East Lancs Gala 25-26th Feb 2012

Impossible to manage 12 miles of track, like the SVR and WSR can't manage then?

 

So how do you do it then - do you continually check everyone who is lineside all day.........possibly not !

 

Make people obtain first annual membership (through which you can promote the railway in general, and obtain limited funds). Then get them to buy an annual lineside pass Give them a safety briefing, in the form of a booklet (as K&WVR) or DVD (GCR). On application, ask them to complete an form with answers to key questions (the answers to which are included in the safety briefing) Make them wear a branded, numbered high-viz waistcoat (as GCR) Make photographers sign in (and out) in a book at stations (as GCR). And finally yes, on gala days, ask a volunteer to walk along the line, check tickets and collect loose change for whatever cause is the project of the moment. This happens at quite a few places. In other words, treat photographers as adults capable of following PTS instructions, and not as naughty children. Finally, ask photographers the option of opting into on their form, their telephone/email address to a marketing lists to be distributed to those who might want to organise photo charters, including what charters they might be interested in (steam/diesel), plus any comments. Push the charter side of the business. In other words, the point about the membership/annual fee/pushing charters is business and marketing sense.

 

Tony,
Thanks for the reply - very informative indeed. Maybe this is something we can improve on, and create a revenue stream like you do. I need to look ot what our SMS says.
PS - What happens when / if you come across someone who decides not to contibute?

 

I enjoyed the gala, rode the trains and found a couple of spots via the photography page of the ELR website from which to take photos. I wasn't aware at the time that others were beyond the boundary.

 

Thanks for taking the points on board.

You may wish to speak to people at other railways; I'm sure they'd supply you with details as to what prices they charge/how many permit holders they have, copies of their safety briefings, etc, that could be adapted for your own use.

As for policing the scheme, it depends on what the offender is doing. A couple of guys together checking passes may be better than just one guy in case of any arguments.

But apart from those two guys, every legitimate photographer then becomes an enforcer. It's basic lineside practice that if you see someone else breaking the rules, you should tell them for their own safety. Make this part of the instructions in the safety briefing.

If people are trespassing and don't have high viz on which is an indicator that they don't know what they're doing, they should be dealt with, and the chances are they'll be dealt with by other photographers in high viz, rather than your two-man patrol, who can't be everywhere.

Now, if on your patrol you come across someone you might give the offender a little leeway if they're just over the fence, nowhere near the running lines. There are always people trespassing at the top of the cutting at Rothley at the GCR, not wearing hi viz but, but the bucket gets passed around them and as long as they don't come down the embankment, they're fine.

If guys don't have a pass but are wearing high viz orange, and seem to know what they're doing, especially at the first couple of galas, tell them about the new scheme, how they can join, etc. You could also ask them to leave railway property, but if they then refuse, be realistic short of frog-marching people off railway property, you can't really do much. The best thing may be to stand in front of their lens until they get the idea. But compared to just complaining about it on the forums here, I think it would be much more effective. As before, guys with passes are likely to point out to those without if they're going wrong and where they can get them.

I'm not saying it's a perfect solution, but it's a system that generally works.

 

As an East Lancs member, I'd like to thank Tony May for his comments on here. Every word he says is good old common sense. Come on ELR, get a lineside pass scheme in operation, I'd be more than happy to shell out