[shark]

That’s a lot of ifs and buts including an unknown relationship between Network Rail and the local Council which may not exist. The Network Rail issue is probably safety driven and that particular box might be ticked in the risk assessment form that demonstrates that Network Rail has met its corporate responsibility obligations in the event of a future incident. Who knows what the Councils issue was or is. To my knowledge it’s never been disclosed. It may be that different people or departments at the Council have different views on this.

[Will Hunt]

The fence cuts off access to the railway track. You don't need to squeeze through anything, you're entirely on the non-track side.

the fence is literally pushed up against the rock so not exactly the greatest climbing experience

These statements seem contradictory. Understanding where the fence is, and thus what it's trying to do, seems pretty important to understanding what NR are trying to do, and thus how keen they might be to prosecute people climbing behind the fence.

[Droyd]

Video of the fence + crag: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1117429708317626/posts/5267266320000590/

[Carliios]

That’s a lot of ifs and buts including an unknown relationship between Network Rail and the local Council which may not exist. The Network Rail issue is probably safety driven and that particular box might be ticked in the risk assessment form that demonstrates that Network Rail has met its corporate responsibility obligations in the event of a future incident. Who knows what the Councils issue was or is. To my knowledge it’s never been disclosed. It may be that different people or departments at the Council have different views on this.

The fence is so close to the rock that there’s a fairly good chance someone climbing there could get impaled if they’re careless and I can guarantee you if by some stroke of bad luck, someone died climbing there, the link between the council and NR would not be so unknown.

[Wellsy]

I have been to where the fence is. You can't climb on Whizz Kid Wall unless you are prepared to get impaled. You can do Apprentice Wall, the Wookie, the Cookie, Apprentice Prow etc everything on that bit. There's about half a dozen good problems that are entirely climbable

[steveri]

I'd take a guess at someone (Network Rail?) contacting ukc directly and them adding a manual override to the UKC/RAD link. Might be worth dropping them a line to see if they can add any insight? Alan was really helpful with a similar situation elsewhere.

[Will Hunt]

 

There is absolutely no way that Network Rail is going to agree to climbing anywhere near that fence. I can't believe people think that they might!

I don't even think it's necessarily spiteful of them to place it there. There will be an asset standard for clearance between rails and fence and there's barely any room to play with.

I wouldn't be climbing there with their intent fairly clear and a real risk of criminal prosecution.

[Carliios]

There is absolutely no way that Network Rail is going to agree to climbing anywhere near that fence. I can't believe people think that they might!

I don't even think it's necessarily spiteful of them to place it there. There will be an asset standard for clearance between rails and fence and there's barely any room to play with.

I wouldn't be climbing there with their intent fairly clear and a real risk of criminal prosecution.

Agreed. Not worth it in my opinion. Plenty of other soft 7A+s people can get on 

[CapitalistPunter]

Agreed. Not worth it in my opinion. Plenty of other soft 7A+s people can get on 

Get on Colt

[Jack Andrew]

The funny thing is, I didn’t even realise people were still climbing there until you shared it! Now I’m tempted,

I never did try Apprentice Wall and I’ve been told it’s a classic!

[Wellsy]

Look, I think people should largely just try to keep a low profile at Anston in general, but I would point out that it wasn't people climbing at AW that got the fence put up, it was people doing that and then posting it all online, including a post from a big YouTube channel taken on the train tracks.

It's important to respect access rights and issues. There is a fence, as long as you are on the opposite side to the track to me it is reasonable to climb there and indeed anywhere else in the woods as long as one follows the SSSI rules and is respectful of the locals etc. People are not dicks for going there and climbing stuff imo, if they are approached by officials then they're probably wise to listen to what they say and be reasonable, but otherwise it seems fine to me. And I don't think that calling them that is going to get anywhere other than ignored.

[Carliios]

The funny thing is, I didn’t even realise people were still climbing there until you shared it! Now I’m tempted,

I never did try Apprentice Wall and I’ve been told it’s a classic!

Don’t forget to post a video on Instagram

[Wellsy]

I don't think you need to worry on that front when it comes to our Jack :D

[Jack Andrew]

I’ll specifically mention the train tracks too like you did 

[Carliios]

Good thing I climbed it before it got banned and fenced eh 

[Jack Andrew]

A good job you added to all of the instagram content of the train lines which could prompt more people to climb there which could have added to access issues and could have contributed to the banning and fence?

An interesting point 

[reeve]

I don't have a definitive answer as to what is best to do (or not do), but just letting you all know that I am meeting a representative
of Anston Parish Council next week. I don't expect that this will clarify anything to do with Network Rail and AW but I'll at least try to find out.

[Carliios]

A good job you added to all of the instagram content of the train lines which could prompt more people to climb there which could have added to access issues and could have contributed to the banning and fence?

An interesting point 

Literally just videos of the boulders but go on 

[Jack Andrew]

I was only joking but since you’ve changed your instagram caption now you clearly see my point.

I was just jokingly stating that a lot of people will have contributed to the banning without realising it was wrong. To call others out seems pointless

[Carliios]

I think there’s a bit of a difference between climbing on the rock and being a moron and running across the train tracks taking pictures which some people did on the day it got banned

[Jack Andrew]

I haven’t been in this scene long, but common sense shows the more people climb next to the railway lines the more likely it is that people will be told to stop. From what I can tell it went a very long time going unnoticed before social media blew up.

I’m not saying the your post alone caused the ban, I’m saying that it was part of the bigger problem. I’m sure I’m guilty of it too, but that’s part and parcel of learning. My point was just that maybe we should be less prone to calling people out openly before speaking to them directly first?

I didn’t know people had run across the lines the day it was banned, that is stupid.

[Footwork]

Carlos, is it not fair to see how posting pictures of climbs in a sensitive area (whether or not it includes the tracks themselves) could lead to attracting more people there who in turn post etc etc and ends up contributing to the issue.

I have no problem people spraying about climbing, but just wish people didn't spray about places with sensitive access. Especially if the attitude is 'well glad I got those done before they got banned', which I'm sure you're partly joking

[Carliios]

Yes it was a joke but I was also trying to make the point that the people who are climbing there NOW and spraying about it on socials aren’t helping the situation whereas when I posted it was pre-fence/ban though yes, I understand that me posting may attract others to go there.

And yes I may have altered the caption but all it said was “interesting location, not often you climb next to train tracks” wasn’t exactly an invitation or meant to be enticing in any way.

Christ. I just wanted information on whether access was banned there and it feels like it turned into a pile-on against me 

[Will Hunt]

For what it's worth my saying that I wouldn't climb there isn't me saying that others mustn't. If they want to chance it then I guess it's their risk. Access is already lost to Apprentice Wall.

Maybe there's a chance that NR could influence the parish council to take a more hostile approach to climbers. If that was a significant risk it would change things.

I have no problem people spraying about climbing, but just wish people didn't spray about places with sensitive access.

Not particular to Carlos but this is unrealistic, imo. For so many climbers now it's as much about posting on social media and checking the Likes every 5 minutes as about the climbing. If only these people could take themselves off to surfing or something and fuck that culture up instead.

[Aussiegav]

Carlos, did you get a response from the two users you roasted on that Instagram post?