So, what got you interested in railways?

I blame genetics and my dearly departed father who also liked trains and took me to the Bluebell Railway when I was young, and my Nan who read me my first Railway Stories book at a far too impressionable age.....

[lansley]

im interested in the railways because my parents never learnt how to drive, and therefore dont have a car. So ive been brought up travelling on trains and have become interested in them rather than cars which i know little about. I think in a weird way the railways are possibly more interesting now under privatisation with the ever changing liveries and names.

[Jingling Geordie]

I have actually read every entry on this thread and it's proved a worthwhile read.

As far as I can remember I've been fascinated by Railways. Highlights in this interest have been:

A footplate ride on the LNER Baltic-W4?-The unamed streak.The crew sneaked me into Kings Cross Shed.

Trips to Palace Gates. Stamford Hill to Seven Sisters-change onto the branch line to Palace Gates. Return journey Palace Gates to South Tottenham then walk to Seven Sisters to do the return trip to Stamford Hill. I would spend all day at the Ally Pally though if it rained i'd go home by bus as for some unknown reason the tickets were accepted on the LT Bus.

my only model layout-Free lance Continental. It had 3 continuous loops-2 main line and one local and two branches. I could watch 5 trains either chasing their tails or shuttling between the branch line terminals.

A visit to Barry Scrapyard but not until years later when I got the book that showed that everything that I had seen had escaped scrapping.

The preservation scene in general. Watching lines grow from small beginnings to wonders such as (you fill in the blank.)

All the fascinating people I've met through the interest in Railways.

JG

[Sprocket]

I can date it to the day: although I'd been mildly interested in trains before, I was never a train spotter like my older brother, and I found it boring. I was mostly into Biggles and first-world-war biplanes. But on Saturday, August 5th 1961, we went to Liverpool in my Uncle Jack's red Vauxhall Cresta, and got on a boat near the Pier Head, that took us to the Isle of Man. One trip, from Douglas to Colby where we were staying, on those wooden carriages behind that Indian red Beyer with its brass dome and I was hooked.

[Trev]

That's a nice memory to have Sprocket. I've never had the opportunity to visit the IoM, but it was reading about the IoM Steam Railway that got me interested in narrrow gauge.

[60074]

Originally Posted by Sprocket

I can date it to the day: although I'd been mildly interested in trains before, I was never a train spotter like my older brother, and I found it boring. I was mostly into Biggles and first-world-war biplanes. But on Saturday, August 5th 1961, we went to Liverpool in my Uncle Jack's red Vauxhall Cresta, and got on a boat near the Pier Head, that took us to the Isle of Man. One trip, from Douglas to Colby where we were staying, on those wooden carriages behind that Indian red Beyer with its brass dome and I was hooked.

And they are still running from Douglas to Port Erin Sprocket,see 'em nearly every day.

[Dawnrider]

Not quite sure really cos I was never interested as a kid. I remember my mate had this huge train set but being about 14 I couldnt care less about it back then. On the other hand I've always loved travelling by train, especially at night(my mom took me on a night train once, coolest thing ever!)
As I got older I developed an as yet unconsumated interest in how engines work-part of me should have been a grease monkey but instead I was more into plants-my trade if you can call it that was always gardening(even though i hate gardening!)
Now as I get even older I find myself more interestd in history, things of the past and other 'good stuff'. I moved up north 7 years ago this month and theres a lot more of a railway culture up here. It just so happens that my fiance is also interested in similar things(we argue over who's gonna read Steam Railway magazine tonight now!) and her father is interested too. I grew up without a father so my interests were much 'softer' if that makes sense.
But hell, I'm a father of two myself now and young matthew who is 2 is fascinated by cars, trains, buses, anything with wheels in fact (he knows the tune to Top Gear for heaven's sake!)
He was sat on my knee last night while i was watching a Youtube video of a steam train pulling in!

[Unkers]

Exactly what started it, or when, I have no real idea, but I was a typical trainspotter in the sixties, and travelled all over the country searching out mainly steam locos, but that sort of fizzled out when I started work, which is the first time that I took up photography as a serious hobby.

Last year, I started courting a young woman, and when she bought herself a digital SLR. and that rekindled my interest in photography. Even though we've had a parting of the ways, my interest in photography has continued, and that in turn has recently rekindled my interest in railways (among lots of other photographic subjects, and many other interests).

[Dawnrider]

Now then Bob,fancy seeing you here!

[Bruce]

I suppose you can say I was born into it. My dad worked at Devons Road MPD and we lived in a railway street of terraced houses attached to Bow Locomotive Works. By the time I was old enough to remember, the works had closed down, but the houses were occupied by railway workers from all trades and departments. My uncle worked on the footplate in Arbroath and when my brother left school he went to Devons Road which by then had become dieselised; type ones I think they were called at the time. My first train set was a Hornby clockwork gauge 0. Later I got a Trix-Twin set for Christmas. Then my eldest brother, working for BR Bow Parcels as a van boy, bought me a “proper” Triang set; an American diesel with bogie cars and a caboose. I built up on that for years on the big ole sheet of hardboard in the bedroom.
When the shed closed in 63 we relocated to Northwich. It was a bit of a shock for my brother who had never fired a steamer. I left school at 15 and went down the cleaner, passed cleaner, fireman path. Although the engines were not as pristine as the persevered ones, most people who were in the footplate career will tell you it was the best job they’ve ever had. Although it was many years ago, the interest remains.
Just imagine, working on locomotives, money, and pretty young girls, all coming into my life at the same time.