An Inspector Calls

Last March, whilst awaiting a mainline steam train, I had the rather unexpected arrival of a police officer. We were stood on a public footpath, at roughly track height. The officer said something like:

"Hello there lads. Sorry to bother you, but we've had reports of people standing near the track. You're not going to throw yourselves under a train are you."

"Er no, we're waiting for a steam train" came the rather embarassed reply.

"Oh alright, some people didn't know what you were doing. Cheerio!"

"Bye."

:-k

 

Some years ago, I travelled on the sleeper train from Euston to Scotland. As I was wandering down the platform for see what loco was on the front of the train, a policeman stopped me and asked what I was doing. When I explained he said, "OK, but be as quick as possible". It was only then that I noticed the Royal Train sitting in the adjacent platform! I wonder what would have happened nowadays?

 

LMAO !!!!!!!!!!!

 

Interegated as a terrorist suspect!!???

 

About 10 years ago we were on a photography expedition in the North West and in hot pursuit of a class 31 on a trip working. We had earmarked a spot to take a photo where all that remained of the fence was a few odd planks some distance from the nearest track.
Arriving in the nick of time, I dived past the ruined fence and was just lifting the camera up when I became aware of somebody behind me. It wasn't the husband as he had gone for a different angle, much to my consternation it was a policeman. The train was very close so I lined the shot up, took the picture and turned to face the music..... and was totally gobsmacked to see the policeman putting the lenscap back on his own camera!
We had a brief but interesting chat and bumped into the same gentleman a couple of days later in the same area whilst waiting for a different working. If this chap is still in the force I'll bet he spends more time in the office drowning in paperwork than patrolling his area and taking the odd photograph these days.

 

Lovely story!

 

would have loved to have seen his reaction if you said yes you were waiting for a passing train ! lol

 

Many years ago when the Settle & Carlisle was under threat of closure, I took a trip up there to see Green Arrow join its train at Hellield. A group of us were in the old yard, cameras at the ready, when a couple of BTP's finest drove up. There was a collective "Oh, bother" or words to that effect followed by deep joy when they opened their car boot and pulled out cameras!

A little while later I moved up to Ribblehead and joined a small army to see GA pass. I was then amazed to see people running full pelt down that steep slope back to their cars with what looked like fairly expensive camera gear and driving away on that rough track to the road at high speed. Garages for miles around must have made a fortune selling suspension parts!

 

something similar happened in May (it was when 6024 was resident for the week), I had just lit up 5164 for the next days services, and it was a tad smokey to say the least! But anyway with the yellow coloured smoke rolling out the chimney, I ventured over to the station for a conversation with some friends, half an hour later a police car came up the drive, at first i thought it was one of our resdident foremen who is also an officer but we didn't recognise him, he wondered over the barrow crossing by the goods shed (with 5164 still producing yellow smoke) and wondered back, he ventured up to the station where I was standing, now, I was feeling quite nervous, and asked "Any Idea how long the Kings Staying For?"

 

A couple of views from the other side:-

About 1979, I went to the bridge at Leebotwood with my partner, intent on photographing 6201 on the Welsh Marches. There was quite a big photting contingent there and there was much mutinous muttering because some numpty had gone over the fence down to the trackside in a high-vis anorak and was in everybody's shot. We parked the BMW, put our Traffic caps on and wandered to the fence. Spotting the problem, with the train due in a couple of minutes, I bellowed over the fence, "Oi!! You!! Yes, you, the trespasser!! Get yourself up here now!!" He turned round, clearly intent on putting the "V" up, saw us and went white. Then, accompanied by the jeers of the assembled crowd, he scuttled back up the embankment to be given a dressing down by my partner, who was not a train fan, whilst I, and the rest got our shots. He was a very unhappy bunny, but, as I cheerfully pointed out as I was putting my camera away, it could have been worse. He could have missed his shot and been locked up as well.

Same period, Ludlow station, group of photters awaiting KGV and the Cider Pullmans, not long after the steam ban had been lifted. One or two were in positions they should not have been in when I pulled up in the Panda and there was a collective intake of breath as I walked on to the platform. I said, "Right, lads, these are the rules, you lot, come away from the track, keep back from the edge of the platform and, anyone who gets in my camera shot will be arrested for conduct likely to occasion a breach of the peace!" General amusement and I have a framed Cibachrome print of one of the best photos I have ever taken.

Mind how you go...

 

jtx - it isn't one of your old bikes that we regularly crush after the Grand Parade at the Onslow Park (County of Salop) Rally every year is it???

Dunno why, but I had you down as a Thames Valley plod?

 

Nah, mate. West Mercia. Carrot-cruncher, me. I only do motor bikes and last time I looked in the garage, me Beezer was still there.

 

jtx - belated thanks, I was one of those on the bridge cursing the idiot "trackside". we knew one or two local police were enthusiasts and used to look out for a parked police bmw as an indicator of a good shot!

Cheers, Neil

 

Sometime in the early eighties I'd had a timing tip off for the Royal Train, from someone who worked by the track, so had identified an accomodation crossing with a public footpath passing over it. When I got there I just parked my car and walked down to the crossing standing on the style. Within a very short time a car drew up and a man in plain clothes jumped out ran to me demanding what I was doing. I told him I was taking photographs but he then asked of what. Told him it was of trains passing and he asked me which ones so gave him a sarcastic reply of the ones that ran on the rails pointing to them! He obviously knew why I was there so I asked him who he was. He wouldn't tell me but walked to the opposite side of the tracks and used a radio and I heard him saying it was just a photographer taking pictures of trains. He came back and stood next to me so I just asked him if he was the security for the Royal Train. he was taken aback a bit by this and asked what I meant so I told him it was obvious as the Royal Train was about to pass with the Queen on board. He then lightened up and informed me he had to stay with me but he'd keep out of the way of my camera. He never asked my name but he'd probably already knew that from the car registration number as they'd have checked it out. At least I got my picture but fear wouldn't have if it was now.

 

slightly off tangent but related to car identification.

A mate of mine was in Ireland taking some sports photographs but left it a little late to catch the ferry back to mainland. Realising his error he was speeding to the embarkation port when he was stopped by a military patrol. Winding down his window he was greeted with "Good afternoon Mr Stanmore - in a bit of a hurry are we ?" Since this was my mate's first visit to Ireland he was a little concerned to know how the soldier knew his name to which the soldier said "That's not all we know - sir" and proceeded to rattle off personal details including NI number, date of birth, licence number and current address in UK.
When asked again how this information had been obtained the soldier simply replied that he had been noted speeding some ten miles down the road and a surveillance team had noted his car registration number and passed it "through the system" - which had provided all the details that had been quoted.

Advising my mate to watch his speed for the rest of the journey the soldier noted that if he didn't watch his speed then he could rest assured that somebody would be watching him !

 

I understand that the police now have it because the military proved it in in Ireland; it was the Irish equivalent of the WWII radar developments and once established was made available to other law agencies for "the greater good".
So to quote nice old PC Dixon - Mind How You Go !

 

[/quote:1qp5cbpm]

and MOT.

 

[/quote:2q7niwsx]
One assumes by the reference to "the mainland" that you are referring to a visit to Northern Ireland...

 

But anyone who has tax, insurance and, where applicable, an MOT have nothing to fear do they ? Plus, if it help reduce the number of uninsured motorists and tax - dodging b******s I'm all for it !