A History Of British Rail Engineering Limited

In 1970, British Railways Board established a new subsidiary company to take over the design, manufacture and maintenance of its rolling stock. British Rail Engineering Limited (BREL) was born. The company drove a new era of rail technology and this new company history tells the dazzling story of BREL from its humble beginnings up until its sale in 1992 during the controversial privatisation of Britain’s railways. The company’s work in designing the iconic new trains that would take Britain’s railways into a new era is examined alongside its relationship with subcontractors and private manufacturers, as well as its tumultuous relationship with British Railways Board. BREL’s struggles to deal with the legacy of the outdated and obsolete stock and infrastructure it inherited are examined in the light of new research. BREL’s little known success as an international exporter of British designed and manufactured trains is explored fully. The company’s heyday as a leading-edge technology manufacturer and its relationship with British Railways Research Division left not only a history of iconic trains but a legacy which is still with us on today’s modern railway.

In 1970, British Railways Board established a new subsidiary company to take over the design, manufacture and maintenance of its rolling stock. British Rail Engineering Limited (BREL) was born. The company drove a new era of rail technology and this new company history tells the dazzling story of BREL from its humble beginnings up until its sale in 1992 during the controversial privatisation of Britain’s railways. The company’s work in designing the iconic new trains that would take Britain’s railways into a new era is examined alongside its relationship with subcontractors and private manufacturers, as well as its tumultuous relationship with British Railways Board. BREL’s struggles to deal with the legacy of the outdated and obsolete stock and infrastructure it inherited are examined in the light of new research. BREL’s little known success as an international exporter of British designed and manufactured trains is explored fully. The company’s heyday as a leading-edge technology manufacturer and its relationship with British Railways Research Division left not only a history of iconic trains but a legacy which is still with us on today’s modern railway.

The field of business history has changed and grown dramatically over the last few years. There is less interest in the traditional `company-centred' approach and more concern about the wider business context. With the growth of multi-national corporations in the 1980s, international and inter-firm comparisons have gained in importance. In addition, there has been a move towards improving links with mainstream economic, financial and social history through techniques and outlook. The International Bibliography of Business History brings all of the strands together and provides the user with a comprehensive guide to the literature in the field. The Bibliography is a unique volume which covers the depth and breadth of research in business history. This exhaustive volume has been compiled by a team of subject specialists from around the world under the editorship of three prestigious business historians.

The age of steam is past, the heyday of Swindon Works is long gone – but the legend lives on. What made the Great Western Railway's Swindon Works iconic? Was it its worldwide reputation; perhaps its profound impact in shaping the new town of Swindon; or that it melded those who worked there into one big family? In a new and exciting format, this book, by popular railway historian Rosa Matheson, helps explain why the never-ending love story endures. With big facts and fascinating stories, it is a must read not only for ex-Works employees and their families, nor just for GWR fans and railway enthusiasts, but also for any newcomer seeking to find a good way into railway history.

Originally published in 1986, this is a business history of the first twenty-five years of nationalised railways in Britain. Commissioned by the British Railways Board and based on the Board's extensive archives, it fully analyses the dynamics of nationalised industry management and the complexities of the vital relationship with government. After exploring the origins of nationalisation, the book deals with the organisation, financial performance, investment and commercial policies of the British Transport Commission (1948-2), Railway Executive (1948-53) and British Railways Board (1963-73). Calculations of profit and loss, investment, and productivity are provided on a consistent basis for 1948-73. This business history thus represents a major contribution not only to the debate about the role of the railways in a modern economy but also to that concerning the nationalised industries, which have proved to be one of the most enduring problems of the British economy since the war.