Oh no, I'm a train spotter
Discussion
This is a new build, not a restoration, and was started in 1990. From the start, it has been engineered to meet 21st century operating requirements. I have been supporting Tornado for 17 years now, both financially and in other ways. It is a tremendous achievement to have built such a powerful beast from scratch and watched it grow. As an engineer, in my day job I enjoy working with Motorsport, Aerospace and Prestige vehicle manufacturers. This is just as interesting in every respect. The driving experience isn't the same as a performance car, but is still unforgettable.
Putting it all under one umbrella of "Train Spotting" really lumps a whole load of things together under one rather "geeky" umbrella.
It is like saying everyone who is interested in cars is a car spotter, or everyone who likes looking at bikes is a bike spotter.
A spotter is someone who stands at a platform and collects numbers, notes them down and where they saw a particular train. The main aim is to collect a set of numbers.
This is different to someone who is a railway enthusiast (although spotters are usually enthusiasts).
Enthusiasts can come under the bracket of:
1) Railway Photographer.
2) Travelling on special trains i.e steam or classic diesel hauled or on old rarely used lines.
3) Historical walks etc.
4) Preserving old/historic trains.
Being an enthusiast doesn't always make you a spotter, although this is sometimes labelled on aircraft enthusiasts aswell.
There are many interesting facets to railways, for example the role they played in the industrial and tourism aspects of this country. The development of towns such as Swindon and Doncaster.
Each class of train is individual aswell, be it Steam, Diesel or Electric, just as different as types of cars for example.
I used to be interested in trains as a kid (not a spotter), and I can see why some people don't get spotters. Crunching numbers of nearly identical multiple units at Clapham Junction does seem quite hard to understand.
However I can also not see why people get so excited about people kicking a pigs bladder around a field either.
So in summary being a railway or aircraft enthusiast makes you no different to a car or bike enthusiast.
It is just the label that is branded on everyone who is interested in railways or aircraft as a "spotter" which can be rather annoying.
It is like saying everyone who is interested in cars is a car spotter, or everyone who likes looking at bikes is a bike spotter.
A spotter is someone who stands at a platform and collects numbers, notes them down and where they saw a particular train. The main aim is to collect a set of numbers.
This is different to someone who is a railway enthusiast (although spotters are usually enthusiasts).
Enthusiasts can come under the bracket of:
1) Railway Photographer.
2) Travelling on special trains i.e steam or classic diesel hauled or on old rarely used lines.
3) Historical walks etc.
4) Preserving old/historic trains.
Being an enthusiast doesn't always make you a spotter, although this is sometimes labelled on aircraft enthusiasts aswell.
There are many interesting facets to railways, for example the role they played in the industrial and tourism aspects of this country. The development of towns such as Swindon and Doncaster.
Each class of train is individual aswell, be it Steam, Diesel or Electric, just as different as types of cars for example.
I used to be interested in trains as a kid (not a spotter), and I can see why some people don't get spotters. Crunching numbers of nearly identical multiple units at Clapham Junction does seem quite hard to understand.
However I can also not see why people get so excited about people kicking a pigs bladder around a field either.
So in summary being a railway or aircraft enthusiast makes you no different to a car or bike enthusiast.
It is just the label that is branded on everyone who is interested in railways or aircraft as a "spotter" which can be rather annoying.
That video from today around the Lakes? I think a couple of blokes from work went up to see Tornado this morning. I sometimes drag myself around the region to see something special on the rails.
I was a bit of a train spotter when I was a kid, before I discovered girls, drugs, shoplifting and beer. Nothing wrong with it TBH and living within 45min of york gives my son and I a perfect oppertunity to go to the NRM quite often.
As said I like all automotive engineering and can take pleasure from a .5HP pump engine to a v12 Merlin or a Deltic. I think a lot is to do with the admiration of engineering that goes into them rather than a gatherer of numbers.
I was a bit of a train spotter when I was a kid, before I discovered girls, drugs, shoplifting and beer. Nothing wrong with it TBH and living within 45min of york gives my son and I a perfect oppertunity to go to the NRM quite often.
As said I like all automotive engineering and can take pleasure from a .5HP pump engine to a v12 Merlin or a Deltic. I think a lot is to do with the admiration of engineering that goes into them rather than a gatherer of numbers.
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