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All the best Phil |
Gwili steam railway.. my grandad's house used to back on to the tracks, even used to go down there on static days and ride in the cabs of the trains, even to the point of getting to have a go with one one day!
..I guess I should look into working as a driver... seeing as I love the idea of trains, and used to work at the Reading TMD on the 165/166's... |
how i got into trains
My dad used to live near the mainline to Derby when he was a lad and collected coal that fell out the trucks. He then went spotting at Derby Station. This was in the early '60s so he still saw steamers. As a kid we'd go for walks up the village and watch the trains from the bridge.As i got older i didn't care much for them as i liked Mod music and going out aged 18. Later in my mid 20's i joined the railway as a trolley dolly but became a guard. I loved the freedom of the job and my passion was born...now im a nedder into diesel traction going to galas and festivals. I meet lots of nice folk but they cant believe a woman actually likes trains!!!
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Hi Baglet55 and a warm welcome to the forum. You have hit a good spot here as we are a real friendly bunch. Lots of knowledge too if needed. Anyway there are a few women on here I believe so its not so unusual. I have also seen a few women working on the footplate on the heritage scene so they are about, and why not as long as you are happy with your hobby.
Look forward to seeing your posts and have fun. All the best Phil |
ll want to see is the engine of my choice, with a lot of wagons/carriages (also of my choice) steaming from one place to another (my choice, again).
Yours aye Peter Feiler |
Mine comes from working for a company at old oak common watching the steam trains on the turntable right next to where I worked awesome sight
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railway pictures and post cards
hi i have large collection of over 150 old steam trains and shunter pictures and postcards which i would like to sell to some1 who would enjoy them please message back if you are interested thanks dan.:D
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First interest
My secondary school (which I started in 1959) overlooked the East end of Edinburgh's Waverley station. I was curious about the number of pupils, who would cross the road to look over the railings when school closed in the afternoon.
I found out this was to see the arrival of the A4 hauled 'Elizabethan' non-stop express from Kings Cross. I too, was soon hooked! |
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my father was fireman and when he was working at cricklewood i would have opportunities to ride on the footplate with him when doing shunting duties , wanted to join british rail when steam but they started phasing it out and decided not to as i do not find diesel trains as exciting
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My interest in trains
From the age of 12 I used to travel by train to school. This was back in the 1950's and these trains were old electric units with slam door compartments. At Lewes, where my school was located, there were interesting steam engines pulling ancient carriages on the 'Uckfield Flyer' to admire, whilst the London bound express trains had luxury Pullman cars in each set.
At Newhaven there was always the excitement of seeing the steam pulled Boat Trains arriving and departing with their 1st, 2nd and 3rd class carriages and Pullman cars. And also the 'Puffing Billy' freight trains that crossed the old manually operated swing bridge over the river. At Seaford I got to know the station staff and they would take me on the London expresses to inspect the coaches and even into the driver's cab. For holidays it was often a trip on the steam hauled express out of Brighton to Southampton or the West Country, a wonderful trip for a youngster. Then there were the holidays in France, Belgium and Holland with journeys on some really antiquated old trains with their completely different style steam engines, wooden seats in carriages and 'hole in the floor' loos. There were also trips on express services out of Dieppe and Ostend to Paris, Brussels and beyond. Later when I worked in London there was commuting out of Marylebone to Maidenhead and occasionally a trip on the Brighton Belle to go back home. Overseas came the fascination of seeing the trains in Egypt with people sat on the roofs and coming across the only train service in Borneo running out of Jesselton (now Kota Kinabalu). Nowadays I take the occasional trip from Co Durham to the South Coast to visit family and friends using the super Grand Central service to Kings Cross, and then the Thameslink from St Pancras. But mostly I enjoy watching the trains passing by from home with the Royal Train going by occasionally, 'specials' on excursion trips, GBrf freight trains, Direct Rail diesels and various Northern Rail trains en route to Sunderland, Newcastle, Hexham and Carlisle. Linesman |
Very interesting rail history you had Linesman, thanks for sharing.
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my old man and the level 3 diploma i am doing any help of knowledge would be great full
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How times change...
I was on the platform at Milton Keynes Central a while ago catching a Pendalino to London. A steam hauled special arrived (northbound) on an adjacent platform. A number of us boys (of a certain age!) rushed along to view the loco.
There were several children, girls & boys around 10years old, waiting for their train with their guardians but not one showed any interest whatsoever in this marvellous spectacle! I was astonished and saddened. |
Started trainspotting when I was 8. Had a working life on railways. My most visible contribution is the Class 153 diesel railcar - I was the Project and the Works Manager. The conversion from Class 155 was done at the Leyland Bus works in Workington.
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Welcome to the forum :)
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My birthing into the wondrous world of steel behemoths thundering down the rail was born at age 8. The Cumbrian nuclear flask trains (back then hauled by a pair of twenties) were right on the other side of the school fence. I was fascinated. The noise, the power, the fact that I could feel the ground shaking minutes before they thundered past. that's what got me hooked.
As per usual, my interest dropped through my teen years, not with girls or beer, but with war machines. I forgot all about trains. But last year, October, my significant other asked me "hey, weren't you into trains when you were younger?" A question she came to regret asking. She suggested we go check out the local model railway exhibition. A single layout caught my eyes. A fifteen foot long HO swiss mountain pass, and that was that, i picked up a small starter set right there and then for £20, not even bothered if it worked. I got home and plugged it in, and with a buzz and a grind, it came to life. And then it was 4AM and I had no idea where the time went. Now I attend a club, I go to any expo I can and I spend a healthy portion of my free time at the platform edge with my camera. |
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Having watched this post since it started I've decided to say where and when I got interested in the Railways it was many, many years ago when as a youngster I was lucky enough to be able to wander along and see the Coronations racing along the West Coast main line, and seeing the humble feights sitting in the loops, awaiting a path. In the 1950's I was made to do my two year forces sevice and used to travel from Devonport or Portsmouth back home on leave here to the North West behind Castles, Halls as well as the Staniers, from Crewe northto Lancaster.
I started photographing in the 1960's and have done so ever since as have my two sons, as some of my photographs have show I have visited Switerland on many occasions just for their Railways. I have just been to the SVR diesel gala with my two sons, so it definitely runs in the Family As some members know I am also a mnember of a Model Railway Club, so the interest that started away back in the 1940's still prevails to this day. Davat |
So interesting to hear everyone's stories. I've loved trains as long as I can remember: for my brother's 3rd birthday our parents took us trainspotting at Didcot (I was just a baby!) but maybe that's where the bug bit me. I thrill at the 'big boys': noisy, powerful, fast, just so awesome to stand beside: Deltics, 50s, Pendolinos (OK they aren't noisy, but boy are they graceful). In America you can stand right beside the track, at wheel level, and watch the amazing freight trains: 6 locos, 140 trailers stacked two-high, take 6 minutes to go past - how can anyone not be thrilled by railways?!
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My interest in train travel started when I did my first train trip to Carmarthen when I was little with my Grandma (way back in the day), I found it so relaxing and love watching the world fly by.
Now I am older I love making a train journey the focus of a holiday and it allows you to see the sights, meet lots of people and feel more in touch with the planet rather than flying from A to B. My daily commute into work via Manchester Piccadilly is a different kettle of fish! |
I DO apologise friends, I seriously thought I had told you all how I became interested in railways.
I have and always will blame my now late Daddy for my interest, as I was born a few minutes from Laindon Station, on the then LT&SR, at the same time as the Late Joan Sims father Harry was the Station Master and where Joan was also born, a few years before me, yet I never got to meet her. As I grew-up, so one weekend a month, Mum & Dad took us to London for the day. I must have been about 8 years at the time when, one week where we normally changed on to London Underground at Barking, this particular time, we stayed on until Fenchurch Street, where when we got off, Dad suggested we ask the Driver and Fireman if we could look up on the footplate and were allowed on condition we kept away from the firebox and I said: "We mustn't go near fire, because we could get burnt.' and as we got off minutes later, one of the crew said to me: "I suppose you will want to be a train-driver when you leave school now?" Obviously my answer was "Yes please." I soon pestered mum & dad for a train set and eventually got my first clockwork one. When I left school, I still wanted to be a train-driver, but the steam was being taken off, as electrics were then being introduced. My Love of steam remained and I went to work in a factory alongside the railway for just over 2 years, with my interest remaining. Oh I had a model railway, but I so wanted to be train driver of steam, but it wasn't to be. In 1971/2, so I joined a MRC, but due to the ignorance of the Chairman, the club sadly closed down in 1984. I still kept my Love of railways going and travelled on there as much as I could. In 1989 I was working in a factory in King's Lynn and always made a point of visiting the station on every chance I had, then one day, one of the rail-men there asked if I had applied for one of the Guard jobs advertised? I hadn't, but did do very fast. I was unsuccessful on this application, then a few months later, some more vacancies came up and I was finally offered one, starting as a Guard on 12 March 1990. I know the date so well, as that was my sister's birthday. I have got to work with some Wonderful colleagues, as well as a couple I tend to forget. My Most memorable passenger was when my then Favourite actress approached me on Cambridge asking for the next train to get her to Manchester. I told her, then placed a very heavy suitcase on the train for her. The lady then asked if I could be sure it will get taken odd at Ely and assured her it would, as I was to be the Guard for that train. As I put it down and turned round, so the lady stood close to me and I said how much she was like my favourite actress and her reply STUNNED me to say the least, because this WAS my favourite actress at the time and now deceased Ms Billie Whitelaw. I had been fond of Billie since seeing her in a regular tv programme. To this day I still have the autograph, but sadly only the memory of the day and getting a Cuddle and Kiss from her. Now, I am founder and Chairman of Wisbech MRC, having started it 13 years ago, following a meeting of the then Wisbech - March Bramley Line, hence my name on here and Bramleyman. Sadly, I had to resign from the group a few years ago, when my now Late Wife became seriously ill and passed away not only 8 days after we were wed, but less than 36 hours after being diagnosed with Cancer by an 'EXPERT' who claimed she had months not years to live. I have since retired, while my Love of railways NEVER will. |
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The Abandoned Eurostar in France Story
A great video about the abandoned and Scrapped Eurostar in France
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3kxl1hb4Tec |
Rick A says Hello
Hello,
I've always appreciated trains. I'm old enough to remember watching the occasional trains run along a track near my house and putting pennies on the track to get them flattened. And who doesn't love the sound of the whistle? recently I have been researching an old family company that my great great grandfather started back in 1871. The Ashton Valve company. For over 100 years they were a major producer of all types of safety valves and pressure gauges used on locomotive engines and stationery and marine boilers. This research has brought me back to trains and peaked my interest in them as Ashton Valve really got it's start making locomotive related parts. I'm always looking for people who might be familiar with the Ashton Valve Company and who might be able to "further my knowledge" of the steam era in general. I think this forum will be fun and interesting. |
Oh, and my great great grandfather came from East Deerham Norfolk.
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Hello Rick, a very warm welcome and looking forward to your participation.
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Every time I hear people say they're tired of riding a jampacked train.
But heres an actual way to change that mindset especially in Jakarta. https://youtu.be/kOvqIs16Ukk https://youtu.be/kOvqIs16Ukk |
My father work on C&W repairs on the Rhodesian Railways, and so we lived in a railway house at a suburb called Westgate, opposite the shunt yard in Bulawayo. At night I would watch the sparks from the shunting at the Westgate shunt. There were some very good displays of sparks from the older loco's, as the spark arresters were not very good, and they had a wheel slip when picking up a heavy load, or the track was a wet or a bit oiled from drips off the loco. I would spend a lot of time watching and get into trouble for not being in bed as it was a school day the next day. I was in trouble so often that Dad put a board up outside the window as I was still watching as late as 23:00 on school days. No wonder I did so badly in my first 2 years at school.
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From a very early age of being pushed in a pram down alongside the embankment in New Barnet / Hadley Wood in the mid 50s, I was just captivated by the sights of the Gresley Pacific’s and rhubarb/custard coaches flying along. The magic of the rails, bridges and signals only added to the allure! Mum must have quickly found it the best way to settle us down. The interest very much still with me today.
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hello everyone! i am new
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Cheers, John |
Hello Samuel, and welcome to the Railway Forum.
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Hi there!
I am looking to purchase a handheld ticket machine that would have been used in the UK in the 90's to the early 2000's. I have been advised that PORTIS/SPORTIS machines were used at this time. Would anyone happen to know where I could find one? Please feel free to drop me an email if you cannot respond to this post - kchrysafi@gmail.com Many thanks :) |
Hi kmc28
This may be tricky. AFAIK rail TOCs didn't let conductors keep them (for obvious reasons) so I don't know how they were disposed of after ~2006. The only answer that Googling gave me were a few museums, so if you wanted to borrow/hire one for a film it might be possible. I've never seen one for sale ...but you never know. Cheers, John |
I have always been interested in mechanical items, and have ridden on quite a large number of steam trains. Several years ago I visited 'Cite Du Train' in Mulhouse in France, also visiting the Schlumpf collection (car museum mainly Bugatti's) in the same town in the Alsace.
I worked with steam all my life, but in a totally different industry - Dry Cleaning and Laundry - and had my own engineering business, carrying out everything from basic fault-finding, servicing, repairs, to installations of complete shops and factories, including steam raising equipment - mainly horizontal and vertical steam boilers. When I retired I had lots of equipment left over, pipe threading machinery, tools, pipework and fittings etc., which I tried to sell - probably retailing at around £10k+ However, the only offers I got were from other pipefitters who wished to profiteer from this, by offering around £250 for the lot. I ended up donating it instead, to the Urie Locomotive Society at Ropley Hampshire, and now I occasionally help out in the works, with rebuilding Urie S15 no. 409 - which has increased my interest in steam engines no end. I also run a classic sports car - a Triumph TR5 which I enjoy tinkering with - anything mechanical (or electrics) |
Going on trains in the uk and waching tv shows on trains too.
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When I was a child, my parents used to sometimes leave me spend the day with a neighbor, an old lady, in her 70's, who had no children. She loved me as if I were her grandson and she was the kindest figure of my childhood. One day, when I was about five years old, I went with her to the market and she bought a watermelon. We then went to a train depot, we sat in a compartment of a train there and we ate that melon. It was the best melon I ever had.
I guess that's when a switch was made. When I was ten years old, I decided to run away from home. My destination ? The train station, to take a train and go travel. That's when I found out you needed tickets to get on trains and tickets required money. So I went back home. :D Later on, in my teenager years, I always found comfort in going to train stations. Sometimes, I would go into dingy pubs in the main train station, have a beer and listen to people around me talking about all sorts of things. I loved hearing other people's bits of conversations. Later on, I started traveling a lot by trains, both nationally and internationally. Now, having passed forty, I'm still as enthusiastic about trains as possible. But, shortly put, a wonderful old woman and a great watermelon first sparked my interest into trains. :) |
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