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#1
30th September 2010, 13:06
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Hi to all, I have a big favour to ask!
Hi everyone, my name's Izzy and I'm a third year illustration student at Westminster university.
I'm basing my project on trainspotting for my new project and at the moment I'm collecting information and images to use in my project. My main aim at the moment is just to learn about the hobby and give it all a bit more of a personal/intimate feel by looking out for anecdotes or opinions from the people behind the trainspotting. I've come up with some questions I'd love for people to answer for me if you have the time. You can answer all of them or you can just answer the ones you want to - it could even just be one of them. Anything you can tell me would be amazingly useful and would help me so much. My e-mail is [email protected] if you would rather send me your answers or feel free to post your answers here. Thanks again! ******* When did you start trainspotting? How often to you go? What are the essential items you always take with you? How does the 'trainspotter' stereotype make you feel? Do you get much interest from members of the public? (pos/neg) What has been your best/worst experience? What's the best/worst thing about the hobby? How does it affect your day to day life? (if it does at all) Your favourite train model? (if there is such a thing.. sorry I'm still learning!) Has trainspotting inspired you to do anything else?/Do you have any related hobbies that have sprung from trainspotting? How does your wife/partner feel about your hobby? Do they come with you? Are there any 'slang' words used within the trainspotting community? How would you feel if someone were to approach you while you were at a station and ask you a question? Would it be annoying? (I am planning on interviewing people at Clapham and taking photos but I don't want to be a pest) Where are the best stations in London for spotting? Do you mind being called a 'trainspotter'? Thank you for your time and apologies if any of my questions are silly/ignorant of the hobby and please let me know if I've been miss informed on anything. Thank you!! 
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#2
30th September 2010, 16:13
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******* When did you start trainspotting? In the mid 50's How often to you go? Sometimes daily on the way home from school. What are the essential items you always take with you? Pencil and paper. How does the 'trainspotter' stereotype make you feel? It has changed as trainspotting was much more common in the 1950's. In general I feel sorry for the people who make fun of it but have no real hobby/interests of their own! Do you get much interest from members of the public? (pos/neg) Not really What has been your best/worst experience? Best: Coming down Shap on the Birmingham-Glasgow Express in 1958 behind City of Birmingham. I timed the train at 100mph plus! Riding on the first public passenger train behind Tornado at the end of January 2009 between York and Newcastle and see the hundreds if not thousands of people lining the trackside then tell me people don't like steam trains! What's the best/worst thing about the hobby? It tends to be compulsive! How does it affect your day to day life? (if it does at all) Now I have retired many of the things I do are train related. Your favourite train model? (if there is such a thing.. sorry I'm still learning!) Duchess of Sutherland. Has trainspotting inspired you to do anything else?/Do you have any related hobbies that have sprung from trainspotting? I am helping to reopen the Ecclesbourne Valley Railway just north of Derby where I help replace trackwork and am learning to fire the Railway's first steam engine, which I helped to overhaul. I am now part of the team overhauling a second engine. I am also involved in raising money to build a new LMS Patriot Class Locomotive to be named "The Unknow Warrior" and has been endorsed by the British Legion as The New National War Memorial Engine. How does your wife/partner feel about your hobby? Do they come with you? She goes along with it and is a working volunteer at The Ecclesbourne Valley Railway. She is also involved with the LMS Carriage Association restoring Carriages for use on the EVR. Are there any 'slang' words used within the trainspotting community? Quite a few! How would you feel if someone were to approach you while you were at a station and ask you a question? Would it be annoying? (I am planning on interviewing people at Clapham and taking photos but I don't want to be a pest) If people are genuinely interested I am happy to talk to them. Would probably bore the socks of them! Where are the best stations in London for spotting? No idea, I'm a Northerner! Do you mind being called a 'trainspotter'? I prefer to be thought of as a railway enthusiast! Hope these answers are useful. Good luck with the project Izzy. Best wishes, John H-T.
__________________
Ecclesbourne Valley Railway. LMS Patriot Group. LMS Carriage Association. Belper Model Railway Group.
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#4
30th September 2010, 16:31
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glossar...ay_terminology I haven't ever really collected engine numbers - Well apart from a few weeks. I grew up in a railway town so I guess it's in my blood, plus I worked for the Research Division for about twelve years.
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#5
30th September 2010, 19:41
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Izzy
Good luck with your project. I can answer some questions (they're in the past tense now that I don't go trainspotting any more) and hope my replies are useful. When did you start trainspotting? In the early 1960s when I was about 10 years old. How often to you go? Daily on holiday (everyone went by train on holiday because we didn't have cars), frequently at home in warm weather, much less often in winter I must admit. What are the essential items you always take with you? Notebook and pen. Your favourite train model? (if there is such a thing.. sorry I'm still learning!) We moved up north from London and the mainstay of our main line were the "Peak" class diesel locomotives which I liked. Has trainspotting inspired you to do anything else?/Do you have any related hobbies that have sprung from trainspotting? Yes I've always been keen on railway photography - and indeed photography in general - here and abroad. How does your wife/partner feel about your hobby? Do they come with you? I was single at the time. Suspect my wife would be a bit bored with it. Are there any 'slang' words used within the trainspotting community? Loads but we didn't use many. How would you feel if someone were to approach you while you were at a station and ask you a question? Would it be annoying? (I am planning on interviewing people at Clapham and taking photos but I don't want to be a pest) I don't think I was very sociable when I was young but I think you'll find most enthusiasts will be happy to talk to you. Where are the best stations in London for spotting? No idea these days. Do you mind being called a 'trainspotter'? No I didn't, all boys liked trains and wanted to be an engine driver. Finally I used to wonder if I spotted trains "properly" as I just noted the numbers and ticked them off in a book. Others told me that much more detail was needed like where/when you saw each one but I was happy just noting the numbers and taking photos.
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#6
30th September 2010, 20:02
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Izzy
Another quick post as you mentioned you were seeking images and I don't know whether this one might be of interest. It's me and my little brother watching trains at Ealing Broadway. My Dad must have taken it about 1960. Yes, in the background there's a steam train going past up to Paddington. Can any of you experts out there identify the class of steam engine???
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#7
30th September 2010, 20:04
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Going by the smoke pattern it was a "Castle".  
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Philip.
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#8
30th September 2010, 20:40
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And thanks again to everyone for helping! If I turn out anything worth looking at I'll post it on here
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#10
4th October 2010, 20:21
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I think you should tread carefully using the term trainspotter.To label all railway enthusiasts as train spotters I find very insulting.To me the term trainspotter or aircraft spotter is someone who simply collects the train serial number or aircraft registration number.Nothing wrong with doing this if this is what interests you.
However to describe a railway photographer,general railway enthusiast or working volunteer at preserved railway as a trainspotter is to my mind just taking a cheapshot at rediculing someones hobby or interest. Perhaps you may find your research would be better directed at "what interests a railway enthusiast".We are a very broad church with lots of different interest and abilities that encompasses the world of modern railways and the railway heritage movement.This industry is a very large part of the leisure/tourist industry of the UK generating significant income in this area. Why not checkout what the railway enthusiast who have supported the A1 Steam locomotive trust have achieved see http://www.a1steam.com/ this is something all railway enthusiast are very proud off.
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