Best spots for unusual spotting

[lazydragon]

Hello folks,

I'm just restarting the trainspotting hobby that has lain dormant for nearly 20 years, and I was wondering if you all had some great spots that nobody else uses to catch those rare locomotives that rarely find their way beyond the depot.

I'm heading down to Bristol Temple Meads next Saturday, and hoping to find a few new items, anywhere near there I should look to visit?

Thanks!

 

[8A Rail]

Hello folks,

I'm just restarting the trainspotting hobby that has lain dormant for nearly 20 years, and I was wondering if you all had some great spots that nobody else uses to catch those rare locomotives that rarely find their way beyond the depot.

I'm heading down to Bristol Temple Meads next Saturday, and hoping to find a few new items, anywhere near there I should look to visit?

Thanks!

Two ways looking at your question I suppose. If it's a great spot and no one uses it, then either the person does not want to tell anyone and prefer's to keep it themselves or the location is crap to begin with! Likewise, depends what you call rare locomotives? If it's rare, then you wont be on your own!

May be better, just asking what the best spots to head for in and around the Bristol area. Sorry I cant help you there but I'm sure some members may assist you. Good luck in your endeavours.

 

[richieb1971]

Don't know the area of Bristol.

Nobody films from the pub outside of Bath station (right side of entrance) and you get some quite good loco movements around there from Westbury. You can always have a pint whilst your waiting and use the wifi to get your RTT times.

There is a bridge near Llandevenny in south Wales (aka Bishton Junction) which has a host freight and FGW HST's and units whizzing back and forth. People film there sometimes but not often. The bridge has a low wall so you get quite a good view. Just type bishton junction in youtube.

 

[lazydragon]

Two ways looking at your question I suppose. If it's a great spot and no one uses it, then either the person does not want to tell anyone and prefer's to keep it themselves or the location is crap to begin with! Likewise, depends what you call rare locomotives? If it's rare, then you wont be on your own!

May be better, just asking what the best spots to head for in and around the Bristol area. Sorry I cant help you there but I'm sure some members may assist you. Good luck in your endeavours.

May have misphrased a little, I'm not bothered if there are other people around, just wondering if there were any spots particularly noted by those in the Bristol area for freight etc.

Don't know the area of Bristol.

Nobody films from the pub outside of Bath station (right side of entrance) and you get some quite good loco movements around there from Westbury. You can always have a pint whilst your waiting and use the wifi to get your RTT times.

There is a bridge near Llandevenny in south Wales (aka Bishton Junction) which has a host freight and FGW HST's and units whizzing back and forth. People film there sometimes but not often. The bridge has a low wall so you get quite a good view. Just type bishton junction in youtube.

Will have to check out Bishton Junction, sounds like a decent spot. May pop up to Bath on Saturday for a while to see what I can get.

 

[Bevan Price]

If you are interested in freight locos, I would suggest a subscription to Freightmaster - that will tell you the busiest locations and best times for visits. Unless there is nearby engineering work, there is less freight on Saturdays than at midweek.

If you are interested in dmus or emus, they are all "rare" outside the area served by their TOC - these are usually only seen outside their normal area if going to/from a works overhaul. So, for example, at Bristol you should see only passenger trains operated by First Great Western & Cross Country (plus any charter train that might be passing) - but there should not be any units from Arriva Trains Wales, London Midland, or any other TOC

 

[lazydragon]

Yes, I suppose the weekend is a little quieter for freight, they're terribly inconsiderate not to work their schedules around my working week!

EMUs and DMUs are all well and good, but I still find that it is the locomotive hauled trains or freight locos that are the most interesting, and are the most satisfying to tick off.

 

[richieb1971]

Bath and South Wales will see you alright for locos.

I don't really see the point of getting freight master. Although realtimetrains isn't the best it is real time and it does update on the fly.

There is tons of stuff running through Bishton today. Including a 47 running an ECS at 12:30.

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/sea...9/07/0600-2000?stp=WVS&show=freight&order=wtt

 

[Freightmaster]

I don't really see the point of getting freightmaster.

Well, my subscribers (all 700 of them) would disagree!!

Seriously, the 'point' of Freightmaster is to provide an accurate
forecast of the type and number of freight services you are
likely to see on a given day at a given location so you can
plan in advance where and when to visit. Unlike RTT,
my timetables provide headcodes, usual running days,
usual passing times, usual motive power, and they also
show diesel-hauled passenger trains.

In the Avon/Severnside area, there are FMonline timetables for
Bristol Temple Meads, Bristol Parkway, Filton Abbey Wood,
Bath, Pilning and Severn Tunnel Junction!

FMonline also features detailed 'realtime maps' for each location,
so you can see what is running on the day (locations on my maps
link to a special version of RTT, so you can get the best of both worlds!!)


If people are still doubtful, I am currently offering a £6 'trial'
subscription through to the end of September, which is refundable
if you go on to take out a full subscription from October...

...if anyone is still not convinced, PM me and I will send you
a free FMonline timetable of your choice by email!!


MARK

 

[lazydragon]

I'm probably not at the subscribing point at the moment, putting aside cash for train tickets is still enough of a sacrifice...and money for the pots of mini sausages from Tesco that seemed to be the lunchtime staple when I was trainspotting as a kid.

Bath and Bristol for me this weekend I think.

 

[StripeyNick]

Bishton/Llandevenny shot.............

looking west......

60059 at Llandevenny. 28/4/14 by Nick Wilcock, on Flickr

looking east......

66041 at Llandevenny by Nick Wilcock, on Flickr

 

[richieb1971]

Well, my subscribers (all 700 of them) would disagree!!

Seriously, the 'point' of Freightmaster is to provide an accurate
forecast of the type and number of freight services you are
likely to see on a given day at a given location so you can
plan in advance where and when to visit. Unlike RTT,
my timetables provide headcodes, usual running days,
usual passing times, usual motive power, and they also
show diesel-hauled passenger trains.

In the Avon/Severnside area, there are FMonline timetables for
Bristol Temple Meads, Bristol Parkway, Filton Abbey Wood,
Bath, Pilning and Severn Tunnel Junction!

FMonline also features detailed 'realtime maps' for each location,
so you can see what is running on the day (locations on my maps
link to a special version of RTT, so you can get the best of both worlds!!)


If people are still doubtful, I am currently offering a £6 'trial'
subscription through to the end of September, which is refundable
if you go on to take out a full subscription from October...

...if anyone is still not convinced, PM me and I will send you
a free FMonline timetable of your choice by email!!


MARK

Don't know how Freightmaster works.. But I know the headcodes are correct on it which is helpful. Apart from that everyone I've seen using freightmaster prints a page off at home and brings it to the station or whatever. They say something is running at say 14:20. I look on RTT and its 55 mins late. I assume there is an online version that works like RTT then?

Make a youtube of how freightmaster works in the real world showing all the benefits.

 

[8A Rail]

Don't know how Freightmaster works.. But I know the headcodes are correct on it which is helpful. Apart from that everyone I've seen using freightmaster prints a page off at home and brings it to the station or whatever. They say something is running at say 14:20. I look on RTT and its 55 mins late. I assume there is an online version that works like RTT then?

Make a youtube of how freightmaster works in the real world showing all the benefits.

No, you need RTT to keep up to date of the train(s) in question on the day you are out and about. Freightmaster is a good national "guide" of the current freight operations especially if you subscribe to the "online" versions including the forum. It is a good service especially if you do travel about the UK rather than just stay local.

Before you ask, no I am not a FM subscriber although use to be but simple reason for that, the majority of my sightings/photography is local and I already know what is running or not along with headcodes etc, so as Mark appreciates, not a service I require.

However, all I would say, before you knock it or whatever (even hearsay comments), try it and then decide whether it is for you or not. It IS the only way you find out.

 

[66Yorks]

Colton Junction to the south of York is a great place to watch locomotives. There you can see all the ECML and Cross Country traffic in one place. There is a lay by to park so if the weather is not perfect you can stay in your car!

 

[lazydragon]

@stripeynick - that spot looks really good, that curve where the class 60 is coming from must be great for photos.

 

[richieb1971]

I went there once when I was having a holiday in Bath spa.

Was a nice location. Not sure if the bridge will stay post electrification. Will electrification go that far?

 

[Freightmaster]

Don't know how Freightmaster works.. But I know the headcodes are correct on it which is helpful. Apart from that everyone I've seen using freightmaster prints a page off at home and brings it to the station or whatever. They say something is running at say 14:20. I look on RTT and its 55 mins late.

Obviously a printed timetable can only reflect the usual/typical passing time;
as I said earlier, the advantage of Freightmaster is that it shows what is
likely to run before you get to the location so you can decide which is the
best day (and time of day) to visit to see the trains/locos you are after;
especially useful on secondary lines where some days can be twice as
busy as others!

Once you get to the location, RTT then becomes a vital tool to see how
early/late the trains in the FMonline timetable are running - the point
being that the two services (FMonline and RTT) perfectly complement
each other - FMonline is best for advance planning and RTT for 'on the day';
so it's not a case of one or the other being "better" - you need both!!!

I assume there is an online version that works like RTT then?

Yes - FMonline features dozens of exclusive "realtime maps" and a special
version of RTT which are closely integrated to enable FMonline subscribers
to visually track the progress of trains towards each location...



MARK