Like many of the brotherhood, Ian's coming out resulted from his buying an otherwise childish computer game, whereby you take control of a signal box and send computerised trains here there and everywhere. Soon however surfing the net, he discovered that fellow Anorak clad train spotters had developed this signal box game by recreating on computer the entire track layout and timetable of some of our great interchange stations. Ian was in seventh heaven, and obtained as his first real signal box simulation that for Birmingham New Street Station.

But soon this nocturnal activity took a dangerous turn, for after fruitless hours spent trying to get the 15.45 from Nuneaton into platform 2 by a crafty shunt from the up main line. (look I don't understand it either, so bare with me on this one, and no letters offering advice either - ta) Anyway whilst most of us would have said the hell with it, Not Ian, who the following Saturday took passage as it were to Birmingham New Street to check out the layout.

"Was he successful" we asked him down the pub that evening, "Oh yes, they have a set of points not mentioned on the simulation." And you we said, went to Birmingham just for that.". At this a sheepish Ian said yes, and it was not his first such mission. Take last Saturday for example, a day for a lay-in, shopping or feet up in front of the tele. Not for our anorak clad Ian. For after buying a one day travel card on his one third off Networker ticket,( don't half cut the cost of train-spotting) He decided on a round London rail trip…Which come the next holidays and your at a lose end to know what to do with the kids, I shall pass on..

First make for Stratford, (five motive power systems in use here -get the kids to discover them), now take the DLR line down under the new Thames tunnel to Lewisham, maybe stopping off at Greenwich on the way. From Lewisham go by train to Croydon to travel on the new trams. Then, how about a side trip up to Crystal Palace for a trip into the park to find the stone prehistoric animals.

Now just time for an ice cream or three, before a train ride to London Bridge where alongside the station is the London Torture Chambers which is always good to keep the little darlings Quiet. Before either walking over London bridge and through the city to Liverpool Street or better yet the new Jubilee line back to Stratford. You could call off at the Dome, but you want to entertain your young charge's anyway, not bore them to death. But for the cost of a travel card, London and it's railway system is yours.

You know I don't think Ian's that crazy after all. For it seems he's discovered the ideal day out. Now if you'll excuse me I have this signal box simulation for Shenfield up on my computer, it's not habit forming you know, but I wonder how they get that EWS class 66 onto platform 5 the wrong way round. How did it get there from the Norwich down… Oh Dear, I suppose I'm in for a session at the end of the platform again.

ENDS