Adam discusses his ongoing interest in his subject.

Do you ever have any regrets about not pursuing the academic career?

Occasionally a bit. Not a great deal because I'm quite happy with what I'm doing and it's a good industry to work in. I think it's a case of wondering what would have happened if …  You always think, if you come to a fork in the road and you take one path, I wonder what would have happened if I'd taken the other one? I understand academia is more of a relaxed environment which sometimes would be nice, because a little bit like printing and a little bit like accountancy, rail accident analysis is fairly deadline led. But on the back of that there's the feeling that one is helping society in a way so it's more a case of wondering what would have happened rather than too much regret I think.

How do you feel about your discipline now?

I'm very proud to have done it. It's still something I don't quite want to let go of even though I'm forging ahead in the rail industry. I've got a book coming out on the thesis in a couple of months time. I still would like to return to the post doc idea, maybe as another book in inverted commas one day. I think I'm about to get much busier in the rail industry so I won't be able to devote so much time to the book as I might like. As one gets older other commitments come in after hours. I understand that the door eventually closes on an academic career the further away in time you get from finishing the PhD. That said, I think I'll always have that critical eye when I'm reading something literary and I hope that I never slam the door on it myself because the subject still engages me. I think it always will do.