Chris Green (railway manager)
Encyclopedia
Chris Green is a British railway manager. He has a reputation for the adoption of business-led management of passenger services both in the British Rail
and privatised
eras, and has been described as "the best chairman BR never had".
Born in Winchester and educated at St Paul's School, Hammersmith and Oriel College, Oxford (where he read History), he began his career in 1965 as a trainee manager with British Rail in the West Midlands, becoming area manager at Hull
in 1973.
In 1984 he became manager of ScotRail
, building its new identity.
In January 1986 he became BR Sector Director, London & South East. In April he announced that Marylebone station
in central London would be reprieved from closure, and in June he launched Network SouthEast
to unify London suburban rail services.
At the beginning of 1992 he was appointed managing director, InterCity
with a remit to create a new integrated and profitable business sector (from that April) which he did with a particular emphasis on customer service.
As he had an interest in the built heritage it should not have been a complete surprise that in 1995 he should take a new direction as chief executive of English Heritage
; however, he resigned from this post after 14 months having breached rules on the proper conduct of public business described in an auditor’s report as relatively minor matters and not amounting to fraud. He then became a director of consultants Gibb Rail and an advisor to the House of Commons transport select committee. In 1995 he had also been appointed a board member of Eurotunnel
.
In 1999 he was invited back into active rail industry management as chief executive of Virgin Trains
on a five-year contract with a twofold mission - to deliver a markedly improved service on the existing network and ensure the £1.8bn worth of new Class 390 Pendolino
, Class 220 Voyager
and Class 221 SuperVoyager
trains would be delivered on time. He also served as non-executive chairman of Virgin Rail Group Holdings, 2004-5.
In 2005, he was appointed as a non-executive director of Network Rail
.
Green has also served as a non-executive director of Connex Rail; chairman of The Railway Forum, 2005–2006; an advisory board member of Cranfield University
; and a trustee of the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra.
Green lives in Berkhamsted
, Hertfordshire
.
British Rail
British Railways , which from 1965 traded as British Rail, was the operator of most of the rail transport in Great Britain between 1948 and 1997. It was formed from the nationalisation of the "Big Four" British railway companies and lasted until the gradual privatisation of British Rail, in stages...
and privatised
Privatisation of British Rail
The privatisation of British Rail was set in motion when the Conservative government enacted, on 19 January 1993, the British Coal and British Rail Act 1993 . This enabled the relevant Secretary of State to issue directions to the relevant Board...
eras, and has been described as "the best chairman BR never had".
Born in Winchester and educated at St Paul's School, Hammersmith and Oriel College, Oxford (where he read History), he began his career in 1965 as a trainee manager with British Rail in the West Midlands, becoming area manager at Hull
Kingston upon Hull
Kingston upon Hull , usually referred to as Hull, is a city and unitary authority area in the ceremonial county of the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It stands on the River Hull at its junction with the Humber estuary, 25 miles inland from the North Sea. Hull has a resident population of...
in 1973.
In 1984 he became manager of ScotRail
ScotRail
ScotRail was a brand name used for all Scottish regional and commuter rail services, including some cross-border services, from 1997 to 2004....
, building its new identity.
In January 1986 he became BR Sector Director, London & South East. In April he announced that Marylebone station
Marylebone station
Marylebone station , also known as London Marylebone, is a central London railway terminus and London Underground complex. It stands midway between the mainline stations at Euston and Paddington, about 1 mile from each...
in central London would be reprieved from closure, and in June he launched Network SouthEast
Network SouthEast
Network SouthEast was one of three passenger sectors of British Rail created in 1982. NSE principally operated commuter trains in the London area and inter-urban services in densely populated South East England, although the network reached as far west as Exeter...
to unify London suburban rail services.
At the beginning of 1992 he was appointed managing director, InterCity
InterCity (British Rail)
InterCity was introduced by British Rail in 1966 as a brand-name for its long-haul express passenger services ....
with a remit to create a new integrated and profitable business sector (from that April) which he did with a particular emphasis on customer service.
As he had an interest in the built heritage it should not have been a complete surprise that in 1995 he should take a new direction as chief executive of English Heritage
English Heritage
English Heritage . is an executive non-departmental public body of the British Government sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport...
; however, he resigned from this post after 14 months having breached rules on the proper conduct of public business described in an auditor’s report as relatively minor matters and not amounting to fraud. He then became a director of consultants Gibb Rail and an advisor to the House of Commons transport select committee. In 1995 he had also been appointed a board member of Eurotunnel
Eurotunnel
Groupe Eurotunnel S.A. manages and operates the Channel Tunnel between Britain and France. The Company operates the car shuttle services and earns revenue on other trains passing through the tunnel...
.
In 1999 he was invited back into active rail industry management as chief executive of Virgin Trains
Virgin Trains
Virgin Trains is a train operating company in the United Kingdom. It operates long-distance passenger services on the West Coast Main Line between London, the West Midlands, North West England, North Wales and Scotland...
on a five-year contract with a twofold mission - to deliver a markedly improved service on the existing network and ensure the £1.8bn worth of new Class 390 Pendolino
British Rail Class 390
The Class 390 Pendolino is a type of train used in Great Britain. They are electric multiple units using Fiat's tilting train pendolino technology and built by Alstom. Fifty-three 9-car units were originally built for Virgin Trains from 2001 to 2004 for operation on the West Coast Main Line , with...
, Class 220 Voyager
British Rail Class 220
The Class 220 Voyager are a class of diesel-electric high-speed multiple-unit trains built by Bombardier Transportation in 2000 and 2001....
and Class 221 SuperVoyager
British Rail Class 221
The Class 221 Super Voyager is a class of British diesel-electric multiple-unit express trains built by Bombardier Transportation between 2001 and 2002, entering service on 12 April 2002....
trains would be delivered on time. He also served as non-executive chairman of Virgin Rail Group Holdings, 2004-5.
In 2005, he was appointed as a non-executive director of Network Rail
Network Rail
Network Rail is the government-created owner and operator of most of the rail infrastructure in Great Britain .; it is not responsible for railway infrastructure in Northern Ireland...
.
Green has also served as a non-executive director of Connex Rail; chairman of The Railway Forum, 2005–2006; an advisory board member of Cranfield University
Cranfield University
Cranfield University is a British postgraduate university based on two campuses, with a research-oriented focus. The main campus is at Cranfield, Bedfordshire and the second is the Defence Academy of the United Kingdom based at Shrivenham, Oxfordshire. The main campus is unique in the United...
; and a trustee of the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra.
Green lives in Berkhamsted
Berkhamsted
-Climate:Berkhamsted experiences an oceanic climate similar to almost all of the United Kingdom.-Castle:...
, Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England. The county town is Hertford.The county is one of the Home Counties and lies inland, bordered by Greater London , Buckinghamshire , Bedfordshire , Cambridgeshire and...
.