George recently retired after 11 years in the chemical industry and thirty years in local government. Born in Hartlepool, County Durham, both his father and grandfather were railwaymen and he fell in love with railways and in particular steam locomotives at the very time when main line steam were on the way out. Being simultaneously long and short sighted he was somewhat surprised to be turned down by British Railways when he applied to become an engine driver. Since the railways didn't want him he decided to write about them instead and has written extensively for railway magazines over the last decade. For the last two years he has been completing a post-graduate 'Certificate in Railway Studies' run jointly by the National rail Museum and the University of York. He is married with three grown up children.