irresponsible photographer at Newton Le Willows

[AlterEgo]

One wonders how much sympathy he would have got on here had he died from his misadventure.

 

[Harbornite]

One wonders how much sympathy he would have got on here had he died from his misadventure.

Probably not much. I wonder if he would have had less than the 442 window hanger?

 

[bb21]

One wonders how much sympathy he would have got on here had he died from his misadventure.

I'd have more sympathy for the driver who hit him and those that had to clean up whatever remains of him.

 

[J-2739]

I'd have more sympathy for the driver who hit him and those that had to clean up whatever remains of him.

Not to mention, his innocent family and friends.

 

[AlterEgo]

Probably not much. I wonder if he would have had less than the 442 window hanger?

That might depend on whether it transpired he was a promising young member of rail staff.

 

[Harbornite]

That might depend on whether it transpired he was a promising young member of rail staff.

I'd say that what this chap did was more unusual and possibly more stupid than windowhanging (not that I am condoning windowhanipging in areas where there's little clearance).
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I'd have more sympathy for the driver who hit him and those that had to clean up whatever remains of him.

Would you have sympathy for the bystanders who would hav witnessed? What we don't know is if any of them questioned the man for using the stepladder.

 

[theironroad]

There is a good possibility some drivers will refuse to take the train any further until the idiot is clear of platform edge. It's an accident waiting to happen. Not for the benefit of the shot, but more a safety concern.

Perhaps he knew exactly what he was doing, as in that case his shots would not be blocked.

Prize-winning idiot.

Forget 'not taking it further ', most drivers would stop short of him, probably half way down the platform until he moved or was removed.

'Perhaps he knew exactly.........' so you think he thinks a train would happily pull up and allow him to carrying on taking his snaps? And really, he'd need more than two rungs up the ladder to prevent his shot being obscured by a train.

 

[DarloRich]

There is a good possibility some drivers will refuse to take the train any further until the idiot is clear of platform edge. It's an accident waiting to happen. Not for the benefit of the shot, but more a safety concern.

Perhaps he knew exactly what he was doing, as in that case his shots would not be blocked.

Prize-winning idiot.

that is fine - I can quite understand a driver wanting him moved - however I assumed the quoited poster meant would a train routinely stop in the platform to allow people to take pictures of a train going the other way?
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Not to mention, his innocent family and friends.

and all the other people stood near him as they would be injured to.

 

[pdeaves]

I often wonder if there is some kind of prize money for the best picture taken of a train engine. Bragging rights must mean a lot to these people.

I don't 'get' why people think almost-head-on views are great. Move as far to the other side of the platform as possible to take the picture. Then I might be interested!

 

[bb21]

Would you have sympathy for the bystanders who would hav witnessed? What we don't know is if any of them questioned the man for using the stepladder.

It wasn't meant to be an exhaustive list, so yeah, anyone who is innocent gets my sympathy. That said, I wonder whether anyone there tried to stop him. I would have at least had a word.

 

[Tetchytyke]

It wasn't meant to be an exhaustive list, so yeah, anyone who is innocent gets my sympathy. That said, I wonder whether anyone there tried to stop him. I would have at least had a word.

When I've mentioned it before I've had dog's abuse, generally I can't be chewed anymore. If they want to get themselves killed, let them.

But it's people like this that mean that they've stopped announcing the routes that trains like the Flying Scotsman take. When the Flying Scotsman was up here last month on the Blyth & Tyne, T&W Metro actually had the police out on the station platforms at Northumberland Park and Palmersville to stop people trespassing. It's absolutely shocking that they needed to do that. They also ordered the Metro drivers to stay out of the station platforms when the Flying Scotsman was coming through, purely for safety.

 

[J-2739]

It wasn't meant to be an exhaustive list, so yeah, anyone who is innocent gets my sympathy. That said, I wonder whether anyone there tried to stop him. I would have at least had a word.

They might have told him to stop by voice, but he was too stuck up for for all these 'generic people'.

 

[Llanigraham]

Would a passenger driver let the loco pass before departing due getting in the photographers' way?

The driver would abide by his schedule and if that got in the way of the photographer then tough!
Trains have priority over idiot spotters.

 

[Smitham]

Anyone have any idea what punishment he might get if he is caught?

 

[AlterEgo]

Anyone have any idea what punishment he might get if he is caught?

Well, if he is caught by a train, it would likely be an immediate death penalty.

 

[bb21]

When I've mentioned it before I've had dog's abuse, generally I can't be chewed anymore. If they want to get themselves killed, let them.

I won't sink to his level. I've done my bit once he has been informed.

Give plenty of abuse and expect the BTP called on him, assuming there is one nearby.

On our patch BTP are fairly proactive in respect of trespassers, despite being short-staffed. I know not all will be, but it is always worth logging a call for such an incident.

 

[terryc]

Were there no station staff on duty?

All depends on when this happened. I travelled out of NLW at around 14:20 on Saturday, and the ticket office was closed. Therefore no staff on duty

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

All depends on when this happened. I travelled out of NLW at around 14:20 on Saturday, and the ticket office was closed. Therefore no staff on duty

Just looked at the Newton-le-Willows station information on the National Rail Enquiries website which states the opening hours for the booking office there as:-

0600-2355 Monday to Friday
0600-2355 Sarurday
0830-0000 Sunday

Is that information incorrect?

 

[terryc]

Hi Paul,
The information is correct, and the booking office should have been open, but it wasn't.
TVM was accepting cards only, (which I won't use, having had a bad past experience when my card jammed in the machine) so I duly paid cash on the train... No issues with the Northern guard...

 

[ian959]

In a broader sense, with this sort of idiocy seemingly becoming more commonplace as evidence by The Flying Scotsman trespass incidents, could these incidents be a catalyst for Network Rail/whoever to introduce a blanket ban of photography on Network Rail property?

 

[Harbornite]

Network Rail/whoever to introduce a blanket ban of photography on Network Rail property?

It would be very hard to enforce. Will they have staff at every station, crossing, overbridge and underbridge trying to stop people using smartphones and cameras? I doubt it.

 

[GarethJohn]

With ''window hanging'', this and tails of spotters doing dangerous things to get a shot.
Has Trainspotting been infiltrated by ''thrill seekers''.
From my experience Train Spotters became one because they shunned anything to do with physical activity, sport or partake in a past times that involved group activity.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

It would be very hard to enforce. Will they have staff at every station, crossing, overbridge and underbridge trying to stop people using smartphones and cameras? I doubt it.

Placing a stepladder place at the platform edge, then climbing it, is a tad different than using smartphones (those do have cameras installed).

I am beginning to feel old, seeing all these new fangled gadgets these days that are carried. I remember "state of the art" phones that only made and received telephone calls being the size of a housebrick with an ariel sticking out of the top..

One of the very best parodies of modern technologies was the sketch in "Not the Nine o'clock News" many years ago where someone enters a high tech shop and asks for a gramophone. I think it is still on YouTube.

 

[Harbornite]

Placing a stepladder place at the platform edge, then climbing it, is a tad different than using smartphones (those do have cameras installed).

Err I know, Paul. Stating the bleeding obvious!


My point was that you can ban ladders from stations but enforcing a blanket ban on all photographic devices will be very difficult. How could NR enforce a ban on photos taken with smartphones?

 

[philthetube]

Err I know, Paul. Stating the bleeding obvious!


My point was that you can ban ladders from stations but enforcing a blanket ban on all photographic devices will be very difficult. How could NR enforce a ban on photos taken with smartphones?

it is not possible to enforce a ban on ladders, it appears.

 

[richw]

If anyone wants a step ladder to reenact this idiots photo angle, I noticed today they are in Aldis Monday specials today

On a more serious note, I am in disbelief anybody would even think to do this, let alone actually doing it.

I would say bye law 2(1) covers it

potentially dangerous items
Except with written permission from an Operator or an authorised person, no person shall bring with him or allow to remain on the railway any item which, in the opinion of an authorised person, may threaten, annoy, soil or damage any person or any property.

 

[Tim R-T-C]

In a broader sense, with this sort of idiocy seemingly becoming more commonplace as evidence by The Flying Scotsman trespass incidents, could these incidents be a catalyst for Network Rail/whoever to introduce a blanket ban of photography on Network Rail property?

Many people have been injured this year while trying to recover mobile phones dropped on the track, or by passing trains they didn't see while talking on their phones. Should NR ban phones?

To date no-one has actually been injured or killed while taking photographs, so the phone issue would seem more pressing...

 

[DarloRich]

Many people have been injured this year while trying to recover mobile phones dropped on the track, or by passing trains they didn't see while talking on their phones. Should NR ban phones?

To date no-one has actually been injured or killed while taking photographs, so the phone issue would seem more pressing...

don't be silly. The guy was up a ladder under 25kv OHLE. You cant honestly be trying to suggest this is ok?

 

[J-2739]

Many people have been injured this year while trying to recover mobile phones dropped on the track, or by passing trains they didn't see while talking on their phones. Should NR ban phones?

To date no-one has actually been injured or killed while taking photographs, so the phone issue would seem more pressing...

People probably drop their phones on the tracks by accident, while people using ladders near a live wire are delusional idiots.

 

[Harbornite]

Put it this way, ladders should be banned from stations, cameras and phones should not. End of.