Gay Rail Enthusiasts?

[MrCub]

I've seen lots of threads on here talking about non-stereotypical rail enthusiasts or women enthusiasts, but are there any gay enthusiasts, specifically gay men? Railways seem very masculine/blokish/engineering and this somewhat goes against the stereotype of gay men (not that I care very much for any of these stereotypes)

Now, I'm a regular man who happens to be gay and I love trains, the railway as a whole and spend quite a bit of my free time railway travelling for leisure or going to preservation railways.

So, am I the lone voice here?

Mr Cub

 

[thefab444]

No, I estimate about 1/4 to 1/5 of the active members of this forum are gay. Certainly quite a few of them on here. They are quite often not interested in photography and the like, but more the administrative side of things, such as supporting passengers (heck, pax are so thick most of them need support) who've been penalty fared, talking about improving services through Community Rail Partnerships, and things like that.

 

[37401]

No there is quite alot i know of

 

[Spaceflower]

No, I estimate about 1/4 to 1/5 of the active members of this forum are gay. Certainly quite a few of them on here. They are quite often not interested in photography and the like, but more the administrative side of things, such as supporting passengers (heck, pax are so thick most of them need support) who've been penalty fared, talking about improving services through Community Rail Partnerships, and things like that.

Certainly some of them look gay

 

[thefab444]

Indeed.

 

[Spaceflower]

I hope your not referring to me there Celia

 

[thefab444]

No indeed, I was referring to others! However, I made the decision that the bloke in your display pic was probably not yourself, and therefore, I have no material to judge you upon.

 

[Spaceflower]

Good and what do you mean? That is me!

<Makes a mental note to take up train photography at earliest opportunity!

 

[90019]

I've seen lots of threads on here talking about non-stereotypical rail enthusiasts or women enthusiasts, but are there any gay enthusiasts, specifically gay men? Railways seem very masculine/blokish/engineering and this somewhat goes against the stereotype of gay men (not that I care very much for any of these stereotypes)

Now, I'm a regular man who happens to be gay and I love trains, the railway as a whole and spend quite a bit of my free time railway travelling for leisure or going to preservation railways.

So, am I the lone voice here?

I know of quite a few on here. Including myself :P (although you'd never guess )

 

[dan_atki]

Off-topic wafflefest removed.

 

[Bayum]

There are a few gay people on here

Not to name names (cos I don't actually know them anyways!)

But I am =/

So, yeah!

William - are you or aren't you then??

Or were those messages just trying to catch me off guard

 

[Spaceflower]

No, I'm not. At least I wasn't last time I checked

 

[Mojo]

Funny how many times this has come up before actually:
http://www.railforums.co.uk/showthread.php?t=16722
http://www.railforums.co.uk/showthread.php?t=23258

 

[Bayum]

No, I'm not. At least I wasn't last time I checked

Hmmmmmm

If your sure then =P

 

[me123]

I know plenty of people on here are openly gay; it seems common. I'm not sure if it's any more or less prevalent than the proportion of the population.

Indeed, I remember a "RailUGay" thread and group quite a while ago, but I think that dissolved rather quickly.

 

[Bayum]

Yeahh, there was - Gizzy founded it I think... But she disappeared. Along with Loader and Conner =(

I still feel there needs to be a thread like this again - seeing as all the "rabble" have been taken off the site.

 

[metrocammel]

From what I've heard, homosexuality was quite common amongst 'Peak' bashers in the 1980s. I'm not sure why 'Peaks' in particular, but I've not heard of any other classes having a gay following.

There seems to be a lot of the 'new wave' of cranks who are gay though. I think it's fair to say a relatively high percentage of East Lancs Railway staff are also openly gay.

 

[Phoenix]

I know three gay Enthusiasts to be honest there the same as any other rail fan but just slightly camper to be honest some thought mask it very well but honestly I just see it as a difference in preference as long as we both respect each others preferences I never think any different of the person.
Frankly these days the younger the enthusiast the less conformist they are take me for instance I'm 20 and either taking photos of trains or im skateboarding and both peoples don't get why I do both.

 

[37372]

Trust me Mr Cub, you're certainly not alone on this forum!
I too am gay, and enjoy most things in the railway hobby.

I'm not one of those that flaunt it about though, so much so that most people think that I'm a straight rail enthusiast... haha.

It's good to see people openly admitting it though, I was glad to know I wasn't the only one

 

[90019]

I'm not one of those that flaunt it about though, so much so that most people think that I'm a straight rail enthusiast... haha.

I'm open about it online, but in person, i keep it very much to myself :P

 

[Death]

Hail all!
Just to shock the heck out of most people here (Given my general Bloodthirsty nature and the fact that I'm first 'n' foremost a MetalHead! ) I may as well come clean that I'm more or less gay as well. hock:
Although in aggregate terms I'm actually bisexual, the homosexual side of me seems to be more prevalent than the heterosexual, hence my common declaration that I tend to ride both the West Coast and East Coast lines!

Mind ye though, I'm still one for remaining fairly quiet about it...Not so much because there are a few people I know who would IMO be better off not knowing about it, but more because I'd rather keep it out of other people's faces at all times except where it is perfectly relevant to the conversation at hand. 8)

Farewell...
>> Death <<

 

[Mintona]

I'm not, and I am starting to feel slightly left out.

 

[The Snap]

I think it's fair to say a relatively high percentage of East Lancs Railway staff are also openly gay.

You can say that again! Most of the staff I've ever worked with at the ELR are gay.

 

[ukrob]

I know three gay Enthusiasts to be honest there the same as any other rail fan but just slightly camper to be honest some thought mask it very well but honestly

Mask it very well? Are all gay people camp? Haven't you met camp straight people? So they have to mask it?

Not accusing you of being homophobic at all, but it seems like a very odd statement to make!

 

[metrocammel]

declaration that I tend to ride both the West Coast and East Coast lines! .
>> Death <<

I'd have thought travelling along the WCML and the Woodhead route would have been more apt

 

[will1337]

Why? Is Lancashire the rear end o't' Pennines?

 

[metrocammel]

Why? Is Lancashire the rear end o't' Pennines?

No, think about the current

 

[Phoenix]

Mask it very well? Are all gay people camp? Haven't you met camp straight people? So they have to mask it?

Not accusing you of being homophobic at all, but it seems like a very odd statement to make!

I know you didn't say it but for the record im not homophobic I just work on the principle of Gaydar I hang around a lot of girls and we all try and figure if people are gay or not cause in a club a girl would look stupid if she asked a gay person to come back to her place.
Nobody has to mask anything as really it something to be proud of but like 90019 for instance is happy to let us know he is gay on here but in the real world he says it would be different so you could say that is masking it although mask isnt really the right word and yes anyone can be camp and gay people dont have to be camp.

God you know how to back someone into a corner rob.

 

[theblackwatch]

From what I've heard, homosexuality was quite common amongst 'Peak' bashers in the 1980s. I'm not sure why 'Peaks' in particular, but I've not heard of any other classes having a gay following.

I honestly don't know if that's true of not - the rumour may have been started many years ago by followers of a rival class and continued over the years. Certainly, I've never heard of any shinanegans occurring in a compartment behind a 45! Seriously though, I'm sure all classes of loco have followers of different persuasions, some will be open about it and others not.

You can say that again! Most of the staff I've ever worked with at the ELR are gay.

Obviously doesn't apply to everyone there, I've also heard of volunteers there going off with another volunteers girlfriend!

No, think about the current

Well I'd not worked that one out till I read your explanation, that joke is worse than some of mine!

Another serious point: I think its worth remembering that stereotypes are just that - not everyone conforms to them. In the same way that not all camp people are gay (and all gay people camp), not all railway enthusiasts wear an anorak and smell, and nor are all people who wear an anorak and smell railway enthusiasts!

 

[ukrob]

I know you didn't say it but for the record im not homophobic I just work on the principle of Gaydar I hang around a lot of girls and we all try and figure if people are gay or not cause in a club a girl would look stupid if she asked a gay person to come back to her place.
Nobody has to mask anything as really it something to be proud of but like 90019 for instance is happy to let us know he is gay on here but in the real world he says it would be different so you could say that is masking it although mask isnt really the right word and yes anyone can be camp and gay people dont have to be camp.

God you know how to back someone into a corner rob.

Apologies, I didn't mean to make you feel like that at all