As a lad from Vauxhall train spotting was in the blood I had a phase when I got several books and got started, Living in Inkerman st I had trains all around me soon found loads of kids doing the same went all over to spot the right train Tamwoth was good, Grassy banks down aston church rd another. Once you got the hang of it going on platforms etc, not long before you get to Crewe / Wolverhampton and so on . Snow Hill station was the best Great western lust seemed the bees knees plus getting to the station through the Arcade and a coffee in the Kardoma café. I found out that Curzon St was the first station in Brum, I had a nose there but it was all goods yard with those 3 wheeled lorries going in and out , also Vauxhall was the first railway sidings and carriage depot in brum . history at the top of my street never knew it . If the drivers were in a good mood I could cab the locos at Saltley sheds. We had a lot of train drivers lived in our street always well dressed only mixed with other driver being the elite of the job, when the diesels came in spotting all fell apart and threw my books away ,should have kept them. there must be more anoraks out there what did you do ?.