At Network Rail, safety is paramount. Our industry is incredibly complex – our approach to safety can’t be. Everyone Home Safe Every Day is Network Rail’s safety promise, simple and all-encompassing.

Everyone Home Safe Every Day

We’re passionate about safety, for our employees, our contractors, the passengers who travel on our network and members of the public who interact with the railway at places such as level crossings and at our stations.

We have one of the safest railways in Europe. However, serious and fatal accidents still occur. Therefore we invest in several safety awareness programmes and campaigns to make the railway a safer place for those who use it.

Railway photography and safety at our stations

Network Rail welcomes rail enthusiasts and photographers who would like to take photos or film at our stations. We’d like you to have a safe and enjoyable experience.

When you arrive at one of our stations, please let the staff at the Reception Desk know that you are there. This will keep station staff informed, so that they can go about their duties without concern about why you are there.

Act safely and sensibly at all times.

Stay clear of the platform edge and stay behind the yellow lines where they are provided. We understand that in pursuit of a great image, it’s easy to get distracted, so please be aware of your surroundings.

Don’t trespass on the tracks or areas that are out of bounds. Don’t climb on any structure or obstruct any signalling equipment or signs, which are vital to the safe running of the railway. Please don’t wear anything that is similar in colour to safety clothing, such as high-visibility jackets, as this could cause confusion to drivers and other railway employees.

Flash photography is not allowed at any time. It can distract train drivers and train dispatch staff and so is potentially very dangerous. Tripods should be avoided where possible. If you need to use a tripod you must speak to our station staff to ensure you are in a safe area.

If you see anything suspicious or notice any unusual behaviour or activities, please tell a member of staff immediately. Your presence at a station or at the lineside can be very helpful to us as extra ‘eyes and ears’ and can have a positive security benefit. Above all, take care, be aware of your surroundings and be respectful of our passengers and employees. We want you to have a great visit and to go home safe. Our Everyone Home Safe Every Day Safety Vision applies to you too!

At the lineside

Our railway runs through some impressive landscapes and cityscapes and the images in this book showcase some of the excellent scenes that can be photographed safely from outside the railway boundary.

Please stay outside the boundary fence. You must not trespass on the railway, no matter how tempting it might be to try to secure what you think is a better image. It might be your last. Our railway is a dangerous environment, from heavy and high-speed trains, to trip hazards and risks of electrocution.

Only our employees and contractors who have been especially trained and who are authorised can be there, and rarely these days when trains are operating.

Trespass also causes significant disruption to the railway network, leading to extensive delays, cancellations and to disruption to our passengers. Trespass costs the industry millions of pounds a year. No image is worth risking your own safety, a criminal record or causing that level of disruption and cost.

Our train drivers can also be unnerved by the sight of trespassers, because they do not know what their intensions are. Trains travel at high speed and a train driver glimpsing a figure within the fence in the distance has no idea whether that person intends harm to the train or themselves. Don’t be that person.

Railways make great subjects for photography. We share a passion for railways, but above all we have a passion for safety. So please take care, because we want you to go Home Safe Every Day.

Chris Gee
Operations Director
Network Rail,
North and East Route
York