RailUK Forums
reviews and complaints

This can be a good forum. It is very well structured and covers everything about different aspects of the railway, including trains, infrastructure, ticketing etc. It also has a section dedicated to buses & coaches, as well as a general discussion section. I do enjoy reading all public transport infrastructure projects, people's travels and different opinions and asking advice about ticket validity, restrictions etc.

And yet, a certain administrator who I'd rather not name (but apparently created the site) always likes to bully me claiming that my posts don't comply with their rules even when they do so. Not to mention I find some rules completely ridiculous as well! Not only that but this same administrator also accuses me of things that are completely untrue just because it doesn't suit the administrator's preferences and threatens me all the time to put my account on moderation for doing nothing wrong. For example, just a slight error or mistake, and this administrator will immediately have a hard time with me just because I apparently breached forum rules. The same administrator warned of my account going on moderation only because I had posted too much on a forum I was very interested in contributing (what is the point of a forum if you don't want people to contribute! That's basically trying to turn the forum into a dictatorship, where anything that doesn't suit the administrator will be punished!

Indeed, I was put on moderation by this admin in question once in 2020 and then again now. What happened was that I created a thread by sharing an article in relation to railway ticketing issues. That caused my account to go on moderation once again (this was in April 2023) because according to this grumpy administrator, I didn't put a comment to promote discussion (even though there was nothing that was to be said!). The second time my account went onto moderation, I just had to leave!

Luckily not all of the moderators and admins are that bad and some of them are lovely people. But it's a shame this particular administrator has to completely ruin the great experience this could potentially be!

So yeah, join the forum at your own risk.

The moderating on RailUK Forums is really noticeable, and not in a good way. It's like they're always watching, just waiting for someone to slip up so they can pounce on them. And when they do, it's not done in a helpful or constructive way. It feels more like they're trying to score points and show off their power rather than actually trying to make the forum a better place.

It's pretty clear that some of the moderators don't have much else going on in their lives besides monitoring the forum. I mean, how else could they respond so quickly to every little mistake? It's a bit sad, really. You would think they would have better things to do.

It's a shame because the forum itself isn't actually that bad. There are some interesting discussions and helpful information to be found. But the atmosphere is just not welcoming at all. It's like walking into a room full of judgmental eyes, ready to pounce on any misstep.

One thing that's really noticeable is the lack of industry professionals posting on the forum. That says a lot, doesn't it? If the people who actually work in the industry don't feel comfortable or welcome there, then what does that say about the forum as a whole?

Overall, RailUK Forums has potential, but the overbearing moderating and unwelcoming atmosphere really bring it down. It's a shame because it could be a great place for discussion and information sharing. But until the moderators lighten up a bit and create a more inclusive environment, it's hard to recommend it to others.

RailUK Forums, also known as railforums.co.uk, is a platform where railway enthusiasts gather to discuss various topics related to trains and railways. The site was created by a moderator named Yorkie, who, in my experience, can be quite challenging to engage in a mature conversation with. It seems that he has a hard time admitting when he is wrong, which can be frustrating for users seeking a fair and open discussion.

One aspect of the site that I find particularly troubling is the presence of rules that appear to discriminate against individuals with disabilities. This is disheartening, especially considering that there are users on the site who have disabilities themselves. It is important to create an inclusive and welcoming environment for all members, regardless of their abilities.

Another issue I encountered on RailUK Forums is the swift deletion of posts for minor typing errors. It can be disheartening to see your contribution removed simply because of a small mistake. What's even more disconcerting is the way Yorkie handles challenges to these deletions. Instead of addressing concerns in a respectful manner, he tends to gaslight users who dare to question his actions.

In my personal experience, I was banned from the forum for defending my identity as an autistic individual. It is unfortunate that expressing oneself and standing up for who you are can result in such consequences. It is crucial for online communities to foster an environment where individuals feel safe to share their experiences and perspectives without fear of retribution.

Overall, RailUK Forums has its drawbacks, particularly in terms of the moderation style and the potential discrimination against users with disabilities. While it can still be a valuable resource for railway enthusiasts, it is important to be aware of these issues and approach discussions with caution.

I've been a member of Railforums UK for nearly a decade now, and I've gotta say, it's been quite the ride. I've been contributing my fair share, you know, not just lurking around. I mean, post count ain't everything, but hey, I've racked up over 6000 posts, so that's gotta count for something, right?

The mods, man, they do a bang-up job of keeping things in line. They're always on the ball, making sure discussions stay on topic and splitting off posts onto new threads when needed. Gotta give 'em props for that, you know? Keeps everything organized and easy to follow.

Personally, I'm all about the Infrastructure section. That's my jam. But hey, I don't limit myself, I post in other areas too. There are some seriously knowledgeable folks on this site, and let me tell you, I hang on to their every word. They know their stuff, man. And being stuck here in the good ol' USA, I rely on the photos of progress to keep me in the loop. They're top-notch, and they've been a real help, you know?

Now, like any website or internet forum, you gotta take things with a grain of salt. Don't get too worked up over stuff, you know what I mean? It's all just words on a screen, after all. But hey, that's just my humble opinion.

All in all, I gotta say, this forum is the real deal. I can't recommend it enough. One of these days, I'll make it to a forum meet or a meal or something, but for now, I've had the pleasure of meeting a few members on some awesome photographic trips. Good times, man. Good times.

I've been on loads of forums, but this one is the absolute worst, mate. There's this one admin, right, who I won't name, but he's a proper pain in the backside. I swear, 99% of the stuff I post, he's got a problem with it and keeps giving me a hard time. I post the same stuff on other forums, and I never have any issues like I do here on Rail UK.

When I first joined this forum about 3 years ago, I made my first post, and straight away, this admin had a go at me. He had the audacity to say that five things I wrote were wrong and he removed my thread. Can you believe it? And to top it off, he gave me a warning, all within an hour of me joining. Talk about being unwelcoming, right?

And get this, he even got annoyed when another member joined with a similar username to mine. He thought I was stealing it or something. Like, seriously? Can't a bloke have a similar username without causing a fuss?

So, I thought, maybe I'll just reply to other people's posts instead of starting my own threads. But no, that grumpy old admin punished me again. He had the nerve to say that the forum had no place for fantasy posts. I was just having a laugh, you know, joking about if a certain train service ever ran into my town. But no, this admin clearly has no sense of humor whatsoever.

I got so fed up with his nonsense that I created a protest thread, calling out their ridiculous rules and staff. And guess what? That got me another infraction. Can you believe the audacity?

About six months later, I thought maybe things had cooled down a bit, so I came back to ask a question about a disabled rail card. But within 30 minutes of posting, Mr. Grumpy showed up again to punish me. He claimed I posted in the wrong context. Like, give me a chance to edit my post, mate! But no, he put my account on moderation, meaning everything I post now has to be approved by a moderator.

And let me tell you, even to this day, if some of their lower rank moderators are happy with my posts, that admin still swoops in to punish me. I reckon he must have some serious mental issues to keep harassing me like this. Thousands of other people post on this forum every single week without any problems. He's probably just some grumpy retired 80-year-old station master with nothing better to do than upset vulnerable folks like me.

Honestly, I wouldn't recommend this forum to anyone. It's a right nightmare dealing with that admin and his ridiculous rules. Save yourself the hassle and find a better forum to join, mate. Trust me on this one.