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SVR General Discussion

Discussion in 'Heritage Railways & Centres in the UK' started by threelinkdave, Aug 20, 2014.

  1. marshall5

    marshall5 Part of the furniture

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    ...... and I hope that anyone with a "proper" or any other camera will give said organizer a full earful back. Sorry to disagree but, if you arrange your photo spots in places to which the public have rightful access then you must accept that non charter participants may take photos. If you want exclusive photo spots for your group then you arrange those spots to be in places to which the public do not have access. I would, however, hope that responsible non-participants/members of the public would not get in the way of those paying for the charter. I've been a charter tour participant in many countries and, personally, couldn't give a 'monkey's' if someone else wants to take a picture of my 'private' train. Just my 2p worth.
    Ray.
     
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  2. Dead Sheep

    Dead Sheep Member

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    I also guess that people not in the charter group, would need to be 'in the know' as to the time and day. Unless I have missed it, I have not seen a date publicizing this private event.
     
  3. David likes trains

    David likes trains Member

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    That's why I said 'following around'. I'm sure members of the public who happen to be around or out on a walk will film this train on their phones before carrying on, and that's fine. But someone going out all day to try and take photos of this because they are in the know about this event is a different matter, and not fair on those who have paid for this train to run. That is my opinion for any photo charter, regardless of who is running it.
     
  4. Gladiator 5076

    Gladiator 5076 Resident of Nat Pres

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    Whilst understanding your point, on that basis maybe we should all stop going out and photographing and filming mainline trips. Many chase ("follow") them and the only people who have paid to run them are the tour company, who hopefully cover their costs and make a profit through ticket sales.
     
  5. David likes trains

    David likes trains Member

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    I did have that same thought so see your logic, but I make a distinction between a mainline charter train and a photo charter train. Because the latter runs up and down with no passengers on board, specifically for the purpose of the participants to photograph and film it.
     
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  6. 73129

    73129 Part of the furniture

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    I wonder how many people are going to make the effort to chase a photo charter around with out paying. Surely if someone is that intent on photographing a charter then why not pay up and attend the photo charter.
     
  7. 5944

    5944 Resident of Nat Pres

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    This one is £145 and sold out. Be interesting to see what they manage not going trackside. There's not a huge amount of locations outside the boundary fence for a 40 strong gallery of photographers, and even fewer with parking for a dozen cars nearby.
     
  8. Jon Lever

    Jon Lever New Member

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    Pretty much the same point could be made about anyone who takes a photo from lineside under any circumstance who does not then make a contribution to the company running the train. Given the occasional fuss on here about whether photographers pay their way at festivals and galas, this might, to some extent, be a case of 'the biter bit'
     
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  9. David likes trains

    David likes trains Member

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    Not really. It's about people doing the same activity, but some having paid for it and others not. The equivalent for trains with paying passengers on board would be me going for a ride without paying for a ticket. I would expect that if discovered by the train staff I would be asked to pay up or leave the train, and rightly so.

    Anyway, I do agree that it would take some effort and dedication to freeload this photo charter. If you know the SVR and guess what public locations they might go to at certain times in the day based on the weather conditions, one could try and do so. But I doubt they would be able to get the same shots as the group, as I said before if they got close enough they'll likely get an earful from the organiser and probably some of the participants.
     
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  10. Fred Kerr

    Fred Kerr Resident of Nat Pres Friend

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    And how about the responsibility of the SVR on NOT providing the exclusivity that the (high) charter fee justifies ? The rationale for the photography charters is access to areas not normally available to the general public but if the SVR denies that aspect then it becomes "open access" to anyone; this is NOT the charter organiser's fault but solely the responsibility of the SVR in denying the one aspect that justifies the fees being charged.
    I can recall a charter being organised on the Bo'ness & Kinneil Railway when the local (line's) photographer dared to take photographs of the charter by claiming that - as the line's photographer - he was entitled. The charter organiser pointed out that the only "entitled" persons were those who had paid the charter fee hence it was a case of "Pay up or F**k Off !" Said photographer duly departed without further ado.
     
  11. 35B

    35B Nat Pres stalwart

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    I’ve not seen the ad, but exclusivity in public places is more than any organiser can reasonably commit to. Participation in the charter gains access to a planned event.

    As for price, if the places have sold, that suggests to me that it’s priced appropriately.


    Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
     
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  12. ikcdab

    ikcdab Member Friend

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  13. Sidmouth

    Sidmouth Resident of Nat Pres Staff Member Moderator

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  14. Chris86

    Chris86 Well-Known Member

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  15. 35B

    35B Nat Pres stalwart

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    I completely agree about etiquette - my issue was with the presumption that the price somehow included exclusivity.
     
  16. marshall5

    marshall5 Part of the furniture

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    Sorry but that's a ridiculous argument. If you travel without a ticket that's theft pure and simple. Taking a photo of a train, private charter or not, isn't .....
    Ray.
     
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  17. Sidmouth

    Sidmouth Resident of Nat Pres Staff Member Moderator

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    Re photo charters

    as @Johnb has shared , the costs to the railway and the need for the railway to make a return that makes it economically worthwhile is making these days expensive compared to previous years . I conservatively worked this one out as likely to be at the top end of what railways charge. Given the need to raise £1.5m to survive , there is a price to pay. Had the day and conditions the SVR applied been offered to me, would I have taken it on ? Whilst I'm not a fan of the offering, given the uniqueness I'd have probably given it serious consideration

    Wearing my organisers hat , I appreciate those who event after event put their hands in their pockets and support as without people buying places the events won't run . It is rare in my experience that we have "freeloaders" and that may reflect that events are less in the public domain and that being on a train locations are chosen that are less easily accessed . Anyone trying to get free access, the risk of being confronted by an angry organiser and 40 paying customers is usually a good deterrent !

    Taking that hat off , generally whilst a charter may have loco and reasonably authentic combination , same is often offered as part of the gala as well . This time we have a castle on a full GWR for the first time since ..... (1980's at a guess , 5051 SVR visit , 1986 ..... ?) that is published widely so has a much greater audience . There is a greater risk of unwanted interest . There is a WTT for the day and most with a little thought will work out where the runpasts will be and where it may be possible to get an image . Forecast is also unbroken sunshine which ramps up the risk.





     
    Last edited: Apr 11, 2023
  18. 35B

    35B Nat Pres stalwart

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    Being really pedantic, travel without paying for a ticket is not theft - hence the special legislation that surrounds travel without a valid ticket. Otherwise, I completely agree with you - whatever the ethics, it is entirely legal
     
  19. Johnb

    Johnb Nat Pres stalwart

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    Many serious railway photographers are involved either financially or practically in railway preservation so the us and them attitude can be particularly annoying. I usually make a donation equivalent to a day rover ticket at a gala. If anyone does likewise don’t buy a ticket, make it a donation as it can then be gift aided.
    I am on the 4079 charter just to see how it works and hopefully it’s a first stage to getting back to the traditional photo charters on the Valley. Contrary to what’s been said, apart from the departing Bewdley and the tunnel locations there are very few places where lineside access is needed. The organisers have got arrangements with a few of the local farmers to access adjacent land.
     
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  20. Dead Sheep

    Dead Sheep Member

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