Snoozing or scouring the Financial Times were not on the daily rail commute agenda for city banker Paul Fraser Collard.

Instead, the Chestfield father of three would open his mini laptop, don headphones and settle down to write a daily chunk of a historical novel which is set to be published next Thursday.

The book has already earned praise from high priest of historical writing, Bernard Cornwell, who has described The Scarlet Thief as “brilliant” and the character Jack Lark as the new Richard Sharpe.

Paul, 39, of Molehill Road, Chestfield, was not especially good at English, despite getting a GCSE A grade at Simon Langton Grammar School for Boys.

But his love of historical films, books and military history were the perfect grounding for his creative career which blossomed courtesy of Southeastern Trains.

Brought up in Herne Bay and a former pupil of Herne Primary School, he admits to an early childhood ambition to become an officer in the British Army and won an army scholarship. But he gave up the dream for a successful career in banking.

Paul has already written a sequel which will be published in November and he is excited about the launch of The Scarlet Thief at Goldsborough Books in London.

The book tells the tale of Captain Arthur Soames and his orderly Jack Lark who take up a new commission in the King’s Royal Fusiliers to fight in General Raglan’s Crimean campaign. But on the journey, Soames falls ill and dies.

Jack takes his uniform and assumes the identity of Captain Soames. He develops into a compelling, ambitious and brutally courageous hero.

Said Paul: “Bernard Cornwell will probably not write any more Sharpe novels and I’m hopeful my books will slot into the Sharpe genre.”

During his early banking days, Paul would catch the 5.02am from Whitstable, now he enjoys the luxury of the high-speed train from Canterbury at a more respectable hour.

He said: “ I’m no longer the new boy having to be first in every morning.”

Paul is married to Debbie, and the couple have three children, Lily, 16, William, 14 and Emily 11.

Even though Paul secured the help of an agent he still got a hatfull of rejection slips for his first novel about the Peninsular War.

“It’s incredibly difficult to get published, my agent receives 40 to 50 manuscripts every week and the industry is not the greatest place for a debut novel.”

But Paul was not interested in self-publishing, and his determination reaped rewards when he was taken on by Headline.

The Scarlet Thief is available from all good booksellers and online from May 9 at £13.99