Member: John King

Occupation: Retired Records Officer British Rail, Railtrack and Network Rail. Prior to that was with British Airways for twenty years.

Do you have a role in the society? : No

When did you first become a member of the Irish Railway Record Society in London and why? : I briefly belonged to IRRS in the early 1970s but allowed my membership to lapse which I later regretted. When I re-joined many years, I also attended the London branch and attended meetings. In the early 1990s I gave a talk to the branch on Irish rail-air politics in the 1930s.

What area of railways interests you the most? : Irish Transport politics including rail, air and shipping, especially in the inter-war years. Aer Lingus was formed in 1936 and I am almost certainly the only person anywhere to give talks on the Slow Birth of Aer Lingus. GSR General Manager W H Morton was also a founding director of Aer Lingus.

If you could take a journey on any railway in the world, which would it be? Or describe it if you’ve already done it! : In 1977 travelled behind steam from Johannesburg to Cape Town.

Do you have any other hobbies or interests? : Local History in SE London where I live.

One unknown fact or claim to fame: I am one of the few members to have examined the voluminous Aer Lingus records in the custody of the IRRS at Heuston