Big Big Train was formed in February 1990 by Andy Poole, Greg Spawnton and Ian Cooper. Canadian vocalist Martin Read joined in March 1991, the line up soon being completed by the appointment of Steve Hughes on drums.

A home recorded cassette tape entitled From The River To The Sea was released in October 1991, followed by the band's first live performances. Encouraged by positive press reaction to the tape, Big Big Train began re-recording parts of From The River To The Sea and added two new tracks in February 1992. A self financed CD of the album was released in May.

The following five months saw gigs around England including supports with Jadis, Galahad and Pendragon. A chance meeting with Rob Aubrey enabled the band to record a new track, Far Distant Thing at Parkland Studios in Hampshire, and thoughts soon turned to recording an entire album there. Much new music had been written, some of which was gathered together for a second cassette tape called The Infant Hercules. Released in January 1993 these tracks saw the band stretching it's wings by extending the complexity of their music and depth of their lyrics.

In February 1993 the band started work on their next proper album Goodbye To The Age Of Steam. Most of the material had been written and a six month period was set aside for arranging and editing the songs. Recording commenced at Parklands in July with Rob Aubrey, Andy Poole and Greg Spawnton at the controls. With additional production and backing vocals by Martin Orford, and guest vocals by Gary Chandler and Stuart Nicholson, the band were soon approached by two record labels, one of which was Giant Electric Pea. GEP soon made a big impression by their emphasis on a small number of quality bands and success in creating a family atmosphere. By November Big Big Train had become a GEP band and the album Goodbye To The Age Of Steam subsequently released in May 1994 and attracted widespread critical acclaim.

During the Summer of 1994 Ian Cooper left the band, however a local music store advertisement invited young keyboard player Tony Muller to step forward. Tony was duly appointed in January 1995, and recording for the next project soon began continuing sporadically over a long period until the ultimate release of English Boy Wonders in November 1997. The album marks another substantial progression for Big Big Train in combining established elements of rock music with jazz chord structuring and the dynamics of classical music. Since then the band have ventured out on the road again with gigs in the UK and Holland, and although the band have recently replaced original drummer Steve Hughes with the irrepressible Pete Hibbit, more live action would seem likely in the near future.

Official Big Big Train Website

The following Big Big Train CD's are available through G.E.P. Limited:

1. Wind Distorted Pioneers
2. Head Hit The Pillow
3. Edge Of The Known World
4. Landfall
5. Dragon Bone Hill
6. Blow The House Down
7. Expecting Snow
8. Blue Silver Red
9. Losing Your Way

1. Big Empty Skies

2. Brushed Aside

3. A Giddy Thing

4. 28 Years

5. Pretty Mom

6. Out Of It

7. Cloudless And Starry And Still

8. Albion Perfide

9. Right To The End Of The World Tra-La

10. The Shipping Forecast

11. Mr Boxgroveman

12. Reaching For John Dowland

13. Fell Asleep