What is a gricer.

Sligo Quay

Just learned something new today, I got chatting to a train spotter at Connolly today with a camera waiting on something to happen, he wasn't giving much away but got very offended when I asked him how long he was a trainspotter, definitely not a trainspotter I was tolded, trainspotters are associated with anoraks, no this enthusiast was a gricer, for the love of God, what it a GRICER

corktina

a Gricer is a .....you guessed it trainspotter, also known as an Anorak.

dowlingm

Sligo Quay wrote: »

definitely not a trainspotter I was tolded, trainspotters are associated with anoraks, no this enthusiast was a gricer

Might not be associated with anoraks but certainly with a common social graces deficiency. Didn't have the secret handshake I'm afraid. In the internet era they are handy though so the rest of us can keep track of what shenanigans IE are up to (stock being left to rust, ghost services which could be run in service and the like)

steamengine

dowlingm wrote: »

Might not be associated with anoraks but certainly with a common social graces deficiency. Didn't have the secret handshake I'm afraid. In the internet era they are handy though so the rest of us can keep track of what shenanigans IE are up to (stock being left to rust, ghost services which could be run in service and the like)

Forget about the coat - A high powered motor bike is what you need now, leave it on HEP !!! :D

Sligo Quay

corktina wrote: »

a Gricer is a .....you guessed it trainspotter, also known as an Anorak.

Thanks never heard of the word before, is it imported, maybe not native, whats with the secret handshake, you learn something new everyday, a gricer, what next, are they confinded to any particular group, sorry for all the stupid questions, rpsi the irrs itg are they gricers, gets more complicated this trainspotting malarky. On and off boards, does get weirder, maybe Im just niave

Judgement Day

To me a gricer is the type of 'enthusiast' who rarely if ever actually uses the train but likes to drive the length and breadth of the country to photograph them. There's a fair number on here.

Iolaire

Gricer is actually quite an old term for a rail enthusiast. Certainly not to be confused with Basher, lest you infuriate same.

If anyone (who doesn't already know) is interested in a further insight into basher speak, this link is informative http://ukrailwayfaq.wikispaces.com/Basher+Speak

I found the definition of 'Men Who Know' most amusing if perhaps not strictly true.

Eiretrains

Judgement Day wrote: »

To me a gricer is the type of 'enthusiast' who rarely if ever actually uses the train but likes to drive the length and breadth of the country to photograph them. There's a fair number on here.

This is exactly what is it, thanks JD.

Yes when thinking about, gricers tend not to be the trainspotters or anoraks who are might be happy to hang around in unforgivable weather for the sake of a couple numbers. Gricers instead are always largely in pursuit of achieving the perfect and sometimes unusual railway photo at whatever cost.;)

Sligo Quay

Iolaire wrote: »

Gricer is actually quite an old term for a rail enthusiast. Certainly not to be confused with Basher, lest you infuriate same.

If anyone (who doesn't already know) is interested in a further insight into basher speak, this link is informative http://ukrailwayfaq.wikispaces.com/Basher+Speak

I found the definition of 'Men Who Know' most amusing if perhaps not strictly true.

It gets better, basher, do these terms originate in the UK, when I was growing up it was trainspotter, in later years it was enthusiast, but I never heard of gricer or basher, so reading here, I better be careful, Eiretrains is a gricer, hmmmmm Corktina & dowlingn are bashers, but Judgement Day is an old fashion enthusiast collector, Im probably just an ''enthusiast'' with a small e, a light interest in the economics

Eiretrains

I think basher originated in the UK, but I don't the that terminology never caught on over here unless I'm mistaken. Bashers I think are those whom are generally seen hanging out of carriages (not literally) or located right behind locos on railtours?

corktina

i'm not a basher, nor do I tot up my Haulage statistics. All these names are an attempt to get away from the fact that some sad people are what the public call trainspotters.

I've never denied being a sad person, and I like trains. Being a "Trainiac" is no worse (to me) than unfit people fanatically following a football team instead of playing. I Can understand people taking part in sport, I can't understand people watching it, any more than most level ordinary sane people can understand me liking trains. In fact I like pretty much anything on wheels, as you could guess from my name.

Sligo Quay

corktina wrote: »

i'm not a basher, nor do I tot up my Haulage statistics. All these names are an attempt to get away from the fact that some sad people are what the public call trainspotters.

I've never denied being a sad person,

Corktina, I apologize, I thought I was paying you a complement, yep I am niave:o

corktina

you've no need to apologise, a Rose by any other name etc.

I don't spot trains (any more) but trainspotter is what my kids call me, it'll do.

Wote

So what is a bus enthusiast called then? I worked with a bloke who used to call them BBWs -on which I had to ask what that stood for in the context of buses - his answer?

"Bloody Bus ****"

So BBW it is then

The Idyll Race

I'm a tweedy and cordy amateur rail historian I'll have you know, but I have been known on very special occasions to "bash" And it wasn't ginger beer we were drinking either :).

My favourite one isn't on the list - apparently the fans of a particular BR diesel shunter call it a Gronk, so therefore bashing behind a Gronk is the appropriately named "Gronking"

Cookie_Monster

Judgement Day wrote: »

To me a gricer is the type of 'enthusiast' who rarely if ever actually uses the train but likes to drive the length and breadth of the country to photograph them. There's a fair number on here.

Ah, I see, and there's me thinking for some reason it was a term particular to riding railcars

So the basic difference is

gricer = photography
trainspotter = recording numbers, routes, locos etc

dowlingm

railfan is the normal appellation in North America I believe

Iolaire

Another mildly amusing one is a Festoon. Apparently this is what younger UK spotters/gricers/whatever called an older spotter/gricer/whatever who had multiple cameras and a tape recorder hanging from their neck.

If that is a true description, the last Festoon I saw would have been around 1990 at York station.

All the main disciplines are mentioned on this thread now, with the exception of the more general rail enthusiast (not sure if there's a specific name) who wouldn't necessarily indulge in public displays of rail love but whom, nevertheless, has a great passion for railways. I think I may well fall under that category, having been a closet fan for most of my life. I had to reveal my secret recently though, but I would still consider myself a casual enthusiast. Haha.

Trainspotter - numerologist
Gricer - photographic artist
Basher - joy rider

There are a few who combine one, two, or all three disciplines and although it is still possible to see the normal's stereotypical 'trainspotter', this is becoming a rarer sight as enthusiasts of all ilks have learned the skill of looking like normals if not perhaps, standing on the usual place at a station.

corktina

yeah iwas stood with two or three festoons the other day watching "Clan Line" at Reading Station. I guess i looked pretty normal for once, taking pics with my mobile....

Losty Dublin

What's the phrase for eejits like me who are active in preservation circles and actually do work and ****?

Boulevardier

A New Zealand grocer?

Judgement Day

Losty Dublin wrote: »

What's the phrase for eejits like me who are active in preservation circles and actually do work and ****?

This is a family discussion forum or I'd tell you.

Losty Dublin

Judgement Day wrote: »

This is a family discussion forum or I'd tell you.

I've no family and I'm not sensitive so tell away

Sligo Quay

corktina wrote: »

taking pics with my mobile....

Eh Corktina, think that makes you a gricer, dare I say it

Sligo Quay

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

Ah, I see, and there's me thinking for some reason it was a term particular to riding railcars

Partly right, just be lurking IRN and there is a group calling themselves ''railcar gricers'' Iv given up trying to join IRN, seems to be a very closed board.

The Idyll Race

Sligo Quay wrote: »

Partly right, just be lurking IRN and there is a group calling themselves ''railcar gricers'' Iv given up trying to join IRN, seems to be a very closed board.

Used to post on IRN many moons ago, not the most lively of boards I thought. Train and Rail Systems is a bit motive-power heavy at the moment for my liking but there may be opportunities for the occasional history thread..

The Idyll Race

The Idyll Race wrote: »

Used to post on IRN many moons ago, not the most lively of boards I thought. Train and Rail Systems is a bit motive-power heavy at the moment for my liking but there may be opportunities for the occasional history thread..

Nothing to stop you starting your own thread. And I mean that with the greatest of respect.

CIE

dowlingm wrote: »

Railfan is the normal appellation in North America I believe

There is also "railbuff" and the derogatory "foamer". Beyond that, there are accusations of suffering from Asperger's syndrome... :rolleyes:

Manic Moran

dowlingm wrote: »

railfan is the normal appellation in North America I believe

Ferroequinologist is the other one.

NTM

steamengine

dowlingm wrote: »

railfan is the normal appellation in North America I believe

As Gaeilge / Google - lucht leanúna na iarnród !!!

The Idyll Race

Karsini wrote: »

Nothing to stop you starting your own thread. And I mean that with the greatest of respect.

This is true..and that's what I meant. Feel a nice Great Northern Railway one coming on..:)