Unfriendly rail stations to spot trains

[silverfoxcc]

Years ago, when there was regular stem on the LSWR main line, i was at woking with several ozen others waiting for 60103 to arrive, Was on the london end of the platform, with tripod, as were sevel others and behind th yellow line ,but one leg of tripod wa over it bt 3in at most. We could hear muffled announcements but took no notice as they are quite frequent there , WHEN a staff member rushes up to me and demands that i remove myself from th station as i am a safey hazard, and bcause of ME, note not the others all over the yellow line, he had to hold all the trains in the Wokin area as far back as Waterloo!! This statement brought hoots of derision from the other guys, but he was insistent, and cose accompanied me out of the station. I could even dismantle my gear.
Pushed me out of the entrance warning me he had my face etched on his brain etc etc etc. A Few weeks later i was chatting to the staff at Farnborough, great bunch of lads, past and present, and relayed this episode to them.
Nw according to them this chap had boken the camels back with this action nd had been demoted so far down the chain, they believed he was carriage cleaning somewhere.
Whether this is true i know not, bu if so it did give me a warm feeling fo a while
Oh and toda at Harrow on the Hill, the LU? staff were brilliant in allowin m to stay on platform videoing the fast dissappearing A Stock. Aain great PR at little cost to the system

 

[Simon Poole]

Basically he told him that he had to ask permission before taking any pictures then added that you can't take any pictures or video here. A little later he said will you come with us please, again will you come with us please, then stop it please.

There is also 'Excuse me hello, did you ask permission and then your right with the rest Mr Spock

Where do you think he was going to take the guy?

To a office just to go through with me that i had to sign in blah... blah... blah but i went back on the 2nd March and had no encounters and also 2nd May and nothing happened even know the same person was there

 

[bb21]

Just to add that we were well-served at Stratford International on Monday. The ticket office clerk was perfectly happy that we wanted a platform ticket to get downstairs and do a bit of spotting, and allowed us to keep the tickets by letting us through the manual barriers.

Might be a confidence-booster for all those of you who want to visit during the Olympics.

 

[alexdodds]

I went to London today and Network Rail staff at Waterloo are not as friendly as the other network rail managed stations as today I almost got refused from spotting. As usual I went to station reception, asked permission and the lady said I should have a letter in advance from South West Trains because there in charge of the platforms. She had to radio the SWT duty manager to inform him of what I was doing, also I had to show ID, my citizencard almost got refused, Passport ideally she said. Also had to do another safety briefing. Then got my badge and went on platform 5/6 she had to know exactly which platform I was going on so she could radio the dispatcher of the platform.

In the end I did get some decent footage but the way Network Rail operates at Waterloo has sort of put me off going to that one again.

 

[causton]

I went to London today and Network Rail staff at Waterloo are not as friendly as the other network rail managed stations as today I almost got refused from spotting. As usual I went to station reception, asked permission and the lady said I should have a letter in advance from South West Trains because there in charge of the platforms. She had to radio the SWT duty manager to inform him of what I was doing, also I had to show ID, my citizencard almost got refused, Passport ideally she said. Also had to do another safety briefing. Then got my badge and went on platform 5/6 she had to know exactly which platform I was going on so she could radio the dispatcher of the platform.

In the end I did get some decent footage but the way Network Rail operates at Waterloo has sort of put me off going to that one again.

Clapham Junction is just as terrible. I have asked a few times and they have blatantly refused, I was talking to one staff member while taking photos and another staff member came up and shouted at me for photographing and the staff member for 'turning their back'...

hint: try the SWT stations further out if that's what you're after... you don't get disturbed by passengers or staff and get much better views

 

[455driver]

There are always a few spotters at Clapham jn and the staff dont seem to care as long as you stay out the way, most spotters stand at the London end of P11/12, never had a problem there at all, where abouts on the station were you when you had the problem?

 

[causton]

There are always a few spotters at Clapham jn and the staff dont seem to care as long as you stay out the way, most spotters stand at the London end of P11/12, never had a problem there at all, where abouts on the station were you when you had the problem?

In the middle of platform 12 (or was it 14? It would have been the fast platform for services to Victoria, as a GatEx passed through which I was taking pictures of)

Usually I stick to the overbridge and try to avoid the canopies and dirty glass - but as I was waiting for a train at that point I decided just to stay there!

 

[Geezah1984]

Thing is, its not just railways where you get attitudes:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YJJkjjpc4GQ

 

[Davidj1178]

as far as I am concerned, you guys are an extra pair of eyes to help with our security checks

 

[60163]

I found myself at a station on the line between Bham New Street and Lichfield Trent Valley, which sees 323s ninety-nine per cent of the time, sitting on a bench with my camera perched on my tripod, ready to test it. A litter-picking staffer came over looking genuinley worried, and spoketh to me in hushed tones:

"Are you filming?!"
"Er...just testing"
"Cuz you're not supposed to film on the station, because of the Olympics"
"Er....rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrriiiiiiiiiiight"

This is a station far, far away from the damn Olympics. No freight, movements and tours are incredibly rare through here, and...TWO PLATFORMS! I wanted to bleat "This isn't King's Cross!"

 

[NSEFAN]

I was wondering how long it would take for the Olympic excuse to materialise!

 

[455driver]

I would ask to see a copy of the document stating that photography is banned for whatever reason.

Sounds more like somebody on a power trip.

 

[Charlie2555]

I haven't had any problems from staff at Clapham Junction but when I was filming a few trains, A Southern driver leant out his window and said "no cameras" to me... Every other driver I have seen didn't mind at all- if he was camera shy then perhaps being a train driver is not the best job?

 

[scotsman]

I haven't had any problems from staff at Clapham Junction but when I was filming a few trains, A Southern driver leant out his window and said "no cameras" to me... Every other driver I have seen didn't mind at all- if he was camera shy then perhaps being a train driver is not the best job?

I imagine they could well have been joking.

 

[Charlie2555]

I imagine they could well have been joking.

He looked and sounded pretty serious though but you might be right. Still, not the funniest joke in the world.

 

[trentside]

He looked and sounded pretty serious though but you might be right. Still, not the funniest joke in the world.

It probably wasn't a joke - I've come across people who just don't like being photographed before. I find the best thing to do is just shrug it off - if they try to be argumentative, try to avoid being drawn into it and move on.

On the whole - I've had no problems with photographing trains, buses are a different story and I've encountered quite a few hostile individuals there. Luckily my local company has always had enthusiasts amongst the management team, which generally makes the drivers more tolerant!

 

[455driver]

I haven't had any problems from staff at Clapham Junction but when I was filming a few trains, A Southern driver leant out his window and said "no cameras" to me... Every other driver I have seen didn't mind at all- if he was camera shy then perhaps being a train driver is not the best job?

I am thinking of having some cards made up so the photographer can send me a copy of the picture, if anyone takes a picture of me driving a train its not my fault if the lens cracks!

If I stop near any photters/ enthusiasts I always say hello, most are polite back but some seem shocked that a driver is talking to them.

 

[Charlie2555]

I am thinking of having some cards made up so the photographer can send me a copy of the picture, if anyone takes a picture of me driving a train its not my fault if the lens cracks!

If I stop near any photters/ enthusiasts I always say hello, most are polite back but some seem shocked that a driver is talking to them.

Haha I want to see you driving I was on two 455's yesterday, first from Waterloo to Chiswick and then Barnes Bridge to Clapham Junction - nice units! Not sure if you work the Hounslow route though

 

[Yew]

I am thinking of having some cards made up so the photographer can send me a copy of the picture, if anyone takes a picture of me driving a train its not my fault if the lens cracks!

If I stop near any photters/ enthusiasts I always say hello, most are polite back but some seem shocked that a driver is talking to them.

I suggest googling free business cards

 

[ATW Alex 101]

London liverpool street
London euston
Clapham junction
to name but a few...

 

[trentside]

I'd heard that things had improved at Liverpool Street recently - has it gone downhill again?

 

[alexdodds]

I'd heard that things had improved at Liverpool Street recently - has it gone downhill again?

Nope Liverpool Street is still up the hill. When I went in May I went into that office the staff were good and I was signed in and out of the office in less than 2 minutes no problem.

 

[I T S]

Bringing things slightly across the pond....

Lisburn! Most staff are ok, but there is one old grumpy miserable sod who said it needs written approval and tries to snatch the camera off you! As mad as it sounds, It's the loopers like this who shouldn't be in the job. Other than that, most of NIR are dead on

 

[150001]

I've never had a problem either in the West Midlands (touch wood). Down at Dorridge no one minds, with one driver once saying hello to me and another let me go into 150001's cab One member of the public was even impressed I was out saying "Good for you!." As I'm 15, I probably break the overall trend. London Midland are certainly good over the issue and I've had conductors before let me view into the back cab, even whilst in motion. Birmingham New Street even let me film once, just asked for a platform access ticket and no problems. Really I think you just have to hide the camera if you see someone from the Police are around!

 

[trentside]

Really I think you just have to hide the camera if you see someone from the Police are around!

You shouldn't even have to do that - there is no law against photography on the railways.

 

[steamybrian]

I have only been stopped twice from taking photographs:
Once at Clapham Junction and once at Kidbrooke. On both occasions I was on business taking photos of sites that required improvement whilst working for British Rail. When I showed the staff my identity card and told them I would be taking their names for reporting to the Station Management they backed off.
I did understand that staff at Kidbrooke station were a bit "edgy" as the previous day there had been a robbery at the ticket office.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

You shouldn't even have to do that - there is no law against photography on the railways.

In any case, wouldn't the act of trying to hide / put away a camera as soon as a police officer appeared make it rather more likely that you would get approached and asked what you were doing than less likely?

 

[Matt Taylor]

Whilst there has been no official change in policy please bear in mind the heightened sense of security over the next two weeks, particularly in sensitive areas like Stratford etc.

So long as everyone uses common sense I forsee no problems for photographers or staff.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

I am thinking of having some cards made up so the photographer can send me a copy of the picture, if anyone takes a picture of me driving a train its not my fault if the lens cracks!

If I stop near any photters/ enthusiasts I always say hello, most are polite back but some seem shocked that a driver is talking to them.

Give me a shout when you're about and i might oblige

 

[nowinaminute]

I've been to Cardiff Central three times unannounced and never had a problem except for an HST guard telling me to get away from the end of platform sign as he went past, otherwise my only interactions with staff have involved talking about cameras etc.

There have been plenty of occasions outside of train stations where people have given me hassle though, 99% of the time it's a case of abusing power, for some reason a lot of people seem to just make up the law as they go along when it comes to photography, if they had more sense they would realise a keen photographer would have some idea about the legal side of things.

It's people like that who perpetuate untruths and lies and it becomes word of mouth to the extent that when I'm taking photos at the seaside an old lady has walked past and asked her friend "is he allowed to do that?" and if it's not that it's people shouting pervert at me. As if a pervert would draw attention to himself with 2 cameras, a tripod and a large camera bag!

 

[Uzair]

I've had a problem at London Waterloo a couple of times where one member of security staff told me pictures and video are not allowed at all, and on a separate occasion, a different person telling me I'd have to obtain permission from the reception, which I really can't be bothered to do.

At Finsbury Park I was filming HSTs and 180s, so was on the KGX platforms for about 30 mins. A member of gateline staff came up to me and asked me nicely what I was doing, and he was curious because he'd never seen me at the station before. In hindsight I should have informed someone I would be on the platforms for 30 mins, however would telling the gateline staff suffice for future purposes?