Ian Mclean has had regular columns and written articles for both Traction and Railways Illustrated magazines. He is the co-author of the Class 47 Data File series of books. He is a member of the Brush Type 4 Fund, custodians of 47105 and 47376, and member of the Type 1 Locomotive Group, owners of 47117. He has been employed as a train driver for more than 25 years, working routes from Aberdeen to Plymouth.