Spamcan81
Member
The usual froth surrounding steam tours. There are incidents of trespass every day, the vast majority of which have sodd all to do with rail tours.
The usual froth surrounding steam tours. There are incidents of trespass every day, the vast majority of which have sodd all to do with rail tours.
The usual froth surrounding steam tours. There are incidents of trespass every day, the vast majority of which have sodd all to do with rail tours.
Looks like it to me tooLooks like blowback to me.
Isn't the point really. Yes it seems like there was little danger at the time but what was stopping an ECS move or freight train from coming along and hitting them?For info this was a Northern Saturday timetable; no trains and some buses. This excursion both outbound and inbound, plus ECS move at the end of the day, was the only traffic on Saturday. Effectively; it was a heritage line...
Isn't the point really. Yes it seems like there was little danger at the time but what was stopping an ECS move or freight train from coming along and hitting them?
Pre 80's cant recall this problem, we traveled far and wide with drop lights but took our own safety seriously and didnt put the responsibility on others. We spent many hours on platform ends and again without problem didnt put responsibility on other's. If individuals are stupid enough to put their safety at risk why should others be held responsible? Time to get away from the Nanny state and ambulance chasers and take responsibilities for our own actions
Well they probably will get away with it won't they? I imagine there are better ways to spend one's time than trawling CCTV and YouTube trying to identify some idiot who's wandered a few feet past a 'must not pass this point' sign to take a nice photograph.It's the audacity of those seen blatantly trespassing that gets me. Given a lot of them will be caught on camera what makes them think they will get away with it?
The fact there is never any freight through Horwich Parkway perhaps?Isn't the point really. Yes it seems like there was little danger at the time but what was stopping an ECS move or freight train from coming along and hitting them?
The requirement to fence UK railways dates back to the acts of parliament at the time that required railway companies to fence off their land, but I suppose ‘Health and Safety’ is something to blame in today’s environmentIn the UK it's as if Health and Safety legislation and safety liabilities are different to that of Switzerland...
imagine there are better ways to spend one's time than trawling CCTV and YouTube trying to identify some idiot who's wandered a few feet past a 'must not pass this point' sign to take a nice photograph.
but all I see is a few people taking pretty minimal risks with their own safety, and I find it difficult to get exercised by that.
The fact there is never any freight through Horwich Parkway perhaps?
Of course it is the point when replying to somebody claiming they could be hit by a freight train. But never mind, you just rant away to your heart's content and I'll just ignore you.
The differences in attitudes towards safety even accross Europe are interesting though.
I’ve been to Switzerland for work. The heavy railway runs through towns and Villages with no fencing, just the track on some, nicely maintained shiny Swiss ballast. The carriages were low walk on double deck, the platforms were almost no existent, like a bus stop, and you walked accross the track after you got off...
In the UK it’s as if the railway is radio active and the trains invisible
There were 11,711 recorded violent crimes on the railway last year and 2,472 sexual offences. I think the BTP have slightly more important things to be doing than trawling through CCTV of a couple of trespassers on a railway where no trains had passed for 7 ½ hours and none after it for another 10 ½ hours.
I do remember until the 90s people used to access Wigan Wallgate from the King Street gate, walking across the track onto the end of platforms
Except freight trains like test trains that run.
It's open access - celebrating the railway's heritage is important, and there is considerable income from enthusiasts' activities on the main line. There are irresponsible people in every walk of life, and the "working railway" is far from immune.Sooner they stop these railtours the better, it's a working railway not an enthusiasts playground.
Unfortunately it will take someone being killed before being stopped.
It’s not just the old that get all misty eyed about steam, all ages do it. You only have to be somewhere like Doncaster or York on a Saturday when there’s a steam special running to see people balancing on the edge of the platform as if they’re on a tightrope. That goes for the people on the tours too. I remember back in May 2016 when Flying Scotsman pulled in at York. We were forbidden to pass a certain point on the platform by the BT police yet as soon as the tour percipients arrived off the train of all ages they were allowed to the far end of the platform and snap away at will all in front of the same BT police.
Grumpy & cantankerous they were too. “Out of my way I’m on the tour you know” they bellowed.
I won’t put on here what was said back to him as he waltzed about in his tweed jacket like he owned the platform.
Pre 80's cant recall this problem, we traveled far and wide with drop lights but took our own safety seriously and didnt put the responsibility on others. We spent many hours on platform ends and again without problem didnt put responsibility on other's. If individuals are stupid enough to put their safety at risk why should others be held responsible? Time to get away from the Nanny state and ambulance chasers and take responsibilities for our own actions
This might be the case for new build stations on high speed lines, or where trains pass platforms at over 125mph (a future possibility at places like Didcot), but theres too much legacy infrastructure in most cases to insist that pax stay off the platforms until the train is arrived. What works on a 1 train per day long-distance Amtrak route with high staffing levels is not necessarily going to work on a multi-tph DOO route.Of course, restrictions come into force gradually. In the '80s there were no yellow lines, and far less attention was paid to platform-enders than today. Along with this, the frequency of main line tours today is much greater. The "nanny state" will never recede, only increase. There may be a time, I suspect not so far away, when people are only allowed onto platforms either when a train has arrived (USA-style) or where there are platform edge doors. Whether 'open access' will exist is anyone's guess, and tours (and any celebration of heritage) may cease altogether if some people have their way.
Perhaps anyone on the 'fury' side of this question should just ask themselves - have I ever crossed a Pelican crossing when the red man was showing?
It's open access - celebrating the railway's heritage is important ...