User:Das48

I am a retired lecturer who has taken professional interest in 18th century printing and publishing since 1969 and a closet interest in Britain's railways ever since I gave up trainspotting in 1963.

I was born in East Street near to Bricklayer's Arms on the Old Kent Road but was brought up in Crawley near to Three Bridges railway station and so naturally I am interested in the London Brighton and South Coast Railway and the Southern Railway (UK).

Half of my working life was spent as a librarian and half as an academic.

During my trainspotting years I visited 87 locosheds and 7 railway works, principally around London and the South and East of England. (Unfortunately I never made it to Scotland, South Wales, or the North-East.) The highlight of this period was an unofficial footplate ride on C2X class No. 32522 around Three Bridges goods yard in 1961.

I now live in Ceredigion in Wales, and am still engaged in research in 18th century children's literature.