CONDITIONS OF SERVICE
Information for contributors and users
The Trade Unions used to publish a useful little booklet - maybe they still do - under that title which contained all sorts of useful information. The use of the same title here is through affection and is not intended to sound manacing!
Branch Lines
Articles for publication in the Branch Lines section of this web site will be welcomed from anybody, but please read the following guidelines before you put finger to keyboard: I'm sorry if they appear a little long-winded. They are guidelines rather than strict rules.
- Articles are best if short and snappy, the equivalent of two pages of A4 typed text is a comfortable size. This is because Internet pages are not read in the same way as a book - small chunks of information are more easily digested.
- The article must not be, or have previously been, published in print or elsewhere on the Internet..
- At present I have no scanning facilities, but a couple of illustrations can be included with your article if you can supply them to me as JPG or GIF images.
- Articles may be submitted by Email as straight text or as an HTML attachment, or as "hard" copy by post. The first two options are preferred as this means less work for me.
- I recommend all authors contact me outlining their article before writing it to avoid finding someone else has beaten them to it on a given subject
- Authors may submit more than one article, on different subjects. The more the merrier!
- I will lay the web page out and provide each author with an individual layout style. I make no promises to put articles on the site in a given time - there is a lot of work involved. I lead a private life too, you know.
- All articles must include an Email or postal address and authors must be prepared to handle their own enquiries. I do not have the knowledge to do so on the author's behalf.
- I reserve the right to edit, add to or correct articles, although I doubt this will be necessary.
- Authors may submit corrections and additions to their articles whenever they wish.
- Old or out of date articles may be deleted if they do not seem appropriate as the web site develops. I hope this will not be necessary.
- I am entitled to change or bend the rules if I want to. It's my web site!
- If you wish to bend the rules, you must ask me first.
Copyright
Like anybody's work, everything on this web site is copyright. It is the work of myself and the other contributors.
But seeing I am such a nice person (heh, heh) I have no objection to you copying my own photographs or text for personal use. I cannot extend this offer to the entire site - the Branch Lines section, and any photographs credited to other people are strictly copyright and should not be copied in any circumstances without permission. If you wish, I can put you in touch with the people concerned who I am sure will be most helpful.
If you wish to use my text or photographs publicly, e.g. on your own website or for a book, you should contact me first. There will normally be no problem in getting this permission for non-profit use.
Signal box layout diagrams may also be copied for personal use only. I frequently supply diagrams for use in books, but you must seek permission from me for this.
Many of the graphic images and backgrounds on this site are not my own work, but again I can direct you to their makers who (mostly) supply them free.
So there is no need to steal - just ask!