When travelling on the railway, I always arrive early to take photos or films of trains on my phone. I do it for my teenage boys. I'll text these images to them, and they'll text back saying "Great pics" and occasionally get very excited if I've videoed a rare engine.
My older one, Solomon, now 17, had an early and strong interest in trains. By the age of two, he had identified his favourite train of all—the Class 465, a four-car electric multiple unit. One day, passing the railway station, he started laughing with pleasure. A train was waiting at the far platform. It looked like a 465 to me by its shape and size, but Solomon noticed it had five cars instead of four and most important of all, the first three digits of its number were 376. It excited him that he had discovered not only a new train but a new set of number. Classes 465 and 376 are common, but each train has its own unique number. That is part of the appeal, specific details.
My younger boy, Valentine, 15, came to trains through a different route: new technology. I was walking past our local station when I saw something special. A new train I'd never seen before. If such a train could exist in my rundown local station, anything was possible. Science fiction just became a science fact. I had just seen the Class 395, the Javelin, Britain's fastest train. A few months later, there would be one leaving our station every half hour to London.
Valentine adored the Javelin. Trips became fraught because both boys wanted to travel on their favourite train—the Class 465 versus the Javelin. We negotiated with them—we'd take the 465 on the way there, the Javelin back home. Everyone was happy.
My husband is also a railfan. Having the boys has allowed him to pursue his passion. Trains are our shared passion, a timeless source of pleasure.