Lineside Photographers At Gala's

[Nigel Cliff]

Now i have been a linesider and have always tried to take advantage iof the access to trackside without getting in the way of other photographers shooting from "Behind the fences",but Saturday at the GCR gala it was like a sea of orange hi vis everywhere you looked and for non linesiders a case of put up with it or photoshop it out.
I just call it inconsiderate

 

[ralphchadkirk]

I'm glad to see photographers wearing hi-vis if they are trackside.

To be frank, your photo is unimportant. What is important is that the driver is able to see, clearly, those who are trackside.

 

[matt]

How is it inconsiderate? There is no-one in that photo that is directly in front of you. Yes there did seem more linesiders out (I was one of them) than other galas. Selling the lineside permits is another revenue stream for the GCR.

 

[ralphchadkirk]

How is it inconsiderate? There is no-one in that photo that is directly in front of you. Yes there did seem more linesiders out (I was one of them) than other galas. Selling the lineside permits is another revenue stream for the GCR.

Although lineside permits is another debate in itself...

 

[IanPooleTrains]

Although lineside permits is another debate in itself...

How do you actually go about getting these permits becaused I would love to do a gala at the lineside, safely of course

 

[E&W Lucas]

Now i have been a linesider and have always tried to take advantage iof the access to trackside without getting in the way of other photographers shooting from "Behind the fences",but Saturday at the GCR gala it was like a sea of orange hi vis everywhere you looked and for non linesiders a case of put up with it or photoshop it out.
I just call it inconsiderate

Have you contributed anything to the event? At least those by the lineside will have purchased their permits.

 

[matt]

It depends on the railway involved. Some railways do them, some don't. http://www.gcrailway.co.uk/About_Us/linesidepermits.aspx is how you get one at the Great Central.

 

[Bedpan]

If you hadn't told me, I would have assumed that there was a pw gang doing vegetation clearance or whatever in the background, at least one of whom happened to be taking a photo.

 

[PUFFINGBILLY]

Every Tom Dick and Harry goes about in high visibility vests these days, an easy way for some of doubtful intelligence of pretending to be important, despite looking plain stupid on the High Street.
So all you do is don your vest, climb over a fence and take snaps to your hearts content. Unless the entire line is policed and that permits demanded to be shown then the lineside will always be thus littered with many, but not all, who are no more than Pee Pee's, Photographic Parasites.
Cheer up it will only get worse.

 

[matt]

There were GCR staff out on Saturday checking passes were valid plus you have to wear a branded hi-vis making it more obvious who shouldn't be there.

 

[ralphchadkirk]

There were GCR staff out on Saturday checking passes were valid plus you have to wear a branded hi-vis making it more obvious who shouldn't be there.

Do they also have to attend a PTS course, and do a medical?

 

[matt]

Do they also have to attend a PTS course, and do a medical?

No other than to sign that your fit and healthy when you attend.

 

[ralphchadkirk]

No other than to sign that your fit and healthy when you attend.

I can see a medical being a bit over the top, but allowing a load of people to wander over the track without having even attended a PTS course is asking for trouble IMO.

 

[Yank 119]

Not hard to fix. Took less than 30 seconds to make the orange disappear.

 

[Schnellzug]

i know what you mean. I've just been looking at some videos from there, and it is quite amusing to see all these orange people pop up from the side of the embankment like high vis rabbits as the train goes by. Of course, if it wasn't for these orange people, we wouldn't have such good photos & videos, so it's swings and roundabouts or fools and horses, I suppose, isn't it.
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Not hard to fix. Took less than 30 seconds to make the orange disappear.

But most magazines would say, quite rightly, that that's tampering, and they tend to frown on that. I mean, editing out high viz people is one thing, but one you start the ball rolling what's to stop people changing the livery of the loco if they don't like it (suchn as, for instance, the 8F in the above picture). No, that's the slippery end of the wedge if you ask me.

 

[Yank 119]

But most magazines would say, quite rightly, that that's tampering, and they tend to frown on that. I mean, editing out high viz people is one thing, but one you start the ball rolling what's to stop people changing the livery of the loco if they don't like it (suchn as, for instance, the 8F in the above picture). No, that's the slippery end of the wedge if you ask me.

Who said anything about magazines?

But yea, you're right. Most magazines would rather "tamper" with the images themselves prior to publishing.

Photography is such serious business! :roll: I sure am glad I only take photos for my own personal enjoyment and satisfaction.

 

[AlexS]

I can see a medical being a bit over the top, but allowing a load of people to wander over the track without having even attended a PTS course is asking for trouble IMO.

GCR don't operate a PTS scheme, full stop (at present), it's not a mandatory requirement. Lineside photographers receive a briefing, a DVD has been produced as well, and they're banned from the more dangerous areas of the lineside (deep cutting/viaduct/bi-di running lines with limited clearance).

It's a discussion that does go round in circles as to whether retaining the scheme is worth it's while but as it stands at the moment we're keeping it.

If anyone is doing something unsafe then a polite reminder/request is made to desist, if it's not complied with then more firm requests tend to follow, followed ultimately by the withdrawal of the pass (hence the numbers on the hi vis vests for identification.

It is something we charge for so we do police it during big events - I did once chuck a London Overground driver off who produced his ID and PTS having pointed out that his employer probably wouldn't be very happy if I started wandering around New Cross Gate depot on the back of my GCR pass.

 

[scotsman]

Sorry, but that's a complete joke. I've been informed that I must attend a PTS course by an external contractor (yet, my Inspector is an ex-Signalman, Guard, Driver and Driver Manager) otherwise I won't be able to work on a certain preserved railway after 1st Jan

 

[Nigel Cliff]

Sorry if I have opened a can of worms here but the point I was trying to make was that the linesiders had got their shots and in that scenario what I have always done is hide behind a bush or tree so that the guys not lineside can then get a clean shot without me and my orange vest in the way.Re contributing to the railway I had paid my £5 to go into Quorn station and used the cafe as well

 

[AlexS]

Sorry, but that's a complete joke. I've been informed that I must attend a PTS course by an external contractor (yet, my Inspector is an ex-Signalman, Guard, Driver and Driver Manager) otherwise I won't be able to work on a certain preserved railway after 1st Jan

Depends what each railway has in it's safety management system. I think the GCR will go down the PTS road eventually, but as it stands it's not required, although certain restrictions do in theory apply.

Nigel, I don't think there's enough trees, bushes etc on the banks at Quorn for linesiders to hide behind and to be honest the last thing we want to have to deal with is people falling down the bank sides being silly moving around while trains are in the vicinity - we have enough issues arise as it is.

 

[yummy125]

I took these pic's when I worked at the Mid Hants Railway a few years ago, I had all my correct passes etc so no problems getting near the track: