Train Spotting - Daily Telegraph Article

[60163]

When having a hair cut I was asked the standard 'Up to anything this weekend?'. I wrestled with the decision to explain what an Autumn Steam Gala entails for a good two seconds....wish I hadn't.

But for me, the hobby is indeed a fantastic get-away-from-it-all, when you're tired of dealing with people, just put on the headphones and get some shots & numbers. it's great. Wonderful memories of having the south end of Crewe platform 6 to myself on a blazing summer's day, etc.

 

[rdwarr]

I was walking with a female friend near Watford Junction recently and I said "That sounds like a class 66". Maybe not the best thing to share with my lady friend but I don't hide the fact railways is my main pastime.

I often travel into London with a friend of my daughter so do my best at the "cool dad" thing. Last year I said something like

Well, I think Alt-J well deserved the Mercury. They encompass traditional musical values yet still manage to bring something new to the..Oh LOOK there's TWO Class 37s! Oh....

 

[Chapeltom]

My main hobby is football ground-hopping, and have taken an interest in trains as I have had to use many of them to get around. Having a good knowledge of the rail network is very useful when planning trips. I go all over to watch football and was in Serbia for the Belgrade derby on Saturday, http://www.ultras-tifo.net/photo-ne...ds=10151850169858509&fb_action_types=og.likes - the pictures do not say enough crackers it was. 12 fires in the Partizan end at one stage.

Many of us have nerdy sides to us. I went to 4 football games in Serbia and even in my hobby I'm fast getting a reputation for being one of the more crazy ones.

 

[fowler9]

I often travel into London with a friend of my daughter so do my best at the "cool dad" thing. Last year I said something like

Ha ha. I remember when a mate of mine told my girlfriend my dirty little secret it was hilarious. She told her family who were shocked because "I didn't seem the type" ha ha. After that at various family gatherings different blokes would "come out of the closet" and we'd chat about the railways.

I remember 2 birthdays really well, on one she paid for a hotel in Keighley and a trip on the K&WVR and on another took us to a diesel day on the East Lancs. We both had a great time on both trips, she was a bit bemused by chaps dangling microphones out of the window and what have you but it was entertaining. In return I took her to Rome and a few other places and we looked at old things she liked. Ha ha.

 

[martinsh]

In return I took her to Rome and a few other places

Plenty of transport interest in Rome !

 

[theblackwatch]

Now I wonder to which forum member to which you make reference to...

If the cap fits....

 

[6Gman]

I am a trainspotter, have been for well over 50 years.Some time ago, I was talking about this with my psychotherapist (I was a counsellor at the time), and we identified two related benefits for my sanity. First, it was a connection with the happy times of my childhood, a sense of belonging to a group of mates, memories. Secondly, in the present, it was an activity completely without pressure, stress, decisions - the numbers arrived, were or were not cops, nothing I could do about it. So I can understand the article mentioning Nietzsche. So many other "relaxations" seem to involve stress and/or decisions. I am proud to be called a trainspotter, connecting to inner peace.

That is so correct. I can sit (or more often stand!) writing down numbers, and all the cares of everyday life vanish for that time.

 

[Beveridges]

I'm a trainspotter, have been for over 20 years, although I have never had much interest in the numbers side of things. I have always liked watching and photographing and more recently, since working on the railway, took an interest in the operational side as well. My interest took off in the early 90's by the incredible sight and sound of the Class 37's that used to run through my local area on both passenger and freight.

Most people assume trainspotting is all about 'taking numbers down' and that is not what I do at all, other than to record the event. I have no intention of getting every number of every train in the UK.

The interest has become useful, as it is the reason I'm in an excellent Maintenance Depot Driving role now, a job that is both enjoyable and highly paid compared to the national average. Without the railway interest I probably would have ended up in an office, on lower pay, in a job I hate.

I think it's important to have other hobbies as well, as trainspotting "as we know it" is in decline, there are less locos now, less freight, and most of the locos we do have now are a lot less interesting than they used to be. It still makes for a good day out now and again but I couldn't rely on this hobby to keep me entertained day in, day out. Maybe 15+ years ago I could, but not today.

That's my view on trainspotting anyway. It is a very different view to the one in the OP's linked article.

 

[Johnny_w]

I read this article with interest. It was nice too see a balanced review of the hobby that did not make us come across as strange!

I suspect his 'companion' on the station was somewhat made up, All the fellow spotter/photters/bashers ect seem to be able to hold perfectly reasonable conversation!

Personally I've always been more of a basher than anything else (Christ I miss my dependant priv card (RIP DAD))

Now I'm a heavy "Photter" and travel as often as I can.

I'm lucky that my daughters will come with me, although they tend to steer way from anything that is not steam.

I don't think there is as much of a stigma these days...... or at least no one has taken the piddle directly!

JW

 

[6Gman]

I'm a trainspotter, have been for over 20 years, although I have never had much interest in the numbers side of things.

Then you're not a trainspotter! You're a railway enthusiast.

 

[fowler9]

I read this article with interest. It was nice too see a balanced review of the hobby that did not make us come across as strange!

I suspect his 'companion' on the station was somewhat made up, All the fellow spotter/photters/bashers ect seem to be able to hold perfectly reasonable conversation!

Personally I've always been more of a basher than anything else (Christ I miss my dependant priv card (RIP DAD))

Now I'm a heavy "Photter" and travel as often as I can.

I'm lucky that my daughters will come with me, although they tend to steer way from anything that is not steam.

I don't think there is as much of a stigma these days...... or at least no one has taken the piddle directly!

JW

Ha ha. Very true mate. I think the bloke he was talking to on the station sounded a bit made up. I think people who grew up in the days of steam probably think people like me who liked diesel and electric locos a bit odd. I would find anyone who enjoys watching the current parade of multiple units a bit odd. That said I never met anyone who only spoke in a string of numbers.

At the same time it was exciting when I was younger in the late 80's and early 90's. I'd get a phone call on the land line, because we didn't all have mobiles, off a mate saying there was a pair of 20's on a Blackpool to Liverpool and I'd be straight out the door. I remember that day particularly well because when we got to Lime Street behind the 20's there was a none refurbished split headcode 37 on the Liverpool to Cardiff. Can't remember the number off the top of my head alas.

Back in the day my best train home was the Liverpool-Cardiff to West Allerton and all kinds of 37's turned up on that from time to time. As a bonus it would race out of Lime Street next to a Liverpool-Preston I think behind a 31 normally. They would both head all the way out of town as far as Wavertree next to each other. All of the snail fans dangling out of the Preston train and all of us tractor bashers hanging out of the Cardiff. Them were the days. Ha ha. 37427 was my favourite, hellfire. One of my mates was one of the drivers and always gave it some stick.

 

[LowLevel]

I like having spotters on the station, it gives the place a nicer atmosphere. I know most of the local ones by name and regularly stop for a natter, as do most of my colleagues (even the ones with no interest in trains). It's also nice to see them stopping by from farther afield.

 

[fowler9]

I like having spotters on the station, it gives the place a nicer atmosphere. I know most of the local ones by name and regularly stop for a natter, as do most of my colleagues (even the ones with no interest in trains). It's also nice to see them stopping by from farther afield.

Well they are generally harmless. You can't put a price on that.

 

[anthony263]

My parents told me years ago they would much rather me go out traveling and photographing trains/buses than drinking and causing anti-social behaviour.

Certainly those who used to snigger at school I am having the last laugh over. Anyway I think my hobby does come in handy especially since I can help family and freinds find very cheap bus or rail fares or a better route. A good example is where I advise my freinds who are visiting Birmingham to travel via Hereford or go on megabus/national express.

A lot of my customers I deliver to for Iceland know I am a railway/bus enthusiast especially one or two who know me when I was working for First. Sadly thanks to Icelands new delivery system I have far less time to chat to customers at the doorstep

 

[fowler9]

My parents told me years ago they would much rather me go out traveling and photographing trains/buses than drinking and causing anti-social behaviour.

Certainly those who used to snigger at school I am having the last laugh over. Anyway I think my hobby does come in handy especially since I can help family and freinds find very cheap bus or rail fares or a better route. A good example is where I advise my freinds who are visiting Birmingham to travel via Hereford or go on megabus/national express.

A lot of my customers I deliver to for Iceland know I am a railway/bus enthusiast especially one or two who know me when I was working for First. Sadly thanks to Icelands new delivery system I have far less time to chat to customers at the doorstep

Well I know that my dad knew when I went off travelling around the world he didn't have to worry about how I was getting about. My girlfriends family knew she would be fine with me as well. I may be a bit of a geek but I can find my way home anywhere in the world.

 

[trainophile]

Loving this thread, and may I just point out that not all 'enthusiasts' are male!

Regarding an earlier post, coincidentally I am just approaching Meols Cop!

 

[Lrd]

I don't take numbers down but I do look at them as trains pass and at the ones I travel on, not sure why I do, I often say to myself, oh 444021 I've been on this one before, just from memory.

The only thing I keep track of is the lines that I have been over and have got various maps that are slowly being coloured in. I also am trying to travel on each class of train for each TOC, so 455 for SWT and also for Southern, this has been ongoing for a few years and the list of classes to get is getting shorter.

I tend to keep quiet about my interests but a few people have cottoned on to the fact that I like travelling, especially by train and boat, mainly because I disappear for a day or two (or week, once) and don't say what I was doing. I don't put anything train related on facebook, I keep that for twitter where I don't have many followers that are my real friends, just people that I know, like people on here.

If a friend mentions that they are taking the train somewhere then I will take a look for them and give them suggestions to tickets/routes etc but try not to let on that I know loads about it, just that I looked it up.

 

[Condor7]

LMAO I like railways but would never been seen dead at the end of a platform unless I was waiting for a train.

I can't think of many places I would rather be.

 

[fowler9]

I can't think of many places I would rather be.

I can think of a decent number but if I can involve a railway journey so much the better. Ha ha.