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Spotting books

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Roy Webster

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Hi, I am a lapsed spotter returned to the hobby.
I remember that locomotive spotting books used to have all the previous numbers of individual locos.
Do the present Platform 5 spotting books have this feature.
thank you.
 
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FGW_DID

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Hi, I am a lapsed spotter returned to the hobby.
I remember that locomotive spotting books used to have all the previous numbers of individual locos.
Do the present Platform 5 spotting books have this feature.
thank you.

Yes they do (just checked my P5 2018 Loco & Coaching Stock book)

E.g
66742 shows previous numbers of 66406 & 66841
66789 shows previous number of 66250

IMHO The P5 combined book is a bit pricey (£21) but has a lot of detail in it.
There are cheaper books out there if you just want number lists.

On saying that though I always get the P5 book because that’s what I’ve always used :D
 

Roy Webster

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Thanks for the reply.
I do wander about the country a bit on holidays, usually by rail and also make quite a few long distance rail trips each year purely for spotting.
With that in mind I think I will go for the P5 combined.
 

47403

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The NREA combined book is half the price. OK its probably not as well set out as Platform 5's books but still does the trick. Got a lot of light railway lists in too, if you go hunting, the trams of Sheffield, Manchester, Nottingham, Blackpool and Croydon. DLR, Tyne and Wear metro and Glasgow underground, they're in this book too.

http://www.nrea.org.uk/

The link below is a book I've never used but seems to have extensive lists too. I know some who swear by these books.
http://www.intercityrailwaysociety.org/

I usually go for platform 5 too myself but have used a fair few NREA in the past too.

Just caught up with this, so sorry if I'm too late.
 
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xotGD

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Shouldn't folk be using an App these days, rather than a book?
 

Peter Mugridge

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Shouldn't folk be using an App these days, rather than a book?

Books are a good form of permanent record. Anything digital is not, and also has the hassle of needing to switch something on every time you want to refer to anything on it.
 

cactustwirly

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Shouldn't folk be using an App these days, rather than a book?

I log everything electronically, using the 'notepad' app to record when I'm out, then transferring over to my spreadsheet.
 

47403

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Books are a good form of permanent record. Anything digital is not, and also has the hassle of needing to switch something on every time you want to refer to anything on it.
Definitely. I'm also useless at remembering passwords. Also I've had phones where I've lost everything so don't trust keeping stuff digitally. I prefer books full stop.FB_IMG_1531685130601.jpg
Part of the collection to date.
 

Cowley

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Definitely. I'm also useless at remembering passwords. Also I've had phones where I've lost everything so don't trust keeping stuff digitally. I prefer books full stop.View attachment 49570
Part of the collection to date.
Excellent. I’d like to have a look through those one day LSG...
 

47403

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I'm a after a 47403 sticker, saw a few different ones at the ELR stalls but sadly no 47 ones.
You may or may not have noticed all the depot stickers are 47 bastions
 

Cowley

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I understand Geordie Basher speak :lol:.
I did a course once...
 

Journeyman

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Shouldn't folk be using an App these days, rather than a book?

Does anyone remember a software package (the word "App" didn't exist then!) called "Spotter's Mate" for the Psion 3a? Dates from the mid-90s. I had more money than sense back then and invested in the computer and software. It worked quite well, although it was quite a lot of effort to keep the database up to date (the promised regular updates never materialised). I used it for a few years until my Psion bit the dust, and eventually had to dump all the data out into a spreadsheet. I then carried everything over into a new Platform 5 combined volume.
 

47403

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That passed me by. Mind you, I had enough in the early 90s when they took the loco hauled trans pennine turns off and replaced them with 158s. Beer gigs and women meant a large majority.of the 90s were a blur in life, nevermind what happened on the railway scene.
 

Ogmore7035

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This is not strictly within this thread but I was given 3 trainspotting books at Rugby station on 19th July, shortly after the Network Rail New Measurement train came into Platform 2 from the South. There was another spotter filming the train and it was shortly after he left that I was handed these books. They are a combined volume from an unusual publisher and 2 ICRS UK Wagon books. Sightings are neatly underlined.
If you are the person who left them then please let me know. You will know the other details that I have omitted. They currently in safe keeping.

I am sorry if this is inappropriate but I could not think of anywhere else to post it.
 

47403

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This is not strictly within this thread but I was given 3 trainspotting books at Rugby station on 19th July, shortly after the Network Rail New Measurement train came into Platform 2 from the South. There was another spotter filming the train and it was shortly after he left that I was handed these books. They are a combined volume from an unusual publisher and 2 ICRS UK Wagon books. Sightings are neatly underlined.
If you are the person who left them then please let me know. You will know the other details that I have omitted. They currently in safe keeping.

I am sorry if this is inappropriate but I could not think of anywhere else to post it.
As a good a place as anywhere. Maybe post them on twitter too. I'd be gutted losing them if they were my books
 

156443

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C7294AE5-9D87-4FE1-93C0-BDD8B15AD6F3.jpeg I use the UK Railway Datafile for taking numbers, prices are £20 for the A5 version and £25 for the A4 version. It has all diesel, steam, dmus, emus, carriages and light rail in the UK
 

Peter Mugridge

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Was after something which didn't just list loco and unit nos, but also have a few facts such as max speed, horsepower, unit formation, train operator used at etc etc.

Is there a guide which would suit that?

Platform 5 Combined Volume - it has all that sort of data in it.
 

Strat-tastic

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Condor7

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Has anyone had any experience with the ABC Rail Guide books?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Rail-Guide...=1558109966&s=gateway&sprefix=abc+rail&sr=8-3

Was after something which didn't just list loco and unit nos, but also have a few facts such as max speed, horsepower, unit formation, train operator used at etc etc.

Is there a guide which would suit that?

Yes I have used this guide for many years, and it is very informative with all the information you require.

Most spotters guides just list all locos/units numerically, so for instance class 66’s are listed from 66001 to 66779 and have a symbol next to each showing the train operating company.

What make this guide unique, and why I prefer it, is it lists each train operating company and just shows the locos/units owned by those companies. This means I know very easily if I see, for instance, a Direct Rail Services Class 66 that in my case I have seen them all, or if for another operator where for instance I may only need a couple of numbers it’s easy to remember those and know straight away if I’ve seen it before without having to read through the whole list for that class.
 

pt_mad

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Yes I have used this guide for many years, and it is very informative with all the information you require.

Most spotters guides just list all locos/units numerically, so for instance class 66’s are listed from 66001 to 66779 and have a symbol next to each showing the train operating company.

What make this guide unique, and why I prefer it, is it lists each train operating company and just shows the locos/units owned by those companies. This means I know very easily if I see, for instance, a Direct Rail Services Class 66 that in my case I have seen them all, or if for another operator where for instance I may only need a couple of numbers it’s easy to remember those and know straight away if I’ve seen it before without having to read through the whole list for that class.

Does the ABC guide list the maximum speeds? Looked on ebay and there are a few examples of the ABC Rail Guides with pages open. Gives formation info etc and horsepower but can't see maximum speeds? Or are they there and I've missed them? Ta.
 

Condor7

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Does the ABC guide list the maximum speeds? Looked on ebay and there are a few examples of the ABC Rail Guides with pages open. Gives formation info etc and horsepower but can't see maximum speeds? Or are they there and I've missed them? Ta.

Unfortunately I cannot answer that at the moment because I am on holiday abroad and don’t have it with me, and honestly can’t remember but will check on my return towards the end of this coming week, unless others on here know?

It may be worth pointing out that the 2019 guide is in two volumes. The second volume take out the light railways and heritage sections into their own book.
 

Condor7

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I’m not sure what the above deleted message was but it reminded me I never reported back as promised, so sorry about that.

Anyway the answer is no it does not give the maximum speed I am afraid.
 

Peter C

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I’m not sure what the above deleted message was but it reminded me I never reported back as promised, so sorry about that.

Anyway the answer is no it does not give the maximum speed I am afraid.
It doesn't matter about my post - decided it wasn't related at all.

-Peter
 

Ogmore7035

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I posted on this thread about some trainspotting books left on Rugby station about a year ago. I have had no replies. Does anyone know of someone who left some trainspotting books on Rugby station on 19th July 2018?
I still have them in safe storage.
 
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