The founder of AlphaGraphics

AlphaGraphics

AlphaGraphics is a franchised chain of more than 260 independently owned and operated full-service print shops.AlphaGraphics business centers are franchised by AlphaGraphics, Inc., part of the UK-based Pindar Group. AlphaGraphics was founded by entrepreneur Rodger Ford in Tucson, Arizona, in 1969,...

 is Rodger Ford

Roger Ford is a British journalist

Journalist

A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...

 specialising in rail transport

Rail transport

Rail transport is a means of conveyance of passengers and goods by way of wheeled vehicles running on rail tracks. In contrast to road transport, where vehicles merely run on a prepared surface, rail vehicles are also directionally guided by the tracks they run on...

. He is Industry and Technology Editor of the monthly trade and technical magazine Modern Railways

Modern Railways

Modern Railways is a British monthly magazine covering the rail transport industry published by Ian Allan. It has been published since 1962....

, where he is probably best known for his authoritative column Informed Sources, noted for its in-depth analysis of railway technical, commercial and policy issues. He is also founding editor of Rail Business Intelligence

Rail Business Intelligence

Rail Business Intelligence is a fortnightly subscription newsletter for senior managers, investors, lawyers, contractors, consultants, local authorities, manufacturers and service providers working in the United Kingdom's rail industry...

.

Biography

Ford trained as a mechanical engineer with English Electric

English Electric

English Electric was a British industrial manufacturer. Founded in 1918, it initially specialised in industrial electric motors and transformers...

 at Rugby

Rugby, Warwickshire

Rugby is a market town in Warwickshire, England, located on the River Avon. The town has a population of 61,988 making it the second largest town in the county...

, specialising in prime movers

Prime mover (locomotive)

In engineering, a prime mover is an engine that converts fuel to useful work. In locomotives, the prime mover is thus the source of power for its propulsion. The term is generally used when discussing any locomotive powered by an internal combustion engine...

, and on qualification joined the head office of the company’s Traction Division. While at English Electric Traction he was seconded to the Maintenance Division, spending time at Finsbury Park

Finsbury Park, London

Finsbury Park is an area in north London, England which grew up around an important railway interchange at the junction of the London Boroughs of Islington, Haringey and Hackney...

 and Stratford

Stratford, London

Stratford is a place in the London Borough of Newham, England. It is located east northeast of Charing Cross and is one of the major centres identified in the London Plan. It was historically an agrarian settlement in the ancient parish of West Ham, which transformed into an industrial suburb...

 locomotive depots.

He subsequently pursued a career in industrial publicity management, with British Standards

British Standards

British Standards are the standards produced by BSI Group which is incorporated under a Royal Charter...

, Chloride

Chloride

The chloride ion is formed when the element chlorine, a halogen, picks up one electron to form an anion Cl−. The salts of hydrochloric acid HCl contain chloride ions and can also be called chlorides. The chloride ion, and its salts such as sodium chloride, are very soluble in water...

 and Fairey

Fairey

-People:*Charles Richard Fairey, British aircraft manufacturer*Francis Fairey, , Canadian politician,*Jim Fairey, outfielder*Shepard Fairey, American artist-Companies:*Fairey Aviation Company, British aircraft company...

, before deciding to become a full-time writer in 1976, specialising in railways. In the 1980s he also edited the Institution of Mechanical Engineers

Institution of Mechanical Engineers

The Institution of Mechanical Engineers is the British engineering society based in central London, representing mechanical engineering. It is licensed by the Engineering Council UK to assess candidates for inclusion on ECUK's Register of professional Engineers...

 Railway Division's quarterly technical journal Railway Engineer and the Railway Industry Association's Railpower magazine, promoting the UK rail industry abroad.

With the start of privatisation of British Rail

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...

 in 1993 Ford began a parallel career as an independent consultant, with clients including the former Office of Passenger Rail Franchising and a number of leading banks and leasing organisations. He has also presented technical and commercial papers to a wide range of learned societies and industry conferences.

In March 1995 he became the founding editor of the fortnightly subscription newsletter Rail Privatisation News

Rail Business Intelligence

Rail Business Intelligence is a fortnightly subscription newsletter for senior managers, investors, lawyers, contractors, consultants, local authorities, manufacturers and service providers working in the United Kingdom's rail industry...

, created to provide inside information for financial, legal and commercial organisations taking part in the privatisation of British Rail

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...

. Initially conceived as a short-term project linked to the privatisation programme, the Railway Gazette International

Railway Gazette International

Railway Gazette International is a monthly business journal covering the railway, metro, light rail and tram industries worldwide. Available by annual subscription, the magazine is read in over 140 countries by transport professionals and decision makers, railway managers, engineers, consultants...

 newsletter saw circulation continuing to expand after the 1997 general election

United Kingdom general election, 1997

The United Kingdom general election, 1997 was held on 1 May 1997, more than five years after the previous election on 9 April 1992, to elect 659 members to the British House of Commons. The Labour Party ended its 18 years in opposition under the leadership of Tony Blair, and won the general...

, and in 1998 the title was changed to Rail Business Intelligence

Rail Business Intelligence

Rail Business Intelligence is a fortnightly subscription newsletter for senior managers, investors, lawyers, contractors, consultants, local authorities, manufacturers and service providers working in the United Kingdom's rail industry...

 to reflect its ongoing role.

To support his writing activities Roger Ford launched his own website Alycidon Rail (named after the British Rail Class 55

British Rail Class 55

The British Rail Class 55 is a class of diesel locomotive built in 1961 and 1962 by English Electric. They were designed for the high-speed express passenger services on the East Coast Main Line between and Edinburgh. They gained the name "Deltic" from the prototype locomotive, DP1 Deltic, which...

 locomotive). This provides on-line resources including archives, research material and an acronym translator. The e-Preview newsletter offers a monthly e-mail outlining the contents of the next Informed Sources column in Modern Railways

Modern Railways

Modern Railways is a British monthly magazine covering the rail transport industry published by Ian Allan. It has been published since 1962....

, developments since the column went to press and a short blog.

Awards

Roger Ford was the Chartered Institute of Transport's Journalist of the Year in 1993 and received the same award from the Chartered Institute of Logistics & Transport in 2003. He is a Chartered Member of the Institute of Logistics & Transport and an Associate of the Institution of Railway Signal Engineers.

Class 90

British Rail Class 90

The British Rail Class 90 electric locomotives were built by BREL at Crewe from 1987-1990. Each locomotive weighs 84.5 tonnes and has a top speed of . They operate from 25 kV AC overhead wires and produce...

 locomotive 90006 is named Roger Ford on one side, and Modern Railways

Modern Railways

Modern Railways is a British monthly magazine covering the rail transport industry published by Ian Allan. It has been published since 1962....

on the other.