Great Western Coffee Shop

It's in the Daily Mail so it might be OTT.. 


http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1162394/Trainspotters-banned-stations-170-years-security-risk.html (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1162394/Trainspotters-banned-stations-170-years-security-risk.html)

Bring back the platform ticket! I've often thought they're missing out on a potential revenue stream there.

:O >:( :o

It should not be allowed!!!!

I think Relex109, Devon_Metro and Grahame will have something to say about this

Outragous!

I am simply outraged that I am being singled out here  :D

lol i will have to become a covert spotter... but then will i be branded as a terrorist?

Platform tickets usually allow them for about 59 minutes if I remember correctly. I don't see it being banned. But it's true that sometimes they go were they really shouldn't for the "perfect photo"

As a grammar terrorist...possibly. ;D

Well, I did it, I actually brought myself to read the Mail's diatribe. I've never seen that many cameras pointed at a 450 before. All sounds hysterical and OTT as usual (shouldn't Gerry Doherty have better things to do, like representing his members?).

Even if spotters were "banned" (and I bet that's not going to happen), has no-one thought of the obvious? For a day's unfettered trainspotting at a gated station, buy a cheap day return to the nearest station up the line, then just happen to wait a very long time for your train.

On the subject of crazy union press releases, have a look at the following gem from the Associated Train Crew Union (ATCU): your handy cut-out-and-keep guide for breaking into drivers' cabs. Irresponsible lunacy if you ask me: a rail union really ought to know better. I know Bob Crow can get rather overexcited and has come out with some prize rubbish in his time, but I don't think the RMT would ever publish anything as stupid as this.

Follow the link, scroll down to the 10 Mar 09 press release. Read it and weep, then note the extreme irony of the title of the following press release. I despair.

http://www.atcu.org.uk/newsroom.htm# (http://www.atcu.org.uk/newsroom.htm#)

It only discloses stuff that would not be difficult to find out (on this forum, or by asking a driver or preservationist, or train cleaner or manufacturer). 

I think the Mail is lying.

All that is happening is barriers are going up at certain stations. (thus preventing train spotters)

I assume that spotters are already "banned" from stations like BTM, New Street etc.

Platform tickets are a problem as people can use them as a cheap way of getting through the barriers, and then fare dodge.

Actually, no, Btline: there are quite often 'spotters' on the ends of platforms at Bristol Temple Meads - they are well known to the gateline staff, who just use their discretion and nod them through the barriers.

Didn't realise.

Mmm...as reported in the York Press, including my thoughts...doubt if I'll be allowed to go to the bookstall now..."there he is...that that, damn contibuter!"

Sorry missed the link...doh ???

http://www.thepress.co.uk/news/4206675.Rail_chiefs_deny_York_station_trainspotting_ban/

:o

Surely not?

The trouble is that a large slice of 'Middle' Britain believes without question, every word they publish. 

It has been pointed out that 'spotters' are friends of the railway. From an inside perspective, it is good to have extra eyes and ears open, particularly when they are on your side. 

On a lighter note, I understand that it would be possible for potential terrorists to use spotting as a cover for their activities, but IMO they would never succeed in getting the 'look', or the badges and pens for that matter. ;D

In which case I apologise, I should have added a :P to my post, it was ment to be tounge in cheek ;) ;D

The man speak sense  ;D  Agree 100% with all of that.

See also a BBC News video report, at http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/7953080.stm

And the evil twin get's in on the act.

http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/90122/Train-photos-pose-security-risk

I do like the first comment.  ;D

Or the 'socks and sandal' look, along with the grubby anorak, and trousers pulled up to armpits! ;D

Just confirms what I've long thought - time for the Revolution. Bring back Mrs T or somebody in her ilk. As usual, common sense gone out the window on account of a load of bureaucrats/jobsworths.

The first comment does show how the timing of this story puts it into perspective!

On the BBC Video, I feel sorry for the VT woman - now broadcast across the world, and public enemy number one for trainspotters.

I have no sympathy I'm afraid.

She was rude and her attitude sucks.

i think its 50/50 she was ignorent very ignorent, however after asking him to turn the camera off he proceeded to point it at her face and carry on filming which is equally ignorent as is not making staff aware of his precence, now ok i confess that when i go with my camera i rarly ask for permision which is bad on my part before i decided that i was going to start photographing trains and stations i felt it prudent to research railway rules and bylaws something this man did not do, besides if you ran a pub or a hotel how wold you feel if someone was to just walk in and start taking pictures? i cant walk onto a platform without buying some kind of ticket as i feel its wrong

What I find most amusing is how she approached him as if he was about to jump on the tracks or something. He was hardly a danger to anybody else was he!!!

well like i said she seemed very ignorent but were only getting one side of the story, he could have been at the end of the platform in the out of bounds area, over the yellow line, who knows unfortunatly now and again in this life people just randomly for no decent reason act like pr**ks, never going to stop that, im just giving the member of staff the benifit of doubt as she was not invited to give a personal statement

Incase you havn't seen the video, he was behind the yellow line near to the station canopy.

Letter to today's Telegraph reasonably quotes the Network Rail's "Guidelines for Railway Enthusiasts" and then goes on to quote the bit about informing the DSM at Major stations.
Does Macclesfield quite fit the bill as a major station? and moreover, the gent in question was seeing off a relative, and thought he'd snap some trains whilst on platform.
I just see the whole thing as quite bizarre...picking the low-hanging fruit, to use the politicos' most recent trendy expression...anyone like to hazard a guess at who coined that one (it's a good one mind!) ???

"Low hanging fruit" is a long standing example of management consultant speak/jargon that's been around for years. Unlike other examples of the genre (eg "delayering") it's actually quite seductive in the way it rolls off the tongue - better than "quick wins" or "easy targets", both of which are spot on but don't sound quite so "intellectual".

Of course, low hanging fruit doesn't require mich energy to harvest so shouldn't command high fees.....

Network Rail owns all the stations and from their website....

http://www.networkrail.co.uk/aspx/777.aspx

Part of which states....


The above seems to suggest that these rules only apply to the 15 or so stations that Network Rail directly manage - BNS; Leeds; Manchester Pic; The big ones in London; etc.  There is perhaps some lack of clarity over the hundreds of other stations, such as Maccesfield.

Also stated on the same webpage by Network Rail is...


Anything else quoted by newspapers is just designed to create a story and sell "copy".

Not sure if anyone spotted this ...

http://www.tomharris.org.uk/2009/03/23/railway-enthusiasts-and-photography/