TheSocialSide

THE SOCIALSIDE

Who exactly aresocial media postings aimedat?

Inrecentweekstherehavebeenacouple ofhigh-profilefauxpasonsocialmedia from heritage organisations using the wrongterminologywhenitcomestocertain trains.

Predictably, there were varied responses, withalotofenthusiastssuggestingthatthese organisations should know better.

Devil’ s advocate… should they? The most high-profile was a recent tweet by the National Railway Museum asking people to select which electric locomotive theypreferred,andwhensuggestingaClass 82, they used an image of a Mk.3 Driving Van Trailer – clearly, not a locomotive. In among all the expected tweets was one from the museum stating that they had got it wrong, but in a rather casual way.

Another tweet I saw was from the East LancashireRailwayadvertisinganeventthat included ‘locomotives ’ when, in fact, it was the DMU event and was illustrated with a picture of Pacer 144009.

Althoughnotaheritageorganisation,you canalsoaddNetworkRail’ spressreleaseinto the recent derailment of a freight train near Carlisle,inwhichitcalledthecementwagons ‘ carriages ’ .Thiswaspickedupbyseveralnews outlets and printed verbatim.

Now, despite what some may choose to think,accuracymatterstojournalists.Information has to be correct, but in an increasingly digital age and the race for revenues–thatischanging.Manywillsimply rely on what is provided and run with it.

Does this matter? Well, I think the three recent cases each deserve a look, because each is different.

Starting with Network Rail, the press release was later corrected following comments online (mainly on Twitter) that theywereindeedwagonsandnotcarriages. However, the release was generic and sent to all media outlets. Yes, it should have had thecorrectdetails,butthelocalandnational media would only see a train derailed, read there is no injuries, and that would be that. For the specialist press, they would know what the vehicles derailed were and report accordingly.

As for the ELR, that event, largely, was aimedattheenthusiastmarketandsoshould have been worded better. However, in an increasinglydigitalerait’ sgoodtoseeaheritage railway actually promoting its events, even the more specialist ones such as an DMU gala, rather than posting something onitswebsiteandleavingitatthat.Hopefully it can learn a lesson and move on.

And finally, there ’ s the National Railway Museum. The tweet it sent out. Yes, it fuels thesuggestionfromsomethatitdoesn ’tcare fortheenthusiastandisonlyinterestedinthe activitiesandpromotionofFlyingScotsman, as practically any post of any vehicle seems toattractinthecommentssection.However, the museum is not aimed squarely at the enthusiastbutratheratthegeneralpublic,the vast majority of whom will not understand what a DVT is, let alone what a Class 82 is, and why Mk.3 DVTs are numbered 821xx and the locomotives are 820xx. By going to the museum, they can learn about that if they so wish.

Would I like to see everything going out in the media accurate all the time? Yes. HaveIgotthingswrongonsocialmediaand in my magazine writing? Absolutely.

Butinthesecases,Iamnotconvincedthat the reaction the organisations got was fair. Beforespleensarevented,perhapsit’ sworth askingwhothesocialmediapostisaimedat?

Trylookingtopreservation closertohome

Speculation suggests that the Class 58s exportedtoFrance,andwhicharenowstored at Alizay, are to be dismantled. Initially, it wasthoughtthiswouldbehappeningasthis issue of Railways Illustrated went to press, butnowitissuggestedthatanyscrappingof the locomotives will take place next spring.

Assureasnightfollowsday,thecomments started to appear on Facebook that they should be saved, specifically 58001 and 58050.

Instantlyit’ sworthmentioningthat58050 is in Spain – not France – and its future is unknown.Itwasoriginallynominatedbythe Railway Heritage Committee for saving at the end of its commercial career, due to the

fact it was the last locomotive constructed at Doncaster Works.

But, turning to the 24 Class 58s in store at Alizay (58001/004-007/009011/013/018/021/026/032-036/038-040/ 042/044/046/049), some of these have been in France for about 18 years and have now beenoutoftrafficforanumberofyears.They havebeenstoredintheopenandsomecannibalised to keep others running.

Then there is the issue of bringing one, or more, back to the UK. Yes, other exported locomotives have returned and are indeed now back on the main line in this country (37716, 37800/884, for example), but that wasbeforeBrexitandthenewlegislationthat makes importing goods that much harder.

How would the Class 58 – let’ s say 58001 – be repatriated? By road or rail? Would it still be in-gauge? Where would it go when preserved?

There are many questions to answer, and as I highlighted in this column in Railways Illustrated228,with37003,thereisalotmore to it than just people commenting that ‘it must be saved’ .

But it also got me wondering. Why are those clamouring to save a certain Class 58 – and to be honest, none of those in France are as historic as that last Doncaster-built locomotiveinSpain–whenthereisalready a preserved Class 58 in this country? The Class58LocomotiveGroupsaved58016but it has been stored at Leicester for a number of years while funds are raised to restore it and have it hauling trains again.

The C58LG has plans for the locomotive and is actively trying to garner interest in its return to operational condition... but funds are needed to turn those intentions into reality.

Itseemstomethatthosepeoplecallingfor theFrenchClass58stobesavedandreturned totheUKmaybebetteroffchannellingtheir efforts–anddonations–intohelping58016 return to life. After all, the equivalent costs of transport and import fees from bringing one of the locomotives back from France alonewouldmakeamassivedifferencetothe C58LGanditseffortstorestoreaClass58that is already preserved and sitting in the UK.

Thepictureisthefavourite –notthephotographer!

AsIpreparetotakeoveraseditoratRailways Illustrated’ s sister title, Rail Express, I have put the feelers out on social media for photographers to get in touch. What I was not prepared for was the accusation that I, andindeedtherailwaypress,havefavourites. Thatissimplynottrue,butIhaveseenthese claims on a number of occasions now, so it is worth addressing.

The internet, and social media, has massively changed how photography is consumed.WhenIfirstjoinedRAILmagazine back in 2005, digital photography was growing,andwestillreceivedphysicalslides andprintseveryday.Thateventuallydeclined andincreasinglypeoplewouldsubmitdigital images via email.

Now, more and more people put their pictures on the likes of Flickr, Twitter, and Facebook, rather than actually submitting them to the magazine for consideration. While that may get them instant clicks and likes, it doesn ’t earn a reproduction fee, whichyoudogetfromhavingaphotograph published in a magazine.

It is a myth that editors only use their favouritephotographers.Thosewhoappear regularlyinthemagazinesdosobecausethey submit regularly, but if someone sends in a greatimageofthesameworking,theeditor will always go for the best image regardless of who took it.

Iseemanycommentswherepeoplethink they are not good enough, and when you then look at their work you realise that is simply not true. I am sure Andy Coward willbeonlytoohappytoreceivepicturesfor Railways Illustrated and, you never know, a tripoutmayearnyouafewquid.Allforthe effort of sending an email.

MAIN:Preserved Pacer144009on theEastLancashire Railwayisdefinitely aDMUratherthan alocomotive,as asocialmedia postingmadebythe railwayerroneously suggestedrecently. OnSeptember 17,2022,144009 worksthe15.43 Ramsbottom toBuryservice throughSpringside Farmbetween Summerseatand Burrsduringthe railway’sautumn dieselevent. TomMcAtee

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