The Rail Enthusiast thread

[Mad Doug Biker]

There were of course other stories of people treating me like s***e, such as the members of platform staff at Haywards Heath and at Wimbledon, the guard on the Lymington Branch who simply seemed to hate the world and everyone in it, the rude or massochistic staff on the Caledonian Sleeper or the Racist Guard in Dublin to name a few, but, the guy at Victoria was a cracker in terms of sheer abrasiveness!!

Really, some of the people I've met over the years, I have had to SERIOUSLY wonder how on earth they ever got a job working with the public!

Of course, being an enthusiast makes you fair game to some, and sometimes it really can be a bit of a game as it were.

 

[classic33]

He can't call himself a Guard in Dublin. If thats what he did do then its him in trouble, not you.
Its why you will see Security but never a Security Guard in Ireland.

 

[GaryA]

As a kid I can remember being taken to Newcastle central station to watch some of the last in-service Deltics locos coming in...Gawd they were impressive; the size the brutal functionalism and above all the sound and vibration on the chest and feet as they pulled away to Berwick and on to Aberdeen.

 

[GaryA]

There were of course other stories of people treating me like s***e, such as the members of platform staff at Haywards Heath and at Wimbledon, the guard on the Lymington Branch who simply seemed to hate the world and everyone in it, the rude or massochistic staff on the Caledonian Sleeper or the Racist Guard in Dublin to name a few, but, the guy at Victoria was a cracker in terms of sheer abrasiveness!!

Really, some of the people I've met over the years, I have had to SERIOUSLY wonder how on earth they ever got a job working with the public!

Of course, being an enthusiast makes you fair game to some, and sometimes it really can be a bit of a game as it were.

Up here there is another side to the coin Doug.....I find having a child in tow to be a huge help in getting access-the guards seem only too pleased to let us in and answer questions. Ive found Northern rail staff to be especially kind...Ive twice had free rides on the Shildon-Darlington line...true its not too busy but they just seem to be grateful that someone is using their trains.

 

[spen666]

Great thread!-it will take me a while to read through. Me and the lad are keen on trains I often take him to platforms for to watch the train world go by.... cheap entertainment

View attachment 46677
The great gathering, Locomotion shildon a few months ago
.....

I remember watching the 150th Anniversary Celebrations of the Stockton- Darlington Railway at Shildon in the Summer of 1975. Huge prices for tickets to watch it from the official viewing seats, or free if you knew the Farmer whose fields looked down on the line.

 

[spen666]

I remember watching the 150th Anniversary Celebrations of the Stockton- Darlington Railway at Shildon in the Summer of 1975. Huge prices for tickets to watch it from the official viewing seats, or free if you knew the Farmer whose fields looked down on the line.

The days when the Inter City 125 was the wow of the railway world - how advanced it seemed then

 

[GaryA]

The days when the Inter City 125 was the wow of the railway world - how advanced it seemed then

Nowt wrong with them even now......they have far more leg room and comfort than the more modern replacements
We always choose Grand central trains when going to York or London (from Sunderland); cheaper, better, more comfy

http://www.yorkpress.co.uk/NEWS/109...al_in_National_Rail_Passenger_Survey/?ref=rss

 

[the_mikey]

My main observation while riding in a BR mark 3 car hauled by class 43 locos is how quiet and smooth it is compared with a ride on a Class 220 dmu, not that the 220 was bad.

 

[Smurfy]

It is an original production power unit in it apparently, so yes, it'll make that characteristic HST whine!!

It is an image of things to come on Preserved lines once the HSTs are withdrawn en masse (although a lot will have their newer MTU engines so will sound crap)!!

I thought I'd heard that a complete trainset would go to the West Somerset Railway, as they have some very long platforms to make proper use of it, but I can't find any info, so maybe I was dreaming.

Edit: See post below for possible evidence, and I think WSR would be a natural home, as Class 43 has been such an important part of the rail infrastructure in the South West.

 

[Smurfy]

Not sure what's going on here, but it is a retired Class 43 at the WSR!


View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ulErho5YEjw

 

[Smurfy]

A whole page of Class 43s here. I must say, I still think the original blue-yellow BR livery was by far the best.

 

[the_mikey]

12.15 and 14.15, turn up the volume, MY LORRRRRRDDDDDDDZZZZZZZZZZ!!!!!!!! :

http://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&v=tppbWWkDmQo

I miss that sound, used to visit Bridgend, Cardiff, Newport, Chippenham, Swindon, Didcot Parkway and occasionally Reading station quite regularly for work.

 

[classic33]

A whole page of Class 43s here. I must say, I still think the original blue-yellow BR livery was by far the best.

"Flying Banana"!

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

Not sure what's going on here, but it is a retired Class 43 at the WSR!


View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ulErho5YEjw

Weren't some of them stored there or something similar??

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

http://www.125group.org.uk