Matt Crossfield - Stepping into a different world

Children’s author Matt Crossfield describes how experiencing the hiss, wheeze and roar of the steam railway at Dean Forest Railway for the first time ignited a lifelong passion in him.

Matt started volunteering on the railway at just 8 years old as a travelling ticket inspector at Dean Forest before his first driving experience at Perrygrove Railway. Today he volunteers at Tinton Old Railway station where loves connecting with people who come to see and experience the narrow-gauge miniature railway.

The railway has given Matt lifelong friends, escapism and incredible life experiences for which he is incredibly grateful.