“Foamer” seems to be an American term – more of a put down than a term of endearment. There’s also “anorak” from the UK. That term seems to refer to the stereotypical British “loco spotter”.

Paul in Melbourne

From:tramsdownunder@... tramsdownunder@...> On Behalf Of David Batho
Sent: Wednesday, 20 January 2021 18:26
To: 'Richard Youl' via TramsDownUnder tramsdownunder@...>
Subject: Re: [TramsDownUnder] Re: Bob Merchant

We won’t mention “foamer”!

David

On 20 Jan 2021, at 9:36 am, David McLoughlin mcloughlin.dj@... mailto:mcloughlin.dj@gmail.com > wrote:

Sorry to hear that about Bob -- someone I have never met, but long known of because of him being a legendary gunzel.

In fact, dragging out the old mtut newsgroup's FAQ from the mid-1990s, I see this entry:

GUNZEL - a transit, especially train fanatic. GUNZEL. According to Bob
Merchant, editor of the Australian enthusiasts' journal "Trolley Wire,"
the term was first used by Sydney Tramway Museum members in the early
1960s to describe certain enthusiasts in the state of Victoria
(Australia) who took their hobby a bit too seriously. The term comes
from the film "The Maltese Falcon" in which Elisha Cook Jnr, played
Wilmer, Sydney Greenstreet's twisted gun-slinger (gunsel in American
gangster slang). The film has been described as one in which there
wasn't one decent person in the whole film. The gunsel in the film was
what we would describe today as a "Gunzel", a bit thick to say the
least. Before Puffing Billy (a heritage steam train in the ranges
outside Melbourne) issued their "Gunzel Pass" a few years back, their
president, Phil Avard, checked with the STM as to the meaning of the
word and its origin. Phil, being a bit of a film buff, understood
immediately and the pass was issued. Originally, one did not call a
person a Gunzel to their face as it was a bit derogatory. The term
Gunzel in the Australian sense was first used by Dick Jones, Don
Campbell and Bill Parkinson, all of whom are still members of the STM.
The term has since been picked up by New Zealand, UK and some US
railfans. See also ANORAK.

--
david mcloughlin, New Zealand
"Be careful what you wish for..."