Peter Parker appointed Chairman of BRB in 1967

[johnr]

Barbara Castle wanted to appoint Parker in 1967 to replace Stanley Raymond.  She wanted someone who would reorganise the management of BR, and Parker was recommended to her by Jock Campbell, of Booker McConnell. 

However, her officials were against his appointment, and Parker himself was reluctant because the salary on offer would be a 12.5% pay cut to £12,500.

He was of course appointed 10 years later, and started someone of the changes that turned around the performance of BR in the 80s. What might he have done if he had been in place 10 years earlier?

[Devonian]

Could he have used his secret Spidey senses to identify problems an then have fixed them with spider webs!

[Deleted]

Interesting one. Parker was helped that a lot of the heavy lifting was done by the likes of Marsh et al and the fruits of the High Speed programme which partly blew up in his face with APT were feeding through. He certainly brought along a generation of tough and talented managers, personified in Bob Reid 1. I think however he would still be fighting a rearguard holding action. Although the 74 settlement was a good one; especially in terms of the PSO the general economic and political sentiment was still for retraction. That Serpell was seen off was in of his great legacies.