Why?

daandmda · Post by **daandmda** » Mon Jun 11, 2007 5:13 pm

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OK, this may be rather controversial, but it's rather annoying. I have noticed (not especially on this forum) that steam seems to be getting alot of stick lately. Don't really know why. The other day when 45407 came through Castleton, I was talking to one of my fellow steam enthusiasts and he told me how he'd seen diesel enthusiasts returning from their railtour, leaning out of the window and yelling abuse about steam locomotives. Now in my opinion this is not on. We let them get on with their interest, but they seem to isolate us because of ours. Now this is not true for all diesel enthusiasts, for example my good friend Alex Riley (alril) is brilliant. He doesn't hold steam too highly but he doesn't go around shouting abuse either. Also, steam seems to have lost alot of it's popularity on the forum lately. I am OK with calling the locomotives 'kettles' as to be honest, they do resemble kettles, but to go further and call them things like teabags and things like that just implies that they are rather 'soft'. I just want other peoples opinions on the matter really, as it's doing my head in![Moderator Comment: jp4712 - Inappropriate word/asterisk deleted]

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arabiandisco · Post by **arabiandisco** » Mon Jun 11, 2007 5:28 pm

It's called "banter".

I tell the kettle neds that they ought to cut up their rusting junk, and they say the same about the diesel that I work on. I certainly don't mean it seriously, and I don't believe that they do either.

I do think it's completely pointless to stand by the side of the track and shout abuse at inanimate objects, but the kind of veg who would do that can be safely ignored.

Grow a thicker skin, and join in the banter.

daandmda · Post by **daandmda** » Mon Jun 11, 2007 5:31 pm

arabiandisco wrote:It's called "banter".

I tell the kettle neds that they ought to cut up their rusting junk, and they say the same about the diesel that I work on. I certainly don't mean it seriously, and I don't believe that they do either.

I do think it's completely pointless to stand by the side of the track and shout abuse at inanimate objects, but the kind of veg who would do that can be safely ignored.

Grow a thicker skin, and join in the banter.

I'd rather not, because I may end up meeting someone like myself who would take it the wrong way, but some of the people I have met do have a serious dislike of steam and are not afraid to show it.

arabiandisco · Post by **arabiandisco** » Mon Jun 11, 2007 5:42 pm

Perhaps you ought to re-examine your attitude to life then. It's only a silly hobby and nothing that happens in it is worth taking personally. Well, unless you have large sums of money invested, but that's slightly different than simply being an enthusiast.

You'll meet some people with a serious dislike of steam, but you'll also meet people with a serious dislike of diesel. Both are opinions, neither of which are more valid than the other (and anyone with a rabid dislike of any lump of metal on the basis of it's propulsion can be parked in the same box as those who shout abuse at passing objects). I have my views on steam/ diesel/ electric, and I'm not going to pussyfoot around and keep quiet on the basis that someone might disagree with me.

Even within steam enthusiasm you'll find people telling each other that everything built in Swindon/ Eastleigh/ Crewe/ Doncaster was a heap. It's more fun if you join in, without taking it to heart.

LNERandBR · Post by **LNERandBR** » Mon Jun 11, 2007 5:43 pm

I'm one of the few people who like both steam and Diesel. In fact Steam Started me off and then diesel just joined in.

Just ignore it. So what if the cranks are hurling abuse at the steam buffs You like what you like and they like want they like Ignore them.

Thrashin · Post by **Thrashin** » Mon Jun 11, 2007 5:58 pm

There's all sorts of banter in railway enthusiasm. For instance, between bashers and linesiders:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gmacDRGUycL

Most of it is only said in jest. As Arabiandisco says, those who shout abuse at heaps of metal really aren't worth bothering about. I don't like MTUs, but I feel no need to go around every single video of them on YouTube and comment that 'they suck'. I've had some stick (not on this forum) for the fact that my favourite diesels are 47s, but I took it in the spirit it was meant.

Cheers

Jack

BR7MT · Post by **BR7MT** » Mon Jun 11, 2007 6:11 pm

Mind you, what must it appear like to people who are not into railways? Hardly does the railway movement any favours to remove the 'anorak' tag does it?

Regards,

Dan

rwaceyw · Post by **rwaceyw** » Mon Jun 11, 2007 6:16 pm

BR7MT wrote:Mind you, what must it appear like to people who are not into railways? Hardly does the railway movement any favours to remove the 'anorak' tag does it?

Regards,

Dan

So? I'm not stopping enjoying my hobby and the way I go about it because i'm scared of what other people think.

Let them think what they like - I enjoy it, most people here must, otherwise they wouldn't be here, so why can't we just get on with enjoying our hobby instead of thinking "But if I do this, people will think i'm wierd?"

People are afraid of what they don't understand.

Dave

BR7MT · Post by **BR7MT** » Mon Jun 11, 2007 6:40 pm

rwaceyw wrote:So? I'm not stopping enjoying my hobby and the way I go about it because i'm scared of what other people think.

And what if said person was on the body that awards lottery money to the heritage railway sector?

What if they were potential passengers on a main line tour but were put off but what could be perceived as yobbish behaviour? I suppose you would say that people that thought that are better off not putting money into the heritage sector?

Regards,

Dan

daandmda · Post by **daandmda** » Mon Jun 11, 2007 6:46 pm

BR7MT wrote:
rwaceyw wrote:So? I'm not stopping enjoying my hobby and the way I go about it because i'm scared of what other people think.
And what if said person was on the body that awards lottery money to the heritage railway sector?

What if they were potential passengers on a main line tour but were put off but what could be perceived as yobbish behaviour? I suppose you would say that people that thought that are better off not putting money into the heritage sector?

Regards,

Dan

I must agree there BR7MT, I have seen people put off due to flailing, I was flailing at one point along with several other people and it was fairly obvious we made other passengers nervous.

enotayokel · Post by **enotayokel** » Mon Jun 11, 2007 7:32 pm

Thrashin wrote:There's all sorts of banter in railway enthusiasm. For instance, between bashers and linesiders:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gmacDRGUycL

Most of it is only said in jest. As Arabiandisco says, those who shout abuse at heaps of metal really aren't worth bothering about. I don't like MTUs, but I feel no need to go around every single video of them on YouTube and comment that 'they suck'. I've had some stick (not on this forum) for the fact that my favourite diesels are 47s, but I took it in the spirit it was meant.

Cheers

Jack

Oh the MTU Bashing see the comments on this one

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JFysoC1LudE

I love reminding MTU haters that MTU = Maybach (via a merger with Mercedes) or by telling them that the engine is a modified Zeppelin engine (again its possible but probably a myth)

dikkidee · Post by **dikkidee** » Mon Jun 11, 2007 7:38 pm

Hi Arabiandisco, How are you - Ok I hope. Its a long time since we had some friendly banter about steam and deisel.

I made my first visit to the Mid Hants last Thursday had a trip on the line pulled by Std 5 73096, saw Ivatt 41312 shuttling about on Experience courses, and

BITTERN

In steam and moving herself for the first time she is Beautiful!!!!! Had a wander around looking at all those lovely Kettles

I even saw your Class 45 Diesel and appreciated the improvements you have made too it by covering it up with a tarpualin!

Only joking honest, I admire what you and your fellow diesel mates are doing

On a funny note - we went down to Hants for a few days for a break as it was my Wife's birthday and I managed to con, I mean, chat her into going to the Watercress Line. I purchased a ticket for her only to find that I travelled free because she is registered disabled and I am classed as her carer - So she had to pay and I did'nt

My was she brassed off

Regards, dikkidee.

Thrashin · Post by **Thrashin** » Mon Jun 11, 2007 7:43 pm

enotayokel wrote:Oh the MTU Bashing see the comments on this one

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JFysoC1LudE

Oh dear.

arabiandisco · Post by **arabiandisco** » Mon Jun 11, 2007 7:51 pm

dikkidee wrote:Hi Arabiandisco, How are you - Ok I hope. Its a long time since we had some friendly banter about steam and deisel.

I made my first visit to the Mid Hants last Thursday had a trip on the line pulled by Std 5 73096, saw Ivatt 41312 shuttling about on Experience courses, and BITTERN In steam and moving herself for the first time she is Beautiful!!!!! Had a wander around looking at all those lovely Kettles I even saw your Class 45 Diesel and appreciated the improvements you have made too it by covering it up with a tarpualin! Only joking honest, I admire what you and your fellow diesel mates are doing

On a funny note - we went down to Hants for a few days for a break as it was my Wife's birthday and I managed to con, I mean, chat her into going to the Watercress Line. I purchased a ticket for her only to find that I travelled free because she is registered disabled and I am classed as her carer - So she had to pay and I did'nt My was she brassed off

Regards, dikkidee.

I take it you won't be coming along when we eventually get it going then! Mind you, I might not live that long... Think it's been under that tarp for longer than BR owned it, actually. It's certainly a 1960s vintage tarpaulin. And coincidentally it has 45,132 holes in it. I counted them...

Bittern is a great looking machine, and they've done a great job on it. Though it is rather let down by the chimney cowling - almost all of the rest of the cladding is brand new, but that chimney is the old, very battered one. Lets it down a bit in my view.

Anyway, you can keep your kettles - they boil water all day and yet you can't get a decent cup of tea out of them. Something not right there!

Beetlejuice · Post by **Beetlejuice** » Mon Jun 11, 2007 8:01 pm

Put it this way, If i can go from one day not telling anyone I like trains to the next writing about thomas the kettle engine in an english exam and not caring what people say about it then most people should be able to cope with a bit of stick about their own personeel choice. When I first started voluntering many people tried to convert me from both to one or the other and I didn't mind, in most instances it was pretty darn friendly and there was very little that I got annoyed about. I only get annoyed with people who can't understand about anyone elses hobbies and this goes for anything not just this.

Take this as an example. I go to a posh boarding school in York. Everyone here seems to love Rugby. I tend to prefer windsurfing, but as no-one can understand it they think it's stupid. It's pretty funny cos when i did get forced to play rugby I ended up being better than half the team. I don't mind kicking a ball around but I'm not intressted in getting muddy for the sake of pride.

Rant over. leave it, if people are really that sad then they either have problems or you can't cope with a little bit of banter. Yes it sometimes gets annoying but then you just have to take a break from it.