do I need permission to take photographs in a railway station?

Question

Do you need permission to take personal photographs on a UK railway station platform?

Answer 1

RIGHT Here Is The Proper Answer:

Railway Enthusiasts
Network Rail welcomes rail enthusiasts to our stations
The following guidelines are designed to help you to have a safe and enjoyable experience. Please print them out and take them with you when you are at Network Rail managed stations.

You may also wish to take a copy of the Railway Bye-laws which are available from the Office of Public Sector Information website.

Before you enter the platform
While you are on the platform
Extra Eyes and Ears
Photography
Railway Bye-laws
General
Our stations

Before you enter the platform
When you arrive at a station, please let the staff at the Network Rail Reception Desk know that you are on the station. This will help keep station staff informed so that they can go about their duties without concern as to your reasons for being there.

You may require a platform ticket to allow access to platforms.

While you are on the platform
You need to act safely & sensibly at all times.

Stay clear of the platform edge and stay behind the yellow lines where they are provided
Be aware of your surroundings.
Please DO NOT:

Trespass on to the tracks or any other part of the railway that is not available to passengers
Use flash photography because it can distract train drivers and train despatch staff and so is potentially very dangerous
Climb on any structure or interfere with platform equipment
Obstruct any signalling equipment or signs which are vital to the safe running of the railway
Wear anything which is similar in colour to safety clothing, such as high-visibility jackets, as this could cause confusion to drivers and other railway employees
Gather together in groups at busy areas of the platform (e.g. customer information points, departure screens, waiting areas, seating etc.) or where this may interfere with the duties of station staff.
If possible, please try to avoid peak hours which are Monday – Friday 6:00am – 10:30am and 3:30pm – 7:30pm.


Extra Eyes and Ears
If you see anything suspicious or notice any unusual behaviour or activities, please tell a member of staff immediately.

For emergencies and serious incidents, either call:

The British Transport Police on 0800 40 50 40
The Police on 999.
Your presence at a station can be very helpful to us as extra "eyes and ears" and can have a positive security benefit.



Photography
You can take photographs at stations provided you do not sell them. However, you are not allowed to take photographs of security related equipment, such as CCTV cameras.

Flash photography on platforms is not allowed at any time. It can distract train drivers & train despatch staff and so is potentially very dangerous.

Tripod legs must be kept away from platform edges and behind the yellow lines. On busy stations, you may not be allowed to use a tripod because it could be a dangerous obstruction to passengers.


Railway Bye-laws
For safety & ease of travel on the railway system (which includes passengers, staff, property and equipment), the Bye-laws must be observed by everyone. A copy of the Bye-laws can be obtained at our stations and or downloaded from the Office of Public Sector Information website.

General
Train operators must put the safety of their passengers and staff first.

You may very occasionally be asked by station staff to move to another part of the station or to leave the station altogether. Station staff should be happy to explain why this is necessary. If you are travelling by train, they may ask you to remain in the normal waiting areas with other passengers.
If this occurs, please follow their instructions with goodwill as staff have many things to consider, including the safety & security of all passengers, and are authorised to use judgement in this regard.

Please print out a copy of these guidelines and take them with you when you are on the railway.

Thank you for reading & following these guidelines.

This is from Our Web Site: http://www.networkrail.co.uk/aspx/777.aspx

Answer 2

Clearly none of the previous answers really know what they are talking about and are just guessing. Photography on railway stations has always been permitted (with the photographer having a valid travel ticket or platform ticket). However, recently there have been problems with some jobsworths and others caused to some extent by fears of terrorism. Following representations by photographic and railway enthusiasts, guidance has been issued by the British Transport Police and can be read on:- http://www.btp.police.uk/railenthusiasts.html. Railway Magazine, the leading magazine on railway matters suggests photographers have a copy of this about them to show if challenged.

Answer 3

A majority of railway stations would allow you to take photographs providing it for own personal use and you not using flash or trespassing. Some Category A stations that are operated by Network Rail like Birmingham New Street or Leeds you would probably have to ask the station supervisor for permission to take pictures of trains, you will probably then have to sign your name so that the station staff know that you are here and your reasons for you being here.

Answer 4

You do not need permission to take personal photographs if they're of a general nature and are of things which may be seen from any adjoining public property.
E.g. a trainspotter would be ok phographing a loco or train if it would be possible to snap the same thing from (say) a road bridge.

Taking pictures of specific people, especially staff, is be a different matter and permission from the individual should be given. This also applies to any photography in a public place.

If the purpose of the photography is commercial then permission must definatley be obtained or you'll be liable for prosecution.

Answer 5

i've taken lots of pix/video's on uk stations,i always display common sense on the platforms,as an ex-railway man i know how dangerous these places are,as that chap gave the most excellent answer from network rail,i would agree with him,

Answer 6

Almost certainly, seeing as it is not public property, if you plan to use those photographs for anything other than personal use (eg publishing). It will be owned by Railtrack or the company who runs trains out of there (GNER etc).

However if it's just for your own use, probably not. The law tends to see things like this:

If you're out in public, you expect to be seen. Therefore photos of passers-by are no more intrusive that looking at them. It's only when you intrude on someone personally, ie not just observing them but say, following them, spying on them in their home, that it becomes a problem.

It has to be like this or you'd have to get consent from every Tom, Dick and Harry who walked in front of your lens.

Answer 7

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Answer 8

Generally No, but if you want to use flash, tripod, or the set-up of a professional paparazzi then you might need to ask. NOTE flash is forbidden on London Underground and Eurotunnel trains on safety grounds

Answer 9

You need to make yourself known to the station staff and follow their instructions.

Answer 10

be careful doing this, year before last a guy got arrested on suspicion of terrorism for photographing trains and a station its probably safer not to do it