I'm Ian I live in the North Riding of Yorkshire and am (just) the wrong side of 40. I lived the first 27 years of my life in Garforth with the railway running across the bottom of the garden but had little interest in railways until the mid 80's when I went to Leeds with a friend who was a spotter and the sight and sound of D200 under the train shed roof served as a Damascus moment and the next few years were spent spotting and later bashing until a hectic social life and work got in the way and the interest waned.
Fast forward 12 years or so, an inquisitive look over the wall at Thornaby and the sight of stored 56's rekindled the interest and the rest is here to see!