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Notes about railway photography "lineside" rules. (updated 7 June 2006)

1) Network Rail Guidlines

Network Rail are are responsible in the UK for management of the railway infrastructure, stations etc.  They have issued a set of guidance rules which all people photographing railway subjects, whether professional or amateur, should note. Guidance advice - Network Rail web site

2) Railway photography in France

France banned all casual railway photography in 2004 following various terrorist incidents across Europe. More info below

3) Respect the countryside. (section last updated 2005.)

FINAL UPDATE re Foot and Mouth - The former Foot and Mouth page was closed in 2005 as it was no longer required. One can only hope that appropriate lessons will be learnt and that it will be many years (and ideally never) before the UK suffers another devastating outbreak like the one of 2001.

As so much of our hobby interest takes place in the countryside and in rural and semi-rural areas I hope that we all learnt from the dark days of 2001. This page has been updated in early 2005 as with the current feelings amongst country communities the farming community must once again be given the view that as a body the railway enthusiast fraternity are generally a responsible group who care for the countryside. We have all seen this handful of idiots walking in standing corn, parking and blocking lanes, speeding to the next photgraphic location, climbing dry stone walls etc etc. Thankfully those of us who don't are the majority but we must continue to behave responsibly so that any damage done to enthusiast - farmer relationships by the stupid minority will be negated.

All I say for the future is be a good custodian of the countryside, care for it, respect it, treat it wisely, understand it's moods, work with it not against it and avoid the dangers. My own values when out linesiding evolve around just one famous phrase -

"Take only photographs - leave only footprints"

There is no better summary of the way to behave, no matter how many words were to be written, and I urge you all to take that philosophy onboard for the future.

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French situation.

David Haycock (of Todays Railways) supplied this information to me in my role as SLS webmaster in 2004. I have been unable to locate a more recent, definitive, statement. 

"I have just spoken to SNCF and written this for TR. Please circulate it. 

Europe's railways on alert - since the attacks in Madrid, Europe's railways have been on a high state of alert and there are far more police or even soldiers armed with automatic weapons visible in major stations. It is sad to say that it is therefore not the moment for railway enthusiasts to hang around stations with binoculars and cameras. The governments in the UK, France, Spain and Poland are particularly worried as they have been specifically targeted by al-Qaeda.

For more information regarding my interests in railways see my existing page on this site Railways

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