Cast of Thousands, 2002

His third book, Cast of Thousands, was critically acclaimed on its release in 2002. The book, which included more than 300 pages in a similar A5 size to Western Anthology, was split between groundbreaking research finds and more of the author’s own teenage life chasing the last bastions of the Great Western era. Although now long out of print, original copies are much sought after with some going for huge sums of money on sites like Ebay.

One reviewer of the book on Amazon wrote: “As someone who enjoyed the last 18 months of the Westerns in BR service, I can say that this is THE book for anyone who was there. Everything you wanted to know about the design, operation and withdrawal of the most charismatic diesel loco in the world. Written by an enthusiast for the enthusiast this is a meticulously researched and detailed account of the 1000s, and opening the book anywhere in its many pages is completely engrossing.”