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Trains

Tina

Inspired by 's thread on buses. I've heard before that people with autism are fascinated by trains, I sure am! I have a good collection of model trains, train books, old postcards and photos mostly taken by me but some I bought myself.

My fave train is the steam engine! I love their look and style, and am fascinated by their history.

And my all time fave is the First Great Western that my Gramps drove.

He worked on the rails most of his life, for well over fifty years my Gran said. He started of as a cleaner, cleaning the trains and then went on to learn and become a driver. He'd still be doing it now if he were still alive but sadly lung cancer took him when I was 6.

If I ever conquer my anxiety and depression then I'll try to become a train driver as well.

  • My wife and I spent a lot of our early life together in Swanage, The steam railway has recently been re- connected to the main BR line in Wareham.  I loved watching and still do the restoration sheds with engines being brought back to life. We spent a lovely evening onboard the Wessex Belle and had a sliver service dinner in a restored Pullman carriage. It was about as near to the Orient Express as you can get. The sound of the engine and the steam was amazing. I believe it still runs in the summer.

  • I love steam trains, my favourites are the saddle tank ones like these

    When I was younger I went to so many steam railways. I would love to go back to going to them. We have a steam railway down the road from me and I have been there once

    Our local zoo also has a steam railway with an actual steam train that goes around the zoo and you can see all the animals from it which is amazing! 

    However my son, who is also autistic, is very scared of the noise of steam trains so I havnt been able to take him to any for a while. I am hoping to ease him into it when he is ready so he finds it less overwhelming 

  • in reply to Robert124

    Platform Zero b, I love that. It sounds like a portal into a magical world like Narnia.

    If you are interested in station layouts you may find Taplow station interesting, it is a tiny little village in Bucks that barely has a shop yet the station is huge. I think there are 4 platforms. I have always been curious to find out why

  • in reply to Robert124

    The cost of trains these days is extraordinary. To go from London to Newcastle on the day would be £200

    It just makes it hard to go anywhere. In my moms younger days you could go to Wales for £2.50

  • I remember travelling on Intercity 125 in their early days to visit my grandparents in the South West. They were great as we only had.old trains on our lines and these had electric doors. I also remember the last time I went on a British Rail Steam train.

  • in reply to Robert124

    Waverly, surely the only UK station named after a fictional character, and Edward Waverly was an Englishman in Sir Walter Scott's novels!

  • I also like exploring large railway stations that have evolved organically over time and how they are constantly being redeveloped.  Often the platform numbering system has become all messed up and trying to find a train is an adventure.

    I recently came across a platform Zero b.

    Some of my favourite old stations are Edinburgh Waverly, Manchester Piccadilly and Victoria, Birmingham New Street after it's recent redevelopment is a classic of how to confuse the passengers and make it almost impossible to find certain platforms, unless one knows the secret logic behind the layout.

  • in reply to Robert124

    Delays is what puts me off most. They can take forever and I go in to mailbox if it's too long.

  • in reply to Sporadic Sparkly

    He sounds amazing and like a really cool guy . I would love to be able to know that and be able to tell people straight away without looking it up. I'm a train spotter and can list of a lot of train facts which I think bores most people lol but I enjoy it!

    Steam engines are awesome! I really want to go on one soon again.

  • I love travelling by train because they're usually faster than buses.

    Downside is the cost and the past couple of years all the cancellations.

    Last month I was trying to get out of Hebden Bridge.

  • I have an uncle who has always had an interest in trains (his 'special interest' one might say). He has never indulged in train spotting (as far as I know) but seems to know his stuff. What never ceases to amaze me is that if he is asked about the train one would need to catch to travel to a destination within the UK, he's able to provide the answer without needing to look it up and state whether the journey would involve any changes. 

    As for your favourite train being the steam engine, I feel sure that most people would be in agreement. There's something rather wonderful about the look and sound of a steam engine. Relaxed