of session 1, track 1] Born in South Shields and raised around Jarrow, Heddon and Gosforth, McNally describes family background, primary school and hating secondary school. [00:05:00] He reflects on growing up in the early 1990s under Section 28, without positive knowledge of LGBTQIA+ people, and first learning homophobic language at home and school. He recalls bullying, medicalised language, feeling different, noticing boys more than girls, and rationalising attraction to men because being gay seemed shameful or dangerous. [00:10:00] He discusses school and college expectations around masculinity, compulsory sport, pressure to conform, report-card comments about his non-masculine behaviour, and using close friendships with girls to avoid suspicion. [00:15:00] His first job at DSS [Department of Social Security] gave him a wider social circle, but he remained closeted, answered questions about girlfriends evasively, and prayed to be straight. He remembers religious education at school presenting homosexuality as disgusting, and later critiques the weaponising of religion against LGBTQIA+ people. [00:25:00] After DSS he worked at BT [British Telecom] in telephone sales, then National Rail Enquiries, where he learned complex train-times and fares systems, worked late shifts, and developed customer service skills. [00:35:00] Wanting to move beyond call-centre information work, he joined GNER [Great North Eastern Railway], performed strongly in training, valued its customer-service culture, and felt more looked after than in previous jobs. [00:45:00] At Newcastle Station Travel Centre he describes a male-dominated railway culture shaped by older BR [British Rail] colleagues, sexist and homophobic banter, the Sun's page 3 images in mess rooms, lack of LGBTQIA+ role models, and the continuing influence of Section 28 and AIDS/HIV press narratives. [00:50:00] He came out to himself aged 21–22 after years of trying to suppress his sexuality. He recounts a friend challenging homophobia, and later two older colleagues intervening when a customer shouted a homophobic slur at him, giving him important first experiences of active allyship. [00:57:00] He then came out to two women colleagues in a relationship, who supported him and protected his privacy when others gossiped. Being out at work felt relieving and allowed him to stop monitoring his gestures, speech and stories about girlfriends, though he also reflects on the harm of pressuring someone to come out before they feel ready. [01:00:00] McNally discusses internalised homophobia, trauma from childhood and school, and the difference between saying a space is safe and making it feel safe. A lesbian couple at work became positive LGBTQIA+ role models, contrasting with sexualised or joke-based portrayals of gay men, while Buffy the Vampire Slayer offered meaningful same-gender relationship representation. [01:15:00] He recalls being kicked out by his mother after she suspected a relationship with a male partner, returning home after the relationship ended, and later coming out to her and finding LGBTQIA+ community through online dating, chatrooms and Newcastle’s gay scene. [01:20:00] He describes gaining friends, going out with mixed LGBTQIA+ and straight ally groups, bringing work and LGBTQIA+ friendships together, dating more in his early twenties, and wishing he could tell his younger self not to be afraid. He ends by stressing that sexuality and gender are not choices, that nobody chooses a harder or more segregated life, and that although sexuality has seen progress, there is still much further to go on gender. [end of session 1]

Craig McNally interviewed by Ashlynn Hudson-Welburn (session 1 of 2)

2024-09-04
Interview with Robbie Williams recorded by Ashlynn Hudson-Welburn on 14 March 2024 at the National Railway Museum. Duration: 5 hours 17 minutes 50 seconds. [Start of interview, track 01] Childhood in North Wales, family railway links, living near the railway, school life, friendships, hobbies. [00:14:50] Studying hospitality and management, early career in entertainment, recruitment and work as a Redcoat, entertainer for Butlin’s holiday club. [00:33:20] Decision to work in cruise industry, joining Regal Princess cruise ship in 2015, travelling to America, adapting to ship life, meeting international crew, learning about diversity, officer status, crew accommodation, hierarchy, destinations and transfer to Star Princess. [01:02:40] Cruise travel, world cruises, environmental concerns and climate change, cruises he has worked on; how he met his partner; coming out to his friends and parents at 18; his partner’s coming out experience in Argentina; homophobia [01:40:40] Cruise ships as supportive spaces for LGBTQIA+ people, company support for the community, crew events, inclusive culture. [01:47:10] Being on first cruise ship to have COVID-19 pandemic outbreak (February 2020), detailing how he felt, how it was dealt with, onboard emergency procedures, quarantine, staff continuing to work, the lack of PPE [Personal Protective Equipment] at beginning, passenger and crew illness, deaths, impact on mental health, media attention, disembarkation and repatriation processes from Japan to the UK for him and his partner. [end of track 01] [Track 02] Continues discussing how covid-19 pandemic outbreak on the cruise ship was dealt with, leaving the ship with remaining crew to move to quarantine accommodation in Japan, couples being separated, life in quarantine, health and safety, covid testing, details of repatriation to the UK, comparing Japan’s COVID-19 response and the UK before lockdown. [00:20:10] Reasons for not returning to work on cruise ships; his career progression in cruise industry, entertainment and management, experience taking part in reality television series; work as Entertainment Director, managing staff. [end of track 02] [Track 03] Life with his partner after leaving cruise industry, covid-19 lockdown in Wales with his mother; moving to London, joining the railway industry, application and interview process for customer service role at LNER. [00:29:50] LNER Ambassador role at Kings Cross, starting October 2021, induction and training, LNER family, LNER values, ways passengers are supported, suicide prevention; LNER event for Kings Cross station 175th anniversary Kings Cross, Flying Scotsman locomotive. [end of track 03] [Track 04] The different staff networks at LNER, EDI [Equity/Equality, Diversity and Inclusion], his personal involvement with networks, benefits of having staff networks, example of impacts of networks; celebration of first anniversary of LGBTQIA+ network. [00:14:50] Impact of network, driving change sin company, example of discussions and issues discussed through networks. [00:26:30] Development and purpose of Kings Cross Colleague Hub, supporting staff, work on pop-up hubs at other stations. Comparison between LNER and cruise industry: both seen as caring about LGBTQIA+ people, with LNER accepting people for who they are and not legitimising queerphobia, example of action taken at LNER following homophobic comment made by a customer [00:45:00] Views on Great British Railways [GBR]: hopes for a more joined-up railway, discussing franchise system, private ownership, ticket prices, railway stock leasing companies [ROSCOs], impact of privatisation; anticipation and questions around future GBR, branding, uniforms, open access, freight, staff conditions, impact of staff and redundancies, corporate partnerships; how he feels about GBR, what he hopes for the future of UK railway industry. [end of interview]

Robbie Williams interviewed by Ashlynn Hudson-Welburn

2025-03-14