John Scott-Morgan was born in Hammersmith London in February 1954, he has always had an interest in railways and transport.

He wrote his first book at the age of 18, The Corris Railway Company, which was published in 1977.

In the last four decades he has had 38 books published on railway history, covering minor railways, narrow gauge and main line titles.

He founded The British Overseas Railways Historical Trust, which preserves documents and photographic archives, connected with British built overseas railways and was instrumental as chairman, for repatriating S P S Class 4-4-0 locomotive number 3157, from Pakistan for the Science Museum in Manchester.

He lives in Woking in Surrey, where he continues to write railway history and also be involved with railway preservation.