Seven Valley Line side pass

Hi All

just had made a phone call to the SVR to ask about there Line side passes,The young lady I spoke to told me I would have to be a member of the SVR, But I would have to take a PTS course I have no problem's with that but as I have a Network Rail PTS card do you know if that would mean I could get a card without taking there course ?

Thanks for any help

Ian White

 

It's unlikely due to the SVR having it's own SMS and standards for lineside safety.

 

Shouldn't this question be directed at the SVR ? No offence but I'm sure that few on the forum will have direct knowledge and the SVR may be prepared to accept certain conditions (e.g. NR PTS) that it does not wish to make known to a wider public.

 

It is a long time since I left what was still called British Rail at the time.

But surely a NR PTS doesn't allow you to go onto the lineside alone anyway unless also holding the Individual Working Alone qualification, and also being familiar with the lines/speeds etc. in the area. (Or failing that, being accompanied by a COSS?)

I would presume that the SVR's Lineside Pass course would include all the necessary local knowledge required to do so on their lines, in the same way that the course for my current K&ESR BRS did.

 

The Rules and Regulations of the SVR are for the SVR to decide - as is their option for any exemptions; all I'm saying is that if the OP wants to know what exemptions SVR will allow the best source of information is - the SVR !

 

Thank you both very much for your reply's, Wenlock IWA is now on the PTS card so you no longer need a IWA card, Fred I was only asking to see if any one had done the same and could save me a call ,I will phone them in the week and find out for myself

Thanks Ian

 

Two documents are available from SVRLive: Explanatory notice and the policy document and application form.

Patrick

 

'just been browsing the documents listed above, particularly the sections concerning what the SVR do and don't allow, and as a result wonder if anyone can explain the following:

• Section 4.5 (1) states that a lineside photographic pass can only be used during the hours of daylight. I'm sure I've seen photos published online taken during the autumn gala's 24hr running that have been taken from trackside locations around stations during the hours of darkness. How have the photographers managed to accomplish this when the line side pass is only valid during daylight hours? (I appreciate many night photos are taken during staged charters, which are clearly totally different circumstances).

• The "specific location rules" state that lineside pass holders are not permitted to walk off the ends of the platforms at Bewdley, neither are they allowed access to storage, repair or service locations at Bewdley, and finally they are not permitted to stand on or walk over either Bewdley North or Bewdley South viaducts. All this is fair enough, but how exactly do holders of a pass get from publically accessible areas to the trackside locations around Bewdley station (thinking specifically the popular spot just beyond the south signal box looking back towards the station) without having either left the end of the platform, crossed the viaduct or gone through the yard where the C&W restoration areas are??

• Final query : The 'must do' section states that when a train approaches the pass holder should lower any equipment they are carrying, move to at least 2 metres from the track and remain in that position of safety until the train has passed. Once again, fair enough, but how is someone supposed to use their photographic lineside pass if every time a train approaches they are supposed to lower their camera from their face? Clearly it's possible through the use of a tripod, but I've seen many people with cameras in lineside positions who aren't carrying a tripod. They've all been more than 2 metres from the track as a train approaches, so no need to move to a further position of safety, but usually as the train approaches they've done the opposite of the instructions and lifted the equipment they're holding, going so far as to actually hold it in their line of view of the train. (ie. they've lifted their camera to their face, restricting their view of the approaching train). It seems a sensible enough instruction for lineside railway workers, but to me seems a direct contradiction of the very thing a lineside photographer is there for in the first place!

 

You make some interesting points which I am not really in a position to answer other than to say that the area north of Bewdley North viaduct can be accessed fron a public footpath. Regarding "equipment" you have almost answered your own question. The wording is taken from the PTS for staff and IMHO was meant to cover crowbars shovels etc. A camers might be seen as not fitting this description even if seen by a photographer as his/her equipment. However a massive tripod might.

For those who dont know them the Bewdley viaducts are narrow with no refuges. I am extremely wary of crossing them even in connection with duties and time crossings to follow trains leaving Bewdley

 

Which locations are you referring to ?, unless you've been there for yourself, a phot from Bewdley yard looking over the fence can be deceiving, and as Dave mentions, Bewdley north is a footpath just beyond the headshunt.

As how do you access the "Bewdley south box shot" I think you'll find the C&W bit/yard is open to the public very often, not off limits at all if the gate is open and there's a sign on said gate saying as much.

 

Ah right - I can see a footpath marked on the map in that area, but wasn't aware there's a way to legitimately cross from the path to the railway property.

As for 'equipment', it rather depends what the railway's definition for the word is. Unfortunately the terms and requirements don't seem to offer any form of definition, so you're left to second guess what the author means. Whilst personally I'm inclined to agree with your more pragmatic interpretation, presumably it isn't too much to assume that a set of regulations relating to use of a photographic lineside pass have been written with photographers in mind, so the use of the word equipment is relating to photographer's 'equipment', and not a trackside work gang's 'equipment' - seeing as a photographic pass isn't relevant for them? It's a bit academic really, but does go to show why clarity when writing regulations can be important, especially if there's more than one way those who are to enforce them can interpret what they're policing.

 

As I don't have a lineside pass the only time I have taken photos of the 'leaving Bewdley' view has been from the far end of the C&W yard, but more often than not on the occasions I've been there the gates have not been open with signs welcoming the public in. (I find it most interesting looking around when the public are welcomed though). My query was relating to the fact that the regulations for the lineside pass clearly state that the pass does not entitle holders to walk through the C&W yard (obviously unless already open to the public), my own experience is it isn't open more often than it is, so presumably photographers can't rely on an access route being available through the yard. It would seem there's a gate of some sort from a footpath down that end onto the railway property near the south 'box, so that's presumably how the south signal box shot is obtained. I've only ever gone past that area on the train, and would previously have assumed the photographers had just walked down from the platforms.

I'm fairly sure I've watched photographers walking off the end of the platform and across Bewdley North viaduct in the past without being challenged by anyone, but that's hardly the point when the conditions on holding a pass forbid it.