William Valentine Wood
Encyclopedia
William Valentine Wood worked for much of his life on the London, Midland and Scottish Railway
(LMS), rising to become its President. He was known for his ability with numbers.
before joining the Northern Counties Committee
(NCC) as an accountant. Here he expanded his interest to all matters relating to the railway. During World War I he worked for the government, and when the Ministry of Transport was created in 1919 he became its first director of finance. He later returned to railway work on the LMS, successor to the Midland Railway
which had owned the NCC, where he became vice president (finance and services). When Josiah Stamp was killed in 1941, Wood was asked to take over as President, a post which he held until the nationalisation of the Railways in 1948. He then worked for 5 years with the British Transport Commission
(BTC) whose Chairman, Sir Cyril Hurcombe, he had come to know during his time in the Ministry of Transport.
London, Midland and Scottish Railway
The London Midland and Scottish Railway was a British railway company. It was formed on 1 January 1923 under the Railways Act of 1921, which required the grouping of over 120 separate railway companies into just four...
(LMS), rising to become its President. He was known for his ability with numbers.
Biography
William Wood; Willie Wood to his railway colleagues and Val to his family, attended Methodist College, BelfastBelfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
before joining the Northern Counties Committee
Northern Counties Committee
The Northern Counties Committee was a railway that served the north-east of Ireland. It was built to Irish gauge but later acquired a number of narrow gauge lines...
(NCC) as an accountant. Here he expanded his interest to all matters relating to the railway. During World War I he worked for the government, and when the Ministry of Transport was created in 1919 he became its first director of finance. He later returned to railway work on the LMS, successor to the Midland Railway
Midland Railway
The Midland Railway was a railway company in the United Kingdom from 1844 to 1922, when it became part of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway....
which had owned the NCC, where he became vice president (finance and services). When Josiah Stamp was killed in 1941, Wood was asked to take over as President, a post which he held until the nationalisation of the Railways in 1948. He then worked for 5 years with the British Transport Commission
British Transport Commission
The British Transport Commission was created by Clement Attlee's post-war Labour government as a part of its nationalisation programme, to oversee railways, canals and road freight transport in Great Britain...
(BTC) whose Chairman, Sir Cyril Hurcombe, he had come to know during his time in the Ministry of Transport.