Will the number of rail enthusiasts decline in the coming years?

[GodAtum]

If Geoff Marshall's videos are to go by, their popularity just shows how many railway enthusiasts are, not just train spotters.

 

[seagull]

I deliberately avoid Youtube channels where the creator is more obsessed with getting his/her gurning face in front of the camera than of showing interesting visual content - unless the above named channel has changed this was certainly one of the culprits a year or two ago. (As a sidenote, his reaction to my polite suggestion at the time that a better experience would be enjoyed by the viewer being able to see the sights of the area in which he was walking, rather than his face, was met by a response of "if you don't like it, go away". So I did)
But fortunately there are plenty of other uploaders who provide interesting historical and current images and video from start to finish, without a selfish selfie stick in sight.

 

[Railwaysceptic]

I deliberately avoid Youtube channels where the creator is more obsessed with getting his/her gurning face in front of the camera than of showing interesting visual content - unless the above named channel has changed this was certainly one of the culprits a year or two ago. (As a sidenote, his reaction to my polite suggestion at the time that a better experience would be enjoyed by the viewer being able to see the sights of the area in which he was walking, rather than his face, was met by a response of "if you don't like it, go away". So I did)
But fortunately there are plenty of other uploaders who provide interesting historical and current images and video from start to finish, without a selfish selfie stick in sight.

I couldn't agree more! I refuse to watch any video by an exhibitionist who wants to be a TV star.

 

[Class360/1]

From my experiences, I have noticed more and more trainspotters at stations, especially teenagers.

Social media and mobile phones have created more awareness about the hobby and increased awareness (look at français ok TikTok).

 

[03_179]

From my experiences, I have noticed more and more trainspotters at stations, especially teenagers.

Social media and mobile phones have created more awareness about the hobby and increased awareness (look at français ok TikTok).

Yep and Apps like Spotlog, Traksy etc. they get info on demand ...

 

[coradiafan2000]

This is certainly an interesting question to consider. I'm 21, and I have certainly felt myself change over the last couple of years when it comes to how I go about this hobby. Last year I finally decided I'd stop taking down numbers- it just began to feel like a chore to me. However in recent years I've become a lot more interested in railway photography. Nothing fancy- just snapping pics of trains on my phone, nothing to go in magazines or anything like that, but just stuff to slowly grow my own private collection to reminisce over.

I'm also much more interested in Steam than I used to be. I've started reading books whenever I can and making more of an effort to go out and see railtours. Part of me does wonder if the reason for this new interest is because I'm growing bored of current traction, but I still get excited to see trains others on this forum would find boring, for example Class 700s. I'm also more interested in travelling on specific lines I've never been on as well, so the actual travelling aspect of railways has become more interesting to me too.

My main concern for the future is the growing lack of variety. The Class 800s being my main point of contention. It's one thing for them to replace the beloved HSTs I grew up with (a feeling I'm sure older members can relate to, with HSTs replacing Deltics and Deltics replacing A4s, and so it goes on, this is the way things go). But they just seem to be EVERYWHERE, and every time I read that Trans- Pennine, or Lumo, or Avanti or whoever are all getting 800s I do feel a great sense of disappointment. Not even the HSTs seemed to be working for this many TOCs. I really wish someone would order something different, for the variety more than anything else- what about more 397s? They look fantastic and I hear they're pretty good. More please! Of course I know fleet standardisation is good, and that it makes economical sense to just build more of a proven design, but the enthusiast in me does want more variety.

I can't say for sure whether there will be less enthusiasts down the line (pun entirely intended). It's not unheard of for me to see other enthusiasts my age, but it's certainly rare and I much more frequently see enthusiasts aged 50 and up. I think a declining number may be due to it being possible to be a rail enthusiast without leaving the house thanks to the internet. If you can't go out just look up a station on YouTube and there will always be videos of the goings on at it- not just at present but going back a few years too. There's also Railcams, and personalities such as Geoff Marshall or Jago Hazzard. Things are certainly evolving.

 

[John Luxton]

It's one thing for them to replace the beloved HSTs I grew up with (a feeling I'm sure older members can relate to, with HSTs replacing Deltics and Deltics replacing A4s, and so it goes on, this is the way things go). But they just seem to be EVERYWHERE, and every time I read that Trans- Pennine, or Lumo, or Avanti or whoever are all getting 800s I do feel a great sense of disappointment.

The range of liveries across TOCs still make the 800s interesting and photogenic be they Lumo / TPE/ GWR or LNER.

If they were all blue and grey with a yellow end as per BR in the 1970s then yes I would agree they were boring!

 

[eldomtom2]

My main concern for the future is the growing lack of variety. The Class 800s being my main point of contention. It's one thing for them to replace the beloved HSTs I grew up with (a feeling I'm sure older members can relate to, with HSTs replacing Deltics and Deltics replacing A4s, and so it goes on, this is the way things go). But they just seem to be EVERYWHERE, and every time I read that Trans- Pennine, or Lumo, or Avanti or whoever are all getting 800s I do feel a great sense of disappointment. Not even the HSTs seemed to be working for this many TOCs. I really wish someone would order something different, for the variety more than anything else- what about more 397s? They look fantastic and I hear they're pretty good. More please! Of course I know fleet standardisation is good, and that it makes economical sense to just build more of a proven design, but the enthusiast in me does want more variety.

Well, variety already took huge hits with the Grouping and nationalisation...

 

[MattRat]

The range of liveries across TOCs still make the 800s interesting and photogenic be they Lumo / TPE/ GWR or LNER.

If they were all blue and grey with a yellow end as per BR in the 1970s then yes I would agree they were boring!

Isn't that what will happen with GBR? I think we are in for bad times if the livery variety also decreases.....

 

[QSK19]

If my 5 year old son is anything to go by, the answer is a definite no. The sort of questions he asks me is incredible - for example, why do Meridians have the same engines as 180s and why do they sound different when departing. His enthusiasm is infectious - he’s even getting my 3 year old daughter into pointing out which train is which, something I would have never imagined her doing (she just didn’t seem the type to become a rail enthusiast; but that’s certainly changed!).

 

[Peter0124]

I'm 19 and my interest comes in the form of diagramming (eg what set goes where after terminating at eg London Euston), travelling on new routes, even being able to do the current online university coursework onboard a quiet train instead of at home. I just really like trains basically, the sight, the sounds, you name it.

I do take down numbers the odd time but the use of RTT has really helped in working out specific unit diagrams.

I was only about 6 years old when I could tell the difference between a Class 314 and a Class 318 for example.

 

[Jimini]

I'm 19 and my interest comes in the form of diagramming (eg what set goes where after terminating at eg London Euston)

Good shout that actually; I do that too quite a bit (albeit at the slightly more mature age of 41 )

 

[61653 HTAFC]

I posted upthread that I'm optimistic about the future of the hobby (though given the diversity of ways to engage, simply calling it "the hobby" is rather reductive!), and in general I am:- I certainly think it's probably easier for people to be open about their interest now compared to 30 years ago where it was more openly ridiculed.

However, the ubiquity of the Sh**achi 800-series trains is making the modern railway far less interesting to me, so I'll probably have more of a nostalgic bent in the future.

 

[riceuten]

I was a trainspotter as a teenager and to be frank, I didn't like or enjoy that particular milieu. I remain an "enthusiast" and I do rather get the impression that some people don't like that the hobby, such as it is has evolved. Seems like hours in the rain at the platform end in Crewe are effectively "paying your (Rail Enthusiast) dues". I find Geoff Marshall's (and his wife's) videos entertaining and informative, and you can tell he has a real enthusiasm for the subject. Likewise the "Tim Traveller"

 

[_toommm_]

travelling on new routes, even being able to do the current online university coursework onboard a quiet train instead of at home. I just really like trains basically, the sight, the sounds, you name it.

Same for me - Being able to do coursework in somewhere other than your home or the boring uni library. I think for all the flaws of railways in this country it's quite an enjoyable way to travel.

 

[mmh]

It's all interconnected. Can work the other way to. Do you want to tell little Timmy why no examples exist of the train his dad used to ride on, that was an integral part of keeping the city moving?

"Dad, what car did your dad have when you were young?" "A Talbot Horizon." "What's that? Can you show me one?" "I'm afraid I can't, Timmy, they've all gone."

 

[Condor7]

Once i thought the hobby might fade away (not die but become less common) but the last few years i've noticed a lot more youngsters on platforms. They arn't writing numbers down but filming, producing some good stuff on Youtube. The hobby isn't dying, its evolving.

I've noticed a increasing number of younger lads now on stations with their phone/cameras and uploading to Tik Tok train clips.

The other day on a Victoria bound train 5 young lads got on and were talking trains ... that would have been unheard of a few years ago.

I feel the same, years ago it looked like an old mans hobby but now at weekends and during school holidays there are plenty of youngsters on the platforms. I love to hear their excited shouts when something unusual turns up, or even just getting the drivers to sound the horn. I brings back me of my youth on the station.

 

[BeccaOnATrain]

I thought if anything the hobby might be on the up? Especially with how popular railway vlogs are on YouTube now.

I feel like I see more and more people out with cameras and notepads at busy stations these days than say over the past 5 or so years prior. Perhaps that might just be I pay more attention to it now I also started doing the same?

 

[riceuten]

I thought if anything the hobby might be on the up? Especially with how popular railway vlogs are on YouTube now.

This is true, but there are people who think that vloggers are not "proper" railway enthusiasts, sadly. To me, anyone who is enthusiastic about railways is, er, a "railway enthusiast". And you don't need to take numbers down or know all the lingo to be described as the latter.

I feel like I see more and more people out with cameras and notepads at busy stations these days than say over the past 5 or so years prior. Perhaps that might just be I pay more attention to it now I also started doing the same?

Photography has always been around, we see more evidence of it on vlogs and flickr streams nowadays as well. Long may it continue.

 

[Paul Jones 88]

I think that a lot of the drama and excitement has gone, for example, in my younger days traveling in a Mk1 directly behind a Class 37 touching 100 mph between Bishop Stortford and Cambridge felt a lot more exciting and enjoyable than doing the same journey today on a whimpering little 720.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I think that a lot of the drama and excitement has gone, for example, in my younger days traveling in a Mk1 directly behind a Class 37 touching 100 mph between Bishop Stortford and Cambridge felt a lot more exciting and enjoyable than doing the same journey today on a whimpering little 720.

Not saying the 720 is any good, but surely the modern impressive thing is just how effortless and quietly a modern EMU does a run like that?

 

[Paul Jones 88]

I don't mean to critique the 720s, they are good at moving a lot of people quickly, however, they are a bit boring to an enthusiast.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I don't mean to critique the 720s, they are good at moving a lot of people quickly, however, they are a bit boring to an enthusiast.

Mark my words, in 40 years there will be enthusiasts chasing them. 442s for instance were seen as plastic rubbish when introduced.

 

[Ashley Hill]

Not saying the 720 is any good, but surely the modern impressive thing is just how effortless and quietly a modern EMU does a run like that?

Nothing impressive there I’m afraid. I’d rather be behind a loco thrashing away or rattling along on an old DMU/EMU. Shiny and new,quiet and efficient might be ok for normals but for me it lacks interest.

 

[ANDREW_D_WEBB]

Given the number of mainstream TV programmes about railways I would think the number of enthusiasts is on the increase

 

[Iskra]

I think that a lot of the drama and excitement has gone, for example, in my younger days traveling in a Mk1 directly behind a Class 37 touching 100 mph between Bishop Stortford and Cambridge felt a lot more exciting and enjoyable than doing the same journey today on a whimpering little 720.

But if you're a six year old, who's never done your historic example, how would you know you were missing out on the 37? You'd just appreciate what you do have wouldn't you...

I think the hobby is not declining, but evolving and I do think enthusiasm is spreading and growing mainly due to the internet. The mistake many older enthusiasts are making, is mistaking the decline in number of crusty old men with notepads on the end of platforms, for the decline in the number of railway enthusiasts in general- the two populations are absolutely not linked.

 

[riceuten]

The mistake many older enthusiasts are making, is mistaking the decline in number of crusty old men with notepads on the end of platforms, for the decline in the number of railway enthusiasts in general- the two populations are absolutely not linked.

This. Exactly this. And there seems to be an element of bitterness to it as well, that you need to have frozen your feet off at Crewe Station for 3 hours trying to "cop" a particular loco, before you actually can call yourself a railway enthusiast.

 

[Pep and co]

Don't think the railway enthuiast is going anywhere. Spotters who 'cop" numbers, photo fans who seem to very much more prevalent these days and track tickers. I've met many friends through the railways and still enjoy seeing something new or unusual on my travels

 

[Mike Machin]

The number of people ‘enthusing’ will rise and decline at various times, but there will I think always be enthusiasm for railways as the overall subject is so diverse.

People will always feel that the best days have passed, as the locomotives and stock they first related to are withdrawn.

When I was a spotter, in the early seventies, slightly older enthusiasts used to decry the then current scene as ‘not as interesting as when I was your age’. I was observing, 33s, 35s, 42s, 52s etc., but they were fondly looking back just a few years to Castles, Halls, Britannias and Pannier Tanks, (although to me at age 13 it felt like a lifetime ago - ancient history).

Similarly, When the scruffy old hydraulics had shuffled off, I would feel that those enjoying the HSTs and NSE had missed the most interesting days. Now even younger people are nostalgic for NSE and Thames Trains, and so it will go on.

I’m still enthusiastic, but in a more general broad-brush way, I rarely travel by train, but enjoy the experience when I do. I enjoy the architecture of stations, I marvel at the efficiency and comfort of the new traction, together with the staggering performance of today’s trains. I also enjoy occasional visits to heritage railways, and enjoy some of the railway-related tv programmes and YouTube content.

I’ve evolved, and enthusiasm will evolve too.

 

[Bevan Price]

On the subject of certain "modern" trains not being appreciated, I recall when I first started spotting in the early 80s, everbody hated HSTs, because theye werent proper locos.

These days, they seem a lot more popular for whatever reason.

Some day, the Voyagers and Pendolinos will be scrapped, and while many will cheer, others will be desperately fundraising to try and preserve them.

The problem with Voyagers, and especially Pendolinos is that no heritage railway can spare enough space to store them. The NRM may take one or two "driving" coaches, and someone may find space to keep a four coach Voyager, but the chances of retaining a full length Pendolino in working order seem very remote.