Train Spotters, what are they spotting for?

[Yertis]

RichB said:

But I've never had a Volkswagen, Audi, Skoda - and my grandad (and dad) worked for London Underground where I get my railway interest from.

p.s. Ever heard of Sarah Siddons? I've ridden in the cab of that - pretty scary too, sparks flying everywhere from all the relays and switchgear!

p.p.s. OK just Googled it - you got lucky with the P2 class - as you say big lumps weren't they! I remember seeing a model of "Cock o' The North" in streamlined casing and being impressed.

Edited by RichB on Thursday 5th August 12:03

You'll be even more impressed if the A1 outfit get around to building a new one.

[tinman0]

Simpo Two said:

What do they do when they've spotted every train? Has it been done? Do they shout 'Bingo' and win a gold-plated model train?

Erm, I managed to see every 57/58/59 EMU from south east England (the ones that predominantly run out of Waterloo). Even had to go as far as tracking down the original coach that had been put as a replacement in one of the 4 car units. (b'stards had it up at Derby).....

And yeah, it's quite a good feeling to underline the last one of a class off.

In my defense however.....

...by the time I was 14, I had travelled more of the UK on my own than most other people had. Even entered a Network South East competition for the most miles you could travel in Network South East on a single day and came 3rd. Would have come second with some slightly better luck, eg a traveling companion who didn't lose his wretched ticket at Wolverhampton.

Think I managed 834 miles or something that day.

[central]

Eric Mc said:

Spotter spotting - even more unfathomable.

Sadly this goes on in birdwatching circles.

There's a very high profile Twitcher who not only keeps a list of birds - but keeps a list of Twitchers!

L.G.R. Evans and his self-styled UK400 Club.

[RedYellowGreen]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

Ahem, the Veyron is made by VAG. The car spotter.

On the subject of steam power I'm pretty sure some of the LNER locos had more tractive elephants than the 'kings' didnt the beyer garret thingermebobby have over 72K TE for a start? Although it was a freak I suppose being 2 locos in 1 a bit like the American monsters such as the 'big boys'. The GWR locos might have had an advantage in traction terms due to there 4-6-0 layout?

[RichB]

Looks like it - the LNER U1 Garrett ex-great Central railway 2-8-0 0-8-2 had a TE of 72,900 which I concede was considerably more that the 40,300 of the King class.

As an aside the calculation of tractive effort is (basically) a function of boiler pressure, piston capacity (stroke x bore x no cylinders) and driving wheel diameter but not of the number of driving wheels, that simply affects grip and hence the ability to transmit that power to the rails.

Edited by RichB on Thursday 5th August 20:45

[RedYellowGreen]

Ah I wondered how they got the measurments. I had visions of huge rolling road type contraptions .

[Yertis]

RedYellowGreen said:

Ah I wondered how they got the measurments. I had visions of huge rolling road type contraptions .

You mean like this?



That there's your P2 BTW!

[RichB]

...and this. That bloke by the rear wheels looks a bit casual



Although another LNER loco, interestingly this is at Swindon, I read that the GWR built the only rolling test bed in the UK, that picture of Cock o' The North is in Paris.

[Yertis]

P2: Big sexy express engine? Get a weekend in Paris.
V2: Your a useful mixed traffic engine, you get a weekend in Swindon.

[RichB]

[matthewg]

Trains.

HTH

Edited by matthewg on Friday 6th August 10:41

[Rude Girl]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

That's not the policy though - take a printoff of this and take it with you.

http://www.networkrail.co.uk/aspx/777.aspx#photogr...

Sneaking in to a depot or going on track is not on, but no need to use terror legislation to deal with that.

[10JH]

I always see a few when I pass through Crewe station.

I always stereotyped them as being older men, but have seen a couple of younger lads with their notebooks.

[carter711]

thatone1967 said:

I have a relative who works on the railways.
His job involves visiting "incidents" ie: "person under train" etc...

He is also a fanatical trainspotter... his absolute FIRST priority in attending an incident? He gets the registration of the train!

Edited by thatone1967 on Sunday 1st August 22:57

Does he ever feel run down, by the workload?

[tinman0]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

Blimey, old memories - we (my father and I) spent an afternoon in a French diesel shunter going up and down a marshaling yard, just outside Paris if I remember right. Not sure they really ever got trainspotters - but we got a guided tour of the signal box and then spent a good time going up and down the yard in the diesel shunter. Great fun.

[Yertis]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

Yes I think it was. I think I read that the NRM V2 is knackered for good now (cracked cylinder block or something).

[Rude Girl]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

Very true, and a shame for enthusiasts. There's nothing quite like a cab ride to make you feel 8 years old again.

Same with everything though... we went on a tour of the Red Bull factory the other week. Apparently you used to be allowed to sit in the cars, until some tool treated one like a bouncy castle. Not even allowed to touch them now.

Ahhh, middle age...