About

Welcome to Trackside. This is a blog I first set up in March 2008. Although my writing style may have changed somewhat since then, I still try to keep things light and colloquial. I certainly find it easier to read (and write) in this style, as opposed to becoming bogged down in a very reference heavy, encyclopaedic style of writing which is (quite frankly) boring to write, and boring to read!

The goal of this site is to share my hobby, detailing some of the adventures had on my travels, as well as to provide a platform for the railway photography I engage in. It began as a way of keeping a record, but it has developed into so much more – the photography aspect has taken on a life of its own. Indeed, I now keep two separate Flickr accounts. Once of which is linked to throughout this website, while the other is where I keep my “non-rail” photography.

When I was new to the rail enthusiast hobby, I found there was a shortage of “general interest” information – a lot of books available in book stores would focus on one particular locomotive, or one particular period of history and go into painstaking detail. Fascinating if you’re looking to do in-depth research, but not so helpful for a casual enthusiast looking for some general background on a locomotive they may have seen for the first time, perhaps wondering who built the locomotive, or who operates it. I plan to expand the blog with a section giving a basic overview of as much as possible in this hobby, to attempt to make it easier for those who come after me.

Finally, one important thing to remember is – I’m not alone. I am very lucky to have a group of friends with a common interest, and without their help, I would have gotten nowhere. Every photo or piece of information on this site has been due in some small way to their assistance.

I hope you enjoy visiting, and please feel free to leave comments as appropriate.

Cheers,

Trent “Raichase” Nicholson