Lineside Veg........

This was sent out as part of this weeks "Rail Mail" e-newsletter from the GCR, but it deserves a wider audience.....................

Resident Complaints - Lineside Behaviour

We are becoming increasingly concerned by the number of complaints from residents adjoining or close to the Railway regarding a small but persistent group of photographers, armed with comprehensive tree cutting tools that have been cutting down saplings and tree branches in the search for better photographs (and in some cases trespassing on the Railway)

The local councils are very strict with us on matters surrounding local residents and it is important that we maintain our excellent and hard-built relationship with the local community. Not only are these individuals putting that at risk but also, in many cases, they are committing offences which could render them liable to prosecution. We are also very conscious of our responsibilities in terms of protecting nature and the environment and adherence to the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981

I have asked local residents that have engaged with me on this to take photos of future problems so that we can attempt to identify the culprits and report them to the Police. Could I ask everyone to be extra vigilant and report any sightings to the Duty Traffic Manager

 

Please send these people to Llangollen, where we will find plenty of foliage for them to cut down.

Bob.

 

Could they be people who have had their line side pass withdrawn?

 

Doing the railway a favor,

Railways claim there aren't enough people to cut back, but this shows there is.

 

NR could do with their gardening expertise in many locations.

 

If they wanted to do the railway a favour they'd join as a volunteer and help legally, rather than acting illegally and causing the railway a lot of bother, which doesn't sound helpful to me.

 

But no one volunteering seems bothered, so they are doing the railway a favor,

Sounds very helpful to me, no one has died,

So do us a favor and climb back off your high horse.

 

I know we have all pruned a few branches encroaching on the railway but I’ve never seen anyone with comprehensive tree cutting tools. This could have been started by the new resident nimbys at Woodthorpe. One, I know has complained about photters taking pictures of his house (!). I also had a bit of bother there when I parked, quite legally, on the estate spine road adjacent to another vehicle that was obviously local as the owner was cleaning it. I didn’t cause any confrontation and just walked off without acknowledging the guy shouting at me.
If you don’t like heritage railways don’t buy a house next to one

 

and you could stop being a pratt and read what was written, a lot of the damage has been done outside of the railways boundaries Ie on private land.
there are instances of damage being done on Brazil Island which is an SSSI which has caused the railway problems in the past. So it seems that the idiots responsible for this damage are not doing any body a favor.

Colin

 

Why do I get the feeling a certain 47's account will not be active for much longer? As ever it's the few who can cock it up for the many.

 

Off thread slightly but years back whilst waiting for a Cotton Mill express near Darwen a chap jumped over the wall with his folding saw and actually cut a tree down with a six inch diameter but nobody said a word oddly.

 

Well he must be on his sixth account in the last few months, so it's about time he had a new one.

 

Without sounding "one up manship", I know of many linesiders active from the 1980's onward who carry a selection of equipment in their armoury, including powered chain saws.
I make no judgement either way, but we are travelling increasingly in green tunnels both on heritage railways and out on the big railway. On a trip from Manchester to Lincoln for the weekend by train exemplified this. Don't know what the answer is, but I sure like them buying my stuff for the RHTT's!!

 

I’m guessing this is related to the conifers planted on the embankment at Woodthorpe last year by one of the new residents.

 

Can you please not abuse me.
No need to call me what you've called me.

Thank you for your understanding.

 

That's exactly what this is. I paid a visit to the bank at Woodthrope for the first time during the ASG, on the Sunday before the T9/926 Double Header.
Myself and 2 others walked up to the bridge and joined at least 5 other chaps who had set up on the Down side of the line (opposite the new houses), I had only heard stories of one particular resident assaulting a photographer who was snapping passing trains from the new lineside fence but took solace in the ''safety in numbers'' mentality. Sure enough, this resident and his wife exited their house to walk their dog and glared at us standing on the bank but didn't say a word. They soon returned and the woman took a photo of us all before going off again. The double header passed and all of the incumbent photographers made their way back to their cars while we 3 took up new positions (myself lower down the bank sitting on the bridge supports for support). The couple returned with another male resident and his young son and began berating us about trespassing on their property. I explained that this was the first time I'd used the spot and was not aware it was out of bounds to any and all. I tried to mediate, but this well known gentleman swore at and threatened me with violence, not unexpected, just shocked that someone could be so hostile. His wife and the other gentleman were equally as rude, and the wooden fence that had been erected at the side of the bridge was brought to our attention. It was clear upon later inspection that someone had broken down part of this fence in protest (I'm sure this is the damage mentioned by the GCR, and I'm well against it if the fence is legally allowed to be there) but we were blamed for it due to being easy targets. They did say they paid out of their own pockets and had permission for said fence but there's no evidence either way. The confrontation ended when the woman scaled the bank and so we chose to depart, not before she complained about the conifers and hit one of our group with a piece of broken fence. The husband had disappeared with the car shortly after this, turns out he was attempting to block the car using photographers on the road leading up to the bridge, and the police were called (too busy to respond) before he moved aside and they were able to leave.

Safe to say they'll get their wish as I doubt I'll be returning (The irate gentleman's claim that he'll be replacing conifers with barbed wire might come to fruition!) Just shocks me that these people knew what they were getting into then react in such a way. The vegetation on the GCR is getting pretty bad so it's no surprise photographers are using ''forbidden'' spots or removing the growth themselves, and to me it's a sign of how the GCR is falling in enthusiast's expectations. The GCR cannot be surprised in these incursions when they do little to prevent them, either by good upkeep of the p'way, or not putting up the necessary barriers to stop them in the first place. As @Sidmouth says, it's a railway I don't feel welcome at either.

 

"the GCR is falling in enthusiast's expectations"

Just a question, are they earning money from anyone taking pictures lineside? Are people doing this causing them more trouble than its worth to issue lineside passes? I very much doubt they have a problem with enthusiasts.

What they probably don't want is hassle, and hassle with their neighbours - particularly as they are about to join up with the railway next door, and presumably want to be able to continue as a heritage railway without too much conflict with the local council.

It really isn't a god given right to take pictures anywhere you like...

 

No but it is a right to take a picture from a public location without been harassed/assaulted. Where as I’m not sure building a fence and planting trees on public land is within your rights.

Since day one this fine gentleman has been confrontational and going out of his way to upset photographers using the bridge on a public footpath which just happens to be close to his house.

The withdrawal of line side passes by the GCR probably hadn’t helped in this instance as it’s one of only a couple of accessible locations on the line that catch the morning sun so it’s probably busier than it once was with photographers.

 

He sounds like a bit of nightmare. I suspect that the GCR may be more fed up with him than any problems said to be caused by enthusiasts with cameras.