Lineside Trespassers.

[Sidmouth34010]

One of the things I struggle with (even though I'm a photographer) is the obsession with being lineside (whether it be preserved lines or national network) .

The best shots are never trackside yet so many seen obsessed with the notion of being there .

 

[LE Greys]

Yes. Well, I would. Every time. And the response will be massive delays as trains will be instructed to pass at caution, as no-one will know if the person inside the boundary fence is there to take photos, to steal cable or to throw themselves under the next train.

What about on the boundary fence, Railway Children-style? I used to do that occasionally, to enable me to see over the top. Not any more, I'm a bit taller now.

 

[pendolino]

What about on the boundary fence, Railway Children-style?

Depends. Are you frantically waving your red knickers?

 

[Yank 119]

The best shots are never trackside yet so many seen obsessed with the notion of being there .

So, would you mind saying where the best shots are to be had?

Some of you lot would lose yourselves in other parts of the world where lines are generally not fenced. I see no point in getting upset about someone else putting his/her own life in danger. I just shake my head and laugh. Yelling at a person to get off the property has never worked for me. It's useless and has always been met with contempt. Trying to prevent people's stupidity is not worth the energy.

I love to take photos of people trespassing. Once they see what I'm doing, they usually correct themselves and disappear from view. Funny how that works.

 

[LE Greys]

So, would you mind saying where the best shots are to be had?

Well, from the shore about half a mile from the Forth Bridge for instance, or at Maidenhead from a quarter of a mile upstream, or looking accross the park east of Poole, or on top of an embankment eclipsing the sunset. Including a bit of landscape can work wonders.

 

[pendolino]

Including a bit of landscape can work wonders.

I agree with that.

(Didn't quite get the train where I wanted it to be, but that's my crappy camera)

 

[Ferret]

I can't understand the obsession with trespass shots that pervade the kettle crowd. I'd much rather be on a bridge or along the fenceline. Hell, even a station shot after darkness has fallen can be fantastic.

 

[bAzTNM]

Right, what would happen in this situation?

A guy is on the platform and decides to jump onto the line below him. Will he be electricuted straight away?

 

[wensley]

Right, what would happen in this situation?

A guy is on the platform and decides to jump onto the line below him. Will he be electricuted straight away?

Well, firstly said chap would be a fool or have a screw loose!
And with regards to electrocution it would depend on if the line was 3rd/4th rail electrified and then if he came into contact with the electrified third/fourth rail (having said that the electricity could arc if said person was sufficiently close to the live rail)

 

[Hydro]

A guy is on the platform and decides to jump onto the line below him. Will he be electricuted straight away?

No, otherwise the trackworker fatality statistics would be through the roof. You need to be completing a circuit, i.e. providing a path to earth, to receive an electric shock. Touching the conductor rail and the running rail, or anything else conductive is a good way to do this.

In certain circumstances you can deal with the live conductor rail using insulated tools. Opening hook switches and applying test lamps ("box of eggs", used to see if the rail is live or not) are examples of this, a hook switch pole being made of wood wrapped in insulating tape and the test lamps being a wooden box with a running rail clip to provide a safe path to earth. A bit disconcerting when putting the eggs on and you get some nice sparking.

You will not die, or be injured, just from being on an electrified line. However, unless you know what you are doing and which parts are live, it's risky being on or near it.

 

[dieselbashdave]

Found this gem on Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Tivedshambo_2007-05-26_Carmarthen.jpg

Happy snappers completely oblivious to the Coradia at Carmarthen! Bet the driver's thinking "Hmm, this is like ten pin bowlingw, with all those skittles around the place" along with "get out of the way, this is a railway not a cafe!"

 

[jon0844]

Right, what would happen in this situation?

A guy is on the platform and decides to jump onto the line below him. Will he be electricuted straight away?

It depends if he is carrying a knife, which would be conductive!

 

[es373]

Even if you hold a valid PTS/DTS competent ticket, it doesnt entitle you to randomly potter about on or near the line. You should have reason to be there and the Line Controller/Operations Control should be informed first to make them aware of your presence.

This is what I was taught anyway.

In response to Hydro, I wouldn't recommend being around electrified rails or trying to stand on them: All it takes is a crack in the sole of your shoe or to have something like a small staple or a drawing pin in the sole and your fried!
750DC may not sound much but its enough to cause Electrocution and not an Electric Shock!
Also another thing - if you're working around OHLE's and have been told they are isolated and safe to work on. Quite simply they are not safe. Reason being is Induced Voltage.
To put it into context lets say you have 2 running lines that have Over head lines. Line 1 has been isolated (but not earthed) but line 2 is still live with 25kV. There is a good chance that Line 2 will make Line 1 live through induced voltage but if line one has been earthed. Then its safe.

Oh also for people that dont know - All rolling stock which run on lines with overhead line equipment will have an orange line going across the tops of the trains (Above the doors). This is called the Cant Line. As you may be aware, electricity can jump and at 25kV it can jump 9ft - this line basically means do not pass this line while the train/overheads are live as you may be electrocuted.

 

[Hydro]

In response to Hydro, I wouldn't recommend being around electrified rails or trying to stand on them: All it takes is a crack in the sole of your shoe or to have something like a small staple or a drawing pin in the sole and your fried!
750DC may not sound much but its enough to cause Electrocution and not an Electric Shock!
.

I know. I worked on the Southern on the track. I was involved in working around live conductor rails day in, day out. I never tried to stand on the unshielded con rail, nor touch it, I'm not an idiot. You can work within 1ft of live conductor rails provided you have insulated tools and conductor rail shields. It's unnerving at first, but perfectly safe.

 

[David Dunning]

Found this gem on Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Tivedshambo_2007-05-26_Carmarthen.jpg

Happy snappers completely oblivious to the Coradia at Carmarthen! Bet the driver's thinking "Hmm, this is like ten pin bowlingw, with all those skittles around the place" along with "get out of the way, this is a railway not a cafe!"

Is that the official crossing place between platforms at Carmathen then?

 

[dieselbashdave]

Is that the official crossing place between platforms at Carmathen then?

It looks a bit like it, I failed to notice that It's what I get for posting before having a cup of coffee and engaging brain :roll:

ETA: I thought that the Coradia's were only operated on Manchester to Holyhead and the rest of Wales got the 158s on express services or does the Coradia and 158 appear all over?

 

[Crossover]

Right, what would happen in this situation?

A guy is on the platform and decides to jump onto the line below him. Will he be electricuted straight away?

On a marginally different tact...what happens if you jump off a bridge onto OHLE....well, apparently you can live, as a guy did at (I think) Stone sometime last year.

He got burnt but probably didn't make a circuit as to how he survived it (and the fall itself at that)

 

[LE Greys]

On a marginally different tact...what happens if you jump off a bridge onto OHLE....well, apparently you can live, as a guy did at (I think) Stone sometime last year.

He got burnt but probably didn't make a circuit as to how he survived it (and the fall itself at that)

Well, birds can sit on the wires perfectly fine, simply by only touching one wire at once and nothing else. Eagles occasionally electrocute themselves by landing with wings spread, thus touching both line and pole, but that's very unusual. Moral is, if you ever end up trapped on a live wire, don't let anyone put up a ladder to try to get you down.

 

[Wyvern]

Is that the official crossing place between platforms at Carmarthen then?

Maybe but you are still not supposed to linger on it I doubt

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

On a marginally different tact...what happens if you jump off a bridge onto OHLE....well, apparently you can live, as a guy did at (I think) Stone sometime last year. He got burnt but probably didn't make a circuit as to how he survived it (and the fall itself at that)

Is this the incident when a person was being chased by a gang of youths and was so terrified as what might happen to him that he did what he did out of sheer fright?

 

[O L Leigh]

I've also seen pictures of some little herbert who had jumped into the OLE from a neighbouring multi-storey car park. Not sure where it was, though.

O L Leigh

 

[HugePilchard]

Ignoring the OLE for a second... what exactly goes through someone's mind when they decide to jump from a car park onto a railway line? Was this suicide, or just recreational stupidity?

 

[Yank 119]

Found this gem on Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Tivedshambo_2007-05-26_Carmarthen.jpg

Happy snappers completely oblivious to the Coradia at Carmarthen! Bet the driver's thinking "Hmm, this is like ten pin [bowling], with all those skittles around the place" along with "get out of the way, this is a railway not a cafe!"

Oblivious? Really? The driver of the DMU is about to change ends and depart in the opposite direction. The line ends there, look at the rusty rails. Those people on the walkway are not doing anything unsafe. Also, it does look like that's the only public place to cross between platforms. Some of you are so quick to jump all over people (that you don't even know) for perceived wrongdoings! :roll:

 

[45689ajax]

Some of you are so quick to jump all over people (that you don't even know) for perceived wrongdoings! :roll:

Agree with that.

 

[ralphchadkirk]

Some of you are so quick to jump all over people (that you don't even know) for perceived wrongdoings! :roll:

See his last post - he did not realise it was an official crossing.

 

[robschopper]

I've also seen pictures of some little herbert who had jumped into the OLE from a neighbouring multi-storey car park. Not sure where it was, though.

O L Leigh

Do you mean this?

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-402250/Youth-sought-25-000-volt-cable-stunt.html

 

[Crossover]

Is this the incident when a person was being chased by a gang of youths and was so terrified as what might happen to him that he did what he did out of sheer fright?

I'm not sure and I can't find an article online but I'm sure it was somewhere round Staffordshire

 

[dieselbashdave]

Oblivious? Really? The driver of the DMU is about to change ends and depart in the opposite direction. The line ends there, look at the rusty rails. Those people on the walkway are not doing anything unsafe. Also, it does look like that's the only public place to cross between platforms. Some of you are so quick to jump all over people (that you don't even know) for perceived wrongdoings! :roll:

Yeah I only realised that when it was pointed out to me My brain has a habit of not engaging before fingers are typing when I'm knackered and have gone without sleep for a few days! I'll try and remove my size 11 from me gob (it's big enough to fit a car inside lol)

 

[David Dunning]

Yeah I only realised that when it was pointed out to me My brain has a habit of not engaging before fingers are typing when I'm knackered and have gone without sleep for a few days! I'll try and remove my size 11 from me gob (it's big enough to fit a car inside lol)

well technically its not the best place to pause and take photos even if it is the main crossing point . Look both ways and cross QUICKLY etc etc lol
But I am sure everyone was perfectly safe

 

[142]

During a recent visit by a steam special to Bristol, I was appalled to see a group of idiots wander off the end of platform 5 at Temple Meads

I have seen it happen a few times there

just found a video where someone is down the ramp at Cheltenham Spa, and I know for a fact the signs are a lot further back than where the person in the red top is at 1 min 29 in this video. Also the person filming is past the "Passengers must not pass this point" sign at 59 secconds too.

http://www.youtube.com/brian35fry#p/a/u/2/d9GC17iQtu0