Oxford English Dictionary (use your local library!) sez:
One (esp. a small boy) whose hobby is observing trains and
recording railway locomotive numbers. Hence train-spotting
vbl. n.; train-spot v. intr.
1958 Spectator 11 July 70/3 A prize of six guineas is offered for a
Train
Spotters' Anthem. Ibid. 1 Aug. 179/1 Many of them must simply spend their
time train-spotting. 1959 Manch. Guardian 22 July 2/6 British
Railways..announced a ban on train-spotting..on about twelve main-line
stations.
1969 Times 1 Nov. (Saturday Rev. Suppl.) p. iii/4 A train-spotting
recluse,
primed with exact information on lines that have rusted into the ground.
1974 P.
MCCUTCHAN Coach North ii. 15 I reckon you're all past train spotting...
The
old man didn't look as though he'd ever train spotted. 1978 D. WILLIAMS
Treasure up in Smoke xiv. 126 The Governor appeared to have graduated from
train-spotter to Lord Protector in one short morning.
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