Most surprising place you've bumped into forum members?

[theblackwatch]

In the dim and distant past, there have been occasional threads on here along the lines of "who have you met?". Triggered by events from last week, I'm wondering where the most surprising or obscure place where forum members have bumped into each other by pure chance is.

My nomination goes to the concourse of Munchen Hbf station - myself and Jordy were walking across, and I heard a voice shout 'oy', and turned round to find Chester025 and Yellowcake also walking across the concourse! 30 seconds later and we wouldn't have seen each other - although if that had been the case, I would probably have nominated a Munchen-Fussen 218 hauled service that we were all on board the next day!

 

[yorkie]

Unplanned meetings of forum members? I can't think of any as surprising at yours, but some did surprised me a bit at the time.

I regularly see forum members who are guards, but I guess that's only to be expected (last time that happened was kwvr45 yesterday). On a particular occasion I was feeling very unwell and wanted to leave early, but had an Advance. I had a feeling that I might know the guard on the train, walked up to the guard, and bizarrely it was a forum member, who then asked 'are you travelling with us?' I showed my ticket and said something like 'I'm not meant to be' and before I could say anything else he ushered me aboard.

Other random occurrences include heart-of-wessex at King's Cross, as he was at the platform end photting and I was entering Coach B.

I was on my way back from an event at Wembley and class313 boarded my train at West Hampstead, as well as bumping into him and bronzeonion a few months later, randomly at Willesden Jn, and a month or two later, saw him again as he was working on the gateline at a station I was meeting someone at.

I was once changing platforms at Exeter St Davids and while doing so, saw a few familiar faces on the footbridge (including someone who is now an FCC gateline assistant who you bumped into randomly at St Pancras).

I've also ended up on the same train as people who have been participating in our Challenge meets, again that's not too surprising, though in a place as big as London it was a bit of a surprise to meet Death on our train and then immediately CCF23 on the same train.

Perhaps the most strange was walking through a Pendolino shortly before departure from Manchester Piccadilly, looking for 2 spare tables for a group of about 7 of us and coming across 2 tables opposite with 1 person sat at one of them. To my surprise, that person was evil_hippo, who was going to change at Stoke for LM, but ended up with a free upgrade to 1st on Virgin from Stoke as someone had a spare ticket (long story).

Not sure if this counts but I was speaking to someone on the phone, who asked where I was. I said I was at Waterloo. He said he was just speaking to RJ was also at Waterloo, in McDonalds. So I went down and surprised him (at the time, I'd not seen him for about 2 years). So that was surprising for RJ, but not for me!

I'm sure there are more that I can't remember right now.

 

[richw]

Sadly haven't knowingly met anyone, however I had noticed Ace1888 commenting on my aunt's Facebook quite some time ago.

 

[Starmill]

Much the similar. Very unsurprising places to find members I'm afraid, just I was surprised at the time! One was working a train (pretty good for me that I recognised them and plucked up the courage to say hello actually). The other was on the Stockport to Stalybridge parliamentary.

However, I think we did have 4 unintended meetings with people during a forum challenge too.

There was also this thread which if you go to the end kind of counts too...

 

[transportphoto]

Perhaps the most strange was walking through a Pendolino shortly before departure from Manchester Piccadilly, looking for 2 spare tables for a group of about 7 of us and coming across 2 tables opposite with 1 person sat at one of them. To my surprise, that person was evil_hippo, who was going to change at Stoke for LM, but ended up with a free upgrade to 1st on Virgin from Stoke as someone had a spare ticket (long story).

I was with you on this occasion, I believe. I've also bumped into Urban Gateline at his work place (unexpectedly) on a London meet a few years ago, those are the only two I can certainly remember as totally unplanned.

I can't remember if it was planned or not, but I've found Jordy and yourself at Norwich on the EMT HST tour via Dereham, on this occasion we also found a railway criminal of some description hiding in the Quiet Coach of a London bound train having disembarked your tour.

TP

 

[David]

I've had a chance encounter witha forum member onboard a TPE service from Scunthorpe to Grimsby before (I can not recall his name though). I was going to see my (then) girlfriend in Grimsby, sat down at a table, and noticed that the person opposite had a quail map out, and was marking the route from Doncaster. It turned out, he was doing an AR and was on his way to cover the Barton branch before heading down to Lincoln and beyond.

 

[Nym]

I wouldn't know, I don't think I've ever met any forum members in the flesh...

(Other than a couple I knew from t'other forums...)

 

[Ivo]

I met up with sonic2009 on the WAG once, whilst meeting with other forum members (!), but that's pretty much it. I think every other time has been planned.

 

[90019]

None really to my knowledge, but I wouldn't be surprised to find out that I've had Blindtraveller on my bus at some point.

 

[Blindtraveler]

None really to my knowledge, but I wouldn't be surprised to find out that I've had Blindtraveller on my bus at some point.

wouldnt surprise me iether! If you ever suspect, do ask! BTW Hope you wernt the driver I got grumpy with the other day, the heat got to me!↲

 

[ATW Alex 101]

I have enquired at the ticket office I was told Hairyhandedfool works at, but then again knowing me I was probably at the wrong station!

 

[steamybrian]

On 21st June I met spa jonnie walking through Ely town centre as unknowingly we had both travelled on the Cathedrals Express from Tonbridge to Ely hauled by "Tornado".
I have met "Telstarbox" and a few others (sorry-forgot your names) on a forum meet in London.

 

[asylumxl]

wouldnt surprise me iether! If you ever suspect, do ask! BTW Hope you wernt the driver I got grumpy with the other day, the heat got to me!↲

I'm sure he wouldn't mind, he's usually quite grumpy himself anyway .

 

[90019]

wouldnt surprise me iether! If you ever suspect, do ask! BTW Hope you wernt the driver I got grumpy with the other day, the heat got to me!↲

It's unlikely as I've been off work for nearly three weeks now.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

I'm sure he wouldn't mind, he's usually quite grumpy himself anyway .

I'm generally pleasant to the passengers, even if I am in a bad mood.

 

[gnolife]

I've met Telstarbox in Manchester's Northern Quarter before, but was in a little bit of a rush so didn't have time to stop (I was trying to get my family across from Piccadilly to Victoria so we could travel onto Blackburn, something not helped by the Airport all-stopper limping into Piccadilly 25 late)

 

[Blindtraveler]

It's unlikely as I've been off work for nearly three weeks now.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---


I'm generally pleasant to the passengers, even if I am in a bad mood.

holidays? Or heat stroke from driving the new dubble glazed hibrids

 

[90019]

holidays? Or heat stroke from driving the new dubble glazed hibrids

Unfortunately not. Just an ingowing nail on my right foot, which isn't much fun.

I actually like the hybrids, and haven't had much issue with heat on them. Only once when someone got on and the first thing they did was shut every window, so there was no longer any air flow through the bus. :roll:

 

[Blindtraveler]

ouch! Theres 1 or 2 inexplicably flying around with the heaters on but yes other than that there good. only thing I'd change is a bit more padding on the seats, very reminissant of Firsts Scanias in there seating. Other than that there nice moters. Hope that ingrowing nail sorts itself.

 

[90019]

ouch! Theres 1 or 2 inexplicably flying around with the heaters on but yes other than that there good.

That's probably just the drivers that haven't worked out how to use the heating yet.

 

[185143]

Much the similar. Very unsurprising places to find members I'm afraid, just I was surprised at the time! One was working a train (pretty good for me that I recognised them and plucked up the courage to say hello actually). The other was on the Stockport to Stalybridge parliamentary.

However, I think we did have 4 unintended meetings with people during a forum challenge too.

There was also this thread which if you go to the end kind of counts too...

I suspect the member working the train was 156441??

You don't need to say who the member on the Stockport to Stalybridge parliamentary was though

 

[Crossover]

The only person I have bumped into without knowing they were going to be there would be kwvr45 last year. Not really surprising though, since I was a passenger on their train.

Other than that, I think they have all been planned/on challenges where we've ended up on the same trains

That said, I may well have travelled on trains with other members, just without knowing who they were!

 

[steamybrian]

..............
I may well have travelled on trains with other members, just without knowing who they were!

I agree....!!

A few years ago whilst was working on the Llangollen Railway as a TTI I was quiet surprised to inspect the ticket on the train of someone who lives in the same road as me in Kent..!!

 

[Tacker50]

sobs ive never meet any others

 

[Deerfold]

I'm sure I must have caught trains with kwvr45 on but I don't know what he looks like.

If he sees a bloke with long hair and a purple suitcase he should feel free to say hi.

I was quite surprised to find a member of forum staff working for the same organisation as me, and, after several job changes, moving into the same building. I did know they were going to be there when I went to say hello, though.

 

[Muzer]

NSEFAN, being a student in the year above at the same university in the same department as me

He also happens to be the ONLY forum member I've (knowingly) met. Shame.

 

[Temple Meads]

I've unexpectedly met AdamW on more than one occasion, and I suspect I've travelled on trains worked by BestWestern and Flamingo, but not knowing them in real life, I can't be sure.

Oh, and FGW142001 on the FGW Class 142 farewell tour, but he's not a particularly active member on here IIRC.

 

[trentside]

I had bb21 and IanXC turn up unexpectedly while I was at work the other day.

 

[bb21]

I had bb21 and IanXC turn up unexpectedly while I was at work the other day.

Ah, yes, but not such a surprise for us.

 

[CC 72100]

I've unexpectedly met AdamW on more than one occasion.

Indeed. Have bumped into you and Ollieb on occasions when we hadn't planned to meet up, although considering how often we did Devon Evening Rangers, that's not too surprising

I also wouldn't be too surprised if i'd been on a train worked by Flamingo or BestWestern, although I'm not sure whether they come down as far as Devon and Cornwall.

 

[Antman]

I wouldn't know, I don't think I've ever met any forum members in the flesh...

(Other than a couple I knew from t'other forums...)

Me neither