Rail enthusiasts who are a bit famous for another reason - current and historical

[Ken H]

I'll start with the Right Reverent Erid Treacy MBE, Bishop of Wakefield. (1907 - 1978) He was also a renowned rail photographer.

Roger Bullivant. He was a musician, including directing the Sheffield Bach Choir, and also played the harpsichord. I was travelling with a musician friend of my parents and we 'spotted' him on Wakefield Station (I can't remember which one; it was late '60s, and a Leeds - Paignton service)

Of course, there is Pete Waterman.

I will leave it to posters to decide who is 'famous'

 

[AY1975]

I believe that John Betjeman was a bit of a railway enthusiast, indeed he wrote a number of railway related poems such as The Metropolitan Railway (a.k.a. Early Electric) and A Mind's Journey to Diss.

He was best known as Poet Laureate, though.

 

[AlterEgo]

Rod Stewart loves trains and has a large model railway, as does Jools Holland I believe.

 

[Sun Chariot]

Rod Stewart loves trains and has a large model railway, as does Jools Holland I believe.

You're absolutely right. And The Who's Roger Daltry painted backscenes on Cliff Parsons' epic "The Gresley Beat" layout.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 30 Jan 2024 ==

I believe that John Betjeman was a bit of a railway enthusiast

A casual browse on YouTube, brings up several of his "Goes by train" gems, such as taking the S&D to Highbridge & onto Burnham; and along the GER branch to Hunstanton. It's an utter pleasure to watch those.

Oh - and few musicians have train related songs:

Songs with trains in them

Just thought I would make a compilation of songs that are about trains or have trains in them. The Thomas the Tank Engine and Chuggington theme tunes are excluded. Anyone know any decent songs then? Lets have no pop crap though. I'll start off with these; New York Dolls - Subway Train...

www.railforums.co.uk

 

[Ash Bridge]

I think you could also add Michael Palin to the list, I’m sure Rick Wakeman has confessed to being a bit of an enthusiast too.

 

[alholmes]

I was listening to a podcast recently (Mind The Gap: Tube 160), and Rylan Clark said he was a big London Underground geek.

 

[Trackman]

Frank Sinatra. Who would have thought? Had $1m worth of model trains back in the day.

 

[Calthrop]

As we see from posts above -- it would appear that many musically talented folk are railway enthusiasts to some degree; and "t'other way about". (Doesn't apply to me, who am about as musical as a block of wood; and indifferent at best, to most music.) One gathers that the composer Dvorak loved trains and railways; and Cecil J. Allen (a character who in the main, I don't find sympathetic) was, I believe, quite an accomplished organist.

 

[birchesgreen]

Les Ross the DJ, he owns a Class 86!

 

[70014IronDuke]

King of Bulgaria.

He was very famous indeed (in Bulgaria). Wasn't it Boris?

Martin Barre - Jethro Tull guitarist.

 

[SJL2020]

Neil Young was a part-owner of Lionel Trains for a while.

He's also written many songs with railroad-related lyrics, e.g. Southern Pacific.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Is not President Biden a railfan...?

 

[JamesT]

I’m surprised Michael Portillo hasn’t been mentioned already.

 

[Ashley Hill]

Were Jools Holland,Rod Stewart and Rick Wakeman spotters of old? Does anyone remember platform ending or bashing with them back in the day?

 

[Mogster]

Frank Sinatra. Who would have thought? Had $1m worth of model trains back in the day.

And starred in Von Ryan’s express.

 

[Shaw S Hunter]

A leading band in the New Wave Of British Heavy Metal (1980s) called Saxon had at least two well-known songs inspired by transport. 747 (Strangers In The Night) was about a Boeing 747 making an emergency landing and Princess Of The Night was about Princess Class steam locos working night mail trains. I was never sure whether there was a genuine interest in trains: why would lads from Barnsley sing about WCML trains?

 

[infobleep]

Does the Rev Awdury count or is this parish work not famous enough? Certainly a local celebrity in his parish.

He wrote The Railway Series.

Wasn't Prince Albert keen on steam trains back in his day?

 

[Statto]

Pete Waterman, it even has Railway Enthusiast, as one of his occupations, listed on his bio, & he founded & owned the TrainCare depot at Crewe, which he sold to Arriva, & he has his own collection of heritage trains.

 

[simonw]

Pete Waterman, it even has Railway Enthusiast, as one of his occupations, listed on his bio, & he founded & owned the TrainCare depot at Crewe, which he sold to Arriva, & he has his own collection of heritage trains.

Mentioned in the op.

 

[Calthrop]

Wasn't Prince Albert keen on steam trains back in his day?

If with a degree of timidity -- "Next time, not so fast please, Mr. Conductor".

 

[gazthomas]

Bruce Dickinson of Iron Maiden fame. He even did a programme on the HST called Ultimate Trains

 

[Jamesrob637]

Is not President Biden a railfan...?

Yes: he's very pro-Amtrak. Is it not partially down to him that the new Acela will enter service this year?

 

[Sun Chariot]

Bruce Dickinson of Iron Maiden fame. He even did a programme on the HST called Ultimate Trains

I never knew about that programme - thanks. I chuckled at Bruce whistling "Run to the Hills" as he cycles up to the station.

Is that Tiff Needell narrating?

 

[gazthomas]

I never knew about that programme - thanks. I chuckled at Bruce whistling "Run to the Hills" as he cycles up to the station.

Is that Tiff Needell narrating?

Glad you enjoyed it. Yes, does sound like Tiff to me

 

[brad465]

Peter Snow, the "swingometer guy" for the BBC election coverage for many years also has a model layout and is a big fan of the HST, such that he featured prominently in the "The age of the train" documentary about the HST's introduction.

 

[birchesgreen]

Peter Snow, the "swingometer guy" for the BBC election coverage for many years also has a model layout and is a big fan of the HST, such that he featured prominently in the "The age of the train" documentary about the HST's introduction.

He was also one of the hosts of the train spotting live show the BBC did.

 

[Iskra]

King Charles seems to be very pro-rail, with multiple examples of him driving various trains online.

 

[52290]

Maurice Ravel once said that he preferred a beautiful locomotive to a beautiful woman. The first locosexual?

 

[75A]

Maurice Ravel once said that he preferred a beautiful locomotive to a beautiful woman. The first locosexual?

Very good.

 

[brad465]

King Charles seems to be very pro-rail, with multiple examples of him driving various trains online.

And of course the late Queen if her decision to travel to Sandringham on a regular Great Northern service counts, as well as her apparently being disappointed at the removal of 365s from the route.