Does the Rail hobby need a kick up the......

[43074]

Same goes with magazines, to a lesser extent - they are catering to an older audience because those younger will get their information from places like this.

I read (and contribute photographs to) the railway magazines, and it is from reading these that I get most of my information.

 

[Gathursty]

Hi,

I'm 23 so towards the younger side of the rail hobby population. I avoided saying spotting because that is not what I do, mainly because that's not what got me into railways but obviously the sticking out like a sore thumb on the platform.

For me, it's always been about how places are connected by railways, or are not, the speed and the elegance of the lines, just cutting through tranches of fields where roads would have to circumnavigate.

As a result of liking the railways from a geographical perspective and for being a bit of a complete-ist (I grew up with Pokemon), I'm in the slow process of visiting every railway station in Britain, and in the process visit places I've always wanted to go to such as Cadbury's World, the Scottish Highlands and Skegness for example.

My ex initially thought I was nuts but then came around to the idea. My family think it's unusual but each to their own. I think they'd probably laugh me out of the room if I was a spotter.

As for the younger generation, I believe that it's simply not as exciting as it once was with the lack of steam but also the advent of air travel reducing glamorous railheads of yore like Blackpool and Scarborough to boring, sun-lacking destinations which hold no candles to as-cheap European destinations hence anything rail-associated is not fun.

 

[Crossover]

There seems to be a common belief that railway enthusiasts are only ever found on platform ends with a notebook, and this thread does nothing to dispel that. As Yorkie suggests, there's a lot more to the hobby, and perhaps it's some of the other areas that might be more effective at attracting potentially interested youngsters? Personally, whenever I find myself near a platform end, I take a lot more interest in the bigger picture of what's going on - how the service is being regulated, clever moves to try and avoid conflicts and how the smallest problem is causing a knock-on effect elsewhere - and the infrastructure supporting that, than I do in individual locos or units (though I do appreciate a pair of 20s or a 37 on a heavy train!).

I have "platform ended" once with a few enthusiasts at Stafford, mostly taking pics, though it was interesting to chat to like minded people. It is definitely not my natural home though and you will usually find me travelling on the trains and generally taking an interest in the running of the railways.

My interest has very much developed through the technical aspect of the railways and learning about how things work - 'tis interesting

 

[theblackwatch]

Interesting comments regarding railway magazines - there are now many more magazines available than there were when steam finished. Looking at the names of the photographers who appear in them, I can tell there are a fair few younger enthusiasts who get their work published in them too.

I'm surprised that the Youth Rail Enthusiasts Association (YREA) hasn't been mentioned so far in this thread - we had a thread about it (see http://www.railforums.co.uk/showthread.php?t=83463 ) less than 3 weeks ago, started by the same person who started this one!

 

[biglewie]

One thing that will put people off is too much use of TLEs - that's three letter acronyms! - and other insider speak which newbies won't know. I've recently re-ignited my general interest in railways and I struggle sometimes. I've worked out that OLE is not bullfighter talk but means Overhead Line Equipment. In the latest Railway Observer a difference of opinion with the HSBT is mentioned. What does that stand for - if you visit their site it says what they do ("What really happened to steam") but not what initials actually mean. These differences are also off-putting to newcomers if not conducted amicably. (Quite honestly, as it occurred around 50 years ago, does it matter where a loco was scrapped). OK, blue touch paper ignited so time to stand well back.......

 

[Starmill]

I've said it before and I'll probably say it again: I'm fairly young, and an enthusiast, but I like to think you couldn't tell by looking. Maybe that's just vain of me, or maybe its because I'm fairly new to acting on my interests, or maybe its because I haven't known many other people who share them (excluding people off here, I've only ever met one by chance) for long, but then I never looked. I have nothing against anyone who does things differently, such as standing on the end of a platform, but I don't think I'm particularly noticeable. I often say of the staff at my local station that I know all of them, but none of them know me (apart from the booking office staff, who, through no fault of my own, do not like me).

Hey - I could be completely wrong! But perhaps there ARE more of us than one can see...
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

I see as many teenage enthusiast about on the platforms nowadays as old boys. Maybe it's a regional thing. The number of young people on here is very high, you probably just haven't realised the age of many of the people who you talk to on here. This site, You Tube and the likes of Real Train Times are 21st Century resources for young enthusiasts.

I agree. This was/is often the case for me.

I personally don't think there is a lack of variety these days, certainly around my way there is plenty! But of course, I have nothing to compare this to 'the olden days'.

I think there are some very good points here about how the cost of tickets being a disincentive. Perhaps, depending on just how young we are talking about here, people might have a problem with their parents? Or lack experience/confidence? I don't know any enthusiasts to whom this might apply, but I do know lots of others that it does!

 

[CC 72100]

I've said it before and I'll probably say it again: I'm fairly young, and an enthusiast, but I like to think you couldn't tell by looking. Maybe that's just vain of me, or maybe its because I'm fairly new to acting on my interests, or maybe its because I haven't known many other people who share them (excluding people off here, I've only ever met one by chance) for long, but then I never looked. I have nothing against anyone who does things differently, such as standing on the end of a platform, but I don't think I'm particularly noticeable.

This probably sums up my views. I probably look like I'm just writing a text when my train comes in, I'm obviously not - I'm writing down what I'm about to have, but to the uninitiated I am. Apart from on branch lines that I'm only doing for the track so stay on for the journey track, I don't think I'd stick out too much as an enthusiast. Ok I may spend a little more time in the vestibule with the drop light down when on a HST going down the Sea Wall or over Brunel's bridge at Saltash ,but apart from that I probably don't stick out that much, certainly not as much as those who spot on the platform ends (nothing against it, just not for me.)

I too was surprised by the amount of people who are interested yet don't show it overtly - this forum is a fine example. From an enthusiasts perspective of course I'm going to miss HSTs and LHCS when they go, but I'll still enjoy travelling by train (well, except on voyagers) because I find train travel enjoyable and a nice way to watch the world go by. Perhaps that could even be described as partaking in the hobby, even in a simple way?

 

[Starmill]

One thing that will put people off is too much use of TLEs - that's three letter acronyms! - and other insider speak which newbies won't know.

Yes. I think it goes broader than acronyms too... I am, with unhappy frequency, coming across things which seem huge, and its assumed everyone knows about, but I've never heard of. It must have been nearly a year ago now, but this is the best example I can think of: I was looking at this map and thought to myself that there was an alignement on there that I didn't recognise, so I had a look at the key and it said 'Crossrail'. That was the first I'd ever heard about it, and it was really difficult to go right back to the beginning and get the full story, relying on the likes of the wikipedia page. I'm not even that sure I fully get it right now because of such a 'plunge in at the deep end' start! Just an example... (of course, the solution can NOT be for everyone to explain everything in detail the first time they mention it, that would be tedious).

 

[Harlesden]

I consider myself an outsider - neither rail staff nor rail enthusiast.
I am a Modern History buff with interests in American Civil Rights, the Second World War and British public transport - specifically a section of line that I must have travelled several times when too young to recall any significant details but which no longer exists.
What the OP in this thread says seems to sum up the decline in interest rather well.
Young men these days get married and/or begin making a family much earlier these days than in the heyday of people stood on the ends of station platforms looking out for locomotives passing by.
The end of steam also contributed to the decline as some enthusiasts seemed to find the diesel replacements for the magnificent majestic steam locomotives rather dull and so their platform activity ceased.
Another contributory factor in the decline of interest in "foaming" is the advent of new technology - computers, game consoles etc. - which occupy the leisure time of both young and not so young (I'm 58, regularly chatting on Facebook to people of mature years in other parts of the world).
Those members of this forum who post on a daily basis because they have a lot to say and share with their like-minded fellow forum members would probably be out doing something train-related if not sitting at their computers enjoying this and other forums.
But one significant factor in the decline in rail enthusiast activity is the changing mindset of those who manage the railway infrastructure and many of those in the front line on the modern railway. They simply don't understand why enthusiasts exist and do what they do. Someone seen standing on a platform with no apparent intention to board a train is regarded either as a nuisance or a security risk, especially in areas where an increased level of vandalism to railway property is evident.
There are so many reasons for the sad decline in interest in the railway, one of which is the "sheep" mentality among younger adults. They want to fit in with the crowd they are moving with and definitely don't want to be seen as different. An interest in public transport is likely to be ridiculed by the majority within the group as "not cool" and in such a situation, it is much easier to simply abandon the hobby rather than trying to continue it in secret. Sad fact of modern life. Individual thought and deed is much less in the 21st Century than in previous centuries.

 

[yorksrob]

Young men these days get married and/or begin making a family much earlier these days than in the heyday of people stood on the ends of station platforms looking out for locomotives passing by.

Really ? Compared to my parents generation who were generally married with children in their early twenties, most of the people my age and younger seem to settle down much later.

On the main question, whilst trainspotting seems to be in decline, this forum is testament to the fact that young people are still interested but finding different ways to express it.

 

[radamfi]

One thing that probably hasn't changed much is that the hobby (at least visibly) in the UK is almost exclusively carried out by White British males. Women (although there are a few prolific women posters on here) seem to be as uninterested as ever, but how do you get more women interested and get a wider ethnic diversity?

 

[RichJF]

I do think it is a sign of the times that in general people just expect there to be a train for them & when anything goes wrong they don't figure out whether it's an electrical problem or a diesel engine has failed. I guess if the average passenger took took two extra seconds to think through the workings of the train they are travelling on then maybe they might appreicate the rail industry more.

Having said that, there are a few rail enthusiats on Youtube that I've suscribed to that are slightly younger than myself (22) and are passionate about sharing their knowledge.
I get laughed at by a few people when I take a couple of pictures of the Southern fleet but on the whole people don't mind.

 

[Qwerty133]

While a lot of enthusiasts cant accept that some may prefer nice voyagers to rubbish HSTs a lot of people who could be classed as enthusiasts wont admit to liking trains publicly or even on the internet as even within the enthusiast community they are seen as outcasts just for preferring a different (IMO a better) train , this is especially the case to younger people (like myself) who are likely to want to just fit in with other people and not feel like they are the odd one out. Younger people are also more likely to prefer voyagers and the like as they are (sometimes) able to remember them being introduced into service where HSTs would have already been about for a number of years and were in a bad state when we were most likely to travel on them (my first memory of a HST was a MML one with fading seat covers that were falling off the seats and there was different amounts of cushoning in different parts of the seat covers and had a dirty carpet compared to my first memory of a meridion which was a clean train that was almost brand new so everything was working and looked good and was comfortable)

 

[Bevan Price]

As someone from the steam age, I would say there are a lot less "number takers" on station platforms than there used to be. Apart from the much reduced variety, the effects of sectorisation & subsequent privatisation mean that after 2 or 3 visits to a few stations, you will probably have seen all the units operated by the local TOC. In the steam era, there was always the hope of a "rare" visitor on passenger & freight services, that is much less likely nowadays, so there is less interest in making repeat visits to your local stations.

So, I suspect many younger enthusiasts are likely to arise from being taken by parents to heritage railways, and things like "Thomas The Tank Engine" events. The arrival of digital photography may have assisted some to remain interested in railways, as unlike film, once you have a camera, the cost of taking photographs is pretty low, and you can delete your mistakes. And trains can make interesting subjects for photography if you want a bit of variety from taking photos of family/friends, pets/wildlife, old buildings, landscapes, topless models or whatever else you like....

 

[sarahj]

The lack of women is in some way about what one mentioned of the sheep. We are all supposed to be into clothes, make up, celebs and heat magazine. And while they are fine, I just have other things to do.

But it is also the lack of stuff on the uk rail system. When I'm working and I see someone taking a number of a 377 I think, another 377 passes clapham junction platform 12, except for the odd 442, thats all that ever passes. There is very little veriety out there. I guess thats why i follow the euro scene more, more classes, more types, mixed freights.

Anyway, I've never written a number down, on the railway you only know its the same train as you see grafitti you know in either the panel or the cab.
A few weeks ago I saw a 377 I'd not seen for years, it must have gone up to metro services. How did i know, I opened a panel and saw some grafitti I last saw 3 plus years ago.

SJ

 

[Boothby97]

I agree with the points made by the OP. I am a 16 year old, and have finished school, so I'm also part of the next generation.
I do feel that although the hobby is not very well advanced, it is starting to get more advanced but only slowly. This is shown by the likes of Real Time Trains, which weren't around when I starting spotting over 6 years ago, and have revolutionised spotting for many.
On the topic of the younger generation on the "platform end", I make trips to an array of locations each year, and most spotters do seem to be of the 30+ age range. At Tamworth recently I've found the spotters to much younger (around 30), but at the likes of Doncaster and Nuneaton, it is more of the senior age range. I've also met on the odd occasion people a few years younger than me (with their parents/grandparents) but never anyone the same age as me. I know the hobby is regarded as uncool and weird to most teens, so I'm not surprised, as I don't have any well know friends who go trainspotting.

Thanks, Sam

 

[ex-railwayman]

I agree with much of what the OP typed, however, working on the railway for me personally many years ago helped with ticket costs, etc, it was also far easier to get around and be able to stay on a station platform for many hours without being hassled, which these days seems to be quite frequent, this takes away a lot of the enjoyment of doing what you want, no chances of being able to do any all-nighters I would suspect as well nowadays. The other major problem of course presently is that due to the economy, freight trains have severely dwindled to what was once transported hourly and we are now left with the ubiquitous American-type locomotives currently, which I personally find highly boring and not a patch on the older BR corporate blue locos of the 1960-1990 period. OK, so, there are a few old smelly diesels about, but, few and far between.
Just looking today at ticket prices for example, to do a day return to Carlisle from Nottingham is around 93 quid and from Derby is 78 quid, what, yeah, righto!!!!! so, no chance of being able to go out for the day then, unless you're rich, having a few pints and taking loads of pictures at a station I used to frequent often back in the good old days, never mind. Coupled to that many of the freight depots and marshalling yards of yesteryear are now desolate, even closed down and multistorey car parks and shopping centres have popped up in their places, passenger stations have had makeovers to make them into International Exchanges, etc, so, for me personally, I don't bother going out for the day now, it's too expensive, not much to see, and I can't even smoke on the platforms in between trains to kill the boredom, so, I agree with the OP, the trainspotting hobby, certainly, for us oldies has ceased dramatically, and I feel empathy for the younger generation, come back British Rail all is forgiven.......

Cheerz. ex-railwayman.

 

[tbtc]

As someone from the steam age, I would say there are a lot less "number takers" on station platforms than there used to be. Apart from the much reduced variety, the effects of sectorisation & subsequent privatisation mean that after 2 or 3 visits to a few stations, you will probably have seen all the units operated by the local TOC. In the steam era, there was always the hope of a "rare" visitor on passenger & freight services, that is much less likely nowadays, so there is less interest in making repeat visits to your local stations

I agree to a point - I grew up in an era where the "Thunderbirds" at Carstairs were often exotic locos like 47s from a far away land called NetworkSouthEast (not that we called them Thunderbirds back then) - there's a lot less fluidity nowadays.

However, with access to websites, there's fewer people prepared to spend all day at the lineside in the hope of a random freight train - when you can easily find out the gen in advance. No waiting around in case there's an unexpected freight train... no spontaneity any more.

 

[Goatboy]

However, with access to websites, there's fewer people prepared to spend all day at the lineside in the hope of a random freight train - when you can easily find out the gen in advance. No waiting around in case there's an unexpected freight train... no spontaneity any more.

Though this is partly a byproduct of reduced frequency anyway. 15 years ago there was more freight than you could shake a stick at along the Sea Wall in Dawlish. Today its a good job you can find out in advance because you could easily sit there an entire day and see nothing.

 

[deltic]

Very interesting discussion - I agree with many of the points made about lack of variety of rolling stock, decline of freight, attitudes of some staff etc which means the rail sector is less appealing. Also the industry seems less interested in engaging with the general public. In the 1970s and 80s virtually every rail depot seemed to have annual or biannual open days and staff were interested in showing off their skills. These were packed with families who saw them as an interesting day out as well as rail enthusiasts. These now seem few and far between. The recent BBC programme on the rail network showed that most train operators also seem uninterested in letting people see how the industry works. Yet people I know who have no real interest in trains enjoyed it and had a greater appreciation of why things dont always run smoothly. Stations are less accessible with ticket barriers etc. I remember taking my 3-4 year old son to Victoria station about 10 yrs ago to show him the weekly Orient Express? steam train. He occasionally closed the doors on the slam door stock while waiting and the attitude of staff was interesting from having a joke with him to saying it was dangerous and to stop.

I got into trains as we didnt have a car when I was growing up so went for days out and holidays by train - possibly the same reason why air enthusiasts start out now and why there still seems to a fairly young age group who go plane spotting. Perhaps with fewer young people getting driving licenses there may be an increased interest in the sector.

 

[yorksrob]

I agree, depot open days were definately a good way to get people interested in the railway (and to develop life long customers).

I went to two at Chart Leacon, one in the 1980's as a very small child and another in the early 1990's to commemorate 150 years of the railway. I remember seeing a Hastings power car, 2BIL, 4SUB and celebrity EPB 5001 all lined up. Little did I know that with the exceptions of the Hastings power car the others would end up either broken up, stuffed and mounted or isolated away from the third rail miles away

Fair play to Neville Hill for their excellent open day a couple of years ago. Such events are few and far between.

 

[northern156]

I am also 16 years old so one of the younger people on here.
I have grown up right next to the Tyne Valley line all of my life and that is certainly where my interest for trains has come. I am subscribed to the Railway Magazine and I do love to read that to get the latest news - but not forgetting the means of this forum and various other websites.
I also do 'spotting' - I go to platform ends but not with a notepad & pen; but with my camera. I find it much more rewarding to get the best photos you can than to get numbers for 2-3 hours. I submit my photos to the RM as well as hosting them on my Flickr page and on Facebook.
I can't really go to anywhere else other than Carlisle - which has now grown repetitive and I would much rather go elsewhere (I absolutely love travelling to places that I rarely/never go to) but the issue there is money!

I really want a job in the rail industry when I am older; I'd love to be a driver - this has stemmed from when I was 3 years old and my mother kept saying "choo choo" whenever a 156 or 142 went past the house. I do recognise that TOCs don't really want to employ 'spotters' at the risk that they will just want to record numbers all day.

I've finished school and I am having to do 6th form now... not ideal but it may help to get myself into the industry


Sean

 

[90019]

Young men these days get married and/or begin making a family much earlier these days than in the heyday of people stood on the ends of station platforms looking out for locomotives passing by.

IIRC, people are actually getting married and having children on average quite a bit older than they used to.

There are so many reasons for the sad decline in interest in the railway, one of which is the "sheep" mentality among younger adults. They want to fit in with the crowd they are moving with and definitely don't want to be seen as different.

Does your mind only work in stereotypes?

An interest in public transport is likely to be ridiculed by the majority within the group as "not cool" and in such a situation, it is much easier to simply abandon the hobby rather than trying to continue it in secret.

Nowadays, with the proliferation of the internet, it is much easier to indulge in an interest or hobby away from the prying eyes of those who may disapprove.
Surely the large active user base on not just this forum but the many others around shows that there most certainly isn't a decline in rail enthusiasm, even if there has been a decline in the visibility. As has been mentioned previously, the advance of technology has not only made things easier but means that it may not be as obvious what someone is doing. If they're taking down numbers on a phone but not making it obvious, how can you tell they're not just texting?

Sad fact of modern life. Individual thought and deed is much less in the 21st Century than in previous centuries.

Oh sorry, I forgot that everything was better back in the good old days. :roll:



Yes, I may get told off for this post being off topic, but your constant stereotyping of younger people at seemingly every opportunity is really starting to grate.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

However, with access to websites, there's fewer people prepared to spend all day at the lineside in the hope of a random freight train - when you can easily find out the gen in advance. No waiting around in case there's an unexpected freight train... no spontaneity any more.

I think that's a good point - now that people looking for something specific have a much better knowledge of when it's likely to be there, and can get updates on it's progress, they're more likely to just be there when they need to, rather than getting there early just in case and spending time standing around waiting.

 

[alexf380]

I, like many others on this thread, am 16. So I didn't have the pleasure of loco + coaches as I was growing up, it was units, units, units. I would have liked to have experienced sectorisation as there was a far greater variety than today, and it's where my main interest lies. One way I can do this is through train simulators for the computer. In fact, it is probably what kept my interest alive as I've seen/been on most stuff in my local area. Train simulators, in particular the Trainz series, is something I enjoy using. It is, I suppose, one way the hobby can be opened up to the younger generation.
Alex.

 

[bnm]

Those members of this forum who post on a daily basis because they have a lot to say and share with their like-minded fellow forum members would probably be out doing something train-related if not sitting at their computers enjoying this and other forums.

What's to say those regular posters aren't contributing when they are out and about doing something train related? You don't need to be tied to a desk to access and post on this forum.

 

[secludedsfx]

This thread has really brought out some ageism.

I'm 21 and got interested in trains very recently. Because of the Internet I was able to easily make friends with the same hobby as me, which is proof that the hobby does embrace technology (look at RTT too which has been mentioned loads) and there's a lot more young enthusiasts out there than you might think.

There's just more types of enthusiast now is what the difference is.

 

[upnorth71]

Interesting exchange on this thread. I must say the comments of the younger members are quite encouraging in their enthusiasm.

Living in a nation which apparently has the greatest number of railway enthusiasts in the world (Japan- 1 million+ "serious" enthusiasts by some estimates, much than that if casual enthusiasts are included), I will add some observations-
Actually here, there are a growing number of "fans" among both the young as well as a small (but economically significant) number of female fans. One thing is that there never was a "train spotting" emphasis here- the focus being more on photography on the platform ends or lineside. The move away from film photography to digital has actually eased the "barriers to entry" to the hobby by youngsters and women, as decent quality pictures can be taken by relatively cheap cameras that are easy to use. Coupled with the growth of the internet, social media, and youtube, there is much that appeals to newcomers with regards to railways beyond the anorak and spotters book image. There is also much more segmentation in the hobby than in past- some people like photographing trains, others riding them, some recording sounds (traction motors or in-train announcements, etc.), history buffs following old lines and station buildings, mother-young son train watching, train station lunch box fans, etc....
It also helps that the railways here go out of their way to accommodate enthusiasts and hold events (open days, depot tours, etc.) as well as keeping platform areas open and harassment free- when you have so many people among the public liking trains (and people here in general are proud of the railway system and demand quality), being hostile to innocent train watching activity is actually bad customer service. Railways produce goods specifically aimed at railway enthusiasts, for the purpose of PR as well as profit.

Anyway, and some of the younger posters alluded to this, the hobby I think is much more diverse now, and even if there are fewer people on the platform ends , there are likely people pursuing their love of trains in other ways, perhaps less visible.

*to add: some posters mentioned lack of diversity- it helps to have new designs and some quirkiness to attract youngsters and women-the railway scene in Japan is emu dominant, but the sheer number of them as well as the relatively large number of rolling stock manufacturers assures variety and lack of standardization across different railways, though the high replacement rate of the older types has led to some grumbling by older fans (including me, being partial to the sounds of rheostat and chopper control units). However the new IGBT inverter types are popular among the young.

 

[Muzer]

Yes.

I'm 18. This is one of my problems - I'm a massive computer user, and I think with most of my other (computer-related) hobbies, I sort of expect the information just to be *there*, available online. Aside from some very admirable efforts on Wikipedia and a few more specialist sites like WNXX, there is surprisingly little out there - most of the information (maps, more in-depth specific information about stations and trains than the more general stuff on Wikipedia, news) is paper-based which, to a frequent computer/phone user like me, is cumbersome, frustrating and expensive.

I buy a magazine - but only because I have found literally no good railway news sites. I would pay for the magazine digitally but it's only available in horrific DRM-encumbered formats that make me sick, so a paper copy it is.

What the hobby needs is for some people with a decent knowledge of web development to invest time and effort into making useful sites for enthusiasts. Tom Cairns has done an incredibly good job with this with Real Time Trains, making it useful for enthusiasts and "ordinary" people (he happens to go to the same university as I do). More people like him are what we need, IMHO.

Forget rubbish like Facebook and social media sites. What would those add to rail communities aside from splitting it between those who have Facebook and those who don't? We need more high-quality websites that are made specifically for enthusiasts, or at least with them heavily in mind like RTT.

 

[Condor7]

I'm surprised that the Youth Rail Enthusiasts Association (YREA) hasn't been mentioned so far in this thread - we had a thread about it (see http://www.railforums.co.uk/showthread.php?t=83463 ) less than 3 weeks ago, started by the same person who started this one!

Well spotted (pun intended).

I must admit I was tempted to mention the YREA again, but as you rightly say it was the subject of another thread so for that reason and brevity I refrained.

However as you have raised it I will say that this to me illustrates the problem we have.

HSTChris who is a member of this forum and runs the YREA has to be commended for having a go at addressing a much needed area in the hobby, and after reading the posts from the younger enthusiasts on this thread confirms my views.

I do not know Chris well, but have had some private discussions. I am not certain but guess he is a family man, and I do know he has a full time job.
At best this is a part time effort on a very limited budget.
The adverts on the site are mostly reciprocal links with only two TOC's actually paying for adverts.
At Chris's own admission the website needs updating as it is in quite an uninteresting format at the moment.

Whether Chris agrees with me or not I am uncertain, but in my option it needs rail enthusiast related business's (i.e. Railway magazines, book publishers, rail simulation companies etc,) to get behind it and invest some money, as well as possibly other TOC's.

Railway Magazine already had an editorial last year expressing their concern over the ageing demographic of their readership, and as the largest circulated railway magazine, I would think it would be very much in their interest to take over something like the YREA and promote it.

What is clear from this thread (and by the large response so far) is that something desperately needs to be done to bring the hobby into the 21st Century.

 

[TDK]

We are in 2013 - When I was akid I used to go to the park and kick a blaa around, used to go an play run outs, help my dad with his building business, go fishing - I had no computer, no mobile phone, no coulour teely and the B & W one had 3 channels and that was only after 1964, no electronic toys, no games consul, no acess to the internet, had to wait 5 days for photo's to be developed and have to pay a weeks paper round money to get them etc. Times have changed and so have the adults and youngsters. Agreed there are some young enthusiasts however these days drivers are scared to let them look in the cabs as witihin 2 hours on occasions you some idiot posting it all over the forums/internet with photo's or videos and then the driver is pulled in.

This is life as we know it now and why would a youngster with so mucg to do at home want to stand on the end of a railway platform collecting numbers when they can drive a train on a simulator in the warm luxery of home?