People tend to take the pi$$ out of trainspotters. OK - those who stand on platforms collecting numbers seem a bit strange. But harmless.
But if you ever witnessed at close hand a steam-hauled express thundering past in a cloud of smoke and steam, with all those huge connecting rods thrashing away, you'd have to be a total ignoramus not to be impressed.
Not A4s, but Castles and Kings 'down moi way when oi were a lad. Oo-arr'