Some things catch you by surprise. Take passing trains for example. In my time I have stood for upwards of three hours to watch a particular locomotive pass by, only to see nothing pass at all. On other occasions I have arrived too late, or just as what I sought was disappearing into the distance. But on this occasion I sought nothing, was expecting nothing, but saw something rare (for a BR Southern Region person at least).
This was Carnforth Station in October 2011. I was walking towards the northern end of the platform for the double-track line which runs around the Cumbrian Coast, when I heard a relaxed grumbling behind me. Turning around, I was greeted by the sight of a pair of class 66s conveying a nuclear fuel flask wagon along the goods avoiding line towards Sellafield (I assume). Now, to see a flask train is fairly uncommon anywhere in the UK, but to have the combination drift past me at gentle pace and just a few feet away was quite an unexpected chance occurrence.
As I said, its all about being in the right place at the right time.
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