Hi, I recently lost my father and grandfather, quite close together. My grandfather worked on the UK railway for 30 years and my father was indeed interested in it. However, it's never something that has taken my fancy. Well, I just say, now my interest is peaking a bit, and the fact my son of 6yeara old adores trains has helped. I'm getting a feeling of my family love of trains as going full circle.

So the reason why I need your help is, what do I need for me and my son, to become train spotters. Is that a thing still? Is it a big community? It a community at all? Do you need like notebooks, binoculars or camaras? Or is it mainly to view them (again with or without binoculars) my grandfather used to always be interested in some sort of serial number, but I've not really understood that? Any help in a how to guide of being a train spotter, what is needed to start/what is good equipment to buy/any good communities/webpages to buy stuff would be most helpful

Thank you, JP