Where do you is the best place to spot trains?

pgmetcalf · Post by **pgmetcalf** » Sun Dec 22, 2002 8:54 pm

Not that I'm a trainspotter but I was waiting to return home to Sheffield from a visit to my sister's house in Doncaster. During a 15 minute wait I saw Voyager, Eurostar, loads of GNER Class 91s, Loads of 158s and 43s, an EWS 56, Freightliner 66, a 08 in BR blue shunting some tanks and of course there's the class 47 (Constitution) parked there.

Hymek · Post by **Hymek** » Sun Dec 22, 2002 9:17 pm

The bridge at kidderminster is a pretty good spot. On a busy weekend/ weekday you can have everything from 7802 "Bradley Manor" To a Virgin Voyager

jolly · Post by **jolly** » Sun Dec 22, 2002 9:22 pm

london bridge is a good place.

ThinLizzy · Post by **ThinLizzy** » Sun Dec 22, 2002 9:31 pm

ask jon champ, he's a 'rail photographer' {i get abuse if i call him a spotter}

ianm42 · Post by **ianm42** » Sun Dec 22, 2002 9:34 pm

I sometimes spend a few minutes with a pork pie and a can of coke, parked by Battledown flyover, just west of Basingstoke.

Standing on top of the grit bin, looking over the wall high above Brighton station throat was a good spot in my youth.

Nowadays, crossing Hackerbrucke bridge at Munich is quite something for sheer numbers and variety of trains.

ThinLizzy · Post by **ThinLizzy** » Sun Dec 22, 2002 9:42 pm

Thats worting junction you're on about. i agree, its great watching trains coming off the flyover, and even better when they change to the up fast from the flyover. i travel that bit of track every morning, its great fun watching all the people who think they are important business men get thrown everywhere as we first come down the bank, then change to the up fast at close to 100mph, i swear one day that train wont take the turn, and go shooting across the down lines, and off the bank. its even better when non stop trains change to the up fast on the approach to the station {just by the end of the platform}. although there is no super speed involved, watching class 57's and 47's being brought to a stop in platform 4, waiting for a path to reading, then the smoke display they give out when the signalman pulls off, and the driver throws the handle wide open. all the buisness people waiting to get a train home get covered in diesel fumes, they are usually pretty disgusted!

Post by **martinhodgson** » Sun Dec 22, 2002 9:44 pm

Preston and Piccadilly are good places. Or the north end of Lancaster for close up shots of the locos

isambardkingdombrunel · Sun Dec 22, 2002 9:56 pm

Next to a railway.

jolly · Post by **jolly** » Sun Dec 22, 2002 10:08 pm

as thinlizzy said about SWT i like standing at wimbledon watching 421s 411s come flying around the corner from clapham jnct and also the other trains coming from the other direction.

NickCollier · Post by **NickCollier** » Sun Dec 22, 2002 10:16 pm

Thats the southern way

Good ol' Station Manager debate.
In the southern time!

ThinLizzy · Post by **ThinLizzy** » Sun Dec 22, 2002 10:22 pm

yeah! bloody western units are always causing delays down portsmouth! important SR services are delayed for a second rate western service!

johndibben · Post by **johndibben** » Sun Dec 22, 2002 10:27 pm

isambardkingdombrunel wrote:Next to a railway.

I was going to say that

saddletank · Post by **saddletank** » Sun Dec 22, 2002 10:30 pm

ianm42 wrote:I sometimes spend a few minutes with a pork pie and a can of coke, parked by Battledown flyover, just west of Basingstoke.

But Ian, the idea is to photograph the trains, not the pie and coke can.

NickCollier · Post by **NickCollier** » Sun Dec 22, 2002 10:30 pm

ThinLizzy wrote:yeah! bloody western units are always causing delays down portsmouth! important SR services are delayed for a second rate western service!

ROFL

ThinLizzy · Post by **ThinLizzy** » Sun Dec 22, 2002 10:49 pm

See, connex understands because the service that they send into brighton is third rate!! back in the days of SR, that service used to be worked by southern men with southern engines up to salisbury. that service used to join up with the portsmouth half at fareham, the brighton half would get there first, then the portsmouth half would come up, the fratton engine would detacht from its train, then back down a branchline towards gosport, then the brighton half would set back and pick up the portsmouth half and the spare engine would go back to fratton. no delays that way. let the western men do it, and well, all hell breaks loose, once an hour in each direction!