Stirling

[alexdodds]

Ok I ve done all the Scotrail managed big stations except Stirling and Inverness.

I'm thinking of having a few hours in Stirling one day this or next month. Has anyone been to that station and what are the staff like there. Hopefully friendly like Perth.

I did pass through here last November but that was only because I had a 13 minute connection for the Perth train and so I only did stills in that 13 minutes and had no bother but if I go again I will want to have an hour or 2 on the station.

 

[90019]

I'm thinking of having a few hours in Stirling one day this or next month. Has anyone been to that station and what are the staff like there. Hopefully friendly like Perth.

I never had any bother from the staff there, they're generally pretty friendly, and tend to just leave you alone in my experience.

Not sure about getting on the station if you don't have a ticket though.

 

[alexdodds]

I never had any bother from the staff there, they're generally pretty friendly, and tend to just leave you alone in my experience.

Not sure about getting on the station if you don't have a ticket though.

I will have a ticket because I have to get there by train in any case.

 

[rail-britain]

Not sure about getting on the station if you don't have a ticket though

If you have a ticket, then it's not an issue

Without a ticket it is pretty much hopeless
I have visited three times and twice was refused entry "simply for railway photography purposes"
Each time I was asked how long I wanted access for and advised them it would be between 1 and 3 hours
On the time I was permitted access the weather was dry and warm, so it was worth it, sadly I only saw one freight train which was the purpose of the visit

When I was refused entry I then setup on the bridge over the station

 

[alexdodds]

It's the station supervisor on the day I hope is friendly. I think the office is on Platform 3.

 

[Bill EWS]

I never had a problem at Stirling. I wandered the length of the station and on all platforms without anyone bothering me. Of course, this was over two years back and things may ahve changed but I can only go by what I experienced.

Surprisingly, the only place I have had trouble was while visiting the St. Enoch Shopping Center in Glasgow, which surprised me as it was so unexpected.

http://theatreorgans.com/hammond/ke...008/Stirling & Alloa Rlwy Visit Sept 2008.htm

 

[rail-britain]

I never had a problem at Stirling. I wandered the length of the station and on all platforms without anyone bothering me. Of course, this was over two years back and things may ahve changed but I can only go by what I experienced

Were the barriers in place when you visited?
Did you arrive at the station, already with a ticket?

I agree, if you arrive at the station with a ticket there is no issue
However, every 3 months I visit this station without a ticket and the staff just don't want to allow access for the simple reason of taking a look and photographs

 

[alexdodds]

I never had a problem at Stirling. I wandered the length of the station and on all platforms without anyone bothering me. Of course, this was over two years back and things may ahve changed but I can only go by what I experienced.

Surprisingly, the only place I have had trouble was while visiting the St. Enoch Shopping Center in Glasgow, which surprised me as it was so unexpected.

http://theatreorgans.com/hammond/ke...008/Stirling & Alloa Rlwy Visit Sept 2008.htm

Nice photos. I see you managed to sneak one of the not so friendly Aberdeen.

 

[rail-britain]

Nice photos. I see you managed to sneak one of the not so friendly Aberdeen.

Presumably taken just before the barriers were installed, given the state of the Shopping Centre (now complete), in 2008?

 

[scotsman]

Nice photos. I see you managed to sneak one of the not so friendly Aberdeen.

You're going to be rather jealous about this:

I was wandering around taking photos of Aberdeen Station with a friend from 0000 to 0100 on a Sunday morning! I got challenged, but after explaining why I was there ("sleeping on that old thing [railtour stock] over there!") I was left to carry on. Got some rather nice shots too:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/angus_duncan/6053887141/in/photostream

http://www.flickr.com/photos/angus_duncan/6053873189/in/photostream

As for Stirling, you could try pointing out the guidelines to the staff if they're reluctant for some reason. Failing that, you could show them the CTA guidelines for access (I know it's not a CTA or a PF area, but they might decide the same principle applies!)

 

[rail-britain]

As for Stirling, you could try pointing out the guidelines to the staff if they're reluctant for some reason

Not just Stirling, had it at a few ScotRail stations now
"Sorry, we don't have a member of staff at the moment to complete the necessary forms and issue you with a visitors pass, you don't happen to have one do you?"
I enquired about an all-stations one for ScotRail as this was becoming an issue, and was advised the forms had to be completed at each station on each visit, and the same applies to any external visitor so no surprise really
The difference is entry can be refused for any reason, even to someone with a ticket!

I remember seeing some contractors at Aberdeen and they had the same issue, with the staff refusing them access
They spent nearly 40 minutes making phone calls, then were obviously told to leave and abort

 

[bAzTNM]

Surprisingly, the only place I have had trouble was while visiting the St. Enoch Shopping Center in Glasgow, which surprised me as it was so unexpected.

You can see the point in that though. You could have been a pervo or something. That does happen.

I try to keep people out of all of my shots.

 

[Bill EWS]

As my visit was over 2 years back I will accept that changes may have been made. Aberdeen station is tricky these days due top the barriers but once you have got through them perhaps you may be freer to take a few photos. I took video from the coaches and on departure and had no problems.

In the case of St Enoch's, you can hardly take a photo without at least one other person being in the shot. In my case I deliberately used wide angle and was photographing the building. Anyone in the photo would have been too small to recogjnise without some studying.

t's pretty sad that anyone with a camera in such a place would be considered being a 'perv'. Is this how fanatical and phobic we have become these days! I took many photos over the High Peak Trail a week back and obvioulsy other people have got into the frame. I only ask permission to use such a photo if the person(s) take up a fair part of the scene. In most cases they are happy to agree. If they declined I would not take the photo, or if already taken, delete it at once.

WE really do need to get back to some sort of balance on this issue. How sad it is that we can't photograph anywhere without being considered up to no good. WE are sticklers fopr calling for democracy and Human rights these days but apparently not when it comes to taking a mere photograph!

 

[bAzTNM]

That's a different matter being outside the building. I thought you were filming inside the Centre.

 

[Bill EWS]

No, you got that right BAzTNM. It was the interior but as I said I was using a wide angle lense and had lined up the sweeping curve of the upper gallery, which was itself quite a fair bit off and anyone in the photo would have been really quite small. I did a similar thing in the new Union Sqaure Shopping Center at Aberdeen Station a couple of months back and didn't get questioned by anyone. I was aware of a few officials on both levels who could see me clearly and they never said a thing. Much of these sort of aggros must surely be down to individuals rather than an overall rulling!