The Forum Turns Twenty!

[PrincesWinsdor]

Sorry, as a late comer, happy birthday rukf.
When this forum was created I wasn't born yet, so I'm probably a youngster here. It's great to learn about the past without experiencing it.

 

[TheTTTEGeek]

Sorry, as a late comer, happy birthday rukf.
When this forum was created I wasn't born yet, so I'm probably a youngster here. It's great to learn about the past without experiencing it.

nice to find a fellow youngster (albeit i was 1 year old when the forum started) so now i don't feel so lonely (in a non-romantic way). Also happy late birthday to the forum

 

[bleeder4]

Apologies if this has already been mentioned. The domain railforums.co.uk was first registered on 1st June 2006, so it's not yet 20 years old. Was the forum using another domain for the first year of its existence?

 

[Mojo]

Apologies if this has already been mentioned. The domain railforums.co.uk was first registered on 1st June 2006, so it's not yet 20 years old. Was the forum using another domain for the first year of its existence?

That is the domain name we are currently using, we started as railuk.org, until 2006 when the site was split into a info/news/blog style site which retained the original domain, and then the forums website which is on the current domain.

There was also a short period in early 2008 when we used a different domain before reverting to Railforums.co.uk.

 

[brad465]

Have we tried persuading a TOC to name a loco/unit after this forum to mark the anniversary? RAIL magazine managed to get a Class 91 renumbered to mark 1000 editions.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Have we tried persuading a TOC to name a loco/unit after this forum to mark the anniversary? RAIL magazine managed to get a Class 91 renumbered to mark 1000 editions.

That's a nice idea, it really is.

Less seriously - imagine the length of the thread debating which TOC and what type of traction it should be... all the arguments about it can't be this one because of the way they've treated a passenger or the way they've sneakily hiked the fares; it can't be a unit because it should be a locomotive... it can't be a locomotive because there aren't that many around these days; it must be something prestigious like an IET... no, hardly anyone will see that... it should be something that stops at a lot of stations. How about this brand new one? NO!!! It'll be five years before anyone sees it... OK, what about this older one? NO!! It'll be scrapped within a few years...

 

[Sun Chariot]

That's a nice idea, it really is.

Less seriously - imagine the length of the thread debating which TOC and what type of traction it should be... all the arguments about it can't be this one because of the way they've treated a passenger or the way they've sneakily hiked the fares; it can't be a unit because it should be a locomotive... it can't be a locomotive because there aren't that many around these days; it must be something prestigious like an IET... no, hardly anyone will see that... it should be something that stops at a lot of stations. How about this brand new one? NO!!! It'll be five years before anyone sees it... OK, what about this older one? NO!! It'll be scrapped within a few years...

That has made me laugh so much! Genius!

 

[YorksLad12]

That's a nice idea, it really is.

Less seriously - imagine the length of the thread debating which TOC and what type of traction it should be... all the arguments about it can't be this one because of the way they've treated a passenger or the way they've sneakily hiked the fares; it can't be a unit because it should be a locomotive... it can't be a locomotive because there aren't that many around these days; it must be something prestigious like an IET... no, hardly anyone will see that... it should be something that stops at a lot of stations. How about this brand new one? NO!!! It'll be five years before anyone sees it... OK, what about this older one? NO!! It'll be scrapped within a few years...

Indeed. I was thinking it should be an 810, and we can do the naming to celebrate 25 years of the forum. By which time the first unit might be in service.

 

[brad465]

Indeed. I was thinking it should be an 810, and we can do the naming to celebrate 25 years of the forum. By which time the first unit might be in service.

I admire you're optimism about their entry into service.

 

[Forty29]

Belated Happy 20 birthday wishes. Reading the forums has been highly entertaining and replying to members requesting information or adding to it is always satisfying. Some thread's l could read from beginning to end but would take literally weeks!. Keep up the good work to all involved.

 

[Purple Train]

That's a nice idea, it really is.

Less seriously - imagine the length of the thread debating which TOC and what type of traction it should be... all the arguments about it can't be this one because of the way they've treated a passenger or the way they've sneakily hiked the fares; it can't be a unit because it should be a locomotive... it can't be a locomotive because there aren't that many around these days; it must be something prestigious like an IET... no, hardly anyone will see that... it should be something that stops at a lot of stations. How about this brand new one? NO!!! It'll be five years before anyone sees it... OK, what about this older one? NO!! It'll be scrapped within a few years...

If only there was a 442 still around...

 

[D6130]

If only there was a 442 still around...

There are two at the National Railway Museum - both ex-Great Northern - and a newly-constructed one on the Bluebell Railway.

 

[Purple Train]

There are two at the National Railway Museum - both ex-Great Northern - and a newly-constructed one on the Bluebell Railway.

Showing my age there

 

[Crossover]

Indeed. I was thinking it should be an 810, and we can do the naming to celebrate 25 years of the forum. By which time the first unit might be in service.

If it’s anything like the 707’s and 68/Mk5, they could have both been in and out of service before the forum turns 25

 

[Ashley Hill]

A bit late to the party, happy birthday.

 

[Butts]

Some great contributors have "derailed" for one reason or another over the years I have been on here.

I'm particularly thinking of @Greenback who was one of my favourites.

To celebrate the 20 Years perhaps Moderators could consider a general amnesty and restore access to all areas to incumbent offenders ?

 

[och aye]

Congratulations to all those who have been involved in running and maintaining this website, as well as the contributions from members over the last 20 years to make this forum what it is.

Although I am mainly a lurker, I have learned such a lot about the railway in our country, sometimes more so than our so-called news outlets!

I hope the forum continues going from strength to strength.

Here's to another 20 years.

 

[Sirasuke]

Happy Late Birthday RailUKForums!

 

[Energy]

A couple of mine that spring to mind is the RichmondCommu fiasco (https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/richmond-commu.159093/ and https://www.railforums.co.uk/thread...lost-forum-members.253235/page-2#post-6391724)

Surprised I wasn't already aware of this, rather strange!

Happy (late) Birthday, RailUKForums!

 

[Tom B]

20 years is a very long time! I don't post much (/anything) anymore, but I still regularly read the forum. As with others, it's interesting how our lives have changed in the intervening period (I was 16 when I joined!). I can remember around 2008 us wondering whether google ads might cover part of the running costs; I know that they have since lead to the forum being able to make donations to various preservation projects, unthinkable at the time! Glad to see Mojo and Yorkie still about and of course thanks to the other staff who have joined in years since.

 

[daddy_badger]

Been away for a while, #HappyBirthday RailUKforums

 

[SwindonManor]

Congrats

 

[RJ]

Happy belated Birthday to the forum, I remember some of the community meets from the early days

 

[ACL]

Cheers!!! And thanks to everyone who has helped me plan trips to the UK (and other European countries) over the years. When it comes to trains, this forum has some of the most knowledgeable (and nice) people that you can find.

 

[uvarvu]

Awesome news well done

 

[Flange Squeal]

Going through some bits I found this badge. I know it's going back some years, but does anyone remember from when? I can't for the life of me remember if it was just a random one-off thing, or if it was done to mark one of the forum's earlier anniversaries?



(Pic denotes South West Trains' Network South East derived striped livery on 73109 in a triangle shaped badge with banner reading 'RailUK')

 

[Donny Dave]

IIRC, it's from somewhere around 2010, and made to help support the forum, and help identify members when they were meeting up.

Of course, I could be talking utter tripe, but that's the best recollection I have fir the badges.

 

[Mojo]

Going through some bits I found this badge. I know it's going back some years, but does anyone remember from when? I can't for the life of me remember if it was just a random one-off thing, or if it was done to mark one of the forum's earlier anniversaries?

View attachment 190023

(Pic denotes South West Trains' Network South East derived striped livery on 73109 in a triangle shaped badge with banner reading 'RailUK')

Those ones are from June 2006.

There are four in the collection, with a HST design produced in 2009:


One for our 10th year in 2015:


And a class 68 for our 15th year:

 

[ainsworth74]

We did look at a badge for 20 years but out usual supplier had sadly gone out of business and alternatives were very expensive for the sorts of fairly low run quantities we'd have been wanting.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

We did look at a badge for 20 years but out usual supplier had sadly gone out of business and alternatives were very expensive for the sorts of fairly low run quantities we'd have been wanting.

I see what you mean - I just did a quick Google at UK badge manufacturers and it looks like you's have been paying at least £100 for a minimum quantity of 100 ( £73 for soft enameled, but that wouldn't last long would it?); these things seem to be more aimed at corporate customers don't they?