Richard Johnson, head of Carriage & Wagon at Winchcombe with some of the railway’s ‘amazing and versatile’ BR Mk. 1 coaches (Photo: Ian Crowder)  


Richard Johnson’s favourite class: One of R E L Maunsell’s exceptional three-cylinder ‘Schools’ class 4-4-0’s, no. 30927 Clifton, passing Berrylands with a Waterloo-Lymington Pier train comprising Bulleid stock, soon before the locomotive was withdrawn, in April 1962 (Photo: Ian Crowder collection)  


Weighing up the damage: Richard Johnson explains how Mk 1 carriages can rot from within. Repairs to this TSO, which has put in 16 years’ service on the railway, include some structural steel replacement, replacing rotten window frames and a new toilet floor. (Photo: Ian Crowder)  

Meet the head of the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway's Carriage & Wagon Department.  Running a large fleet of British Railways steel-bodied Mark 1 carriages brings plenty of challenges but Richard Johnson has time for other interests…

My railway business card, if I had one, would say:

Head of Carriage & Wagon Department, and Guard 

I first got interested in railways because:

I spent many happy days with school friends, train spotting at the old Snow Hill Station, and at Lichfield Trent Valley. Subsequently as a lawyer, I became fascinated by the legal background to the development of railways in the nineteenth century.

A typical run-down of what I do for the railway is:

I spend several hours each week planning the Departmental work schedule; placing orders for goods and materials and generally making sure that all our work is co-ordinated and organised. I also spend a fair amount of time dealing with the railways legal affairs, which can be more time consuming than you might imagine.

I was prompted to get involved with the Honeybourne Line by what or who - and when:
It was a chance visit to Toddington in 1982, followed by an invitation to join the 35006 P&O Loco Society which was planning to rescue the loco from Barry Scrap yard and bring it to Toddington. The rest, as they say, is history... .

The thing I like most about our railway is:
 The fact that it is still entirely volunteer based, which gives me a chance to meet all sorts of different people on an equal level. I am constantly amazed at the skills that so many volunteers bring to our railway.

And the thing I like least:
An occasional lack of commercialism, such as allowing the car park at Toddington to be used as a dumping ground for all sorts of things when it should be kept entirely clear for visitors. It is our biggest commercial asset in my view, and should be treated as such.

I think the greatest achievement of our railway is:
The ability to run such a comprehensive and professional service, whilst remaining an all volunteer railway.

My 'real job' is:
 A solicitor in private practice for the last 30 years

I always read (newspapers and/or magazines):
If time allows in the morning, I read the Telegraph - especially the cricket section.

The headline I would most like to see in the newspapers about our railway is:
'The UK's only all volunteer heritage railway triumphantly opens to Broadway'

My favourite railway company / operator is:
 The Southern Railway.

…because:
I was born in Hastings and spent many school holidays with my cousins spotting at St Leonards shed. (How about a rake of green Mk 1's?)

My favourite locomotive class is:
S R Schools class, for the same reason as above.

My favourite item of rolling stock is:
Undoubtedly, the B R Mark 1 coach. It is a truly amazing and versatile vehicle which is quintessentially post war. The interiors are veneered with Empire Hardwoods. That says it all for me. I find it both odd and sad that some so called 'experts' deride them. Our passengers love them, and with care ours will last for ever.

If I was lucky enough, I would invest a £1 million windfall on:
A million premium bonds for one year.

If I wasn't involved with the Honeybourne Line I would probably:
I would be spending a lot more time in Tesco. I have much to be thankful for.

In other spare time I also enjoy:
Watching Sussex County Cricket; and indeed any first class cricket (except T20!)

My greatest achievement is: Starting my own business almost exactly 25 years ago, and seeing it grow to employ in excess of 40 people - until the recession came…. C'est la vie!

My biggest regret is:
Not accepting a chance at age 17, to join the RAF

This is what my family thinks about my involvement with the Railway:
They fully encourage me to do it, as a break from the 'day job'. Other people play golf to relax; I look after a fleet of Mk 1's.

In 10 years time I think the railway:  In 10 years time, I hope that the railway will have developed further and grown organically, within its means and resources. Who knows, we might even have reached Broadway……

No-one knows this about me, but:
My secret passion is collecting modern first editions. I now have an almost complete set of the works of C S Forester (author of ''Hornblower'), and can't avoid seeking out second hand bookshops wherever I go.