Never possessing a driving licence, Crow travelled everywhere by public transport. He continued to live in his council house at Hainault, north-east London, despite enjoying a six-figure pay package and lavish union entertaining. His lifestyle occasionally made the headlines, notably earlier this year when he was photographed on a luxury winter sun cruise from Barbados to Brazil. Three days after he returned from the three-week jaunt, 10,000 of his union members walked out on strike, causing chaos for commuters in London. The RMT’s appointment of Crow’s wife to run its credit union also caused consternation; he explained that she had been the only applicant.