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 BREL’s struggles to deal with the legacy of the outdated and obsolete stock and infrastructure it inherited are examined in the light of new research.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 privatization of Britains railways. The companys work in designing the iconic new trains that would take Britains 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. BRELs struggles to deal with the legacy of the outdated and obsolete stock and infrastructure it inherited are examined in the light of new research. BRELs little known success as an international exporter of British designed and manufactured trains is explored fully. The companys 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 todays modern railway. COVER BOOK TITLE COPYRIGHT CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS INTRODUCTION Chapter 1 BRITISH RAILWAYS ENGINEERING BEFORE BREL Chapter 2 THE CREATION OF AN ‘INDEPENDENT’ RAILWAY WORKS Chapter 3 THE FIRST YEAR OF BREL: 1970 Chapter 4 BREL AND BRE-METRO LIMITED Chapter 5 THE EARLY SEVENTIES: 1971–74 Chapter 6 INDUSTRIAL DISRUPTION AND SUPPLY ISSUES: 1975 AND 1976 Chapter 7 INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS AND RAIL DECLINE: 1977–79 Chapter 8 INTO THE 1980s Chapter 9 HARD TIMES Chapter 10 CONTRACTION AND REORGANISATION Chapter 11 THE ROAD TO PRIVATISATION Chapter 12 ENGINEERING AND MAINTENANCE:THE DIVESTMENT OF BREL 1986 TO 1988 Chapter 13 1988, NEW OWNERS AND THE END OF BREL BIBLIOGRAPHY INDEX BACK COVER