Hi to you enthusiasts
 

Hello everyone

does any one have a number one piece of advice to give me to get me startedin this new hobby?

Depends what your interests are.

You are in a prime position to see the Felixstowe freight trains.:D

freight is good but i prefer passanger units! I've heard Colchester is a good place to start??

Must admit I quite like Manningtree myself.

brilliant! thanks so much :D you must be a dab hand at this. do you have any advice on what sort of kit i should take? thyanks again :)

Well, A notebook and pen if you like recording numbers.;) And a camera if you want pictures.
The anorak is optional.

There is even a bar at the station.:D Be prepared to pay for parking however.

my friend has taken a number of pictures, but they seem to be a bit fuzzy, would you recommend tripod? I am not sure if I can stretch to a zoom lens.
nice one about the anorak! will dig out my old favorite from BHS

Use the camera you have and see how things go. No point in spending unless you have to.

Must admit I can't get the hang of digital cameras and action shots.:o

Yes good afternoon and welcome to the Forum.
A briliant site with lots of friendly people and advice is always available.....enjoy.

48111

No need for a tripod unless you want to do night shots or time exposures, a zoom lens will give you more flexibility but it is perfectly possible to manage with a fixed lens. With regard to fuzzy shots, they can be avoided by:
a) making sure you (or the camera if it has autofocus!) focus properly
b) when taking something moving, use a high enough shutter speed to freeze the subject, 1/250 second should be adequate for stuff pottering around at fairly slow speed. With regard to fast moving freight or passenger you need to be looking at 1/400 second or (preferably) higher.

Anyway, whatever you decide to do, the main thing is to enjoy yourself :)

PS if you want to take up spotting, you will find one of these useful ;)

Personally, I always take a lightweight collapsible chair. It is preferable to either sitting on the floor or on the NR metal seats which can be very cold. The chairs cost about £15 from most supermarkets (Asda etc).
About six weeks ago I bought a Pentax Optio E85 for £79.95, it has so many whistles and bells that I hav'nt mastered them all yet but it takes superb photos, ideal for spotters who need quick snaps.