GCR Ending of Lineside Passes, ex-Bridge that Gap: Great Central Railway News

You carry out risk assessments to establish what may happen, not sit back and wait for it to happen.

 

Liam, If this is true then it is utterly deplorable and a form of active discrimination that I will certainly be taking this up with the railway's management.

 

The GCR is not the most photogenic heritage railway being relatively straight and flat. I held a permit for a season a few years ago but once you've 'done' Swithland I soon ran out of reasons to go back so I never renewed it. I've held a NR PTS for getting on for 20 years and lone access to the lineside is now very rare and in fact in project works all non possession track access is effectively banned. The only way I could see round this would be for groups of photographers to be organised and use lookout protection especially in areas with limited sighting such as Swithland and Kinchley Lane. Whether the additional expense of this would be worthwhile to the individual photographers is another thing.

 

as prev stated, if one or some are on lineside others will consider it an invitation to join in

 

And lineside passes not needed.

 

Not a new problem and not limited to railways either. In the 70s and 80s I worked at an airfield handling a lot of light aircraft movements - More than half of the members of the local village noise abatement society had moved into the village only a year or two before and then started complaining about the aircraft noise. So much so that the local environmental health people came out with their noise monitoring equipment. The moaners were not happy when the results came back: Location 1, Outside complainers house, "Cannot detect aircraft noise over noise of traffic on adjacent road". Location 2, Village green, "Unable to assess aircraft noise due to noise of neighbours mowing lawns". Didn't stop them moaning or writing to the local paper though.

 

I believe the WSR has much a more stringent requirement before issuing a lineside pass than just giving applicants a video to watch. I think you had to attend a PTS course and take a written test before they would give you a LSP. Although according to their website they're not issuing LSPs at present.

 

Observed a veteran hi-vis crossing right in front of a loco dropping down from Goathland at Waterarc during the autumn gala, sharp toot and to me a slow reaction, it only takes one error to produce serious consequences for the sector, earlier in the day a photo charter before services gave controlled access for exclusive shots without the risk that wanderers present, and a fair proportion of linesiders do not display any evidence of credentials and oftentime jackets from elsewhere - is there a responsibility for allowing non pass linesiding by default ?

 

The antics of linesiders are always a worry for footplate crew, whether official or unofficial. it is rare for them to stay on one side of the track and you often get people crossing as you come into sight around a bend. Ironically, this is less likely to be a problem on the GCR as bends seem to be few and far between.
As for photo charters, even these can have their hair-raising moments. People falling off their stepladders (fortunately away from the line) was one. The piece de resistance, though, was on a charter where the loco was heading straight for the sun. The train had come to a stand and was preparing to set back for another run. Fortunately, the guard had the presence of mind to check behind the train first to find two people behind the last coach looking at their shots on their cameras. It was seemingly the only place with enough shade to see them!

 

If the organiser was any of the ones whose charters I've been on then that would have been the last one those two individuals ever attended.

 

If it wasn't for the guard, it would have been.

 

But in that instance the train crew did have more control, not defending the idiots but their behaviour was being monitored.

 

'One man's meat ......' etc,etc. I've been a railway photographer for 60 years and find those using lineside passes a pain in the a**e! On occasions I have trecked a long way to get a medium distance or 'train in the landscape' style shot or one from behind the fence from public access land only to have it ruined by hiviz clad lineside pass holders. At the SVR I am always amazed that on gala days when the viewing gallery at the Engine House is full of spectators their photos can be ruined by some one standing between them and the running line. Same goes for those standing in the vicinity of stations. The occasional visitor likes to get a nice photo too.

 

I know what you mean but at least you can now exterminate them in PS

 

I think he would rather do it with a 0.303...............

 

Got me coat ready...

Don't say any more about taking offence - they might take the gate as well...

Yes, I know, someone had to say it.

Taxi !

 

On the SVR, some stations do make something of an effort at galas to make sure there are good viewing areas for those without lineside passes. For example at Arley part of the trackside by the yard points will be roped off, in such a way that all visitors can get a good shot of Up trains entering the station. In general the SVR has such good views from "public access" locations anyway that I do wonder why someone would feel the need to wander in front of a crowd of "behind the fence" watchers in any case.

 

Me too, I thought the point of having a linside pass was to enable you to get away from the crowds