After passing School 'A' Levels, I spent a few years working for Contactor Switch Gear Electronics Ltd in Wolverhampton, then I set up a small business called Jan Ford Consultant Electronic Engineers before registering Ford Electronics Ltd in 1977, which we're still operating.
In 1971 I bought Brewood Hall and have since attempted to renovate this. Over the years we have been able to have visits from various groups like the Brewood Civic Society and also started having an annual garden party (sadly not possible in 2024).
Intending my estate to go for charitable purposes I set up a trust deed for the 'Jan Ford Foundation'.
my In 1988 I saw 'Lion', the world's oldest locomotive then capable of being operated in steam at Crewe and joined the support society for 'Lion' called 'The Old Locomotive Committee'. I worked on the locomotive firing and very occasionally driving at Manchester Museum of Science and Industry and Birmingham Railway Museum, until she was taken out of steam and stored first at Dinting and then at Manchester Museum of Science and Industry. Nextn 'Lion' was stored at the Museum of Liverpool, then prepared for display at Whaley Bridge and finally put on display at the new Museum of Liverpool (along with some of my 1988 video of 'Lion' in steam).
Having been bitten by the steam bug, once 'Lion' was out of steam, I became a volunteer at the Manchester Museum of Science and Industry, where after a period as trainee fireman and fireman I began to drive their industrial locomotives, giving rides to the public.
I also became a volunteer at Birmingham Railway Museum and went through their strict training programme successively becoming shunter, guard, signalman, fireman and finally driver with the introduction of Birmingham Railway Museum's 'Learn to be a Driver' courses. There was lots of work for drivers capable of acting as Instructors on the courses. Originally I worked on the industrial locomotives but as demand increased I was promoted to large locomotives. Initially this was '5080' 'Defiant' and '7029' 'Clun Castle' but later a wide range of visiting locomotives including '35005''Canadian Pacific'. When the 'Learn to be a Driver' courses offered 'Flying Scotsman', demand significantly increased and I spent many shifts on the locomotive (both as '4472' and '60103').
Birmingham Railway Museum also developed 'Learn to be a Driver' courses pulling passenger coaches in conjunction with The Battlefield Line and I also became a volunteer member there. These courses operated with various locomotives including 'Pannier Tanks' and '45593' ''Kolapur', from Birmingham Railway Museum and '34027' 'Taw Valley'.
When my friend Tony Thomas started a different set of 'Learn to be a Driver' courses at The West Somerset Railway I became a driving instructor on the small locomotive before trainees went onto the main part of the course with a large locomotive and a train of passenger coaches.
Later still, I became an operating volunteer at Peak Rail where Tony Thomas ran a number of 'Learn to be a driver' courses initially using a six-coupled 'Austerity' tank where Tony was my regular fireman. A 'Black 5' was hired for two successive seasons (the same loco was called 'M5337' in the first season, '45337' in the second season) which I greatly enjoyed ("Anything by Stanier is sure to please2). I also got to drive the mighty '9F','92203'called 'Black Knight', then owned by wildlife artist David Shepherd, later sold to the North Norfolk Railway.
I had a marvellous time at two ladies' days at the North Norfolk, struggling with a very 'bouncy' 'Harlaxton' on their dining train, trying a six-coupled 'Austerity' with a Giesl Ejector then being enraptured by their GER '1500' (LNER 'B12') with its curious driving position like riding a horse with the reverser between your legs.
Eventually, the '8F' locomotive restoration at Peak Rail was completed as '8642' in LMS red and I was driver in the first day in pub'lic service, meeting Pete Waterman. I met Pete Waterman again when he commissioned the 60 foot vacuum turntable from Mold Junction at Row sley, again with the '8F' as one of the stars.
Perhaps the high spot for Peak Rail was ten days in 2000 when Tony Marchington, then 'Flying Scotsman's' owner, honoured a promise to steam the famous locomotive at Peak Railgiving passenger rides. I was on the footplate of either 'Flying Scotsman' or the six-coupled 'Austerity' used to 'top-and-tail' these services on seven of those ten remarkable days.
At most of these railways, I was also involved in driving a locomotive almost as famous as 'Flying Scotsman' - 'Thomas the Tank'.
But remaining interested in development of early locomotives, I took every opportunity to examine or drive locomotives like six-coupled 'Bellerephon', and various replicas like the amazing broad gauge 'Iron Duke, 'Rocket', 'Sans Pareil', the improbable 'Novelty' and, of course, Manchester's 'Planet' replica. I also gave a few lectures at railway clubs and Manchester's 'Riot of Steam' on locomotive design and my experiences. Including some fascinating New Zealand, Polish and Russian steam locomotives, various other Great Western types, Drummond's splendid 'Greyhound' and a few diesel mechanical, diesel electric and electric machines that's comfortably over 100 types I've handled. I've been very fortunate. .
Unexpectedly, in 1980 I fell in love with Daemon and twenty rumbustuous years followed including work, railways, travels and various adventures. This giant of a man was cruely bedbound for the last five years of his life with me as principal carer in the hastily-converted dining room at Brewood Hall. He insisted that I continued work and voluntary driving turns. We did re-visit a few of his earlier'haunts' like Weston Super Mare, Llandudno and, during the final commissioning of the Jubilee Line Extension in 1999, London, indulging in a marvellous suite at the Mandarin Oriental (formerly Hyde Park Hotel). Back home after this final adventure, he turned to me one night in October 1999 and simply said "Oh well, I didn't make the Milennium". He died peacefully at Brewood a few days later.
