Did we really look like this when out trainspotting?

[Southernman46]

1. In a vain attempt to look cool, kicking the door of a SR EMU shut while standing on the platform, and ending up base over apex because of the icy surface underfoot. Howls of laughter from my mates still on the train.

Yup I can confirm balletic it wasn't     

 

but slightly more graceful that the hissy fit I threw after photographing 58020 on a Speedlink at New Mills Jn on what I immediately realised was the the film leader having not wound on after a film change...............................  

Edited January 19, 2015 by Southernman46

[coachmann]

1961 on't buses, but I wore the uniform all the time 'cos it were warm! Would have looked the same on Chinley station, Manchester Victoria or York....It made me respectable and I got to chat on footplates! 

 

[TheSignalEngineer]

So glad there is more than one of us!

There are some later ones of me more respectably attired in sports jacket or smart(ish) raincoat. Hopefully no one has a shot of me in my early S&T trainee days in slop jacket, big boots and cloth cap. Had to be careful to merge in with those looking after me.

[45073]

I belonged to a locospotters club in steam days but I cant remember what it was called, it might have been something like the North London Raifans Club. I wonder if anyone has any recollections.

It was run by a Mr Potter who I think was based at Hilltop Avenue, somewhere in north London.

The trips I did were:-

Isle of Wight Sept 1965

Southern sheds Feb 1966

Barry Nov 1966

Yorkshire sheds May 1967

North West sheds Jan 1968

Barry Mar 1968

 

Any info welcome.

[rockershovel]

I think I've posted this before somewhere. but it is me around 1962/3. Entrance to 31A Cambridge steam shed. My matehad left school, but I was in the Cambs High School for Boys dark blue uniform. Note the notebooks in the blazer pocket!

 

Stewart

Tennyson, or Tenison Road, if memory serves?

 

I had a girlfriend lived in one of the houses near that bend in tne road, about 1971 or 1972. I was at the Perse School and had a VERY noisy 650cc Triumph run on a "motorcycle pass" so we were "one up" on the oiks from the Grammar, I seem to remember a notably vicious annual rugby match played at Long Road? It was strange because as a "scholarship boy" I was very much "infra dig" at the Perse - no one despised the actual proles like a private school socialist, which doesn't seem to have changed much - oddly enough no one ever asked at school for my insurance, which was just as well because I didn't have any, by no means unusual in those days. Police took little interest in motorcyclists in those days...

 

Motorcyclists also wore grease top caps in those days although helmets were coming in, I had a bright orange Centurion with a peak and those RAF goggles from Norman Bradley's, near the Catholic...

 

I don't recall going train spotting, I'm afraid.

[lmsforever]

Have a look in todays Daily Mail two pictures of idiots on a crossing on the Matlock branch one a woman taking her kids pics as they sit on the rails and a group having a takeaway on the crossing .When will people ever learn they will shout out about a lack of safety if they are hurt it seems as no one these days can think straight.

[lmsforever]

 Apologies put last post in wrong  subject  old age.

[Horsetan]

Anyone remember those home-knitted Balaclavas which seemed to be de rigueur at that period?

...and wellies if you were either too poor to afford shoes or only had shoes for "best"/special occasions.

[br2975]

30th. April, 1966.

.

Bristol, Bath Road

.

Grey school jumper, grey school shorts, long grey socks......................

.

Brian R

 

EDIT

Just noticed I've posted this previously - oops !

Edited October 27, 2015 by br2975

[big jim]

in the 80s "railriders" caps were a must, me on the left

 

[rob D2]

 

St Pancras , 1997

[Crowlane]

I belonged to a locospotters club in steam days but I cant remember what it was called, it might have been something like the North London Raifans Club. I wonder if anyone has any recollections.

It was run by a Mr Potter who I think was based at Hilltop Avenue, somewhere in north London.

The trips I did were:-

Isle of Wight Sept 1965

Southern sheds Feb 1966

Barry Nov 1966

Yorkshire sheds May 1967

North West sheds Jan 1968

Barry Mar 1968

 

Any info welcome.

Just discovered your post : I was also a member of Mr Potter's club in 1963/64 and I too cannot now recall its full name, he did indeed live at Hilltop Avenue, West Hampstead NW6. My most memorable trip with the club was in June 1963 to Midland sheds culminating at Wellingborough.

[phil_sutters]

Some photos of me and other spotters from Dad's albums

 

 

Me - aged about 5 - note the tie!

 

- Dad taught at Ripon Grammar School around 1950 and I think this was a group of his pupils he took on spotting expeditions - in this case to Northallerton.

 

A couple of years later than the first shot - I still have Dad's log books - but not mine!

 

A stylish spotter/photographer in baggy slacks.

 

I once had a ridiculous conversation on Flickr with someone who challenged the date of this shot of Clan Line at Templecombe in 1962, on the basis that schoolboys didn't wear long trousers at that date. I knew from personal experience that they did.

 

A summer Saturdays only W-S-M to Sheffield arriving at BTM. Wouldn't there now be a major H&S  alert, with that many apparently unsupervised schoolboys that close to the platform end. Draconian PA announcements, a lot of hi-viz, PCSO/BTPs etc. 

 

Summer holiday spotting was a family affair.

 

&

A couple of 50th anniversary shots to end with.

 

[phil_sutters]

image.jpg

 

St Pancras , 1997

Harry Enfield any relation?

[johnw1]

1978

https://www.flickr.com/photos/pics-by-john/30616750961/

[96701]

1978

https://www.flickr.com/photos/pics-by-john/30616750961/

What is George Harrison doing standing by a railway line?

[Classsix T]

What is George Harrison doing standing by a railway line?

My (sweet) Lordzzzz!

 

C6T.

[jetmorgan]

Glasgow works open day, 27 June 1981! It was a lovely day and didn't want to wear the jacket, but my mum made me! Handy place to pin the RailRiders (which I joined on the day) badge though!

I can remember looking just like that as well around the same period...and later. Also makes me think...whatever happened to Railriders!!!

Edited November 8, 2016 by jetmorgan

[jonny777]

Some photos of me and other spotters from Dad's albums

 

 

SR Schools class 440 30927 Clifton Margate 25 7 1953.jpg

A stylish spotter/photographer in baggy slacks.

 

LNER cl B1 460 61050 arr Bristol TM 8 8 1964.jpg

A summer Saturdays only W-S-M to Sheffield arriving at BTM. Wouldn't there now be a major H&S  alert, with that many apparently unsupervised schoolboys that close to the platform end. Draconian PA announcements, a lot of hi-viz, PCSO/BTPs etc. 

 

 

Now that is a proper train at Margate.

 

I would have loved to know that I travelled behind a Schools, but I very much doubt it; even though I went on holiday to Broadstairs from Lincolnshire in 1958, but no one knows (or can remember) anything much about the trip.

 

I dont' think that there would need to be an H&S panic at Temple Meads, because in my experience the staff in the Yard Box could keep order just by shouting threats across the tracks to any misbehaving soul on that platform.

 

However, the arrival of 61050 would justify quite a lot of over-excitement in many areas (even Boston in Lincs) in those days, as it was a Canklow loco and I don't remember seeing it much in my area. Now I know why. The b****y thing had gone to Somerset for its hols.

[The Stationmaster]

Now that is a proper train at Margate.

 

I would have loved to know that I travelled behind a Schools, but I very much doubt it; even though I went on holiday to Broadstairs from Lincolnshire in 1958, but no one knows (or can remember) anything much about the trip.

 

I dont' think that there would need to be an H&S panic at Temple Meads, because in my experience the staff in the Yard Box could keep order just by shouting threats across the tracks to any misbehaving soul on that platform.

 

However, the arrival of 61050 would justify quite a lot of over-excitement in many areas (even Boston in Lincs) in those days, as it was a Canklow loco and I don't remember seeing it much in my area. Now I know why. The b****y thing had gone to Somerset for its hols.

 

I definitely travelled behind a 'Schools' - on a schools excursion back in the days when BR did such things.  Loads of different schools all into their own reserved coach(es).  We had a 'Castle' to Basingstoke (having started tender first on our branch, then run-round at the junction, then a 'Schools' forward from Basingstoke to Chichester and subsequently back to basingstoke where the 'Castle' came back on.  Just don't ask me what the numbers were!

[Colin_McLeod]

What were the numbers? Oops sorry!

[lmsforever]

I started spotting at Chingford in the fifties then Liverpool St and after finding how to get there by bus Ally Pally the footbridge over the ECML with streaks A1,s A2,s etc happy days .Liverpool St was a great place used to sit by the turntable and the staff treated us well as long as we did not overstep the mark ,I stopped spotting by the seventies but expanded my interest in railways until after retirement I got involved with Risboro and Chinnor railway and enjoyed my time with them.But I think you will agree once a spotter always an enthusiast .

[Rugd1022]

What is George Harrison doing standing by a railway line?

 

Waiting for the one after 9.09...  

 

('Let It Be' LP track for those born after 1970..!)

[Purley Oaks]

I once had a ridiculous conversation on Flickr with someone who challenged the date of this shot of Clan Line at Templecombe in 1962, on the basis that schoolboys didn't wear long trousers at that date. I knew from personal experience that they did.

 

Our school didn't allow us to wear long trousers until we were 5 feet tall. Bonkers!

Then there was the minimum circumference rule for the trouser bottoms - 16" - to prevent us wearing drainpipes; useless rule when flares and (shock!) Oxford bags came in...

Mal

[brianusa]

Good to see this topic revived once more.  Our youth was always interesting or at least seemed so while adulthood was a bit boring.  Work, off at eight, home at five, five days a week, weekends doing odd jobs.  Leaving home it got more interesting, new country, new job, more money, marriage, more travel, etc.  But always time for trains.  Now  we stay home more and don't do so much but the trains are still special, especially the ones spotted so long ago.