Waiting for four trains at level crossing

[SussexMan]

Are there many places where level crossing barriers stay down for four trains on a double track section?

Happens quite regularly on my commute over Hampden Park crossing near Eastbourne. Sometimes barriers go up between the four trains but not always. If I decide to carry my bike over the footbridge, you can guarantee the barriers go up!

It is one of the busiest level crossings in the country I believe.

 

[jopsuk]

I'd imagine it happens quite a bit on the crossings between Broxbourne and Tottenham Hale

 

[robbeech]

I have frequently seen 3 and on multiple ocassions 4 just north of Carlton Loop on the ECML.

 

[AndrewE]

At Holme (ECML S of Peterborough) this morning too, apparently.

 

[bramling]

And at Holme (ECML S of Peterborough) this morning too, apparently.

Helpston north of Peterborough is a good one for this although not on a double line, although any of the ones at the south end of the ECML are likely to see this if the right combination of train movements occur.

Windsor Lines could be another possibility.

 

[adrock1976]

Although 2 track, do the level crossings at Egham and Feltham (both Middlesex) have this occuring during Monday to Friday Peak periods? I am aware that trains in the same direction have an increased frequency during this time.

Also on a side note, is it both of these level crossings that may be perceived to be a hinderance to the Heathrow Airport Southern Access link?

 

[Bald Rick]

I've seen 5 at Kings Dyke, near Peterborough, and pretty sure I've seen more at Ingatestone. Both from the relative security of the relevant 'box.

 

[gnolife]

Not quite the same, but I've known Navigation Road to go down for an Altrincham tram, then a Manchester tram, the Chester train (which was running 10 late), another Altrincham tram, another Manchester tram, the Manchester train, and a further round of Altrincham tram, Manchester tram and then raising.

 

[Dr_Intoxicated]

Although 2 track, do the level crossings at Egham and Feltham (both Middlesex) have this occuring during Monday to Friday Peak periods? I am aware that trains in the same direction have an increased frequency during this time.

Also on a side note, is it both of these level crossings that may be perceived to be a hinderance to the Heathrow Airport Southern Access link?

I have waited for 3 quite often at Feltham, it seems to depend on the signaller sometimes they are prepared to raise the barriers for a very short time less than 1 minute, other times the barriers are down for quite a while before the train arrives, particularly on the down line. It also does not help now that the up 458/5s foul the crossing.

 

[Bertie the bus]

I've waited for 3 at Alsager. Not 4 admittedly but Alsager doesn’t have a bridge so if you are in a car, on a push bike or are a pedestrian you just have to wait. Which is a bit annoying if you want to catch a train and are the wrong side of the gates.

 

[55018ballymoss]

You should try Hest Bank or Bolton-le-Sands on the WCML. Four can be quite the usual number depending on how services are running.

 

[Stewart2887]

I'm sure I've seen five at Steventon, but one local assures me he once had eight

 

[GB]

In all honesty four trains on a double track section is really not that unusual.

 

[GW43125]

I have waited for 3 quite often at Feltham, it seems to depend on the signaller sometimes they are prepared to raise the barriers for a very short time less than 1 minute, other times the barriers are down for quite a while before the train arrives, particularly on the down line. It also does not help now that the up 458/5s foul the crossing.

Waited for 4 at pooley green (after Egham towards London) the other day. It's not uncommon when they're running slightly late.

 

[RichardKing]

Are there many places where level crossing barriers stay down for four trains on a double track section?

Happens quite regularly on my commute over Hampden Park crossing near Eastbourne. Sometimes barriers go up between the four trains but not always. If I decide to carry my bike over the footbridge, you can guarantee the barriers go up!

It is one of the busiest level crossings in the country I believe.

View attachment 33352

At Hampden Park, the problem is that you've got trains coming from both Polegate and Pevensey in the down direction.

There's a similar example to the one you've provided, but in this case it's during the off-peak (so happens every hour):
-A 2DXX stopper service comes down from the Polegate direction;
-Whilst the 2DXX service is at the platform, the 1GXX fast 171 will be creeping up behind it from the Pevensey direction, so, if the stopper is just a few minutes late, the signaller will see little point in raising the barriers;
-Whilst the 1GXX passes Hampden Park, a fast 1FXX London service departs Eastbourne, so the barriers will, once again, remain down to prevent delays.

This is even worse during the evening peak when you've got 12 car stoppers in the down direction that block the level crossing as Hampden Park can only accommodate 8 cars.

 

[northwichcat]

Not quite the same, but I've known Navigation Road to go down for an Altrincham tram, then a Manchester tram, the Chester train (which was running 10 late), another Altrincham tram, another Manchester tram, the Manchester train, and a further round of Altrincham tram, Manchester tram and then raising.

But as the trams run under NR signalling on that section it would actually be easier to have more services going over that level crossing if it was heavy rail only.

People complain about turning up over 5 minutes before a train and not being allowed to cross the line before the train departs. It's also the level crossing where there are the most incidents of people crossing when they shouldn't. Coincidence?

 

[Cowley]

I think I've waited for four trains at Exeter before now. If the gates go down for a service coming from Taunton they can be down for ages and there's then time for a northbound train to go followed by a Barnstaple service leaving as the ecs 159 for Waterloo comes into platform 1. I have a feeling that something similar happens around rush hour in the afternoon but I'm going to have to go and see for myself if this is the case as I've not really thought of it before.

 

[farleigh]

Seen two at East Farleigh.

 

[Waldgrun]

I would have though you might see this at Ford (west Sussex) on the West Coastway line, five trains per hour booked to stop each way plus the services not calling, which might be other 4 per hour each way.

 

[Deafdoggie]

I've waited for 3 at Alsager. Not 4 admittedly but Alsager doesn’t have a bridge so if you are in a car, on a push bike or are a pedestrian you just have to wait. Which is a bit annoying if you want to catch a train and are the wrong side of the gates.

What makes Alsager annoying, is that there are only four trains an hour (two each way)-and three come at once!

 

[David57]

A few years ago, when Banbury Lane Crossing (on the WCML, near Weedon) had the local box transferred to control from the Rugby Power Box, I saw the barriers closed to road traffic for six trains, all running close to each other.
It was a great place to take my boy and his mates to watch trains!

 

[The Planner]

A few? Banbury Lane must have been closed 12 years.

 

[LowLevel]

I've waited for 3 at Alsager. Not 4 admittedly but Alsager doesn’t have a bridge so if you are in a car, on a push bike or are a pedestrian you just have to wait. Which is a bit annoying if you want to catch a train and are the wrong side of the gates.

I usually wait for people trapped by crossing barriers even if it means waiting a minute past time if at all possible (sometimes if other trains are coming it's just too long) - my theory is that not doing so encourages people to jump the barriers which is unsafe.

The exception is a couple of sorry excuses for humans who regularly ride up and down between Alsager and Kidsgrove making a mess and refusing to pay - I love leaving them behind, the art is timing the door closure to slam in their face and then having a good amount of time to wave goodbye!

 

[Be3G]

I'd imagine it happens quite a bit on the crossings between Broxbourne and Tottenham Hale

You'd imagine correctly! When the trains are late (as they often were when I commuted that way regularly) crossings like the one at Enfield Lock could easily be down for about ten minutes as a succession of many trains would pass in each direction. The general peak service pattern on the line is a Stansted Express, then a Cambridge service, then a local stopper with just a few minutes between each train, and looping every fifteen minutes, so with even minor delays it's very easy to get periods with no gap long enough to raise a crossing.

Roll on Crossrail 2 and the eradication of said crossings (though no idea how they're going to do ones like at Enfield Lock!) to solve this problem.

 

[robbeech]

I think the signaller plays a bigger part in this than we might think.
Quite often i will sit eating my lunch in (outside) the pub near Carlton Loop and watch 3 trains pass, by which time there is a bit of a queue forming. On several occasions i have known the barriers to raise until the last vehicle has gone past to be then lowered again immediately. Of course this is all done safely, likely without a single train seeing a double yellow (i assume signals revert to danger when the crossings are open) but if there are no vehicles there they can stay down for a very long period of time between trains.

 

[snowball]

Of course this is all done safely, likely without a single train seeing a double yellow (i assume signals revert to danger when the crossings are open) but if there are no vehicles there they can stay down for a very long period of time between trains.

I would imagine automatic signals are avoided on the approach to a controlled level crossing, so rather than reverting to danger, the signals will not clear in the first place until a route for a train is set.

 

[edwin_m]

I would imagine automatic signals are avoided on the approach to a controlled level crossing, so rather than reverting to danger, the signals will not clear in the first place until a route for a train is set.

There will be approach locking so if the signals have been cleared this will prevent the barriers being raised until 2min after the signals have been put back to danger (sometimes the 2min is bypassed if there is no train nearby). So the signals won't be cleared until there is a train approaching, even if the barriers have been lowered for a train on another track.

 

[Bookd]

Not 4, only 2 trains cross on the single line at Addlestone but the crossing can be closed for a while, and there is a feature that I have not seen elsewhere.
If driving from Weybridge towards Addlestone, before the left turn into the town, there is a digital road sign to warn that the crossing is closed so that motorists can continue to the next junction and take a longer but quicker route.

 

[mervyn72]

My record is 5 at Foxton crossing. 1) 365 non stop up 2) 365 non stop down 3) 66 light engine up 4) 66 with waste for Barrington quarry draws past the crossing 5) same 66 then reverses back over crossing up the branch. In total 26 minutes closed on a very busy A10 and me late for the opticians. Unfortunately this happens regularly

 

[Hartington]

Barnes! Vine Road crosses the Hounslow loop and then, about 20/30 yards later the Richmond line. You might only get two at each crossing; then again you can get 3 on each easily.