So, what got you interested in railways?

[steam for ever]

I have to say that it was a stroke of luck. I ov course was born after steam had gone in 1968 and for many, so had their love of trains. Not me though. The family revolves around railways which is full of former employees and technical minds, which helped me gain an interest in how they actually work.
I feel that to be truly connected with a locomotive (steam or diesel) or a multiple unit, you must understand its anatomy, like a doctor understanding a patient. My interest lies with both steam and first generation diesels, but of course steam comes first, which is now even more enjoyable because of their fewer numbers. Do not worry though, i will not take a dim view of you if you prefer dieisel or electric as we basically all have the same interest, afterall they all run on rails.

[timmy toad]

To be perfectly honest i dont know, i dont remember, LOL. i shall have to ask my mum, she knows everything about me !,

I lived in Woburn Sands since i was born to about 30 years old when i got hitched, when i was about 13, i vaguely remember venturing out on my own, going to Bletchley engine sheds 1E with a brownie box camera to take pictures of the steam engines and i remember going on the train to either Cambridge or Oxford to take down the numbers with my Ian Allan book in my pocket, i dont think i needed to go on the main line at all, as the branch line that went through Woburn Sands went one way through Bletchley all the way to Oxford while the other way it went through Bedford all the way to Cambridge.

I probably have the photos i took up in my loft now !!!.

tim

[390052Knight]

My interest in railways came from my childhood... Like most people!

Thomas The Tank Engine and Friends was at it's peak when I was a little one so I was watching nearly every episode. At 6 years old I was taken to Embassy & Bolton Abbey Steam Railway and was thrilled to see my favourite TV Star in real life.

I have like trains ever since but now I am older I appreciate the Science behind the Masterpiece!

[HAPPYYBEANZ]

My grandfather was a railway guard working at Penrith, subsequently ending up at Blackpool where my father was born and where I now live. My uncle was a railway driver and though my father didn't follow in these footsteps, he did develop a mini obsession with all things trainy He had a lovely Hornby railway set and as he got older he collected model trains mainly used as ornaments. The old guards lamp from my grandads career was restored and used as a lamplight in our porch and we were constantly taken on 'mystery tours' in the school holidays ending up as far away as Ayr, my mum would make her own bread buns for sandwiches on route and all in all they were happy times.
I didnt purposely pursue this hobby, but find myself booking tickets for train journey's almost monthy now, getting excited about which train will be carrying us and dreaming about taking the Glasgow to Euston sleeper - all in good time

Anyway - I am a complete novice, but intend roaming the site for a while to sponge in more information before I can start taking photo shots myself

[galway1]

Originally Posted by Trev

We've all been through it, the fascination with steel wheels on steel rails. The interest might fade a bit as girls and beer take their hold in our teens, but we all came back to the hobby. We must've done, or you wouldn't be reading this!

So, what was it that got you interested in railways?

when i was a lot younger i was brought on a lovely trip on a steam train up the cavennes mountains in the south of france and i am hooked on trains ever since.
I returned to france this year and did the same trip which once again was a lovely day out.
These two websites might be of help to anyone interested in the short trip up the cevennes
www.trainvapeur.com and www.canaules.com

[Steve27752]

I have had a lot of interests in the past, I have only just started to look at steam trains, I am 50 years old and I have dim and distant memories of them steaming close to where I used to live in Surrey; now I want to look into the subject more deeply.

[redudley]

This is an extract from my memoirs that I decided to write in 1997 showing how I came to love the railways.


My earliest memory of my attraction to the steam engine was sometime in 1954/55 when I was 9/10 years old.
It was one evening after arriving back from a visit to family friends at Worcester that my parents and I left our train at Smethwick Junction.
The train was still at the platform, when I drew level with it on my way up the path from the station, I just stood there watching this big green engine through the fence.
The one thing that has stuck in my mind all these years was that bright shiny name I was looking down at, Fairy Battle.
How this castle class engine came to be on this train I never did find out, as its home shed was 87E Swansea Landore at this time.
I just stood there as if in a trance, until my parents called and I had to go.
I am convinced this was the start of my love affair with railways.
My parents had often taken me to Worcester before and we always went by train, but this was the first time I had taken any interest in what we were being pulled by.
Perhaps this is why I have always had a leaning towards the Western region.
My favourite spot was sat high on the bank overlooking the Hawthorns Halt at Galton junction were the W.R. main line from Wolverhampton to London joined with the Stourbridge/Worcester line for the run into Birmingham Snow Hill station.
All through my school days I would spend many happy hours at this location, watching Kings, Castles and Halls on the main line, while on the branch there would be pannier tanks on locals to Stourbridge and 2-6-2 tanks on other trains. A Grange or Manor would sometimes be seen on a goods, while one of the western railcars would go by on the main line heading for Dudley. This would leave the Wolverhampton line at Swan Village.

[redudley]

Originally Posted by Ermo

The old man worked in the parcels office at bromsgrove station, at the foot of the Lickey Incline. He took me with him one day, when aged about four, in1957, and parked me on one of the benches on the up platform armed with an exercise book and pencil. apart from a fifteen year gap when West Brom and that strange breed we call women took over, have been an enthusiast ever since. luckily my wife is very understanding, and even quite likes 37s..Even though dragged up on ageing rusting steam, seem to prefer the old diesels and go to as many galas as I can.
tara a bit

Oh No!
not another Baggies supporter

[redudley]

Originally Posted by John Hunt

Strangely enough, it was insomnia.

I was born and raised here in Leicester. Railway memories include watching steam trains on the Great Central from the footpath between Thurcaston Rd and Birstall Station; the last train terminating at Belgrave Road Station (now a Sainsburys store!); Leicester London Road Station with a full glass roof and the blue Midland Pullmans.
That was it really - I didn't show much interest in the railways as a teenager.
I grew up and worked for a couple of years in London. Willesden Junction with its Freightliner depot was at the back of the house I shared with some mates!

Returning to Leicester in the late 70s I found myself living a few hundred yards away from Leicester London Rd Stn. One summer night, unable to sleep, I drifted down towards the station where the clanking noise of parcels vans being shunted attracted my interest. There I found a few 'spotters' who accepted me into their ranks straight away.

During the late 70s and into the 80s in Leicester we had Class 45s (and the popular double header on Sunday afternoons!) running the St Pancras - Sheffield services, Class 31s on the Norwich - Birmingham service and in the summer - double-headed 20s on the Skegness specials.
One exceptional regular working I do remember was in the early hours of Saturday mornings when a Class 50 would arrive (light), refuel at the depot and take parcels vans back to Birmingham (Lawlor Street?) parcels depot.
This was also the age of the 'Merrymaker' and affordable RailRover tickets - that was how we got around then! Sadly, I had to leave the hobby in the mid 80s when lifestyle and job demands changed.

So here I am now in 2009 - returned to the hobby and making plans already to do at least a Heart of England + an East Midlands Rover before the summer is out.

Hi John.
Have just put two pics on you might like

[8001]

I worked on the railway for many years and was rather sad to leave in 1979, but with a growing family I had to earn more. Started on the Southern in 1955 and moved to the LMR in 1961 at Willesden MPD. As I was an electrician i worked on the diesels, 20's,24's, 40's 10000, 10001,10201, 10202 & 10203, happly days!