RJS1977 Posted June 10, 2012 Share Posted June 10, 2012 I drive my classic car from time to time, ( a '53 split screen moggie) and guess what, people wave a me too as I tootle passed in front of a long convoy of impatient rush hour motorists. :sungum: Reminds me of a time Fred Dibnah was out in his roller. The driver of a car at the head of a line of traffic stopped suddenly to take a photo as Fred drove past, with the inevitable result that several other cars in the queue ran into the back of the first one, spewing bits of trim all over the road. All the occupants of the vehicles waved happily at Fred as he drove the roller over said trim.... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deano Posted June 10, 2012 Share Posted June 10, 2012 Is this your car then ? - http://goo.gl/maps/MQnO - under the trees ! Sorry, wandering off topic. Ha ha lol no. This is it. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Lambton58 Posted June 10, 2012 RMweb Premium Share Posted June 10, 2012 Judging from the trip my wife & I had on the KESR this morning - yes they do! And the people on the trains wave back - well we did!! Ralph Lambton 58 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium skipepsi Posted June 10, 2012 RMweb Premium Share Posted June 10, 2012 I used to take my two eldest down to the site of Clay Cross station and even though they were in a double buggy they were happy to wave at trains and very happy if a driver waved back or any passengers waved to them. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
royaloak Posted June 10, 2012 Share Posted June 10, 2012 If people have the decency to wave at me then I will always wave back if possible provided I am not approaching a red or just arriving at a station and the train is not behaving itself. So i would reckon I wave back about 98% of the time, always nice to be nice. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
PLD Posted June 11, 2012 Share Posted June 11, 2012 It still seems that anything out of the ordinary, gets a wave from onlookers trains, boats, vintage road vehicles etc etc... Maybe it's something to do with being seen as riding for pleasure rather than the mundane commute? (and its a refection on current rail usage that trains are included in that for many...) Not quite the same as the main line, but working on the Heaton Park Tramway, almost everyone waves at a passing tram, and both crew and passengers invariably wave back. (mostly friendly waves, just the occasional less friendly jesture from cyclists indicating "how dare you expect to run a tram along these lines when I want to cycle along them...") Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
charles2 Posted June 11, 2012 Share Posted June 11, 2012 Hi all! Hopefully for quite a few evenings during August I'll be on Penzance Station with my boys! We'll most likely be watching the Night Riviera leave and generally having a look at trains in the station before driving to Long Rock to see if we can see a train getting a wash, but most importantly we'll wave at the trains (loco's, DMU's, staff, passengers - we're not fussy !) and hopefully get waved back at!!! Charles Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Western Star Posted June 11, 2012 Share Posted June 11, 2012 Well, to add another dimension to this thread.... there is a Golden Retriever in our village who goes to watch the trains from an open-sided footbridge.. The driver waves at the owner and toots... the dog barks... everyione smiles. regards, Graham Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
br2975 Posted June 12, 2012 Share Posted June 12, 2012 "....... Do we still wave at trains? ........ " . In my case, NO, at least not since last Saturday at the DFR 'Day out with Thomas' !! Brian R Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
marc smith Posted June 12, 2012 Share Posted June 12, 2012 Although he never liked trains, my Dad used to take me to the line near our house. As a very little boy, I loved waving at trains, and the driver tooting back was a real treat Perhaps it was these memories from my early years of life that got me into liking trains? When he was little, I took my lad to do just the same... Whether steam on a preserved line or diesel on the rail network, he loved it when the driver responded And was equally thrilled to see passengers wave back too.... Mind you, he's not interested in trains - so bang goes my theory... Would I wave to trains now? On a preserved line, yes but standing on the end of a platform now, one is mocked with cries of "choo choo" As Nicholas Whittaker observes in his book "Platform Souls" our society is obsessed with the motor car, to own an expensive "flash" one is a mark of achievement, even a status symbol Any form of transport other than the car is for those who cannot afford a car, or do not aspire to owning one ergo anyone who likes any other form of transport is "different" It's a shame, because the railway is so much a part of our heritage, it has such a romantic image - in fact, many romantic, picturesque images in so many minds.... Shame, as it's such a simple, pleasurable, innocent pastime... To any train driver out there.... please toot & wave back.... I promise I won't throw anything at you Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rods_of_Revolution Posted June 12, 2012 Share Posted June 12, 2012 I still wave at trains, it winds "ewsjo" up when I'm out taking pictures with him as often the drivers will sound the horn and make him jump out of his skin whilst carefully composing his shot! Cheers, Jack Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pitbull1845 Posted June 12, 2012 Share Posted June 12, 2012 Of course we do.... Well we did at Eastleigh today. Most of the drivers waved back too. It always makes people smile. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
simon hudson Posted June 12, 2012 Share Posted June 12, 2012 I went to watch the Duchess come through Colwyn Bay a few weeks ago and I found my self waving and last year when Oliver Cromwell came through I took a friend down on to the prom to watch her come through and usually she isn't interested but after the comment "Ooh isn't it lovely can we go on a trip one day" she was waving frantically.Yes I thought Scored!!.As an aside I spent most of my time at the lineside late 80's through to the 90's with my video camera on the E.C.M.L at Chester-le-Street and Birtley also on the Coast Lline at Seaham and Ryhope.Now it doesnt interest me I like to watch the train in the landscape Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold beast66606 Posted June 12, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted June 12, 2012 A nice cheery toot from the DRS team on the Sizewell flasks tonight Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
marc smith Posted June 13, 2012 Share Posted June 13, 2012 A nice cheery toot from the DRS team on the Sizewell flasks tonight Have the good folk of rmweb started a national "wave at train drivers" campaign, I wonder? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Y Posted June 13, 2012 Share Posted June 13, 2012 What an excellent idea. We just need an identifiable salute. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold SHMD Posted June 13, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted June 13, 2012 What an excellent idea. We just need an identifiable salute. It must be identifiable friendly. It must not be easily confused with anything negative. It should have some railway connection. How about the Bashers “My Lords†salute combined with Spock's “Live long and prosper†wave? Just a thought... Kev. (Getting me coat on...) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColinW Posted June 13, 2012 Share Posted June 13, 2012 We will quite often have parents with youngsters standing on the footbridge at East Farleigh waiting for the trains in either direction, so that they can give the drivers a wave. The drivers sometimes respond with a toot on the horn. They then wait for us siggies to go out to open the crossing gates again (not a normal sight these days) Colin Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rugd1022 Posted June 13, 2012 Share Posted June 13, 2012 What an excellent idea. We just need an identifiable salute. So long it's done with more than two fingers I'll wave back! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ess1uk Posted June 13, 2012 Share Posted June 13, 2012 Waved at loads of trains today at Richmond, very few of them waved back. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold beast66606 Posted June 13, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted June 13, 2012 We just need an identifiable salute. I bet I know a driver who can suggest one too Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Castle Posted June 13, 2012 Share Posted June 13, 2012 Hi All, We could always do the 'Arnold Rimmer' salute (I am getting my coat to go and stand outside with Kev...). All the best, Castle PS: If a railtour goes past Didcot Railway Centre, we usually give the internationally recognised 'give us a tug on the whistle' mime and that usually illicits a response - especially with the steam guys! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Martin Posted June 13, 2012 Share Posted June 13, 2012 My late father-in-law lived in a house that backed onto the Merseyrail line between Town Green and Aughton Park. There's a bridge at the back of his old house which carries a driveway across the railway and I used to take my son (when he was still young enough to care) and later my daughter to look at the trains (because of the timetable, you wait until you hear an Ormskirk-bound train go past, then nip out to the bridge and you can see the Liverpool train stopping at Aughton Park, then coming towards you and under the bridge; so you have pretty much a 100% "hit rate"). My daughter definitely waved at trains and the drivers generally sounded the horn and waved back. My daughter's friend, who had literally never been on a train (more common than most of us here would allow, I suspect) absolutely loved waving at the trains and on those occasions that she came out to Aughton with us, would happily go out for every train that came past. Jim Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold beast66606 Posted June 14, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted June 14, 2012 Photographed a pair of 20s on the Sizewell flasks, a nice friendly toot and wave again, then across Suffolk to Norfolk where I photographed 37419 bringing a DVT and a coach back to Norwich, more toots and waves (and other gen posters report the same) - seems the vast majority of drivers are indeed friendly, some ambivalent and some, well some aren't Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Happy Hippo Posted June 14, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted June 14, 2012 I have a carriage on my large scale layout that has a load of schoolkids in it. They are all mounted on very light brass springs springs, so as the train goes faster, the more agitated they become. when children come to visit who see it are told they are being waved at, and generally get quite exited and wave back.................as do some adults! Regards Richard Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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