Prompted by thoughts in the bygoing re the current "Railtours & Preservation" thread on "Britain's Boring Preservation Movement", about elderly folk dropping off to sleep on lengthy preserved-line journeys whether because of boredom, or just because theyre not so young as they used to be.
Struck home to me, as an approaching-age-of-seventy, long-time impassioned line-basher. In the past two or three years, at my advancing age, Ive found myself tending to drop off to sleep even on rail journeys which Id greatly wanted and planned and worked things out -- to do: totally new track, or travelled long ago and repeat-experience acutely wanted. Common sense would suggest that its time for me to abandon line-bashing: anything I havent so far made it to, in 69 years on the planet, would be best for me save for repeatable, short runs to write off (first-hand): as with the great majority of Earths rail experiences, just enjoy it (second-hand).
This misfortune can strike enthusiasts who are far from elderly situations of frantically trying to cover much-desired great distances, economising on sleep to get where wished-for, weariness taking its toll. I personally recall a West-Country railrover tour in summer 1965: after two nights sleeping rough, tiredness creeping up in my run from Halwill to Meldon Junction, the only covering by me ever of this section for a considerable amount of it, I dozed off. On awaking, was furious with myself; but, such is life. I tend, line-bashing-wise, to the rigorous end of things; but have granted self, in own mind, legitimate coverage of all of Halwill Meldon Jun.
I recall an account by a line-bashing traveller to Ireland, a decade or most-of previously to my experience: he had covered the westernmost end of the County Donegal 3ft gauge system; spent the night at Donegal town, but needed a very early morning start, to get the needed railcar eastward therefrom. He recounted dropping off to sleep over a fair bit of the splendidly scenic section from Donegal to Stranorlar. If I recall correctly, that was his only chance to cover same: he did a circular venture, getting to the Donegal system via the Great Northern Railway of Irelands branch to Bundoran. Again IIRC, he was peed-off, but took circumstances into account and decreed the whole route done.
Its occurred to me to wonder whether other keen line-coverers and map-inkers have suffered this falling-asleep misfortune re much-desired stretches; and how they have managed, or not, to reconcile it with their hobbyist consciences.
Struck home to me, as an approaching-age-of-seventy, long-time impassioned line-basher. In the past two or three years, at my advancing age, Ive found myself tending to drop off to sleep even on rail journeys which Id greatly wanted and planned and worked things out -- to do: totally new track, or travelled long ago and repeat-experience acutely wanted. Common sense would suggest that its time for me to abandon line-bashing: anything I havent so far made it to, in 69 years on the planet, would be best for me save for repeatable, short runs to write off (first-hand): as with the great majority of Earths rail experiences, just enjoy it (second-hand).
This misfortune can strike enthusiasts who are far from elderly situations of frantically trying to cover much-desired great distances, economising on sleep to get where wished-for, weariness taking its toll. I personally recall a West-Country railrover tour in summer 1965: after two nights sleeping rough, tiredness creeping up in my run from Halwill to Meldon Junction, the only covering by me ever of this section for a considerable amount of it, I dozed off. On awaking, was furious with myself; but, such is life. I tend, line-bashing-wise, to the rigorous end of things; but have granted self, in own mind, legitimate coverage of all of Halwill Meldon Jun.
I recall an account by a line-bashing traveller to Ireland, a decade or most-of previously to my experience: he had covered the westernmost end of the County Donegal 3ft gauge system; spent the night at Donegal town, but needed a very early morning start, to get the needed railcar eastward therefrom. He recounted dropping off to sleep over a fair bit of the splendidly scenic section from Donegal to Stranorlar. If I recall correctly, that was his only chance to cover same: he did a circular venture, getting to the Donegal system via the Great Northern Railway of Irelands branch to Bundoran. Again IIRC, he was peed-off, but took circumstances into account and decreed the whole route done.
Its occurred to me to wonder whether other keen line-coverers and map-inkers have suffered this falling-asleep misfortune re much-desired stretches; and how they have managed, or not, to reconcile it with their hobbyist consciences.
