Despite growing up in Kent, Ian has lived in South Yorkshire for almost 50 years. He has had a lifelong interest in railways. Following retirement from working in the NHS as a mental health nurse/manager, he went back to university to take an MA in railway history, including a case study on the Penistone Line, and how it was saved from closure in the 1980s, and later became a pioneer in community rail.

Ian is also a keen cyclist and has a particular interest in active travel and linking bike and train use.