Most surprising place you've bumped into forum members?

[ATW Alex 101]

Somebody shouted my name and waved to me at Chester station today, I waved back but couldn't see who it was because I wasn't wearing my glasses. It might be the case it's somebody else I know elsewhere but if it was you let me know!

 

[Chester025]

In the dim and distant past, there have been occasional threads on here along the lines of "who have you met?". Triggered by events from last week, I'm wondering where the most surprising or obscure place where forum members have bumped into each other by pure chance is.

My nomination goes to the concourse of Munchen Hbf station - myself and Jordy were walking across, and I heard a voice shout 'oy', and turned round to find Chester025 and Yellowcake also walking across the concourse! 30 seconds later and we wouldn't have seen each other - although if that had been the case, I would probably have nominated a Munchen-Fussen 218 hauled service that we were all on board the next day!

I suppose mine would be the above then!

 

[Donny Dave]

How many members were at Doncaster this lunchtime (1200 - 1230ish) then to see the ECS from yesterdays charter?

While waiting for the train back to Scunthorpe, I noticed there were a few people taking photos of the train and other bits and bobs around the station.

 

[ChristopherJ]

I bumped in to a sexy hunk of a guard at Gospel Oak on London Overground on Friday.
313101

 

[ATW Alex 101]

Bit of a resurrection but me and Class 92 bumped into Yorkie, Mojo and others yesterday at Coleshill parkway yesterday, totally random yet again!

 

[Yew]

Hmm, I'm sure i've probably seen some members, but as I've never been to a meet (yet), I cant say for sure!

 

[PermitToTravel]

Bit of a resurrection but me and Class 92 bumped into Yorkie, Mojo and others yesterday at Coleshill parkway yesterday, totally random yet again!

I don't think it was that unexpected, both groups were there to bash the diversions

 

[ATW Alex 101]

But we never planned to meet though did we!

 

[PermitToTravel]

Many of us, before meeting yourself and Class 92, were truly surprised to meet SickyNicky and his niece in Birmingham New Street, although he had planned this.

 

[ATW Alex 101]

I thought the guy with your group wearing the camo jacket was sickynicky for some reason!? Who was he then?

 

[PermitToTravel]

That was SS4

 

[Kingsbury Jn.]

I did the diversions from Coleshill Parkway to Birmingham New St, lunchtime today. I caught the 12.23 to Cardiff in and the 14.42 (left @ 14.52) Stansted Airport back. If any forum members were on the platform(s) at the time, I was the 'grey-haired old fellow' in the fawn fleece.:roll:

 

[Crossover]

I thought the guy with your group wearing the camo jacket was sickynicky for some reason!? Who was he then?

SickyNicky remained on the outbound service, as did martinsh, so neither were on the train you met us on

 

[Techniquest]

I've seen island waiting for a train at Elephant and Castle before but I was on the train. Also seen Techniquest on the footbridge at Worcester Shrub Hill during the London Midland Class 150 farewell but he disappeared and I couldn't find him.

Sorry for digging out this ancient-ish post, I was casually reading this thread, trying to remember occasions where I've randomly come across forum members, and noticed this.

Memory tells me that, after me and a former forum member (Sprinter, I'm sure some people here will know him, or at least remember his avatar!) watched the 150s making a huge racket leaving for the depot, it was probably time for a ciggie hence my using the footbridge to get outside. After which, it was onto a 2-car 172, possibly 172217, for a leap to Foregate Street to get it in the book before Sprinter got the HST back to London and I a 170 to Hereford.

If I'd known you were about, I'd have said hi. Not sure how good a thing it is that I'm recognised on travels

EDIT:

I've no doubt done it a fair few times before, but the only time I can recall right now is bumping into gnolife on 150103 during a Greater Manchester Rail Ranger bash last year, although I didn't know who he was until later in the day.

 

[Donny Dave]

Seeing the post above reminds me of another time I've met a forum member by chance (I think this was in 2008 or early 2009) ....

I was driving my van down the M5 heading for Stroud when the gearbox decided to engage the self-destruct gear less then a mile from the junction I wanted, and about 2 miles from where I needed to be. Anyway, after waiting for an hour and a half to be recovered, the van is dragged to a garage in Gloucester. A further wait ensued while I found out how bad the damage was (it needed a new gearbox and driveshaft), so I could make a report to my boss. Anyway, it was around lunchtime when my boss called me back and said make your way home, but if you want, there is another lorry about 2 hours away which can give you a lift.

I made my way from the garage, dodging the traffic in Gloucester and reached the station about 30 minutes later. Ticket to Scunthorpe duly bought, so it's time for a coffee while I wait for my train. While I'm stood on the platform, the Cheltenham to London HST pulls in. As it rolls to a stop, I see the familiar face of Techniquest leaning out of a droplight. A-ha thinks I! A chance for a HST bash via London to get home. Not so says the TM, as my ticket isn't valid via London (I later found out that a ticket to Grimsby* was :roll, and as I had forked out a fair chunk of my wages on my ticket already, plus didn't have enough time to change it, I reluctantly had to stick to my plan of going via Birmingham. Anyway, myself and Techniquest had a natter for a few minutes before the HST took him away to London ...

* The routing guide has since been amended so that Gloucester to Grimsby is no longer valid via London.

By the way Julian, I've not forgotten about all those beers you still owe me! :P

 

[Techniquest]

Seeing the post above reminds me of another time I've met a forum member by chance (I think this was in 2008 or early 2009) ....<snip>I made my way from the garage, dodging the traffic in Gloucester and reached the station about 30 minutes later. Ticket to Scunthorpe duly bought, so it's time for a coffee while I wait for my train. While I'm stood on the platform, the Cheltenham to London HST pulls in. As it rolls to a stop, I see the familiar face of Techniquest leaning out of a droplight. A-ha thinks I! A chance for a HST bash via London to get home. Not so says the TM, as my ticket isn't valid via London (I later found out that a ticket to Grimsby* was :roll, and as I had forked out a fair chunk of my wages on my ticket already, plus didn't have enough time to change it, I reluctantly had to stick to my plan of going via Birmingham. Anyway, myself and Techniquest had a natter for a few minutes before the HST took him away to London ...

* The routing guide has since been amended so that Gloucester to Grimsby is no longer valid via London.

By the way Julian, I've not forgotten about all those beers you still owe me! :P

Bloody hell yeah, I'd completely forgotten all about that! A search on my RailMiles pages tells me it was 26th October 2007, no wonder I'd forgotten about that as it was a fair while ago! Makes sense as I had 43131 and 43149 on that HST, although memory doesn't tell me if one, both or neither were 'real' at that time. Probably neither as it was near the end of the MTU programme after all on the Western.

Yes I believe I still owe you about 30 smokes and about 9 pints. Just never see you about any more, and I'm always too skint to come up to *that* part of the country! That said, what is there in Scunny to go up for?!

 

[Donny Dave]

Bloody hell yeah, I'd completely forgotten all about that! A search on my RailMiles pages tells me it was 26th October 2007, no wonder I'd forgotten about that as it was a fair while ago! Makes sense as I had 43131 and 43149 on that HST, although memory doesn't tell me if one, both or neither were 'real' at that time. Probably neither as it was near the end of the MTU programme after all on the Western.

Yes I believe I still owe you about 30 smokes and about 9 pints. Just never see you about any more, and I'm always too skint to come up to *that* part of the country! That said, what is there in Scunny to go up for?!

I think 1 of the power cars was still real at the time, as you was in the droplight nearest the leading power car as it pulled into Gloucester, and stayed there as it pulled away again.

Oh, there's plenty do to here in Scunthorpe, such as making it your base for a week while you do a 4 in 8 NE rover. Plus I know all the decent watering holes :P

 

[Techniquest]

Seems most likely that one of them would have been real, I'd guess it would have been 43149 although I'd have to check the list on WNXX.com and see which came out of Brush and when.

Just reading the suggestion of doing a 4 in 8 NE Rover reminds me of the one I did in 2007, and aye getting another one in wouldn't be a bad idea, although it's uber chingy. Still plenty of shacks to get in up there, not to mention required units.

Yes I'd be relying on your expert knowledge of the establishments for refreshments! One day, one day I'll end up that way although I'd best get some extra hours in to afford the beers!

 

[Cletus]

Is meeting a forum member on a train or at a railway station really a "surprising place"? !!

 

[Qwerty133]

I'd expect I've been on a train worked by Gadgetman, and have definitely been on a train worked by another forum member (who I don't think visits anymore).

 

[Techniquest]

Is meeting a forum member on a train or at a railway station really a "surprising place"? !!

I think it's more a case of "What on Earth are they doing here?" (as in the OPs case, I doubt very much he expected to bump into any other forum members!) sort of thing. I sure would not have expected to see David on platform 1 at Gloucester, what with him being based in the North.

Hope that makes sense!

 

[33056]

Not particularly surprising really, but I have been on a train outside my normal "stamping ground" where the guard turned out to be a member on this forum.

A bit more offbeat and off-topic as the other party isn't a member on here to the best of my knowledge; I have just found found out that a short stay recently booked in a slightly off the beaten track town in Hungary co-incides almost exactly with that of a good friend

 

[hassaanhc]

Having caught a glimpse of the name tag after the guard was walking back from a ticket check not long ago, I have a feeling that member "Matt Taylor" who is a SWT guard has 1P74 PMH-WAT :P I'm in the leading coach and boarded at HAV at 2104

 

[PermitToTravel]

At a complete guess, he's not on the forum at work, and if he is, then it won't be this thread

Get up and go say hello!

 

[hassaanhc]

At a complete guess, he's not on the forum at work, and if he is, then it won't be this thread

Get up and go say hello!

Of course didn't know which part of the 10 coach train he disappeared to so I didn't try to find him

 

[PermitToTravel]

Probably sensible is it even possible to walk between the two trains of a 10-car 444?

 

[hassaanhc]

Probably sensible is it even possible to walk between the two trains of a 10-car 444?

Should be, I was in the leading coach so was most certainly not going to try and find out! :P (it was my first time on a 444)

 

[bb21]

Probably sensible is it even possible to walk between the two trains of a 10-car 444?

Yes. The same as for all in the Desiro family of trains.

 

[Lrd]

Yes. The same as for all in the Desiro family of trains.

Apart from the 185s...

 

[Mojo]

Apart from the 185s...

And 360s.