Andy Y Posted January 5, 2012 Share Posted January 5, 2012 Whilst photographing from this location south of Ely station a lineside trespass was observed by one of our members on the afternoon of Wednesday 28th December. The image appears to show a lineside photographer, or someone giving the appearance of being a photographer, walking south along the edge of the line towards Soham and Bury St. Edmunds. The matter was reported to the BTP around the time of the siting; if you can positively identify the person pictured please could you contact me via PM. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold beast66606 Posted January 5, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 5, 2012 Not one of the locals I've seen around there, I was over that way on the Thursday and the Saturday of that week. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kenton Posted January 5, 2012 Share Posted January 5, 2012 Hmmm, should have given him a wolf whistle so on turning his head a full face shot would have been more useful. But then with the sideburns and those boots he may have taken it as a compliment. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
CWJ Posted January 5, 2012 Share Posted January 5, 2012 Can't help, I'm afraid, Andy. But well done for attempting to 'name and shame' those idiots who give the rest of us a bad name. Virtually every time a steam special calls at York there is someone who thinks the rules don't apply to him (or her, I've seen both) and walks off the end of the platform to take a picture. If it weren't for the potential distress to train drivers, it would be tempting to leave them to it and let natural selection do the rest... Cheers, Will Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold beast66606 Posted January 5, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 5, 2012 I've posted it to another forum to see if anyone there knows the Darwin candidate Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
royaloak Posted January 5, 2012 Share Posted January 5, 2012 Do we know for definite he is a rail enthusiast? Do you think he may have been a twitcher, going by the wellies I reckon it might be possible. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timara Posted January 5, 2012 Share Posted January 5, 2012 Well, that's the thing - being as the guy crossed the line over the bridge pictured below not 5 minutes after this train passed (nothing ran until after sunset 40 mins later), I'm still not entirely sure. Having crossed the line at the foot crossing, he proceeded to walk towards the bridge (ignoring any attempts made to attract his attention for a proper mug shot) before going back over the line, walking the entire length of the river bridge before clambering over the gate of the other foot crossing. Bizarrely, he went back under the bridge before popping up on the flood-break the other side. He disappeared not long after, though a pair of guys were visible by the line for a while after and I'm still not sure if they were any way connected. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glorious NSE Posted January 5, 2012 Share Posted January 5, 2012 Twitcher is also a possibility. Nice light Tim Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold beast66606 Posted January 5, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 5, 2012 Interesting, he was possibly looking for a location and couldn't find one hence his retracing. The fact that he ignored shouts makes me think (maybe wrongly) that he's well versed in the activity. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Trevellan Posted January 5, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 5, 2012 Twitcher is also a possibility. I can think of other possible descriptions beginning with tw... Let's hope this (probably unexpected) publicity results in a prosecution. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timara Posted January 5, 2012 Share Posted January 5, 2012 Interesting, he was possibly looking for a location and couldn't find one hence his retracing. The fact that he ignored shouts makes me think (maybe wrongly) that he's well versed in the activity. It was the fact he didn't even look that made me think "he's done this before". Okay, so the place is almost in the middle of nowhere, but it's no excuse whatsoever. People like that are only going to make it harder for those of us who abide the law of the land to enjoy our hobby. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord-Claud-Hamilton Posted January 5, 2012 Share Posted January 5, 2012 He disappeared not long after....... When you say "disappeared", do you mean he vanished or that he went back along the footpath to the A142? Eastern Europeans/Portuguese have been known to walk along the line as a shortcut to the G's Factory at Barway. Having said that, his actions and appearance do not suggest that's what he's up to though. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timara Posted January 5, 2012 Share Posted January 5, 2012 When you say "disappeared", do you mean he vanished or that he went back along the footpath to the A142? He went down the blind side of the flood-break. I didn't see him go back under the bridge towards Station Road/A142. By the time the sun vanished into some low cloud, there wasn't any sign of him. The more I think about it, a twitcher sounds about right (I'd knock off 4 letters there). Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coach bogie Posted January 5, 2012 Share Posted January 5, 2012 At least you only got one. Look at this lot last April, in the North East and there were quite a few more before I thought to take a shot. The daft thing is they would have got just the same shot from the public road side of the fence. Of more concern, they were photographing 55022 which was held at signals awaiting a 66 on tank wagons to pass on the line nearest to them. Mike Wiltshire Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold beast66606 Posted January 5, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 5, 2012 0800 789 321 or 0800 40 50 40 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ess1uk Posted January 5, 2012 Share Posted January 5, 2012 is that the bridge that had a derailment about 5 years ago?? 0800 789 321 or 0800 40 50 40 trouble is there are never enough of them around when you need them Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timara Posted January 5, 2012 Share Posted January 5, 2012 is that the bridge that had a derailment about 5 years ago?? Certainly is! I last went there in 2004, so it was nice to be able to make use of a complimentary FCC ticket to go out for a day's photography. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Griffin Posted January 5, 2012 Share Posted January 5, 2012 if there were others around it could be a patrol for cable. stupid stupid people Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Captain Kernow Posted January 5, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 5, 2012 the sideburns and those boots They're not filming a Jane Austen novel in the vicinity, are they? Seriously, gotta go with what Beast advises - ring the BTP. Even if they can't come, I know they keep a log of the number of incidents at a particular location, so too many reports in the same place over a period of time is more likely to trigger more focus on said area, I'd say. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold big jim Posted January 6, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 6, 2012 is it just me or when pictures like those above appear on forums/ chat rooms etc i get fed up of some of the comments that follow, not singling out anyone or any comments in particular, im generalising, ok the guy is doing wrong, acting illigally in fact but it happens up and down the country day in day out every hour of the day, just happens this guy was caught on camera, will it deter him from doing it again, his picture on a model train forum, probably not, will he be identified, id like to say hopefully but probably not, do btp have the resources to deal with it, again, sadly, probably not. in reality he probably just doesn't know any different, see any danger or see he's doing anything wrong "ive been doing it for years, and my dad did it before me too, and his dad before him" the one thing that came to mind when i saw the bridge picture was the incident on the cambrian a few years back where a couple of girls were playing on the railway bridge throwing stones into the river below under the watchful eye of their parents on the beach below only for them to be killed by a train, everyone was to blame but the parents, network rail (could have been railtrack) got sued as the fence was missing, whereas in reality it had been removed/damaged by locals who used the bridge as a "short cut" using the same analogy as above "we've been doing it for years", if the guy above were to be hit by a train then no doubt it wouldbe everyones fault bar his "the warning panel was the wrong shade of yellow" or something The guys photographing the deltic, well, thats a different story, they should know better and if i saw that i would report it however do drivers report every trespass incident they see, again id say probably not, they are supposed going by the rule book but in the real world you have to weigh up the situation. hypothetical example: there are 2 foot crossings about 1/2 mile apart with a cess "road" wide enough for a van do drive down (basically an old 4 track alignment) you see a couple walking a dog along there, obviously walking between crossings, would you report it? by the time you have stopped and reported it and other trains have been stopped and warned they would probably already be at the other crossing and likely to be heading away from the railway, so personally i wouldn't report it, same scenario but a "hoody" shiftily walking along eyeing up cabinets etc, then yes report it as for attracting the guys attention for a "mug shot", i once while heading home after being on duty pointed out to someone that they shouldn't be crossing the line at the end of my street (north wales coast line in shotton) they then followed me home and beat me up on my doorstep putting me in hospital, you just dont know what type of psycho you are dealing with so beware!! if anyone saw my status update earlier regards me stopping someones kid being hit by a bus in birmingham earlier only to be had a go at by the mother you can probably see why im so wound up by people who cant take responsibility for their own actions in life sorry for the rant....... deep breaths, deep breaths Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pennine MC Posted January 6, 2012 Share Posted January 6, 2012 Hmmm, should have given him a wolf whistle so on turning his head a full face shot would have been more useful. But then with the sideburns and those boots he may have taken it as a compliment. Oh how shockingly vain, an enthusiast who actually cares what he looks like Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold beast66606 Posted January 6, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 6, 2012 is it just me or when pictures like those above appear on forums/ chat rooms etc i get fed up of some of the comments that follow, not singling out anyone or any comments in particular, im generalising, ok the guy is doing wrong, acting illigally in fact but it happens up and down the country day in day out every hour of the day, just happens this guy was caught on camera, will it deter him from doing it again, his picture on a model train forum, probably not, will he be identified, id like to say hopefully but probably not, do btp have the resources to deal with it, again, sadly, probably not. (Not just a model forum, I've posted it on a prototype one too, for the reason below) Probably not but the converse is it might stop some because they realise they are at risk of being caught on camera, hard to argue it wasn't you when you are pictured next to one of Cambridge PSB signals (for example) in reality he probably just doesn't know any different, see any danger or see he's doing anything wrong "ive been doing it for years, and my dad did it before me too, and his dad before him" When I was a teenager we used to wander the tracks if a steam special was around, it was an unwritten rule that it was Ok to do so, I photographed steam specials from the middle of Chester triangle on more than one occasion, and it's hard to get there without crossing running lines (!), the signalmen even used to tell us when it was safe to cross, however the railway is a different place these days, faster, quieter and I stay off it. I believe genuine enthusiasts know to do the same, but some don't believe in following the rules, for whatever reason, and there are probably examples of these people in every walk of life. if anyone saw my status update earlier regards me stopping someones kid being hit by a bus in birmingham earlier only to be had a go at by the mother you can probably see why im so wound up by people who cant take responsibility for their own actions in life Totally agree. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kenton Posted January 6, 2012 Share Posted January 6, 2012 Big Jim I see your point of view. But it does leave me a little cold that someone obviously in a position of authority on the railways feels unable to exercise that authority from either a fear of repercussions or from potential red tape in the system. The idea that said law breaker is going to "follow me home and neat me up" would I hope never prevent me from intervention or reporting such an incident or for that matter any such illegal activity. But then perhaps I am better equipped to be confident in such situations. The problem of turning a blind eye or crossing the road to avoid possible confrontation is understandable especially if you are relying on the authorities to effect some final solution. (Report a burglary round these parts and it goes to some center in Milton Keynes who can't even find the place on a map, let alone send a plod to investigate until 24hr after the event) Perhaps that is part of the problem with reporting such incidents of trespass and possible criminal damage on the railways. The process is too complicated, and does not appear to have any effect? But that should not be the reason to stop reporting. Perhaps the problem is one of education, as so often. In the past were there just as many such events or did they simply go unreported at a national level. People seemed to grow up with a great deal more common sense and in the knowledge that they were responsible for their own actions/stupidity. These days with the cotton wool and blame culture there must be thousand out there without the slightest knowledge of the railways and the dangers. In fact it is getting just as bad about road safety. At the age of 6 I walked to school along busy roads and understood the issues (or would like to think so) These days what child gets to walk even a short distance to school. Mums in their Chelsea Tractors take them door to door too scared to even look at their own shadow. Only 3 years later I was allowed on the railways, independent enough to catch a train to other towns to stand on the platform 'spotting' under the watchful eyes of a porter and other station staff. I would never dream of leaving the platform to trespass, perhaps that's why I find such people senseless. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium PhilJ W Posted January 6, 2012 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 6, 2012 I could not help noticing the age range in the 'Deltic' photograph. Apparently ranging from Granddads to schoolboys, I was wondering if the younger ones on seeing their 'elders' venture on to the tracks did not simply follow suit. The older enthusiasts should really know better. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Trevellan Posted January 6, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 6, 2012 I could not help noticing the age range in the 'Deltic' photograph. Apparently ranging from Granddads to schoolboys, I was wondering if the younger ones on seeing their 'elders' venture on to the tracks did not simply follow suit. The older enthusiasts should really know better. The principle of setting a good example (at any age) seems to be out of fashion these days, whatever the situation or walk of life. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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