Just wondering how, when and where people's interest in the railways started?
I grew up near to Burton-on-Trent station. My Dad went down spotting most nights, occasionally he'd take me but after a short while I'd become really bored and want to go home.
Then one night, when I was 6, we went down and for some reason I just really enjoyed writing it, writing all the numbers and loco names down. So from then on, most nights we'd be down Burton station.
Traction back then from 1992 and into the mid 1990's would be 156's, 158's, HST's, 47's on freight and passenger, 31's, 37's, 56's, 58's, and 60's - loved the names on them.
Would stand at the end of the platform, watching the trains come in from the distance and would try and guess what they were. Wanted to see something unusual like a class 73 so much! - funny that 20 years on I could see them most days at Nemesis depot.
Did regular trips to Derby, BNS (onto Bescot) and occasional jaunts to Stafford, Crewe, and Donny which was a particular fave with the 91's.
My standout memories though are of going on holiday to my grandparents in Balloch, Loch Lomond, and the journey up from Tutbury-Crewe, then onto Glasgow Central. That place was magical, all the orange units with "Strathclyde Transport" on the side.
My Dad would make sure we got a day or 2 spotting in at Central, and I remember being stood at the end platforms at rush hour as units rolled in and out relentlessly.
Did Crewe open day in May 1997, double headed 37 haulage from BNS-Crewe which sounded amazing!
Also remember going London, it was April '93 I think so I was 6 - the same day an IRA bomb went off in the capital.
We got a Tamworth - Euston train, I remember getting into Euston and as we stood writing the numbers down I just felt overwhelmed at the busyness of it all with trains coming in and out either side of us! Also, it started raining so my pad was getting wet meaning I couldn't write down the numbers, disaster, but Dad saved the day.
I remember seeing homeless people and that was quite weird and unsettling for me as a young kid growing up in a small town, not used to seeing things like that.
Went Clapham Junction which was madness compared to Burton and it's one train every 10/15 minutes that trundled through.
That's when my Dad noticed police helicopters and overheard something about the bomb so thought best head home - when we finally got home Mum was relieved saying she'd been worried - no mobile phones and we didn't even have a house phone then for Dad to call home.
Toton open day in 1998 was one of my last trips back then, double 58 haulage from Derby-Toton. Then as I hit my teens I just didn't bother as much, was well into my footy and then obviously girls come onto the scene, and also it's a shame but people seem to take the mickey out of spotting and the scene - probably another factor in why I stopped bothering as much?
Then a few years ago the missus and me got a place not far from the Nemesis depot in Burton. Seeing the shunters, 20's, 37's, 47's etc stabled there evoked some nostalgia and interest in me and I started getting back into it a bit, and I'm glad I have.
Occasionally pop down the bridge if RTT is showing anything interesting coming through (saw my first Western a few Sunday's back) and 2 weeks ago I was up in Scotland for a footy match - going back to Glasgow Central was magical! Even if there was a lack of orange 303's.
I'm currently trying to get myself a job in the rail industry. I'm keeping an open mind as to what type of job (currently an analyst with an energy provider), but the rail industry is definitely what I want to be in.
Anyway that's it for now, just wanted to share some memories and read other people's?
Cheers
Jamie
I grew up near to Burton-on-Trent station. My Dad went down spotting most nights, occasionally he'd take me but after a short while I'd become really bored and want to go home.
Then one night, when I was 6, we went down and for some reason I just really enjoyed writing it, writing all the numbers and loco names down. So from then on, most nights we'd be down Burton station.
Traction back then from 1992 and into the mid 1990's would be 156's, 158's, HST's, 47's on freight and passenger, 31's, 37's, 56's, 58's, and 60's - loved the names on them.
Would stand at the end of the platform, watching the trains come in from the distance and would try and guess what they were. Wanted to see something unusual like a class 73 so much! - funny that 20 years on I could see them most days at Nemesis depot.
Did regular trips to Derby, BNS (onto Bescot) and occasional jaunts to Stafford, Crewe, and Donny which was a particular fave with the 91's.
My standout memories though are of going on holiday to my grandparents in Balloch, Loch Lomond, and the journey up from Tutbury-Crewe, then onto Glasgow Central. That place was magical, all the orange units with "Strathclyde Transport" on the side.
My Dad would make sure we got a day or 2 spotting in at Central, and I remember being stood at the end platforms at rush hour as units rolled in and out relentlessly.
Did Crewe open day in May 1997, double headed 37 haulage from BNS-Crewe which sounded amazing!
Also remember going London, it was April '93 I think so I was 6 - the same day an IRA bomb went off in the capital.
We got a Tamworth - Euston train, I remember getting into Euston and as we stood writing the numbers down I just felt overwhelmed at the busyness of it all with trains coming in and out either side of us! Also, it started raining so my pad was getting wet meaning I couldn't write down the numbers, disaster, but Dad saved the day.
I remember seeing homeless people and that was quite weird and unsettling for me as a young kid growing up in a small town, not used to seeing things like that.
Went Clapham Junction which was madness compared to Burton and it's one train every 10/15 minutes that trundled through.
That's when my Dad noticed police helicopters and overheard something about the bomb so thought best head home - when we finally got home Mum was relieved saying she'd been worried - no mobile phones and we didn't even have a house phone then for Dad to call home.
Toton open day in 1998 was one of my last trips back then, double 58 haulage from Derby-Toton. Then as I hit my teens I just didn't bother as much, was well into my footy and then obviously girls come onto the scene, and also it's a shame but people seem to take the mickey out of spotting and the scene - probably another factor in why I stopped bothering as much?
Then a few years ago the missus and me got a place not far from the Nemesis depot in Burton. Seeing the shunters, 20's, 37's, 47's etc stabled there evoked some nostalgia and interest in me and I started getting back into it a bit, and I'm glad I have.
Occasionally pop down the bridge if RTT is showing anything interesting coming through (saw my first Western a few Sunday's back) and 2 weeks ago I was up in Scotland for a footy match - going back to Glasgow Central was magical! Even if there was a lack of orange 303's.
I'm currently trying to get myself a job in the rail industry. I'm keeping an open mind as to what type of job (currently an analyst with an energy provider), but the rail industry is definitely what I want to be in.
Anyway that's it for now, just wanted to share some memories and read other people's?
Cheers
Jamie
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