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Photographing in London Terminii

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RJ

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London Bridge - Always spotters there, staff never hassle.

Marylebone - Staff are extremely helpful and friendly

Waterloo - Staff are alright, but don't like it if you linger

Paddington - Staff appear to be OK, but the BTP will come and search you under some terrorist act - don't think that being a child will deter them

Ealing Broadway (alternate) - Staff are perfectly happy as long as you go to the manager and ask for a pass.

Liverpool Street - Staff will verify with you that you are an enthusiast, they're alright.

Victoria - Staff generally are OK, as long as there is some sort of railtour, usually the (Blue) Pullman.

King's Cross - Staff are fine.
 
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Coxster

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Actually you are perfectly within your right to photograph at any location. As for the pass thing, you are 'meant' to get one anyway, hence why you were not approached when you had one. As for Liverpool Street, that's where one security guard called in his 'superior' (a BTP officer) after he approached Dad and myself. Apparently we were upsetting him :rolleyes: As for Victoria, we were also once approached there yet we have never had any problems at Paddington. Those are you opinions - not what is right/wrong.

Also since when was Ealing Broadway a London terminal?
 

andel

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Waterloo are ok but they're slightly nervous having got the (highly publicised) control centre there, they like to just keep peace of mind of the superiors....
 

David

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Generally speaking, your ok to take photos at any station, it's just at busier stations, the staff prefer you to get approval first.
 

Sprog

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Its common curtosy to speak to a memeber of station staff or the DM (Duty Manager) if you planning to hang around longer than 5mins, no matter what 'rights' :roll: you have..........
 

Met Driver

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We've been here before, and it ended in a bitter dispute last time, so remember to keep things as amicable as possible please.
 

Jim

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I was aproched at Waterloo, but as soon as they worked out I was a real enthusiast, they said ok, & we had no further trouble
 

TicketMan

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Without starting a blazing row (like last time this topic came up) may i make a couple of points:

Firstly, why do people have such an issue with getting a visitors pass as large stations? It takes only a few minutes - the process involves signing in and reading the station safety instructions - takes 5 minutes at most. You are then given a pass to be visibly worn - the thing all but guarantees that you will not be hasled by staff / security / BTP...
So what is the problem?

Secondly, regardless of peoples' perception of Network Rail being a government department, they are not. Railway stations, although open to the public, are private property, and therefore photography / trainspotting / filming / whatever are not 'rights'.

Thats my view anyway.
 

steve158

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i've always got a pass at the big london stations to photo. like ticketman says it's no hassle.

Victoria and Liverpool Street are Great. Paddington aren't really bothered. St Pancras are alright. Kings Cross are a bunch of Mardy Sods.
 

metrostars

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spm_43030 said:
Its common curtosy to speak to a memeber of station staff or the DM (Duty Manager) if you planning to hang around longer than 5mins, no matter what 'rights' :roll: you have..........
Should you also do this at Clapham jnct? And if so could you give a number please?
 

Julian G

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metrostars said:
Should you also do this at Clapham jnct? And if so could you give a number please?
clapham junction is ok
they won't mind you

St.Pancras- MML Staff are very kind, I even asked a train dispatcher if I could take photo of the HST , or go to the other end of the platform and they said yes :)
 

ChrisCooper

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St Pancras used to be one of the worst, ever since LCR took over management of the station and brought in their security staff. Even on the last day the old station was in use they were prowling around looking for any little chance to tell anyone off. It wasn't just LCR staff though. I got told off by a MML manager for using flash to take a photo of the booking office cealing (wouldn't have been so bad, but it was one of those times when he told me off as if I should have known I was wrong, rarther than informed me that I shouldn't be doing it, and it was an accident anyway, since in those circumstances my camera works better without the flash, but defaults to autoflash when first turned on).
Oddly though, since the new station opened, everything seems much better, which is very irritating since the new station isn't anything like as nice for photos as the old one IMHO.
 

Julian G

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ChrisCooper said:
St Pancras used to be one of the worst, ever since LCR took over management of the station and brought in their security staff. Even on the last day the old station was in use they were prowling around looking for any little chance to tell anyone off. It wasn't just LCR staff though. I got told off by a MML manager for using flash to take a photo of the booking office cealing (wouldn't have been so bad, but it was one of those times when he told me off as if I should have known I was wrong, rarther than informed me that I shouldn't be doing it, and it was an accident anyway, since in those circumstances my camera works better without the flash, but defaults to autoflash when first turned on).
Oddly though, since the new station opened, everything seems much better, which is very irritating since the new station isn't anything like as nice for photos as the old one IMHO.
remember that this Summer MML will move to platform 1-4
 

91119

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spm_43030 said:
Its common curtosy to speak to a memeber of station staff or the DM (Duty Manager) if you planning to hang around longer than 5mins, no matter what 'rights' :roll: you have..........
Probably. But I'm sure any reasonable DM wouldn't be too bothered so long as you weren't messing about, they do have other things to be doing after all.
 

Sprog

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metrostars said:
Should you also do this at Clapham jnct? And if so could you give a number please?

Hope that wasnt sarcasm :confused: :s

...anyway, its not a terminus so.......and TBH, the staff are so used to enthusiasts, they wont blink. I cant rememeber which platform is the most vantagious, but its one of the longest ones on the 'london' end.
 

Julian G

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Sprinter said:
I always find the London end of platforms 11/12 at Clapham Junction is a good vantage point.
you find a lot of enthusiasts on platform 9
 

Jim

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joea1 said:
Stations are private property.....
....If you have a ticket, you are in your rights to accses it, &, use it in a appropiate manor IIRC

ATOC Photography Rules said:
Taking photographs on stations is permitted providing it is for personal use. For any commercial photography, prior permission must be sought from the appropriate train operator or, from Network Rail at their 17 major stations


ATOC said:
Before entering the station
At major stations please inform the Duty Station Manager of your presence. This will ensure that station staff are aware that you are on the station and they can go about their duties without concern as to your reasons for being there. At smaller stations you should ensure that you advise a member of the station staff of your activities.

That is the ADVISE given by ATOC
 

Sprog

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ATOC said:
Before entering the station
At major stations please inform the Duty Station Manager of your presence. This will ensure that station staff are aware that you are on the station and they can go about their duties without concern as to your reasons for being there. At smaller stations you should ensure that you advise a member of the station staff of your activities.

That sums it up perfectly and supports everything ive said previsouly..........
 

Sprog

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Yep! Just go to the main desk and enquire, OR ask one of the platform staff where to enquire.
 

Sturdjos

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Would this process be the same at tube stations? See the DM etc, and get a pass?
 

Met Driver

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Sturdjos said:
Would this process be the same at tube stations? See the DM etc, and get a pass?

Yep. Have a word with the Station Supervisor.
 

Sturdjos

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OK.

If I get this pass - will it be valid all over the network, or just for that station?
 

Sprog

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Sturdjos said:
OK.

If I get this pass - will it be valid all over the network, or just for that station?

Only that station im afraid!
 

LucaZone

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well this was a complete joke. decided to try it out and follow suggestions from here about getting a 'Station Pass'.

Went to the ticket office at Paddington. They sent me to the Customer Reception Desk opposite the London Underground stair case. They then directed me to the Network Rail reception off of Platform 1. The Network rail desk pointed me to the Ticket Office!

They all recognised what I was asking for, and new the Duty Manager was needed, so I didnt need to explain much. In the end I gave up and just went around the station taking pics as usual! Noone seemed bothered about me taking pics anywhere, even when Platforms 2/3/4/5 were off limits from the concourse end.

Takes 5 minutes?...more like waste of 15! Sorry but it would appear its not as straight forward as everyone makes out.
 
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