November 26, 2013 9.38 am This story is over 130 months old

Teen trainspotter has fun at Lincoln level crossings

Keeping watch: Not everyone finds waiting at the barriers frustrating, as one Lincoln teenager uses them for trainspotting lookouts.

One teenager is making good use of time spent waiting at level crossings around Lincoln, by using them for trainspotting.

Andrew Washington (14) has filmed trains passing through Lincoln since July 2012, when he filmed an ambulance being stuck at the High Street barriers waiting to pass.

Since, he has taken to YouTube to record different level crossing sounds and various trains as they pass over High Street, Brayford Wharf East, Doddington Road and Hykeham Station, among others.

He said: “It all started many years ago, I love crossings. I went out every afternoon to try and see some trains, but only rarely did any come, and it all grew up from that.

“Only a few months ago, I got a 60163 Tornado at Boultham Crossing. The most unusual thing I have seen was when the Northern Rail 142 (142064) and East Midlands Trains 153 (153321) passed together.”

Andrew films his videos using a Nokia smartphone, but also carries a watch and timetable board with him so he can work out which trains are arriving or departing and when.

He has managed to amass hundreds of videos and over 92,000 views on YouTube, however he is not sure how long he will keep up his recording of typical Lincoln life at the level crossings.

“It is a pity that my favourite trains, the class 142 and 144, are being scrapped in 2019.

“That will no doubt be the time I slow footage down to nothing, as it won’t be worth it. I love Pacers, and without them I am nothing.”

[button url=”http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dMvoZyI-PP4″ title=”YouTube”]Watch video on YouTube[/button]