Rail enthusiasts who are a bit famous for another reason - current and historical

[Galvanize]

Richard Bowker, one time boss of the SRA, National Express and Eithiad Railways. Known for his love of Class 40s.

 

[DarloRich]

And of course the late Queen if her decision to travel to Sandringham on a regular Great Northern service counts, as well as her apparently being disappointed at the removal of 365s from the route.

Ones Baker atlas must have had some odd lines marked off as the Royal Train ( if it existed) has been stabled in some odd places!

 

[Trackman]

Bruce Dickinson of Iron Maiden fame. He even did a programme on the HST called Ultimate TrainsHow abo

On the subject, what about Chris Rea? Was he a crank?

 

[Sun Chariot]

On the subject, what about Chris Rea? Was he a crank?

Driving home for Christmas,
Now the snow is falling hard.
But I'll swing by Sandiacre
And I'll look in Toton's yard.

Got a lot parked at the depot,
By the running rail lines, too.
Gotta find that holy grail -
Grid with number 042*.

* I was fortunate enough to photograph the unique CP7 bogied 56042. Elusive Grid!

 

[GatwickDepress]

Hermann Göring, chief of the Luftwaffe and antithesis of the Aryan superman, had one Trix and two Marklin model railways at his country retreat in the Schorfheide Forest. It is even rumoured that one layout had a wired aeroplane system that could drop little wooden bombs on the trains below.

The excellent website Marklin Stop has more here.

 

[Iskra]

Hermann Göring, chief of the Luftwaffe and antithesis of the Aryan superman, had one Trix and two Marklin model railways at his country retreat in the Schorfheide Forest. It is even rumoured that one layout had a wired aeroplane system that could drop little wooden bombs on the trains below.

The excellent website Marklin Stop has more here.

His model railway did look very impressive. Not forgetting his famously heavy personal armoured train:

 

[DarloRich]

On the subject, what about Chris Rea? Was he a crank?

wrote a song entitled: Deltics

 

[birchesgreen]

The indie pop band Peru released an EP with a photo of a class 47 on the front, good EP too, no duff tracks (ahem).

 

[Iskra]

The indie pop band Peru released an EP with a photo of a class 47 on the front, good EP too, no duff tracks (ahem).

Are they famous though? I’m into my music and I’ve never heard of them.

On a similar note Liam Fray of the Courteeners mentions a ‘Virgin Pendolino’ in the song Small Bones. Yesterday, Today & Probably Tomorrow also features train references, a train horn and some tannoy announcements, so perhaps he’s into railways too.

 

[Calthrop]

Hermann Göring, chief of the Luftwaffe and antithesis of the Aryan superman, had one Trix and two Marklin model railways at his country retreat in the Schorfheide Forest. It is even rumoured that one layout had a wired aeroplane system that could drop little wooden bombs on the trains below.

The excellent website Marklin Stop has more here.

His model railway did look very impressive. Not forgetting his famously heavy personal armoured train:

While the guy was beyond doubt, a monster: these doings of his, and a couple of other things about him: cause me to have a very slight, and reluctant, soft spot for him.

 

[DarloRich]

While the guy was beyond doubt, a monster: these doings of his, and a couple of other things about him: cause me to have a very slight, and reluctant, soft spot for him.

he probably stole the items off someone liquidated.

 

[Calthrop]

he probably stole the items off someone liquidated.

I did say, "reluctant"...

 

[Iskra]

he probably stole the items off someone liquidated.

He was a man of substantial means before the Nazi’s even existed, so it is far from a given that that is the case. It also took some time into their rule before the Nazi’s mass-murder apparatus really got going. I’m therefore going to suggest your statement is probably incorrect. I’m not defending the Nazi’s, but accuracy is important.

 

[DarloRich]

I’m therefore going to suggest your statement is probably incorrect. I’m not defending the Nazi’s, but accuracy is important.

Fair enough. He bought all his own model trains. He didn't buy all that art. I am sure he acquired all that wealthy fairly and in no way stole it from unfortunate people.

Was he rich before the war? he joined the nazi party in 1921 so was on board early!

It also took sometime before the Nazi’s mass-murder apparatus really got going

it did - but they were "ayryanising" business long before they liquidated anyone.

 

[Iskra]

Fair enough. He bought all his own model trains. He didn't buy all that art. I am sure he acquired all that wealthy fairly and in no way stole it from unfortunate people.

Was he rich before the war? he joined the nazi party in 1921 so was on board early!



it did - but they were "ayryanising" business long before they liquidated anyone.

I have absolutely no qualms about calling out the rampant theft that went on subsequent to the invasion of Poland.

He was from aristocracy, so was born rich.

Indeed.

Anyway, we are off on a tangent so should probably leave it there.

 

[birchesgreen]

Are they famous though? I’m into my music and I’ve never heard of them.

Not really but i am sure their mums were great fans.

 

[Ashley Hill]

Ted Edley of Salvage Hunters - The Restorers has Eastfield and class 56 posters in his workshop.

 

[Bevan Price]

Brian Jones, late of the Rolling Stones; was said to prefer GWR locos.

 

[geoffk]

Maurice Ravel once said that he preferred a beautiful locomotive to a beautiful woman. The first locosexual?

I didn't know that. It's true that a shared interest in railways and music is quite common. I've played in orchestras containing several enthusiasts; others are mentioned above. I was a student at Sheffield (although not of music) and knew Roger Bullivant, who apparently marked his scores with railway signals and speed restriction signs.

 

[D365]

Ted Edley of Salvage Hunters - The Restorers has Eastfield and class 56 posters in his workshop.

I wonder if these are available online to purchase.

 

[TheSmiths82]

Ben Elton confessed to being a train enthusiast during a documentary he made about the state of Britain's railways. https://www.channel4.com/programmes/ben-elton-the-great-railway-disaster

 

[Ashley Hill]

I wonder if these are available online to purchase.

Having googled the poster it seems that “Eastfield” are a railway themed punk band. Both the of the posters seen in Teds workshop refer to this band.
Here’s a link to one of their tracks. It’s not my cup of tea….

Or perhaps an album with some weird track listings.

Eastfield - Urban Rail Punk

View credits, reviews, tracks and shop for the 2006 CD release of "Urban Rail Punk" on Discogs.

www.discogs.com

A bit like a poor man’s Half Man Half Biscuit.

 

[Ashley Hill]

The front cover of this S Express 12” features an exploded version of a class 56. Was Mark Moore a grid fan?

 

[Lloyds siding]

I attended 'Rocket 150' at Rainhill in 1980. People I noticed included Fred Dibnah, Michael Palin, Terry Jones (also of Monty Python) and Brian Redhead.

 

[judethegreat]

The band "Blyth Power" haven't been mentioned yet..

 

[Cdd89]

There’s Ben Goldacre who appeared in a Geoff Marshall video on Finstock:

Given the size of the forum, I expect at least one season of I’m A Celeb could be eked out of the membership list

 

[Henffordd]

Antonin Dvorak - mentioned earlier, was a serious train enthusiast. He would ask orchestra members to report the numbers of locomotives arriving in Prague when he was busy rehearsing. And it is alleged, apocryphally, I'm sure, that he wrote his Humoresque having read an old familiar warning notice on a train: "Gentlemen should please refrain/from passing water while the train/is standing stationary/at the platform." And if you don't know the tune, try

 

[Sun Chariot]

The band "Blyth Power" haven't been mentioned yet..

Post #4 of this thread, has a link to a thread about train-related song titles. The mighty Blyth Power gets a mention on post #25 of that thread.
What was their track with all of the class 50s quoted? They played that when I saw them in Hammersmith (in a pub, not in the Odeon!), about 25 years ago.

 

[52290]

Antonin Dvorak - mentioned earlier, was a serious train enthusiast. He would ask orchestra members to report the numbers of locomotives arriving in Prague when he was busy rehearsing. And it is alleged, apocryphally, I'm sure, that he wrote his Humoresque having read an old familiar warning notice on a train: "Gentlemen should please refrain/from passing water while the train/is standing stationary/at the platform." And if you don't know the tune, try

The English composer Arthur Butterworth (1923-2014) was also a railway enthusiast.
Arthur wrote seven symphonies a number of which have been recorded on the Dutton label.
This includes a re-issue of his first symphony recorded by Sir John Barbirolli and the Halle Orchestra in 1958.
I didn't know Arthur personally but my cousin, who lives in Suffolk did. Arthur was apparently a volunteer on the Embsay Steam Railway.

 

[M&NEJ]

Antonin Dvorak - mentioned earlier, was a serious train enthusiast. He would ask orchestra members to report the numbers of locomotives arriving in Prague when he was busy rehearsing.

I think the story goes that he once rebuked his student for returning, not with the locomotive number, but with the number of the tender instead.