I wouldn’t even post this if we hadn’t won
but this is a bit of research, so please reply any way you like.
People “like” railways in various ways and some of them also build model railways. Why does it attract more derision than to those who gather around airports, or to other “collecting” hobbies such as stamps or old vinyl? And why is it apparently quite cool and admirable to restore an old car, but not an old locómotive?
We invented the railway, and Thomas the Tank engine is a global phenomenon. Yet, as I’ve discovered, the contempt for adults who maintain an interest is stronger here than in Central Europe, even though in these countries the real enthusaists often look and behave much like their Brit equivs. The most convincing theories I’ve heard so far are:
- Britain no longer admires technical stuff the way the Germans (and Czechs) do
- it’s normal for kids (boys anyway, it s a male thing) to be interested, but they are expected to grow out of it when they discover girls. Those who don’t are suspected of not having fully grown up and fully socialised.
That rings true to me but among those who have something to say about it are Rod Stewart, Pete Waterman, and -as I was recently amazed to discover - Roger Daltrey. Alĺ three build jaw- dropping model railway layouts. Rod Stewart was recently on the cover of Railway Modeller magazine. In what looked like the big finger to that theory, he described it as a greater honour than being on the cover of Rolling Stone. But Pete Waterman said that now it seems safe to “come out” (!!) but that he didnt think RS would have admitted to this hobby 20 years ago. Jeff Beck on the other hand, gave up music in the mid 80s and said he preferred to concentrate on restoring his old cars. Nobody thought that was weird, even if many fellow musicians were sad about it. I wonder what they’d have said if he’d been restoring an old steam loco.
So, what do you think? I have no point or argument to make, I just want to get a better insight into how people look on this group , ranging from those who just prefer to take the train when they can, through to the ultra-obsessive hobbyists.
Comments
Trains are fab, but so indeed are buses, especially the route 202 which is almost my personal Uburr.
I was doing some Photography down at Teston Bridge recently, was capturing something close to the road, and had some twat in a van shouting insults at me as he went past.
Seems the only things that aren't are the "trendy" activities like going to the Gym and going to the pub
I read a comment about why restorers of cars don't get the grief that restorers of railways do. That car (or motorbike) is their own personal belonging. Rightly or wrongly people feel their car says something about them, even if within 5 minutes they'll see someone else in the same car; whereas if you rock up in a beautifully restored E-type, that, admittedly, is a statement, if nothing else a testimony to your craft skills. You help to restore the Tornado locomotive, that's a collective effort and you don't get to park Tornado outside your house, not even if you are Pete Waterman and largely financed it
1. Its certainly true that interest in trains, particularly the logging of numbers (and the same is true of aircraft, buses. etc.) is a trait of neurodivergence.
2. Intellectualism. An interest in engineering suggests intellect, and in many working class (educational) environments, being the clever kid wasn't a particularly attractive trait. That may be changing as generations have developed higher aspirations.
3. Ownership. A car enthusiast can own a car and therefore an interest is personal. A trainspotter can't easily own a train, but if they do its as part of a group environment with other similarly blighted enthusiasts.
Ultimately I think no. 1 is the driver. The collector of numbers that you see at the end of the platform, religiously jotting down the numbers, may have no connection with other enthusiasts who have an interest in engineering, architecture, design or any other factor that might spur an interest in trains, but all are lumped into the same boat.
All of these are my thoughts. None of this is backed up be any insight or research!
Charlton has been on 3 loop line routes (Bexleyheath/Sidcup/Woolwich) and the Blackheath tunnel means we have 2 trunk routes serving Charlton station. That's pretty good compared to probably 90% of other clubs isn't it?, even if the service is tired and less reliable than it should be.
I would love to get away from Southeatsrrn personally- I find it decrepit and miserable- but the options are limited: North Greenwich provides a new route to the valley for some. Car options are narrowing and out of fashion. Railways are part of our DNA and will remain so I think, while we're at the Valley, and trains continue to serve Charlton station.
There are a LOT of railway programmes on TV too.
I dabbled in a few of these as well as collecting cacti - how odd, but as pointed out, train spotters congregate and so if you can't see the point of train spotting you can laugh at them as a group. But no one would laugh today at the hobby of collecting Pokemon cards - unless they all turned up on station platforms to swap cards.