Paul Garbutt: Influential railway planner with London Transport

Paul Garbutt had a distinguished railway career, with a substantial input into Underground railway planning in London. The ideas he put into placeon the Tube system have been builton since by metro systems aroundthe world, and are a memorial tohis thoughtful planning and wide-ranging influence.

He started his railway career with the London Scotland and Midland Railway (LMS) on leaving schoolin 1934. Garbutt worked initially inthe accounts office at Camden Goods Yard, later securing promotion toa post as the personal assistant tothe LMS Vice President, Sir Harold Hartley.

Garbutt's distinguished war service saw him rise to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in the Royal Engineers. He worked in transport intelligence in the War Office, identifying bombing targets to disrupt the movement of German troops in France. In 1945 he was posted to the Control Commission in Berlin, where he served with Anthony Bull, later London Transport's Vice Chairman; in 1946 he was awarded an MBE for his war work.

After the war, Garbutt joined London Transport (in part through Bull's influence) and became involved in Underground railway planning; this included work on the late-1940s Railway Planning Working Party (which ultimately led to the construction of the Victoria Line). Garbutt held a number of railway-planning posts from the 1950s through to the 1970s, including New Works Officer and Director of Transportation Policy. He was also involved with consultancy work worldwide and the setting up of LT's consultancy company, London Transport International.

Garbutt retired from LT in the post of Chief Secretary (where he was particularly involved with LT's formal submissions and relationships with the GLC) in December 1978. It is said that the fluidity of his report-writing was the envy of his British Rail colleagues in Ministry of Transport days, as LT got more of its projects approved than BR did. He drew on his inside knowledge to write the book London Transport and the Politicians (1985). This showed the effects of increased political interference in the affairs of London Transport, especially in the period of Greater London Council policy control.

In 1962, Garbutt responded to criticism of a current unpopular and angular version of the Underground map by creating a new design, restoring the map's elegant curves in a style more in keeping with Harry Beck's original. He undertook this project on his own initiative, to relieve intellectual boredom at home during two days in the Christmas break. He can therefore be said to be one of the few people who have been able to alter the course of the Thames – and the Circle Line.

On retirement from LT, Garbutt became an active member of London Transport Museum Friends of which he was a long-serving Committee member. He edited the Friends' newsletter for 17 years, proudly claiming to have published in that role more words than Charles Dickens. He continued to serve as a Trustee of The Friends until June 2008.

Barry LeJeune

Paul Elford Garbutt, advisor on rapid transport systems: born Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex 28 September 1919; MBE 1946; married 1975 Dorothy Brewer; OBE 1979; died Lymington, Hampshire 2 December 2008.