Train Spotting - Do you still get excited ?

[BlythPower]

Birmingham is less than £20 single, get a family railcard and kids are very cheap. Have a look for odd routes which no one wants to do!

Thank you, I will have a look round. 

Would this be of any use for covering your local lines?
http://www.railrover.org/pages/explore-cardiff-and-valleys.html

Also, for travelling to Birmingham without Advance tickets you can save quite a bit by splitting at Cheltenham. It's nice to do a circular trip via Chepstow one way and Bristol Parkway the other.

[gc4946]

In the 70s and 80s I grew up on a diet of Southern Region EMUs and loco-hauled services but Fratton Yard had its variety of departmentals and loco-hauled stock - but I very rarely jotted down loco or unit numbers. 

Nowadays, it's the exceptional that interests me - e.g. Network Rail's yellow HST track measurement unit or the odd diesel-loco-hauled excursion or steam special. 

[railsquid]

Can no one remember the steam age, it was wonderful you actually saw a engine doing something with moving parts And always had a wave from the driver as it thundered past.

Not without a time machine to take me back a few years before my birth...

[first timer]

Are you trying to say I,m old or just older than you ?

[The Q]

I can remember the steam age, but they didn't go thundering past, They all stopped at the station. Especially after 64 when the through line was cut.

[njee20]

I can just about remember 50s and 47s on the SWML. Otherwise it's always been EMUs for me! 

[Intercity]

I miss the old SR slam door stock, the sounds of the compressors, the doors slamming shut, the squeal of the brakes, as a young un I would travel down to London away from all the loco hauled stuff and fast electrics just to ride around the Southern region, the third rail system and 12 car trains just kept me coming back for more (I did prefer the 4CIG units with the second class comp right behind the driver, so many used to think it was part of the first class seating), remember the Brighton express service with 8DIGs when they started it up? And no trip to the SR was complete without a trip on the GatEx with a 73 (once in a blue moon on diesel) and a thumper or two.