Trainspot or not to Trainspot?

[ACE1888]

Used to do it back in the 80's but even though I'm a great reader/follower of all things BRITISH railways, i can no longer see the point of it, recently on the FGW Class 142 farewell tour of Devon, there were many (older than me, I'm 43) still 'well at it' writing everything down, i can see the point of 'logging' moves etc, but with such little variety left, I simply no longer see the point. Not for one minute 'rubbishing' others that do, but why do they still do it? Curious I suppose...
Any thoughts????

 

[YorkshireBear]

never have done and dont really think i will. I like to watch but writing numbers takes the fun out of it for me. Names i do like though.

 

[sprinterguy]

I'm more interested in the operations side of railways (and liveries), so a book of random numbers and nothing else would mean very little to me.

However, I do like to know what I've seen over the course of the year for curiosities' sake, although I don't put too much stock in it as one member of a train class looks very much like another one at the end of the day: A mischievous team of depot fitters could swap the numbers over between their units/locos every night and nobody would be any the wiser.

 

[Techniquest]

I've been doing it for years (a little over 8 now) and still love it. Most of the time though now unless I'm going somewhere that I know has required units/whatever or there'll be something of particular interest, I don't write everything down. Logging moves, of course they get written down. I used to spot stuff for the year, just out of interest to see how much I saw in that year, but after a while that got a bit dull so I sort of dropped out of that. It wasn't helped one year when I lost my book on an HST so lost all that valuable data, yes it was valuable to me!

I might do stuff for the year next year, just for fun, but we'll soon see. Certainly I'll be trying to get all of the LM 170s and ATW 175s for haulage in 2012, since they're local and I use both lots regularly.

At the end of the day, if you're happy doing what you're doing then fair game. Spotting isn't for everyone, nor is bashing. Bus spotting and bashing is much like, not for everyone. Nor is aircraft spotting or bashing, but I enjoy rail, bus and air bashing/spotting. Not bashed a plane as such yet, no records of those I went on years ago sadly. Hopefully changing that in 2012...As you can see, I've got loads of interests, just not 'normal' interests!

 

[anthony263]

I have had the majority of the ATW's class 175's the only couple I haven't had are:

175004, 175110 & 175113. I was lucky to get most of the 2 carriage 175's when I used to travel on the 07:10 train from yle to Swansea in order to go to University before ATW decided to run it as a through service to Pembroke dock and use class 150/153's

 

[Oswyntail]

I only "spot" incidentally to other activities - rarely do I go out just to "spot" - but I religiously get my "combo" each year and maintain my list of "needs", as I have every year since 1960. Yes, it is "pointless" but so are most hobbies Why should everything have a point? When I started, the point was to be part of the gang; then an ambition to see everything; then simply an automatic habit; then (as age withers me) an exercise in nostalgia. None of it saved the planet or brought me bucketloads of cash. Just warm content!

 

[trentside]

I've never been a spotter. If I go out on a trip, I sometimes not down units I've travelled on but not always. I'm actually planning on noting down all trains I travel on next year, as part of recording my mileage, just for my own interest (what follows me around, what doesn't etc.).

 

[4SRKT]

I stopped taking numbers not long after the last class 40s went, so it's been a while! It does surprise me that so many people still do it, especially on railtours where you get whole coachloads of them together. I have no objection to anyone doing it though if that's what makes them tick.

 

[Crossover]

Like sprinterguy, I'm quite interested in the operations side of the railways and how things work. Since the start of 2011 when I started logging travel for tallying up a mileage for interest, I make a note (digitally) of units/locos travelled on/behind

Don't tend to note down everything I see (may make a mental note) or write down carriage formations or DVTs either...it just isn't really me.

 

[Minilad]

I have never been a spotter but do keep records of things I travel on.

 

[newbie babs]

Definition of Train Spotter
A person who collects the numbers of Railway Locomotives

Definition of Trainspotting
The hobby of watching trains and noting their serial numbers

 

[Hydro]

Definition of Train Spotter
A person who collects the numbers of Railway Locomotives

Unit spotters breathe a collective sight of relief there.

 

[flymo]

I did a huge amount of bashing in the 80's but never really kept too many records of what went where and what I travelled on although there I did try to do such things. I was more interested in the logistics of running the railway and looking at the trains/locos etc rather than noting things down. I never really made any sort of lasting record of the coaching stock but the memory does allow a bit of nostalgia, certainly remember the compartment stock on the Penzance - Paddington sleeper, similar stock on the Settle - Carlisle line and the drone of the 37 through the open windows of the early mkII's over the moors heading up to the north of Scotland. These memories will last for a bit longer I hope.

To be honest, I really admire people that can tell what loco was on what train way back when, perhaps I could have had that sort of info, just didn't seem too interested at the time. Now however I cant get enough of that sort of info...

Didn't somebody mention a TARDIS in another thread?, if so book me a place please......

Having said all that, I really can't get too enthused about much of the stock used today, or the operations themselves, it all seems a bit too 'samey'.

I'm 45 by the way..

 

[SteveP29]

I've got a bit of a thing going for photographing all of the HST's that belong to East Coast, XC and Grand Central (before they are all replaced, then again, with current uncertainty etc, I think we may have them for another 30 years (I hope!!)) 24 down, 22 to go (11 EC, 7 XC & 4 GC) btw according to 125 Group's latest fleet list (not including the set on loan from EMT

 

[Temple Meads]

I spot to a certain degree, there's no point taking down numbers in my local area any more, I've had them all, until the cascaded 150's came down, now there's something to see again, generally combine it with photting at the same time, though at somewhere like Clapham Junction, you can only do both if you have an assistant, which I make sure I do.

 

[ChrisCooper]

Like a lot of others, I don't spot but do record what I travel on, and whilst I don't record milage I do record routes I've travelled on and stations. I also photograph. Do the same for buses and planes too, although the latter far less often.

 

[LE Greys]

While I'm still a track basher (on and off) I've moved on from spotting, since almost everything seems characterless. I always collected names rather than numbers for units, but definitely numbers for locos. However, photography, railway history, technical knowledge and just exploring new lines or seeing how different foreign lines are is far more fascinating (and mobile) than standing in the cold on the end of a platform.

 

[43167]

I spotted for about 15 years from 85 to 2000. Now I focus on track, mileage's and getting units and locos for haulage.

 

[ACE1888]

Exactly the feedback to my initial posting I was expecting, some good and valid points, cheers Guys and Girls (Christ thats sounds like Sir Jimmy!) Me these days I see photography as my main interest, be it todays railway, preserved or Disused lines, number taking/spotting to me belongs in another 'rose tinted' age now...