When I was a kid I had books of car and railway engine numbers I had collected. Standing by the side of the road collecting car reg numbers, dont ask why, but I, along with my peers would do it, day after day.

As I got older I progressed to railway engine numbers. I had an Ian Allen locospotters book and ticked them off as I saw them. Living in London it was easy to get to all the main sheds that stabled Railway engines that serviced all the UK. I had thousands of numbers I had seen.

Do Ian Allen still produce such books? Just lists and lists of numbers, and does anybody you know still collect numbers of any type?

Please tell me this is a wind up Boppingbruce?????:help:

oh dear the theory i had on my fellow forumers has been confirmed

:|

Still reckon hes taking the p--- this guy, if not im getting me anorak and im off this forum:heyhey: :heyhey:

Did you find yourself attracted to bright yellow anoraks too?:rolleyes:

Originally posted by Lestat
Did you find yourself attracted to bright yellow anoraks too?:rolleyes:

i'm just picturing the ramblers from the fast show

:hihi: :hihi: :hihi: :hihi: :hihi:

Not numbers - I still dabble in short wave radio listening - listening out for stations from the other side of the world.

There have been a few cases recently where Train Spotters, as well as plane spotters, have been approached by the police and sent on their way under some of the terrorism legislation.

It's possible that the Anorak wearing ramblers are actually then para-military wing of the Russian Underground Movement.... :)

I must come to my own defence. The time I collected these numbers was in the very early 50s. A time before television, yes there was a time, and certainly before any electronic gadgetry. We had to make our own amusement and those two pastimes were harmless and kept us happy for days. And yes, there were books dedicated to the hobby incl Ian Allen books and Daily Mail 'I Spy' books. The posher of my friends had Observer books.

So you see, in my childhood the collecting of numbers was big business.

With the advent of television in the homes in late/mid 50s children stayed in more. The roads became more used so the once safe hobby started to take on a different dimension.

Am I an anorak, I hope not, it was a serious question.

The real fun for us tho was buying a tube ticket for the circle line and staying on the train all day, to leave the tube one station up about 6 hours later and walk home. Cost of a days fun, as we were minors, 1/2d. No that was a bargain.

Originally posted by BoppinBruce


The real fun for us tho was buying a tube ticket for the circle line and staying on the train all day, to leave the tube one station up about 6 hours later and walk home. Cost of a days fun, as we were minors, 1/2d. No that was a bargain.

happy days eh

:hihi: :hihi: :hihi: :hihi: :hihi: :hihi: