I wonder how many of us keep our very favourite places to ourselves in these days of social media?

[grantmac]

Ah, a man after my own heart! I too like stopping off at train "stuff" when I can. If I see rails I invariably stop for a respite, or I choose my respites around the sites. I think it was my grandfather who first got me into them. He wasn't into them himself, but he saw the look on my face one day when I was 2 and thereafter he used to take me to see it in Asturias until I was about 7. It was our daily walk together.

I hasten to add that I do not collect numbers or anything of the sort, but I do like seeing them, watching them go by. Trains in Spain are sooooo much more interesting than in the UK. I must confess to being a frustrated train driver. I did something else instead. If I'd driven trains, though, I probably would have yearned for that something else. .

Same, don’t know what it is but anything to do with old train tracks, stations, bridges etc. just love the history and the discovery

 

[wessie]

Shame there's so few old steamers in action here tho' ...

that's one thing we seem to do well in the UK. Lots of stuff relating to the railways, mining, canals and other industrial revolution heritage.

We have a light steam railway from here in Welshpool to Llanfair Caereinion and if I ride the 50 miles to the coast, I pass another one from Tal-y-Llyn to Tywyn.

 

[Simon_100]

I used to volunteer on the WLLR when I was a teenager

And for Grantmac and Asturcon as well as everyone else here's a recommendation! Best way to visit the refurbished and highly spectacular Canfranc station here in the Pyrenees who's hotel is so expensive even Grant couldn't afford it!

Rather than stay at a cheaper hotel nearby where there's nowhere to go in the evening stay down the road at Jaca, a really nice little town with lots of accommodation to choose from, sights to see, e.g. the tiny cathedral and the Vauban fortress, and good bars and restaurants. Then in the morning leave your clobber at the hotel and take the train up to Canfranc and back. The historic train is as cheap as chips and the line has fantastic views. Timetables change but last year I had loads of time to explore the station area, too much in fact so if I did it again I'd take the conventional train back which is also much more comfortable - and the historic train going back was rammed with folk starting their trip at Canfranc. I bought my seat on line but saw people buying on the platform too.

Here's the best video I've seen - a bit long but it gives a best idea of the views of the line and scale of the place that I've seen.

 

[Simon_100]

And one of my 'secrets' although lots of people on here know it!

 

[Wapping]

that's one thing we seem to do well in the UK. Lots of stuff relating to the railways, mining, canals and other industrial revolution heritage.

The Germans are quite good at it, too. Some of their preserved sites merit UNESCO listings.