What is it about, vehicles registration numbers and fleet numbers. Those who are not in the know a fleet number, is carried on the vehicle for identification purposes, usually for the purpose of allocation, fuelling and maintenance.
They are also used by spotters so they can bag the buses, and mark them off. Now we go into alsorts of subcultures, of spotters I will talk about those later.
Now where did spotting originate, hmm good question, I am sure most people started off by collecting train locomotive numbers, and it was quite a popular pastime among schoolboys and a few schoolgirls in the 1950's. Publications were made and sold on railway stations containing lists of numbers so these kids could tick off the numbers. Collecting Steam loco numbers died, out after the last steam loco was withdrawn, or did it????. Not really, as alot of these people clubbed together to form preserved railways, but I will talk about these another time.
People also collected numbers from buses, British roadservices lorries, tramcars, the same publishers cottoned onto this and produced books, and clubs formed to record the movements of the vehicles from fleet to fleet, the wealth of knowledge contained is better than the computer kept by the DVLA.
So we have the spotters, and we also have the subcultures. There are those who go round chasing particular types of vehicles, there are those who chase a particular group operator. Doesnt really matter, it keeps them entertained. Now these people or to use the common term bashers, usually have a language of their own, and the antics performed by some can be interesting. But they are harmless.
The bashers also form social groups, and probably go out drinking together, it is not like the stereotypical image, the social misfit who has no friends.
Now collecting is part of human nature, going back to the times of the huntergatherer, having a trophy of a conquest. Now how many reading this collected things in younger days, the person who said they didnt is a liar. Some of the things I have collected over the years have included matchbox cars, photographs, action man figures, and the number one item which caused many a battle of the playground, which echoed to the "got got got need got got", yes the Pannini football stickers. Now there were stickers for the world cup, in my case mexico 86, and Italia 90, and particular players commanded a higher palyground value. Michelle Platini, Pele, Peter Shilton, Chris Hoddle,Waddle and Gary Liniker, all commanded high values, the kid who had these as swops ruled the playground, the sky was the limit as we all very quickly learned demand and supply at a very early age.
Then came the day, when one of the kids completed his collection, ( yes it was a boys thing, girls collected my little ponys or some other girly bollocks), and announced that he was going to bring in his carrier bag full of swops, (yes it was highly addictive and almost as bad as doing drugs), and there was to be a scramble at playtime, everyone for themselves. So word would get round, people would be trying to do the deal to get that sticker they want, but no they will have to wait. Everyone would watch the clock. half and we would go out side.
All the boys would occupy a corner of the playground, the kickabout would stop, you could cut the atmosphere with a knife and out he would come, carrier bag hidden under the coat, as this was technically against the rules,(Ive suddenly gained weight Miss)". So everyone would gather, he would put his hand in the bag and pick out a handful of stickers, all of a sudden the cry of Scramble would be heard and all hell would break loose.
So the next few minutes is total carnege as noone is spared in the scrum, The teachers would notice and come and break it up, the few remaining stickers which would be left would be confiscated and the bell would ring for lessons to resume. Ahh the memories. It was a laugh and taught us all a vital lesson in the law of the jungle and a doggy dog world where to survive you had to have bigger teeth.
We have all moved on from those days, but the habit of collecting is still there, and it is linked to spotting, It keeps people entertained and totally harmless.
Anyway happy bashing and spotting ttfn
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