Mark Collins has been a rail fanatic all his life. He remembers at the tender age of two being wheeled by his Gran every Thursday in his pram to Hanwell station in West London - because he insisted on it.

“I’d sit there for hours watching the trains whilst my Nan got chilblains until it was time to go - when I’d throw a tantrum.”

Times haven’t changed that much – just ask the director – with the exception of the pram perhaps.

It was a West Country upbringing for Mark, and that meant end of platform duties trainspotting at Bristol Temple Meads, and a deep affinity for Westerns and Warships.

After leaving school Mark got a job as the Train Manager of the Blue Sky Express. This was the train that took British holidaymakers to the South of France and was run by the French Travel Service, and it also prompted, strangely, his move into broadcasting.

Mark's announcements on the train, which had now extended from a simple greeting to something more akin to a full comedy routine, planted the seeds of ambition within him, and he yearned for a life of stardom behind the microphone. Mark decided to try hospital radio, and fate decreed that he and Mark Found should turn up at the same time to spin discs on Radio Becket, the station for St. Thomas' Hospital in Lambeth. Their friendship blossomed as they discovered they had the same interests - trains, football, beer, radio, and music.

Mark’s career in radio now spans 15 years and he has worked for stations all over the country, from Red Dragon Radio in Cardiff, Radio City in Liverpool and Wave 105 on the south coast. He's also broadcast nationally on Virgin Radio and Talksport, and across Europe on Klassic Rock Radio. After a short spell running Big Blue Radio at Chelsea (the combination of radio and football proving irresistible) Mark has been lured back to Wave 105 where he'll be presenting the afternoon show.

Mark is married to Jane, and has two daughters Phoebe and Evangeline. He's recently been forging a part time career as a stand up comic, and you can catch him on the London circuit, but a phone call from Mark Found asking him to co - present the trainspotting series has added yet another dimension to this popular broadcaster's repertoire.

William Besley 2002

mark collins' favourite links

maybe these will tell us more about the man . . .

www.wave105.com  official site

www.skysports.com
can't get enough sport in my book, and these boys really know their stuff.

www.bbc.co.uk
as a broadcaster this site is invaluable. Just about everything you need to know - about everything!

www.ukhrail.uel.ac.uk
Mark Dewell's put this lot together - comprehensive to say the least.

www.preserved-diesels.co.uk
It's never seemed odd to me, but give me a diesel over a steam loco anyday.

www.liverpoolfc.tv
supported these from my childhood.  Might not be as good as Arsenal this season, but at least they're better than Leeds.