Taking photos at central

Shacks · Posted: Mon Apr 10, 2006 5:45 pm

Glad I found this thread. I will in Sydney in 3 weeks and plan on taking photo's at Central on Saturday, 6th May. My main target is the IP. Come say hi if you are there. I will be easy to sopt, I will be the one with the big lens walking around without a clue.

Shacks

Also see http://glenschackier.fotopic.net and http://shacksbmx.fotopic.net/

nazarail · Posted: Mon Apr 10, 2006 6:00 pm

errrr there are alot of people walking around with out a clue Twisted Evil

the right place at the right time
http://nathanlyons.fotopic.net/ updated! 29/3 NOW WITH EMUs

alltrainzfan · Posted: Mon Apr 10, 2006 7:48 pm

Cityrail should get us railfans to wear special badges.

biqua · Posted: Mon Apr 10, 2006 7:58 pm

DavidB · Posted: Mon Apr 10, 2006 8:54 pm

Ron_D · Posted: Mon Apr 10, 2006 9:24 pm

DavidB · Posted: Mon Apr 10, 2006 9:35 pm

nazarail · Posted: Mon Apr 10, 2006 10:03 pm

if its a buff for his own enjoyment Wink

then im sure they wont mind, but if your causeing a comotion and for profit then thats a no no

the right place at the right time
http://nathanlyons.fotopic.net/ updated! 29/3 NOW WITH EMUs

WaterfallDJ · Posted: Mon Apr 10, 2006 10:03 pm

I find that hard to belive.

biqua · Posted: Mon Apr 10, 2006 10:49 pm

ssrkid · Posted: Mon Apr 10, 2006 11:07 pm

off the subject of taking photo's at central

i stayed at a lovely yha/hi at carcasaone in southern france.
it is actually located inside the medieval castle there.

johnboy · Posted: Tue Apr 11, 2006 2:00 pm

I had this matter raised with a prosecutor, who use to be a train buff and this is all what he could say.

Whilst DavidB is right in saying there is no offence in taking photos from a platform of trains, in NSW all Railcorp (or whatever it is called today) property is seen as 'enclosed lands' as far as the law is concerned. Even out in the country where there is no fence, it is still enclosed lands (Ref from NSW Supreme Court Case in about 1991, don't have the full details at hand)

If you are questioned about taking photos/video from railway property (which includes any platform, concourse or area deemed within the enclosed lands), it is advised that you be very nice and honest and you will 99% be left alone. You do not have a right, especially if you have no intention of catching a train.

If they ask you to leave, you could stand your ground and ask which offence you are committing. At this point of time they might ask you for a valid ticket. If you have one, good!

DavidB is right in at this point of time, unless you are seen and proven to be a security risk, there is no offence. They might call the Police and under LEPRA Act, the Police can search you etc etc, all getting silly....

So take your photos and just be sensibile and you will be fine!

M636C · Posted: Tue Apr 18, 2006 3:52 pm

I thought I should resuscitate this thread to allow readers to enjoy the vaguely Kafka-esque entertainment provided for M636C on Sunday, when he decided that he might take advantage of the early afternoon light to photograph an XPT and some Olympic Park trains at what M636C still calls "Sydney Terminal".

After somewhat more than an hour photographing the exterior of unrefurbished XPT passenger cars for record purposes, XP 2001 and a quite clean M set operating out of platform 4, I entered the CityRail enclosed area (using a City Hopper ticket, which I recommend for that purpose since it allows unlimited entry and exit through the barriers) to photograph the departure of a refurbished T set to Olympic Park (from an empty platform).

A relatively junior station assistant approached me and said that I could not take photographs without gaining permission first. I assured him, politely, that he was wrong, and suggested that he discuss it with his superior, and indicated that I was relying on the statement in Hansard. He looked nonplussed but left and did indeed, apparently, consult a superior. After the T set departed, I moved to another vacant platform to photograph two 47xx series trailers converted from 38xx motors (coupled together against recommendations, I understand, since they are heavier than standard trailers).

At this stage, another station assistant approached me in an agitated state. He may have been more senior, but I couldn't determine this, and he was clearly no better informed. He and I agreed that I should speak to the "Station Manager", although I can't recall who suggested it. This assistant asked at that stage if I had a ticket, and I said "yes" (but he did not ask to see it).

On the way to the SM's office, the excitable station assistant made some brief aside (that I did not hear) to four Transit Officers standing near the barrier.

In the waiting room, the station assistant departed to get the SM. When he arrived, he did not introduce himself, nor did he ask me for my name or any identification. I asked whether he was aware of the statement in Hansard and I recall his answer as "that hasn't reached me yet!"

He then said that his "standard practice" was that he should be approached for permission before photos could be taken on the station. I mentioned at this stage that I was a serving officer in the Defence Forces with a secret security clearance and I was not a terrorist threat to his station (although I did not have my ID card with me). At this stage the excitable assistent went veritably manic and accused me of lying.

I also produced a copy of a local magazine with an article and photos with my name but the station assistant was at this stage screaming "but anyone can buy those magazines, it doesn't prove anything". I did mention that the contributions carried my name but I doubt that the assistant heard this over his own rambling.

I then turned to the SM and asked "may I take photographs on the station?" but he said "No". I asked why and he said "security reasons". I asked, "can you tell me what aspect of security you are concerned with?" but he said "no, just security". I then asked for his name for future correspondence (which he provided) and he left.

The station assistant, now clearly in need of medication for his bipolar disorder, screamed "how would you like it if someone took photos in your office?" and left.

At this, I walked with a friend down to Chinatown for a meal (we had taken all the photos we had planned to take before the "interview") and proceeded to Meadowbank (Park) to photograph trains crossing the bridge in brilliant afternoon light.

Interesting features of the process were that at no stage was I asked to do anything other than to not take photos. So there was no concern about my behaviour (I was always polite, if insistent that the Hansard statement meant that I was not committing an offence). At no stage was I asked to identify myself, even to give my name verbally, so there will be no record of my identity in relation to this.

As someone who has held a security clearance of Secret (or Top Secret) for longer than the station assistants have been alive, and who has just gone through the tedium of a security review (listing my late mother's maiden name and birth date, etc) I was appalled by the Stalinist misuse of authority by the SM in claiming that I might be some kind of security threat.

An interesting feature of British Common Law as applied in Australia is that "Ignorance of the Law is no excuse". So, although the SM was unaware of the Hansard statement, he was wrongly restricting my rights, and it was his duty, not mine, to be aware of that situation.

Although the station assistants were following instructions in good faith, their instructions were wrong and would not be legally supportable.

I have decided that rather than write to the Minister or CEO, I might write to RailCorp PR, who currently have a number of my photographs (taken on CityRail stations, of course) which they want to use for PR purposes and ask if they might assist in clarifying the situation at Central.

In the mean time, I will take my military ID card with me on future visits to Central, and multiple copies of the Hansard extract with the words "it is not an offence to take a photograph on a train or at a station" underlined in red!

M636C

banko_boy · Posted: Tue Apr 18, 2006 4:14 pm

A rather amazing account there mate. Just goes to show how unprofessional some rail staff can be about the matter, not that there should be a matter in the first place.

Eleven Mile · Posted: Tue Apr 18, 2006 5:15 pm