Best train spotting locations.

[balne-wonderer]

I'm a watcher more than a spotter.

One of the best places i've found is Hensall Quarry on the North/East Yorkshire border. It's on the side of the ECML, the line speed is 125mph and visability is great due to a bank that runs parallel to the railway at the same height as the line.

It's incredibly quiet as well, a few dog walkers and very occasionally another spotter. You can also hear the trains rumbling from far away, which personally I find quiet exciting.

There is the usual ECML traffic plus plenty of freight. From the bank you can also see the line that goes to Drax power station and the Pontefract line.

It is a very quiet location with the village of Hensall about 1/2 mile down the road.

Balne is another option but you struggle a bit for parking and visability isn't great.

 

[Boothby97]

Two good locations for good photography, Tyseley station and Rugeley Trent Valley station. Tyseley is just south of Birmingham Moor Street, you get Voyagers, 168s, 172s and the odd 67+Mk3+DVT working. When I went yesterday I also saw a couple of 170s shunting out the DMU Depot and got 56303 running light to Didcot from Washwood Heath. As I only stayed for about 1 hour I got a couple freights. The usual freight is containers running down to Southampton, and you could take a trip on a train to Birmingham Moor Street to view the bustling Tyseley TMD. Oh and the view of incoming trains....
....And Rugeley TV, only spent 20 minutes but I was amazed in that time. You get a variety of freight including 66s, 86s, 70s, 90, 92s and 325s. The passenger trains are 350s and 170+153s with 221s and 390s passing through. You can see passing trains from a great distance and fast trains have a great run round the curve (the 390s put on a good tilt).

Although from my favourites I also recommend Tamworth, Rugby, Willseden (not great for photos), York, Peterbrough, Carlisle, Crewe, Stafford, Carnforth, Doncaster, Lincoln and Barnetby.
Thanks, Sam