Copryrighted train!

[I T S]

Meant to post this ages ago,

I was in Dublin one afternoon photographing Darts/Railcars as you do. The STT (Irish version of BTP) approached me and said that i wasnt allowed to photo trains without permission from the manager and that the trains image was copyright. I ignorned them as i have confirmation that they're talking b***s**t. However, anyone ever here of a train copyrighted before?

 

[AlterEgo]

It's not against the law in this country. However you're talking about Irish law...

 

[MidnightFlyer]

Meant to post this ages ago,

I was in Dublin one afternoon photographing Darts/Railcars as you do. The STT (Irish version of BTP) approached me and said that i wasnt allowed to photo trains without permission from the manager and that the trains image was copyright. I ignorned them as i have confirmation that they're talking b***s**t. However, anyone ever here of a train copyrighted before?

I was told by a member of station staff at Heuston back in July that me photographing the booking hall was illegal. I took pictures of trains at the buffers there, and none of the gateline crew said a thing.

 

[John Webb]

Meant to post this ages ago,

I was in Dublin one afternoon photographing Darts/Railcars as you do. The STT (Irish version of BTP) approached me and said that i wasnt allowed to photo trains without permission from the manager and that the trains image was copyright. I ignorned them as i have confirmation that they're talking b***s**t. However, anyone ever here of a train copyrighted before?

Certainly train liveries in the UK are copyrighted and Hornby and Bachmann have to agree with the TOCs the terms and conditions on which they make models of any particular TOC's trains - but that of course is because they intend to make a profit from the design. As far as I am aware there is nothing to stop you taking a photo for your own consumption - but if you were to sell the image for a profit you might well be breaching copyright.

 

[Wyvern]

There is nothing in copyright law whatever to stop you photographing anything that may reasonably be observed by any member of of the public and the copyright in the pictures is solely yours to do as you want with. (providing you are not doing it on behalf of an employer and have not been commissioned to do it)

There are issues with privacy however (such as taking a picture of someone rather than just picture in which they happens to appear) There are also questions about whether a railway station is a public place. Neither of these however is part of Copyright Law.

May I suggest people who are really into photography have a look at "The Writer's and Artist's Yearbook"

http://www.writersandartists.co.uk/

w

 

[deltic1989]

I've heard about liveries and designs being copyright. But as said if the photos are for personal use then no law has been broken. When I go photting I tend to speak to the station manager or a member of staff, explain what I intend to do and ask if its ok, just out of politeness, and if btp show up and question me I have some back up.

 

[Snapper]

Weird. I've never had any problems in Ireland and never heard of this before. IE staff are normally very friendly and not a problem, but if you do have one I'd suggest just approaching the station manager and asking permission. Once they've said yes it will be rather hard for anyone else to say no!

 

[allticketspls]

Recently posted on the Penalty Fares Appeals Support Website

Train Enthusiasts need to be aware where they use their photographs after recent action from Eurostar International Limited.

Penalty Fare Appeal Support, last week received a Cease and Desist letter from Daphné Williams, Legal Counsel. This letter demanded that we remove a photograph that was taken by one of our reporters, as Eurostar claim to own the copyright over a class 373 nose cone.

Furthermore they claimed that our use of the photograph, might have confused customers and that they would assume that this site was connected in some way with Eurostar. This is extremely unlikley.

The full text of the Cease and Desist letter is published below for you to read. Our response remains confidential until we receive a response from Eurostar.

It is a shame that Eurostar have to resort to sprouting rubbish about owning copyright over photographs that they haven’t even taken, but then we guess that’s because they are a French company and threatening the small guy is the only language they understand.

We have removed the image which has caused Eurostar to throw their toys out of the pram and scream and shout until they are sick, only because it took us all of 2 Minutes to change it. The new image is much nicer anyway, and we have permission from the operator to use it.

In future Eurostar, and this goes for anyone, if you want something removed off the site, just send us a polite and brief Email and we will gladly comply. If you send us a snotty Cease and Desist letter without any grounds or merit, we are likely to laugh at your pathetic attempt to threaten us, and then proceed to create lots of bad PR for your company.

 

[Flying Snail]

Meant to post this ages ago,

I was in Dublin one afternoon photographing Darts/Railcars as you do. The STT (Irish version of BTP) approached me and said that i wasnt allowed to photo trains without permission from the manager and that the trains image was copyright. I ignorned them as i have confirmation that they're talking b***s**t. However, anyone ever here of a train copyrighted before?

It is worth pointing out that STT are most certainly not a version of the BTP (they aren't Irish either, they are all eastern European and ex-military of some sort). They are not in any way a police force and have no statutory powers of any kind. They are at a stretch authorised personell as are any railway staff but despite what some may think of the BTP it is a gross insult to compare them to that crowd of stormtroopers. They are best ignored just don't turn your back on them while doing so.

 

[starrymarkb]

France does have differing laws on reproducing photos of designs and architecture. For example the Effiel Tower is a copyrighted structure and if you want to sell postcards containing an image of it you have to pay royalties (even if you took the photo yourself from a public road) In the UK generally if it is visible from the public highway you can reproduce it in images.

It's therefore possible that under French Law the Eurostar nose is a copyrighted design. However if you take a photo of one from the public highway in the UK then they don't have a leg to stand on. Of course with logos you should have them in context and not try and misrepresent.

 

[dubscottie]

It is worth pointing out that STT have NO POWERS whatsoever. Unless someone from IrishRail or the Garda tells you otherwise keep snapping! (even at that IrishRail would have to call the Garda to remove you from the station anyway)

If they touch you have them done for assault.

Was the nose of the Voyagers not Virgins "intellectual" property? IIRC thats why the Class 222's have different front ends?