The Yorkshire Traveller 14/9/19

Im most certainly for window hanging in a sensible manner, But if health and saftey and the survival of mainline steam T.O.C. has to come first then i think its a case of start to get used to the bums on seats rule and just film from within the carriage and have the sliding window slightly open to listen to the sound of the loco if the other 3 passengers i am sat with allow it and just consider window hanging a bygone pastime nowdays.
Davo 56F

 

Please explain that!

 

Right, having just recently travelled on the Merchant Of Avon and In my opinion it was all very relaxed from a stewarding point and on board train management was fairly sedate, there was the standard tanoy announcements etc about leaning out of windows and no smoking. I was stood by the window for the climb up Wilmcote and beyond to Earlswood and in parts I did put a small portion of my head out of the window, just so I could see the road ahead and it that time, I had a steward pass me, the guard and the train manager and not a word was said. Whether that was because I was only partially leaning out in brief periods I don't know!

Is there any enforcement on the Jacobite, when people all clamber to the nearest window to watch themselves round Glenfinnan viaduct or along the sea wall on the Torbay's ? We've gone over this ground umpteen times and while some TOC's will take a tough stance, some others seem to prefer to monitor the situation and act accordingly. That's my view and I've travelled with three mainline operators this year !

 

Witch hunt ? not a bit of it, more a case of highlighting the practise because I don't want to see the continuation of main line steam jepardised by what i consider to be a few (very few) selfish people spoiling it for the many. I did ask him a straight forward question, it seems like he's ignored it.

 

Victor--- I think you are assuming something which maybe you should not be assuming when you say that.

 

I see that Victor.I would like him to come on here and try to make a case for what he does and accept that he is wrong doing what he does.

 

Which comes back to my point re "steward's discretion" noted above; they understand the maxim that "rules are meant for the guidance of wise men and the blind obedience by fools". In response to Gladiator 5076 the example noted here was taken with a steward standing beside me, knowing that I was aware of risk and was not putting either myself or train at risk. The image at Holgate was taken before the train joined the main line hence sufficient clearance was available and I returned to my seat before the train joined the main line. A further image departing from York was taken just before the 2-track became single track hence sufficient clearance was available and - again - I returned to my seat before the train reached the single track.

In fairness, had the steward insisted that I return to my seat I would have done so but - in the prevailing circumstances on the day - discretion on both sides allowed these images to be taken. I agree that some people might "go over the top" in seeking to photograph from the train hence the stewards needing to be more insistent on not leaning out of the window but the stewards on trains that I have travelled know the route(s) well and know where there is the opportunity for a little latitude and discretion. I am grateful for that discretion hence my resistance to a total ban - and an unwillingness to be wholly critical of stewards using their discretion when the opportunity arises.

 

Whilst I totally disagree with the inclusion of a photograph of the said person and this is said with no connections and have never met him - I do feel that he could achieve a similar style of "recording" from his seat if needed.

Whilst it may not be "camera" quality - by using a phone mounted on a selfie stick - (and checking this is "Ok" with his fellow passengers) this can be held up to the droplight in the carriage so that barely nothing more than say an inch is protruding from the window.

Would this style of filming be deemed "Ok" by the TOC and those on this site - or would that still "technically" fall foul of the law so to speak?

 

Indeed, starting to post pictures of people on here and demanding they explain themselves is descending into this territory...



On the wider issue of 'steward discretion', that's seems grossly unfair as its essentially asking a steward to make a decision which flies in the face of the policy of the company they are representing and leaves them (and their employer) entirely open if the worst happens.

 

I would normally agree, but IMHO there is no privacy or intrusion issue here as it is his Youtube Channel icon and as such is a matter of public record.

 

Am I missing something here? I thought this was a thread about a specific main line steam event, not a rant-fest about window hanging (other relevant threads are available)!

 

Sorry about the tangent - a known feature of NatPres threads - but it has raised an item of interest which has strong views on many sides; almost as much as Brexit but that is one for another thread methinks. I'll try not to make further contributions but I can't speak for other posters.

 

Agree John, surely time to put a lid on the thread.

 

Surely the judgement call has been made by the ORR and RAIB with regard to opening windows and their use or mis-use on 'heritage trains', this will be enforced in due course.

Perhaps this is because some passengers continue to make the wrong judgement call, as demonstrated by the regrettable recent fatalities.

 

The stewarding on the Jacobite was relaxed, there was the usual tannoy announcements, but all windows were occupied for the crossing of Glenfinnan! But the reality is the viaduct is taken at low speed with no obstructions close to the train. For the rest of the trip most people chose to sit down anyway - the majority are tourists and families.

On the return I enjoyed plenty of time standing at a window and was not asked to move, but would never have stuck any part of me out - this is another line where vegetation management is not high on the list of priorities unfortunately. I am glad I was able to do stand by a window though; the scenery, noise and atmosphere is something else on this line. Perhaps because I behaved sensibly, staff took a sensible approach?