National Express publicly ban spotters

[Arthur Maunsell]

this is a non story surely.

[Deltic55]

Originally Posted by Adey Baker

'Bespectacled brethren in their anoraks,' 'spiral back notebooks,' 'sandwiches in polythene bags,' - no stereotypes there, then!

Indeed!

There's a lot of discussion about this and the problem with barriers on platforms / platform tickets in The Railway Magazine. I read in the letters page that one person was refused entry to the platform because 'they don't want your sort here', but the classic response to a daughter who wanted to collect her mother from the train and asked if she could go through the barrier to get her from the train being ....'Is she a cripple?' - I would have gone through the roof!!!

[martin adamson]

This article seems to be waffling all over the place, they are not sticking with the main issue.

NX are clearly saying that they will not let anyone on the platforms unless they have a ticket to travel, to stop faredodgers. In some respects fair enough. Let one or two people on to the platform to watch the trains and photograph, let a hundred on that might get onboard and hide in the toilets and avoid paying the fare.

The most important issue here is this 'security risk' rubbish, when will these people learn common sense, surely anyone who is a threat will be trying to 'hide' what they are doing, and most photographers will not since they want good photographs.

[bramleyman]

I was interviewed by BBC Radio Cambridgeshire about my opinion of this yesterday afternoon and it is being broadcast this morning (Thursday) on the Andie Harper Show between 09.00 and 12.30..

[Deathbyteacup]

I read this story the other day and found it baffling.

It started off suggesting trainspotting was now illegal in the headline, went on to say National Express would ban spotters at a handful of stations, then NE went on to say the story was nonsense at the end, except perhaps the concept of getting a "platform ticket" and "enthusiasts are welcome" - which is basically making a mountain out of a molehill?

I don't think NXEC are the most enthusiast friendly company though. They tried with Tornado, but ended up shooting themselves in the foot by trying to ban spotters when it arrived at one of their stations! They then backtracked quite quickly when they realised that everyone and the local vicar was going to crucify them for it.

I think they're just repeating history.

Madness.