I wonder why he'd be despatching from LTV high level (as the 323 shows), I thought the guard did that.
That's showbiz for ya... you're correct. My guess, the photo was taken during the day when no Virgin services call at LTV, but the photographer wanted him with a train.
Of course it must be pretty dull to work a station when high level gets 2tph (as the terminus of the XCity line) and the low level gets 4tph
IIRC, he only dispatches the morning up Virgin services, once the last one has gone he's finished for the day. I'm quite sure the evening down Virgin services are self dispatch.
This chap got a mention on Radio 2 this morning as part of the local news feature on Chris Evans show. They said he was a 'station guard', which bemused me, but I see that the grade can be attributed to the creative folk/'journalists' at the Metro...