Despite having no experience in the sector, he bought a rail atlas, and so began the process of trying to improve services through the creation of a new operator.

Fast forward 20 years and the 56-year-old’s plan that began as notes jotted down on a sheet of A4 paper is close to becoming a reality.

The plan for the cooperative railway – Go-op – has received approval from the Office of Road and Rail (ORR) to run a new service between Swindon, Taunton and Weston-super-Mare.