My wife and I emigrated as young-marrieds in 1966 from Kent (SE England) to Dubbo 400 Km NW of Sydney. Here we found excellent work, an excellent but slower lifestyle, clean air and a great future for our pending family.

We are both avid non-fiction book readers.

My father was a regular in the RAF, and before him my grandfather a regular in the RN so I have a great interest in military history as well as modern history preferably European from say 1850 on.

My wife and I like biographies. My wife is more partial to reading nature conservation, botany and classical music and I also share those interests with her.

I am mad keen on English steam trains especially Southern Railway & Southern Region being the Cinderella steam area where I spent my childhood. I am particularly fascinated in works on O V Bulleid, the last of the Southern steam chief engineers, who was particularly innovative with his ideas but perhaps came on the scene a little too late.

I have an extensive collection of railway books. Sorry bookcrossers, these railway books will be very unlikely to come on to the circuit – over my dead body!