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Trainspotters banned from Peterborough?

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alexdodds

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There are reports going around on Facebook saying that spotters are now banned from Peterborough can anyone confirm this. Hopefully its just some rubbish rumor made up to scare people.
 
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secludedsfx

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To me it sounds like a load of old tosh as I live near Peterborough and often spot there (Including yesterday) and had no issues.
 

Aictos

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There are reports going around on Facebook saying that spotters are now banned from Peterborough can anyone confirm this. Hopefully its just some rubbish rumor made up to scare people.

Seriously? Trust me its a load of bollocks just made up to scare people, maybe what's happened is someone got told off for doing something unsafe and they started this rumour.
 

Bald Rick

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Not just the station, but within the boundary of Peterborough City Council.

This may or may not be true.
 

ATW Alex 101

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I have seen this as well on somebody's facebook wall, why would they ban us? I hope it's just a stupid rumor. I mean if they want to ban enthusiasts wouldn't they do it at places like York or Doncaster where most of them are?
 

tsr

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Wouldn't there be some sort of court/legal order or else a democratically-imposed decision needed to ban the acts of rail enthusiasm anywhere within the limits of a council's authority? I can't think that would happen.

How do you distinguish "normals" getting excited at a steam locomotive and taking a quick snap on their mobile from "hardcore" ;) trainspotters who have only bothered to bring a good cameraphone that day?
 

yorkie

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... I mean if they want to ban enthusiasts wouldn't they do it at places like York or Doncaster where most of them are?
This is clearly a load of rubbish, but the claim was spotters were banned, not enthusiasts generally.;) Most enthusiasts don't seem to be interested in spotting, and I'm sure the same applies to car enthusiasts too ;)
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
How do you distinguish "normals" getting excited at a steam locomotive and taking a quick snap on their mobile from "hardcore" ;) trainspotters who have only bothered to bring a good cameraphone that day?
Perhaps the test will be whether they have a notebook and a red pen.;)
 

MidnightFlyer

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I have seen this as well on somebody's facebook wall, why would they ban us? I hope it's just a stupid rumor. I mean if they want to ban enthusiasts wouldn't they do it at places like York or Doncaster where most of them are?

Because maybe they aren't causing too much of a problem there? We don't know in this case whether it's just authorities exercising power unnecessarily or whether there is actually a genuine problem; at York and Donny they may be fine.

I do have to admit, if it is because some spotters prat around too much, it's been a long time coming: some of the actions of photters and spotters on the platform end is both embarrassing and, much more worrying, dangerous at times.
 

starrymarkb

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I do have to admit, if it is because some spotters prat around too much, it's been a long time coming: some of the actions of photters and spotters on the platform end is both embarrassing and, much more worrying, dangerous at times.

ValEG? or What ever they are called these days?
 

ATW Alex 101

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I do have to admit, if it is because some spotters prat around too much, it's been a long time coming: some of the actions of photters and spotters on the platform end is both embarrassing and, much more worrying, dangerous at times.

Yes especially those that are in front of the yellow line, on the ramp - those that generally mess around. They are the ones spoiling it for us.

I do hope this rumor about Peterborough is false, the few times I've been there everything is fine, it was Donny and York where there were a few nutcases hence the reason I mentioned them two. At Donny somebody had a whistle board (W in a circle) on the end of a stick and was waving it about. York they were a bit rowdy like the Northallerton lot, but not as bad.
 

ATW Alex 101

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ValEG? or What ever they are called these days?

They are famous for pratting about in Northallerton.

Yorkie-The reason I said enthusiasts was because I am one myself as well as a spotter. I class myself that anyway as my sole purpose is not to go out and collect numbers, but I do do that (did it today actually) but I also like looking a rolling stock, researching railways and being a general enthusiast
 

Harlesden

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Not current but relevant
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...-banned-stations-170-years-security-risk.html

Daily Mail said:
Trainspotters to be banned from stations after 170 years because of 'security risk'

Trainspotters could be banned from King’s Cross and other major stations for security reasons, it was claimed today.

Union leaders say National Express will bar spotters from stations on the East Coast main line because they are a nuisance and pose a "security risk".

There are suggestions of other operators following suit.

The ban, which union leaders claim “betrays Britain’s 170-year long railway heritage”, covers King’s Cross and York, which is the spiritual home of the industry and next door to the National Rail Museum.

National Express is instigating the ban as it installs automatic ticket gates at main stations along the line, say union leaders, who accused the operator of “mindless vandalism”.

Gerry Doherty, general secretary of the TSSA, the industry’s second largest union, said one of his officials had been told by a manager that trainspotters posed a “security risk”.
 
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yorkie

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Good point!

ValEG? or What ever they are called these days?
They had to disband due to their behaviour becoming well known (search Youtube for some of the evidence). Their 'leader' works (or worked) at a station on the Greater Anglia route. But it was Northallerton where their behaviour hit the headlines.

They are famous for pratting about in Northallerton.
True, and there are existing threads with details.
Yorkie-The reason I said enthusiasts was because I am one myself as well as a spotter. I class myself that anyway as my sole purpose is not to go out and collect numbers, but I do do that (did it today actually) but I also like looking a rolling stock, researching railways and being a general enthusiast
Yeah but you can't ban someone for being an enthusiast.

On the other hand, people who arrive at the station by other means than by train and just wish to use the station for the purposes of spotting and do not wish to actually travel by rail, could be banned (at least in theory). However I do not believe it likely to happen.
 

LE Greys

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Wouldn't there be some sort of court/legal order or else a democratically-imposed decision needed to ban the acts of rail enthusiasm anywhere within the limits of a council's authority? I can't think that would happen.

How do you distinguish "normals" getting excited at a steam locomotive and taking a quick snap on their mobile from "hardcore" ;) trainspotters who have only bothered to bring a good cameraphone that day?

Or for that matter, me coming back from a wildlife shoot and happening to drop onto a steam tour.
 

colchesterken

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There was an idea put foward, I think it was on here by a BTP officer to licence spotters
we would have a badge, bit like some airports and plane spotters
it seemed to fizzel out, I think it would be a good idea if the rail mags could start it off for their subscription holders
 

wbbminerals

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There was an idea put foward, I think it was on here by a BTP officer to licence spotters
we would have a badge, bit like some airports and plane spotters
it seemed to fizzel out, I think it would be a good idea if the rail mags could start it off for their subscription holders

No, no, no, no!! What is the world coming to? :( :o

Anyway I would guess this rumour has been started by somebody who has got themself into trouble at the station for doing something wrong/pratting about?
 

MikeWh

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Aren't RAIL magazine based in Peterborough? I'm sure someone there would investigate quite easily.
 

scotsman

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The person that created this myth has clearly achieved what they were aiming for! Look how riled some people are!

Alternatively, the staff weren't as helpful as they would like them to be - probably (rightly) told them off for something stupid - and they wanted P'boro staff to get abuse?
 

Crossover

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Well, I know where the OP got it from. Not sure where they got it from aside from it being "from the grapevine"
 

MidnightFlyer

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Did the rumour come from this person perchance?

[youtube]iGiMqnFpBMo[/youtube]

:D

Edit - Some of the language in that video may be a bit inappropriate, view with caution etc.
 

ATW Alex 101

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Did the rumour come from this person perchance?

[youtube]iGiMqnFpBMo[/youtube]

:D

Edit - Some of the language in that video may be a bit inappropriate, view with caution etc.

Yes that's where I got it from, his facebook page, I noticed that the OP's name has appeared on it too!
 

the sniper

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I only previously knew IPT from his antics here. Now I've seen him topless and I realise that I've actually rather randomly saw him in real life.

Thanks Matt. :| :p
 

Temple Meads

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Aren't RAIL magazine based in Peterborough? I'm sure someone there would investigate quite easily.

I'm sure they could, but because it doesn't concern HS2 or any other politically related stuff I doubt that they'll put too much thought into it..

As it is, it's going to be really very hard to enforce...
 

RichmondCommu

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Hmmm, I received similar treatment from Ian Poole via YouTube. Mr Poole was gracious enough to apologise and said film has been deleted. Fortunately for Mr Poole I was in a benevolent mood at the time.
 
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