Stephen was born and brought up in N.E. Lancashire. Until the age of 15, railways played a big part in his life - and during that time he saw the end of the great age of steam. At Essex University he obtained an honours degree in the Theory and History of Art. He joined the Guild of Railway Artists in 1987 and was elected full member in 1994. His railway works often feature complex, multi-faceted historical compositions, though he also explores the social context of railways and the railway as part of the landscape.