A Privileged Journey (Paperback)
From Enthusiast to Professional Railwayman
Imprint: Pen & Sword Transport
Pages: 264
Illustrations: 120 black and white
ISBN: 9781526781581
Published: 28th July 2020
Review of the Month
Featured by Steam World magazine as the Review of the Month for December 2015.
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A Privileged Journey is a personal and individual account of the author's youthful enthusiasm for trains and the travels he undertook in Great Britain and on the European continent as a student and management trainee of British Railways. It is illustrated by over 140 black and white photos, mostly taken by the author himself as a boy and student. The chapters cover the emergence of the young boy's interest in steam locomotives in particular, through his 'trainspotting' days to his numerous journeys in the late 1950s and early 1960s, with many accounts of locomotive performance supported by an extensive appendix of train 'logs'. Some of the chapters are much extended narratives from articles serialised in the UK enthusiast magazine, 'Steam World' over the last decade and are also based on ten hours of verbal interviews recorded by the UK National Railway Museum at York as part of their 'Oral History' archives supported by a UK National Lottery Grant.
The second volume, to be published at a later date, covering the period from 1962 to the current time, will describe his continuing interest and records while pursuing his career as stationmaster, area manager, train planner, Regional operating manager and finally Head of Safety before his retirement in 1996 and subsequent career as an international railway safety consultant.
"Overall, this is a really fascinating account of railway enthusiasm evolving into deep professional interest - highly recommended!"
Bradford Railway Circle "The Circular"
As referenced in article featured by
Crewe Chronicle, 19th December 2018
David Maidment has published a number of entertaining and insightful magazine articles over the years, and it is these that form the backbone of this publication, with all proceeds of this enjoyable read going to the Railway Children. What this book does, with new text, is cleverly tie his story together into a cohesive timeline.
Steam Days, October 2016 - reviewed by Roger Smith
As featured on Amazon Books and given a 5 Star rating!
Amazon Customer
The author has re-embarked on his privileged journey as a youthful enthusiast into a career in the railways. There is a second volume promised to take the story on from the 1960s to today. Together, the two volumes will make a unique account of railway life and technology. This first volume is a fascinating insight into what is now something of a lost world, but still a world of dreams and love of steam. Strongly recommended.
Firetrench
Read the full review here!
As featured in
Writing Magazine Feb 2016
Not many people have the satisfaction of seeing their hobby become their life's work and whether you are a former trainspotter or not, many people will be grateful to David Maidment for sharing with us his rail journey so far.
Methodist Recorder - John Singleton
David has had a privileged journey, and it's a privilege to read the first volume of his memoirs. We're looking forward to the next part.
Steam World Magazine
As seen in Buses magazine, this book is a must read for all railway and transport enthusiasts alike.
Buses magazine
About David Maidment
David Maidment was a senior manager with British Railways, with widespread experience of railway operating on the Western and London Midland Regions culminating in the role of Head of Safety Policy for the BRB after the Clapham Junction train accident. He retired in 1996, was a Principal Railway Safety Consultant with International Risk Management Services from 1996 to 2001 and founded the Railway Children charity (www.railwaychildren.org.uk) in 1995. He was awarded the OBE for services to the rail industry in 1996 and is now a frequent speaker on both the charity and his railway career and author of four novels, two non-fiction works on street children and over eighteen books for Pen & Sword’s locomotive portfolio series, the royalties from all being donated to the charity.
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