RAILWAY WEBCAMS

While this streaming web cam might not show particularly interesting trains (only 2 per hour anyway) the scenery can be rather spectacular!
Innertkirchen in Switzerland looking towards the Grimsel Pass.

 

We have had webcams since the station opened back in 2003 at Wirksworth. They can be viewed live at http://www.e-v-r.com/cctv/default.htm

The first cam overlooks the main bulk of the Yard at Wirksworth, the second one looks directly along platform 1 across to platform 2 at the station and the third is overlooking the station quad. The station quad cam is only streaming to the website between 18:00 and 08:00 on weekdays and all day at weekends. The others should be available all of the time.

Cheers,

Leigh
Ecclesbourne Valley Railway

 

Here's one from Bressingham http://www.bressingham.co.uk/content/webcam.aspx

 

"There's a NR DBSO + 31 sat at Minehead..." says James on the WSR Discussion Group.

It's there right now on the webcam at http://www.wsr.org.uk/webcam3.htm

Steve
(WSW)

 

There are 5 webcams on the Chunet Valley website, 1 of them facing the yard.

 

Be great to see Webcams on both the Bluebell and the MHR!!!

 

They're nice to see but offer very little return for a very large investment for the railways themselves. The webcams are not normally the type you would use on your home PC but are rather more expensive versions that offer things like protection to the weather. They then have to be connected to a computer network with a server, before streaming can even begin! Very expensive to achieve!

 

No it's not!!
The streaming camera at BL is a normal webcam of the type sat on most teenagers’ computer and the computer is a standalone 3400 Sempron using the camstreams software. The uploads do not affect the costs of the internet supply as the railway has a business account and is on unlimited. as the equipment has been donated the cost is zilch.

I admit the MD camera has a better picture but then they have a sponsor I did it as something to try one afternoon on a layover between trips whilst at BL. the camera is 95% of the time in camstreams top 10 and have brought visitors from all over the world. I can increase the quality to almost the same as MD but because the service is free I have to cut the number of simultaneous visitors so I leave it at what I feel is the best compromise between viewer numbers and quality. The camera has had over 3/4 million hits and has been running from Dec 2006.
BTW I will clean the lens when I visit next.

 

And it is greatly appreciated by at least one person who can't get down to Somerset as often as he would like to.
Very many thanks!

 

We use professional Axis equipment ourselves.

 

I think you will find the camera at Minehead on the West Somerset Railway boxed in?? As the picture isn't particularly clear? So i would imagine it has something like a clear Perspex front to it?
So in my opinion you could use a standard Web Camera linked up to a Net Server! It doesn't have to cost the earth to purchase a server to do the job? As long as it remains off the Site Network, incase of hackers, then not a problem.

 

It's in a standard external webcam housing so yes it does have a "screen" between the lens and the subject. The Minehead camera and publishing facilities are provided free, courtesy of fiNETra, a company specialising in webcam installations. The WSR Plc provide the local wiring and computer, and the broadband connection. The Listed Status of the Minehead Station Building and Canopies has restricted the choice of location of the webcam. We are still hopeful of a second device at Minehead, overlooking the turntable, but viewership is likely to be lower than the existing webcam as the turntable area of the station does not see regular, daily movement.

As I write (around 7am) I can see the lights are on at Minehead Station and the carriage cleaners are at work and no doubt the steam raisers are already enjoying their first tea break...

BTW I applaud the work of Rodders who has worked webcam wonders at Bishops Lydeard Station.

Steve
(WSW)

 

That is the reason I use a standalone computer as there is no chance of being hacked. Also I live 30 miles from BL and I use a free system called logmein to remotely control the cameras and suchlike from my computer at home. To use profesional equipment would be lovely but as the money would not be forthcoming then I feel this is the best that we have available. I would like to get a user operated camera but that is hopefully the future.

 

I think that is the best and safest way of doing things in this day and age Rodders. Is there any way that the Webcam at Minehead can be more focussed in to the Subject/s?

 

I find the webcams at NNRs stations a great way to keep in touch with whats going on etc when not at NNR, also lets me show friends at college live images of the trains etc which they think is cool (and now want to visit the railway for them selves...)

 

That is the way to get people involved in Preserved Railways!

The thing is that certain things can make a difference in enticing people to preserved railways! Especially if they get a heads-up (So to speak) via, webcam.

 

If you mean "zoomed in", I'm afraid the view has been agreed with the railway management to ensure the coverage matches the view provided by the previous cctv camera. The new webcam doubles as a security cam and webstreaming cam. As in my previous reply, we were unable to fix a webcam in a new location on the building/canopy due to listed building restrictions.

Steve
(WSW)

 

I'd be very grateful for recommendations of webcams or setups that have been used on your lines - we're thinking of setting one up over our miniature railway. We'll need an externally-mounted camera, and we've already got a spare broadband line set up.

 

What you need is some external camera housing (which isn't always cheap) and any kind of webcam but usually network-based. You can then either use network cable (max length before boosting is 100m for Cat5 cable) or a wireless signal (will consume loads of bandwidth and therefore the link couldn't be used for PC's as well - also note, if it is a proper CCTV installation then wireless isn't very secure). Run the link back to a PC acting as a server. You will then need to configure the camera and the PC to see each other as well as have a bit of software that does the Internet bit. You will need a pretty good connection to do continuous streaming so still frames every so many seconds might be preferred. We use a bit of software called ActiveWebcam.

 

Just had this mailed from Pickering.
Would this count as the next step from webcams?

28.10.09 NYMR LAUNCHES INTERNET TV CHANNEL

The world famous North Yorkshire Moors Railway has become the first visitor attraction of its kind in the UK to launch an internet TV channel.

NYMR TV is now available to watch on YouTube, as well as on the preserved steam line’s own website, www.nymr.co.uk and will feature brand new videos each month.

“We may be a heritage railway, but that doesn’t mean we are behind the times” says NYMR’s General Manager, Philip Benham. “We recognise that we must embrace new technology in order to keep up with our visitors, staff and volunteers.”

The idea behind NYMR TV is to give anyone with an interest in the Moors Railway the opportunity to be regularly updated on what’s going on – such as with the Bridge and Wheels Appeal for example, which seeks to raise £1 million for the Railway, - and to find out about new developments as soon as possible.

“There’ll be plenty of exclusive behind-the-scenes footage, and we want to give viewers the feeling that they are really getting under the skin of the North Yorkshire Moors Railway” says Mr Benham. “We hope the channel will appeal to everyone – visitors who want to find out more before they come, staff and volunteers who need to be kept well informed of developments, as well, of course, as railway enthusiasts.”

NYMR TV is produced by David Dunning and Wendy Homewood. Both David and Wendy are highly experienced, with backgrounds in broad-casting: David is a specialist in railway journalism, and Wendy continues to make television documentaries. Last year they successfully launched Flamingoland TV, an online channel for Flamingo Land Theme Park & Zoo, near Malton in North Yorkshire.