10 years of RailUK Forums

[Class172]

I can't quite believe that I have been a registered member of this forum for over four years now, with a good portion of that time helping the run the Quizzes and Games sub-forum. My post rate is not as high as it used to be, though I'd like to think they have become more focused and thought through as time has progressed - no more fantasy services to Droitwich!

Considering the number of members seem to be rocketing upwards currently, I wonder how closely the total member count over time would fit an exponential relationship?? I'd work it out myself, but I currently so busy at the moment I simply haven't the time.

Thank you to all the staff and members for helping to run this lively forum over the years, it has been most enjoyable.

 

[steamybrian]

Thanks to the generous sponsorship by this very forum we've three visiting locomotives featuring at the Spa Valley Summer Diesel Gala, Class 14 D9539, Class 20 D8098 & Class 25 D7612 along with a railway sponsored visit of Class 205 DEMU 1133! Then there's the home fleet of Class 10 D3489, Class 33 33063, Class 37 37254, Class 73 73140 & Class 207 DEMU 1317!

So on behalf of us all at the Spa Valley Railway I'd like to thank you very much for your generous sponsorship and choosing us to celebrate 10yrs with! Happy 10th Birthday!

Jonnie

Happy 10th Birthday to the forum.
I fully support and "second" what Jonnie has said.
Looking forward to this event which has grown in size and popularity over the years.

 

[ac6000cw]

Happy 10th birthday

(and 'well done' to all the forum staff for all their hard work)

 

[Tom B]

I'm member number 104 and have been here for almost all of the time the forum has existed. For the first 5 years or so I was a member of the staff team but as time went on and I became busier in real life I had to give it up. Then things got even busier and I stopped posting for a year or two. I contribute from time to time now, often from a different perspective as I've turned from being an occasional long distance traveller to a regular commuter!

Back in 2008? we were having a discussion about the future of the forum and the idea was mooted of having adverts to cover running costs, and if there was a surplus we could donate money to various railway causes etc. In the MSN Messenger conversation (now there's something else retro!) a couple of people were sceptical that we'd make enough money to cover the forum's running costs let alone having any surplus! I'm glad that there's been enough surplus to enable sponsorship of galas etc.

May the next 10 years be equally as successful!

 

[The Snap]

How do you find out your member number? I'm intrigued!

 

[90019]

If you go to your profile, the number at the end of the URL is the profile number, so you are number 37.

 

[The Snap]

If you go to your profile, the number at the end of the URL is the profile number, so you are number 37.

Thanks.

37 isn't bad out of 24,522 .

 

[Drsatan]

User 4559 checking in here :P

I joined this forum before going off to Uni, simply because I wanted to find out whether 465s and 466s were ever tested in the Portsmouth area (I remember one going past my school playground). Turns out they were tested between Eastleigh and Fratton, so my brain wasn't deceiving me.

Since then, I've met a few of you, attended a few challenges, and learned a lot about railway operations. During those six years, I've also turned from a railway enthusiast to someone who takes an interest in how the railway industry operates, and am no longer that interested in bashing every curve, scoring every platform etc.

Given how invaluable this forum has been to those who work in the industry, enthusiasts, and others, I thank you all.

For anyone who's asked where I got my username from, before registering an account here I watched an episode of South Park featuring the Devil.

 

[Techniquest]

Tom B, MSN Messenger? Good grief that takes me back! There were some excellent conversations, ones you didn't want to leave even if you were exhausted and needed sleep, back then! Nostalgia overload tonight

The Snap, I was only 17 behind. Out of more than 24,500 I'm well happy to be the 54th registration

 

[Dennis]

#117 still here after all this time.....mostly lurking these days, not got much of interest to say!

Must do another meet sometime; they were always good fun.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

I am member number 6255 and I've been here about half the life of the forum!

I do seem to have a record for longevity; at school I was the longest serving member of the library committee ( 5 years and 1 month of the following academic year ) and three weeks ago I picked up my 30 years continuous service award at work...

 

[Sprinter]

Member number 45, only just got back to posting on the forum after a period away. Trouble is with all the posts (and amount of traffic) on this forum it can take a fair amount of time to read through what members have posted. Time which I am trying to divide a fair number of ways, with a normal Mon-Fri daytime job!

I also run my own bus related forum (as head admin), so haven't lost the moderator skills I used to have in the early days on this forum, should they ever be needed here again.

I also like to be out and about bashing on the network rather than sitting at my desk reading the forum, I am not one of these armchair enthusiasts! Yes, I am one of those that likes to cover every bit of track (the rarer the batter) or stand on every platform and spot/bash every loco/unit in the Platform 5 book, so still firmly your traditional rail enthusiast. If there is such a thing...this hobby is so diverse!

Railways aside, I am also a bus enthusiast, so many of my trips tend to combine both modes of transport, thus trying to divide my time between buses and trains. Though things tend to move much quicker in the bus world than the railways e.g. the lifespan of a bus is much shorter than a rail vehicle. Buses have a tendency to move from one side of the country to the other, making tracking them down a bit harder too, against rail vehicles which tend to stick to the line/areas they were intended.

I am trying to rekindle my regular presence on RailUk again, I have learnt a lot (especially with fares) and would like to meet some of you members (old or new) at Fares Workshops or meets. Long may RailUk continue.

 

[duffers2324]

Happy 10th Birthday and heres to another 10 years I have only been a member for just over a year but have already learned a lot through this forum, I usually post in the Trains you have seen working thread when out on trainspotting duty!

 

[AlexS]

Hello again from member #6 - I do still keep an eye on happenings but refrain from posting so as to avoid any risk of falling foul of a social media policy somewhere

I thought my post from December 2014 might add a bit to the thread for those interested so here it from someone who was there from the 'nearly beginning' - I can't claim to be a founder member as I'm not - there were previous incarnations - but I did sign up pretty quickly to the new forum when it was put online

There's been some high points (reaching this far!!) and some low and sad ones (the odd argument, some quite impressive trolls, Bighat and the sad story of 'thefab444' to name a few) but it's generally been great and I think the forum has many years left in it.

I shall (very briefly) return from the cold waters of Lurker's Shore to say that this thread inspired me to look at my old files and PMs and wow - how far has it come. Some of the staff have remained constant since I was an admin here many, many, moons ago and it is to their credit.

The place largely began with a group as Yorkie mentioned breaking away from TTF. It was originally if I recall correctly all hosted on a member's server with a couple of folk putting their hands in their pockets to pay the bills. As things grew there became greater dependence on advertising revenue.

The forum meet concept came over from TTF and Yorkie has always been very active with pushing the social side of things - the end of the Southern slam door stock and West Coast electrics (in bulk) coincided with the initial period and provided a good foundation for groups of like minded individuals to get together - trips to preserved lines and challenges also featured.

SimSig is quite correct as well - there was many an evening spent playing a multiplayer game of Kings Cross - again Yorkie was a prolific games master!

There were fights and arguments and some core people dropped away over time but eventually the place seems to have settled into something pretty stable. A lot of the founders were very young at the time (early teens and up mostly) and have obviously grown up and matured - many have jobs on the railway now as managers, drivers, guards etc etc. Others still continue with their enthusiasm as before.

My own role was largely day to day moderation and activities of that nature - I could have done a much better job but then again I was still only young and while I have a few regrets I suppose it could have been worse!

Without their consent I won't name the founders as some use alter egos or are no longer here to ask but I'm grateful for the social side that allowed me to manage a hobby that perhaps wasn't very socially acceptable as a teenager while I grew up - those chats on MSN Messenger, games of SimSig and occasionally real life meetings were hugely important to me at the time and I hold them fondly.

I hope the staff don't mind me posting this and I shall return to my box now and let them get on with their good work.

 

[backontrack]

Hello again from member #6 - I do still keep an eye on happenings but refrain from posting so as to avoid any risk of falling foul of a social media policy somewhere

I thought my post from December 2014 might add a bit to the thread for those interested so here it from someone who was there from the 'nearly beginning' - I can't claim to be a founder member as I'm not - there were previous incarnations - but I did sign up pretty quickly to the new forum when it was put online

There's been some high points (reaching this far!!) and some low and sad ones (the odd argument, some quite impressive trolls, Bighat and the sad story of 'thefab444' to name a few) but it's generally been great and I think the forum has many years left in it.

I just read about that. Sad.

Also, congratulations on getting such a high sign-up number! I'm no. 23881 (lurked before then).

 

[FQ]

I just read about that. Sad.

Also, congratulations on getting such a high sign-up number! I'm no. 23881 (lurked before then).

What story?

Thanks,

Member 22316!

 

[IanXC]

...the sad story of 'thefab444' to name a few) but it's generally been great and I think the forum has many years left in it.

I just read about that. Sad.

What story?

Here is the announcement thread from the time:

http://www.railforums.co.uk/showthread.php?t=53213

Ian

 

[backontrack]

The circumstances are on page 8.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Hello again from member #6 - I do still keep an eye on happenings but refrain from posting so as to avoid any risk of falling foul of a social media policy somewhere

I thought my post from December 2014 might add a bit to the thread for those interested so here it from someone who was there from the 'nearly beginning' - I can't claim to be a founder member as I'm not - there were previous incarnations - but I did sign up pretty quickly to the new forum when it was put online

There's been some high points (reaching this far!!) and some low and sad ones (the odd argument, some quite impressive trolls, Bighat and the sad story of 'thefab444' to name a few) but it's generally been great and I think the forum has many years left in it.

Any in particular?

 

[Mike99]

Member number 45, only just got back to posting on the forum after a period away. Trouble is with all the posts (and amount of traffic) on this forum it can take a fair amount of time to read through what members have posted. Time which I am trying to divide a fair number of ways, with a normal Mon-Fri daytime job!

I also run my own bus related forum (as head admin), so haven't lost the moderator skills I used to have in the early days on this forum, should they ever be needed here again.

I also like to be out and about bashing on the network rather than sitting at my desk reading the forum, I am not one of these armchair enthusiasts! Yes, I am one of those that likes to cover every bit of track (the rarer the batter) or stand on every platform and spot/bash every loco/unit in the Platform 5 book, so still firmly your traditional rail enthusiast. If there is such a thing...this hobby is so diverse!

Railways aside, I am also a bus enthusiast, so many of my trips tend to combine both modes of transport, thus trying to divide my time between buses and trains. Though things tend to move much quicker in the bus world than the railways e.g. the lifespan of a bus is much shorter than a rail vehicle. Buses have a tendency to move from one side of the country to the other, making tracking them down a bit harder too, against rail vehicles which tend to stick to the line/areas they were intended.

I am trying to rekindle my regular presence on RailUk again, I have learnt a lot (especially with fares) and would like to meet some of you members (old or new) at Fares Workshops or meets. Long may RailUk continue.

Hi, Which bus forum do you run?

 

[FQ]

Thanks for posting that. Very sad indeed.

 

[backontrack]

Hi, Which bus forum do you run?

Hi! Also, congratulations on 100 posts!

 

[Mike99]

Thank you

 

[507021]

I've not been on the forum for long (about six months) and I'm one of the quieter members - but I have to say that I've thoroughly enjoyed taking part in the informative and interesting discussions and also the games in the quiz section too. I have no doubts that joining this forum has really boosted my interest in railways and I look forward to continuing to take part in discussions on this site for many years to come

Here's to another ten years!

 

[Sprinter]

Hi, Which bus forum do you run?

Hello, you may know me better as "Tangy" of which I own and run The Bus Forum (www.busforum.co.uk) it is a mainly of a London centric nature but discussion of provincial operators is very welcome too.

 

[Peter Sarf]

The circumstances are on page 8.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---


Any in particular?

Well I decided to post this. I lost my step son last year. Not clear why but clearer than the aforementioned.

TWO THINGS :-

IF YOUR FEELING DOWN - Remember there are always those around you who care. Do not get into a dangerous downward spiral (depression), ask for help. You are worth more alive than dead.

SOME PEOPLE CAN *appear* TO BE VERY CRUEL WITHOUT THINKING ABOUT HOW THEIR COMMENTS OR ACTIONS WILL BE REACTED TO. This seems to be especially true in the internet age - or at least the evidence is there to see. Think about what you say as the consequences may be worse than you would expect.

Nuff said - better out in the open for those who NEED the info on life (etc).

 

[Jordy]

Nice to see some old faces popping up on this thread, I've also been here from the early days and a lot of people have come and gone in that time so it's nice to see a few are still lurking!

 

[backontrack]

330 posts compared to 8,250.

But then again, the majority of my posts have been in the Quiz Forum. I wonder if it would be possible to calculate my total posts including the quizzes.

 

[CC 72100]

Quiz forum posts don't count towards your overall total

 

[ATW Alex 101]

It's been a while since I've properly posted on RailUk, or been on it properly at all for the last year! (blame GCSE's for that). But wow, 10 years old eh, and I've been on here for nearly 5 of those years. In those 5 years I've made many friends and met lots of fine people, but also learned a lot myself not only about railways, but general interaction with people, my typing skills and other things you generally pick up from being on a forum for so long. To be honest, those 5 years have gone by so quick.

My journey through the forum has certainly been a mixed one, those who remember me from the early days will know what I'm on about and certain threads I posted ( ). There have certainly been some laughs as well, and also a lot of trolls and names from the past who still make me chuckle to this day. Other more sinister things such as Bighat and tragic news of thefab444 are also examples of the more serious things and things we should be more aware of being part of an internet forum.

Hey ho, now I've finished my exams I am looking forward to visiting this forum a lot more often and getting about on the train more. Moreso, getting myself onto a forum meet/meal/workshop, the last time I met anyone off the forum was December 2014! Seems like forever! But here's to another 10 years of laughs, camaraderie, and RailUk Cheers guys!

 

[Mojo]

Good to see you back, Walex