Skip bashing: is it wrong?

[4SRKT]

Each to their own, one of the best things about the railways there's pretty much something in it for everyone!

Except my wife. She cannot comprehend in the slightest what makes me sit for hours on end on trains, or on this forum. Still, there's no pleasing some people..........

 

[scotsman]

When travelling by skip, it's about where you're going - not how

 

[ainsworth74]

Except my wife.

Exception that proves the rule?

 

[Chester025]

Thinks; maybe skip bashers are in fact dirty and degenerate after all...........

So you were right!

 

[4SRKT]

So you were right!

Whoa! What happened to your other posts? They've disappeared!

 

[Chester025]

Whoa! What happened to your other posts? They've disappeared!

Well I deleted the first one as it wasn't necessary afterwards, must have done the other by mistake!

 

[Lampshade]

When travelling by skip, it's about where you're going - not how

Which is not many places given their appalling route availability

 

[scotsman]

Which is not many places given their appalling route availability

Well, they tend to get the mainline runs - and you don't bash something at 90mph! (or at least very easily) and often the mainlines aren't as scenic as some of the lines up here!

 

[PaulW]

Had my first 'proper' bash down to Banbury behind Skip12 last week. Impressive, will definitely do it again in the future. Axiom done a quality job on those Mk3s too...

Adhesion must have improved on routes these work on judging by the amount of sand they drop!!

 

[12CSVT]

I've always thought that skip bashing is wrong, and that skip bashers are dirty, degenerate people. However, this summer I took one up to Fort William, and also from Wrexham to Marylebone and back, and throughly enjoyed it. I'd like to think I was enjoying it just because it was loco haulage, but I think I may actually to my horror have enjoyed the skips a bit as well. Does this make me a bad person? Is it the thin end of a wedge that might end up with me bashing modern DMUs?

With very few loco-hauled scheduled service trains I suppose it can be considered acceptable. And you'd probably be surprised how many people do modern units and even London Underground stock and trams for haulage.

For the record I've cleared the following classes for haulage
Locos - 37/4, 37/9, 87, 89 (not difficult with only one class member), 91, HST power car (except the two prototypes)
Units - 139, 144, 155, 166, 168, 171, 222, 313, 315, 317, 319, 322, 323, 332, 333, 375, 376, 377, 455, 456, 458, 460, 465, 466, 482

 

[4SRKT]

With very few loco-hauled scheduled service trains I suppose it can be considered acceptable. And you'd probably be surprised how many people do modern units and even London Underground stock and trams for haulage.

For the record I've cleared the following classes for haulage
Locos - 37/4, 37/9, 87, 89 (not difficult with only one class member), 91, HST power car (except the two prototypes)
Units - 139, 144, 155, 166, 168, 171, 222, 313, 315, 317, 319, 322, 323, 332, 333, 375, 376, 377, 455, 456, 458, 460, 465, 466, 482

I never cleared anything for haulage except Deltics. Came close with 45/1s and HST power cars (class 254 at least). Never recorded units much, but managed the easy matter of clearing the prototype class 150/0s! Did better in Northern Ireland where I've cleared all 3 111 class locos several times over (including cab ride in 112 from Belfast to Dublin and back: ah! Happy days ), also 80 class (except 88 destroyed in a crash) and 450 class (including 457 carrying the power unit salvaged from 88, so in way I've done that as well) DEMUs. Still, I did live there for a few years and it's not exactly hard to clear.

 

[142094]

Indeed and I am doing as often as I can. It reminds me of the hilarious video where Zontar admits to 33 bashing, and how he has to keep it a secret from all his friends in the deltic community. Annoyingly all the Zontar videos seem to have been taken down off YouTube tho :-x

Not much else in regular service loco hauled, which is a shame. I remember the Virgin 47s at Newcastle when I was younger, wish I had been a bit older to go on them. Suppose the 67s are the new generation of stuff we enthusiasts can bash.

 

[37372]

Why do you need to ask anyway? If you like them, do them. If not, don't. Don't feel you should either because it's LHCS - If you find it boring, why bother?

I find them quite boring, but seeing as they're the only diesel loco's operating in regular passenger service on the mainline (except 47s to GYM in the summer maybe, and 43s depending on opinion) I feel I should do them just because they're there basically. Beats a MU any day and if its required its an added bonus.

 

[43034 The Black Horse]

Doesn't compute.

You feel you have to, but find it boring? So you're doing it because you feel pressurised by yourself?

 

[37401]

I often do 10, 12-15 on the wrexhams, nowt wrong with at all, I do HSTs 57s and 90s too because I enjoy doing them not because it's loco hauled I like the sound of them (especially 57s and VP185 fitted HSTs) too
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Indeed and I am doing as often as I can. It reminds me of the hilarious video where Zontar admits to 33 bashing, and how he has to keep it a secret from all his friends in the deltic community. Annoyingly all the Zontar videos seem to have been taken down off YouTube tho :-x

I beleve the zontar videos are being removed because on one of the deltic tours (Spitfires) there was some well "rule breaking" I guess you could call it and zontar (his owners) got a bit of a telling off for acting daft and now he has throwen his teddies out of the pram and like a kid who's found out his TV hero is a drug addict he's ripped up his posters and removed all things zontar

Give it a few months and I'm willing to bet he'll be back

 

[Drsatan]

Not much else in regular service loco hauled, which is a shame. I remember the Virgin 47s at Newcastle when I was younger, wish I had been a bit older to go on them. Suppose the 67s are the new generation of stuff we enthusiasts can bash.

Likewise, back in the 1970s the 50s replaced 52s for younger enthusiasts living on the Western Region, and today Electrostars and Desiros have replaced the Mk1 EMUs for younger enthusiasts. It's nothing new.

 

[4SRKT]

I beleve the zontar videos are being removed because on one of the deltic tours (Spitfires) there was some well "rule breaking" I guess you could call it and zontar (his owners) got a bit of a telling off for acting daft and now he has throwen his teddies out of the pram and like a kid who's found out his TV hero is a drug addict he's ripped up his posters and removed all things zontar

Give it a few months and I'm willing to bet he'll be back

I hope so. Some of those vids are very funny (esp the 33 bashing and Zontar does his bit for the environment ones). My lads (age 6 and 8) saw him at the KWVR diesel weekend last year, and are always hoping to see him again! A celebrity basher: what next!? Cut him some slack Spitfire!

Lots of stuff still on the Badydeltic website though. Warning: not worksafe!

www.babydeltic.com/video.php

Likewise, back in the 1970s the 50s replaced 52s for younger enthusiasts living on the Western Region, and today Electrostars and Desiros have replaced the Mk1 EMUs for younger enthusiasts. It's nothing new.

I think what is new is the near complete displacement of loco-haulage. This means the DMU revolution is actually a much more significant change in railway operations than dieselisation ever was. Also, in the past pretty much everything was British built, which allowed a certain pride in the things which can't really happen now. Thus when 50s replaced the whizzos they may have been unpopular with the bashers in the south west, but they came from the well respected English Electric stable so were guaranteed popularity simply because of that, and not just with 'youngsters' (most of whom will now be considerably older even than me!).

 

[37372]

Doesn't compute.

You feel you have to, but find it boring? So you're doing it because you feel pressurised by yourself?

I don't pressurise myself at all because it'd feel more like a chore than a hobby if I did. I just do them because it's more fun than riding a unit.

 

[4SRKT]

I don't pressurise myself at all because it'd feel more like a chore than a hobby if I did. I just do them because it's more fun than riding a unit.

Frankly I think I would find stabbing myself in the eye repeatedly with a lollipop stick would be more fun than riding some units, notably 185s. Zzzzzzzz.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Anyway, from the above reading I think I can draw the conclusion that skip bashing is a mixture of necessary evil, an oasis in a loco desert, and beggars can't be choosers.

 

[thefab444]

Personally I rather like Class 67s. I remember a few years ago when engineering works shut the line between Chippenham and Swindon, FGW ran Bristol - Chippenham shuttles using top 'n' tail Class 67s on a good rake (Load 9 or 10?) of Mk2fs; was a taste of how long distance regional rail travel should be. They obviously aren't "hellfire" in the traditional sense of the word, but I still like them, and I'd probably chose one over a Class 37 or 47 on a service train purely because they aren't followed by a horde of drunken louts. They sound fine to me, but then I prefer the sound of an MTU to a Valenta (not that I really care I hasten to add, before anyone accuses me of inane HST gibber).

 

[4SRKT]

Personally I rather like Class 67s. I remember a few years ago when engineering works shut the line between Chippenham and Swindon, FGW ran Bristol - Chippenham shuttles using top 'n' tail Class 67s on a good rake (Load 9 or 10?) of Mk2fs; was a taste of how long distance regional rail travel should be. They obviously aren't "hellfire" in the traditional sense of the word, but I still like them, and I'd probably chose one over a Class 37 or 47 on a service train purely because they aren't followed by a horde of drunken louts. They sound fine to me, but then I prefer the sound of an MTU to a Valenta (not that I really care I hasten to add, before anyone accuses me of inane HST gibber).

You want to get your hearing aid checked mate

Wot drunken louts? 37 bashers are the hardcore survivors of what was close to a mass movement in the 1980s. I've got a lot of respect for them toughing it out this long, and IMHO there are very few occasions that can't be improved by beer. When I think back to the Aberystwyths, the West Highland, Far North and Kyle etc, it makes me want to weep for what's happened

Duff bashers OTOH, now that's a different matter. You'd have to give me a lot of beer before I'd agree to go duff bashing, and even then only if I could cover my face to conceal my identity. This is why the enforced duffage inflicted by Spitfire Railtours on the unwitting 37 bashers during the return journey of the Stanhope mini tour part of February's White Rose was so shocking.

 

[MCR247]

Duff bashers OTOH, now that's a different matter. You'd have to give me a lot of beer before I'd agree to go duff bashing, and even then only if I could cover my face to conceal my identity. This is why the enforced duffage inflicted by Spitfire Railtours on the unwitting 37 bashers during the return journey of the Stanhope mini tour part of February's White Rose was so shocking.

 

[4SRKT]

Actually, superficially at least, skip bashing appears to be the modern equivalent of duff bashing. There is a very important difference though. Back in the day people who chose to go duff bashing were doing so in a world where it was possible to ride behind 37s, 40s, 50s (pretty much anything else in fact). The same accusation can hardly be levelled at skip bashers, so it is a far more respectable activity IMHO.

Before any duff bashers come on here foaming at the mouth, please note that I'm not being 100% serious and am just engaging in the enjoyable and age-old (and frankly easy) sport of duff basher bashing. I've had irony problems on other threads in the last couple of days, so it's best to spell it out sometimes it seems.

 

[43034 The Black Horse]

Personally I rather like Class 67s. I remember a few years ago when engineering works shut the line between Chippenham and Swindon, FGW ran Bristol - Chippenham shuttles using top 'n' tail Class 67s on a good rake (Load 9 or 10?) of Mk2fs; was a taste of how long distance regional rail travel should be. They obviously aren't "hellfire" in the traditional sense of the word, but I still like them, and I'd probably chose one over a Class 37 or 47 on a service train purely because they aren't followed by a horde of drunken louts. They sound fine to me, but then I prefer the sound of an MTU to a Valenta (not that I really care I hasten to add, before anyone accuses me of inane HST gibber).

Yea right.........

 

[87015]

Actually, superficially at least, skip bashing appears to be the modern equivalent of duff bashing.

There are more parallels -

It could also be noted that a fair number of people who are "skip bashers" in the SW just sit on the GW Hauled turns because they have free passes and there is nothing else.

Despite their louds boasts and sneers should anyone else turn up on said sets, the gen is that they have only had (if at all) minimal mileage on skips that haven't worked the GW turns so clearly aren't as main as they think they are.

Very much like the new age 47/8 "top men" in VXC days who hadn't had anything else and were scratching 477xx Fragonset hire-ins...

 

[TDK]

There are more parallels -

It could also be noted that a fair number of people who are "skip bashers" in the SW just sit on the GW Hauled turns because they have free passes and there is nothing else.

Despite their louds boasts and sneers should anyone else turn up on said sets, the gen is that they have only had (if at all) minimal mileage on skips that haven't worked the GW turns so clearly aren't as main as they think they are.

Very much like the new age 47/8 "top men" in VXC days who hadn't had anything else and were scratching 477xx Fragonset hire-ins...

I do not understand this thread to be honest. Everyone to their own, I never realised there was so much bitchiness in train spotting as a matter of fact I don't understand bashing at all, why does anyone need to do 1000 miles behind a certain loco? Is this not extremism?

 

[4SRKT]

I do not understand this thread to be honest. Everyone to their own, I never realised there was so much bitchiness in train spotting as a matter of fact I don't understand bashing at all, why does anyone need to do 1000 miles behind a certain loco? Is this not extremism?

No, 'extremism' is wanting to kill people who don't think the same as you. I personally don't get the loco miles thing (although I do record total miles travelled behind which loco, I'm not bothered about getting the same loco over and over again, or trying to clear classes or anything), but I wouldn't wish to describe any harmless activity as extremism.

All this banter is pretty light hearted. Like any hobby people with different preferences slag each other. It's the same in football, and one probably wouldn't call it bitchiness there. I've been at this game on and off for over 25 years and it's always been the same. Was probably even worse in the 1980s, when any self-respecting duff basher (is there such a thing?) had to keep his peccadillo to himself when in the presence of English Electric enthusiasts! To admit to duff bashing in enthusiast circles back then would be like admitting to chicken molesting these days!

Nowadays duff bashers seem to feel it is OK for them to come out of the closet. Maybe this is progress, maybe it isn't.


Anyone who doesn't understand bashing should watch this documentary on the subject. Awesome footage at 2:59 of the antics on the Aberystwyth summer Saturday workings back in the day. Explanation given of such terms as Top Men, NEDs and insects.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2DN1yhNz4Rc&p=D1A632849FBE11C9&playnext=1&index=31

 

[43034 The Black Horse]

There are more parallels -

It could also be noted that a fair number of people who are "skip bashers" in the SW just sit on the GW Hauled turns because they have free passes and there is nothing else.

Despite their louds boasts and sneers should anyone else turn up on said sets, the gen is that they have only had (if at all) minimal mileage on skips that haven't worked the GW turns so clearly aren't as main as they think they are.

Very much like the new age 47/8 "top men" in VXC days who hadn't had anything else and were scratching 477xx Fragonset hire-ins...

If indeed, you are referring to me, you are most certainly wrong.

 

[thefab444]

Wot drunken louts? 37 bashers are the hardcore survivors of what was close to a mass movement in the 1980s. I've got a lot of respect for them toughing it out this long, and IMHO there are very few occasions that can't be improved by beer.

You're all the same I'm afraid!

Couldn't care less about what traction it is, it's mainly that I hate drunk people.

 

[PaulW]

Awww drunk people are fun. Having toilet roll lobed at you for occupying the front window just adds to the fun!