Railway enthusiast, social being, or both?

[Calthrop]

There's definitely a difference between the two groups. There's clearly an overlap - clearly quite a few enthusiasts are also spotters - but I've certainly spoken to quite a few spotters whose interest is too narrow for them to be enthusiasts.

I went on a railtour recently and got chatting to a few people of the "spotter" variety - nice enough guys, although from their conversation I gathered they weren't particularly interested in the wider operational aspects of the railway. The tour passed Gatwick airport and a few of them pulled out aviation magazines. Aviation is a huge passion of mine and I expected a good discussion about flying - but I soon realised their interest in aviation, as with the railway, was limited to compiling endless lists of aircraft types and registrations!

It seems to me that for these guys, the spotting is an end in itself. Perhaps it's the order, structure and compulsive nature of the activity that appeals to them.

To hobbyists whose interest is somewhat more inclusive; it does sometimes feel surprising how very narrowly – and what can seem, in a pretty intellectually un-demanding way – some in the hobby, choose to specialise; as with the referred-to spotter-only types. At times, I and other enthusiasts not "doing" such a degree of tunnel-vision, have similarly boggled at the most extremely single-minded variety of railway photographer – who seemingly has no interest in railways, locomotives or trains, beyond ardently seeking to photograph (often with considerable artistic care) every rail vehicle that he encounters; without wanting particularly to know anything about said vehicle, and being quite likely never to look again at his photograph after he’s taken it.

Still, one feels – in a free country: if someone finds satisfaction from pursuing a hobby in a way which appears to others, narrowly hyper-specialised and wilfully ignorant about most aspects of it – fair enough, they have that right. (Robert A. Heinlein said “specialisation is for insects”; but he dogmatically spouted a lot of utter nonsense on a variety of subjects.) I wonder occasionally whether some of us who congratulate ourselves on being greater “generalists”, are always on solid ground in doing so. My own enjoyment of the railway hobby, revolves chiefly around stuff in the past; I’m ignorant (and for myself, content to be) in ways in which I’d be ashamed to admit to in detail, about much concerning equipment and organisation on the current rail scene.

 

[Groningen]

I always tell that if i like bikes or cars, than it would not be special any more. There are a lot of them everywhere. But trains; you know when they are coming if they are not too late. They are truly special without full explanation why.

 

[Puffing Devil]

This would be a great PhD topic. There is already a book published loosely aligned to the topic: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/0719065666/

British Railway Enthusiasm (Studies in Popular Culture) by Ian Carter, 2008.

 

[RichmondCommu]

I'm happy to tell people that I like trains and indeed have a picture of a GWR Pannier tank on my desk at work. I'm not aware that anyone has mocked me for liking trains but I think it also helps that I'm more interested in steam locos than anything else and that I have other interests including football and music. My appearance is also of a 'normal' bloke in his early 50's which I think tends to help. If you set out to make yourself look 'odd' or only want to talk about one thing i.e. railways I'm afraid that others will start to form a negative impression of yourself.

 

[Calthrop]

This would be a great PhD topic. There is already a book published loosely aligned to the topic: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/0719065666/

British Railway Enthusiasm (Studies in Popular Culture) by Ian Carter, 2008.

From the book's "blurb" linked-to, it seems to be a work potentially worth getting. Quoting from same: "the postwar train spotting craze swept into a passion for railways most boys and some girls..." -- very few girls, surely? I've always reckoned genuine railway enthusiasts to be in a male : female ratio of something like 10,000 : 1.

And, "...in response to the demise of main line steam traction, Britain's now-huge preserved railway industry. Today this industry finds itself riven with tensions between preserving a loved past which ever fewer people can remember and earning money from tourist visitors." Right now, there's a quite intense thread going on here on Railtours & Preservation, on this very topic.

 

[anti-pacer]

I'm not a spotter but have an interest in trains as I travel on them enough. I'm not remotely interested either in the mechanics of a train, but I'm interested in the look of a train, services and riding on them. I also find large railway stations quite fascinating. If I hop from one train to another on a day out it's to see as many places as possible. A train can turn up and from a distance I can tell what class it is (apart from some south of London). However, I have no interest in the last 3 numbers of a train.

As for spotters, without wishing to stereotype, most of the ones I've seen are either young teenage lads or middle aged men. In the case of the former, none I've seen seem interested in fashion or even a decent, stylish haircut. They seem different to most other people their age.

I had a friend at school who was a spotter. He convinced me to go with him one day up the Settle-Carlisle line as some steam train was due. We ending up (illegally) running up the line towards the northern end of Blea Moor Tunnel, standing behind a camera on a tripod for 20 mins until this train had come out of the tunnel and passed. We then drove up towards Appleby where several spotters were waiting for a train coming south. They were like the paparazzi. The train passed and it was a mad scramble to their cars for the quick drive to Warcop, a disused station on a disused branch line where the train had stopped. The spotters were touching it, inspecting it and making notes. The train left and another mad dash to Garsdale ensued for more of the same. I found the whole experience very odd!

 

[MrCub]

This is a very interesting topic. I clearly am an Aspie and that's fine but I am very well aware of it. I find social conversation with people I do not know awkward at first but once I know someone it's fine. I am outgoing and quick witted and get fed up with some of the more 'cliched' rail enthusiasts, but also accept that they also have the right to get on and enjoy their hobby without people like me jugding them.

My other half is interested too but not as much as me. I'd quite like to go on some diesel railtours but the social anxiety, and moreover the seating anxiety, prevents me from doing so, even though I know it's silly.

I suspect there are an awful lot of people like me who would be keen to do these trips, have a chat with some people along the way, and enjoy a shared experience but we are all too anxious to go and do it!

 

[yorksrob]

Unfortunately you will find that in this world there are people who take the idea of people wanting to mind their own business as some sort of affront to civilisation. They take this as an excuse to be a nuisance.