Examples of unique level crossings?

[Haywain]

The Welsh Highland Railway level crossing at Portmadog is very unusual in having the railway run along the road.

 

[AndrewE]

Porthmadog where the WHR has a long road crossing when it shares the Pont Britannia with the road? The road goes from 1 side of the track to the other, so it is a crossing... It's a bit like the shared road /rail bridge on the Inlands Bahn in Sweden, except that I have a feeling that the road stays the same side of the railway there.

 

[bearhugger]

Are there still any using telescopic gates?

Yes, Redcar Central level crossing.

Weren’t they a factor in an incident at Redcar recently?

Amongst other things yes. There's a thread on here about that incident.

Edit for Mods: Apologies that I don't know how to link to a particular thread from elsewhere on this forum.

 

[High Dyke]

And a bit further south at David Lane, the Nottingham tram is still alongside the railway but the barriers only go down for trains, trams being protected only by traffic sisignals.

Ah, the old Lincoln Street LC.

Basford Crossing - Lincoln Street Railway Level Crossing - on the Nottingham-Mansfield railway line

The Vernon Bingo Hall Tombola and Social Club (ex-Vernon cinema) can be seen on the right. The picture is taken from the top of the railway footbridge.

picturenottingham.co.uk

The image is of the Midland Railway signal box and level crossing. The box is long closed and removed. The current Nottingham Tram line operates to the left of the shot, over the level crossing.

 

[SuspectUsual]

Is the crossing in Arbroath that has barriers but no lights still extant?

 

[MadMac]

Is the crossing in Arbroath that has barriers but no lights still extant?

Still there. I hadn’t realised that it had no lights.

 

[Sun Chariot]

Is the crossing in Arbroath that has barriers but no lights still extant?

Orchard Street? Attached images from Google Street View, showing the crossing with its barriers but no lights; and the crossing box.

 

[MadMac]

Orchard Street? Attached images from Google Street View, showing the crossing with its barriers but no lights; and the former signal box.

Box is still operational and controls the crossing.

 

[Krokodil]

The Welsh Highland Railway crosses the Cambrian line on the flat at Cae Pawb but instead of being signalled in a more conventional sense it is treated as a User-Worked Crossing from the point of view of Network Rail.

I'm not sure if it is still operational as the airfield is closed but a taxiway at Filton Airfield crossed the Henbury loop. Crossing would be operated locally with a slot from Bristol Panel. The barriers rolled horizontally.

 

[Sun Chariot]

Box is still operational and controls the crossing.

That's a pleasant surprise. I had a few work related trips to Arbroath, from the south coast, during 2017-18, yet I never knew of this road or the 'box. Drat and double drat!

 

[Magdalia]

Manningtree is a little bit odd with its small bridge right next to the crossing. I think theres another one like this in East Anglia too.

This was once a fairly common arrangement on the Great Eastern.

And Littleport

Littleport is another that no longer qualifies. All road traffic now uses the level crossing, the underbridge is now the walking route between the platforms.

 

[D6130]

Over the water in Northern Ireland, the level crossing at the North end of Coleraine station straddles a 'Y' junction of two main roads. As a result there are two sets of double barriers on the Up (towards Belfast) side of the line, but only one set on the Down side.

 

[Sun Chariot]

Could also have helpston with a signal box and sort of refuge thingee in between the Oakham to Peterborough line and the east coast mainline

Helpston crosses six tracks and protected only at the outer sides of the six running lines.
As you rightly say, there's a split - refuge.

 

[Ashley Hill]

Rosarie: Only remaining AOCR on NR?

When I first looked at this thread Rosarie was the first crossing that sprung to mind. Glad it’s still unique.

 

[Sun Chariot]

Carmont: Manned barrier with no lights.
Logans Road: CCTV, no “wig-wags” but integrates with the traffic signals at the adjacent road junction.
Rosarie: Only remaining AOCR on NR?
Holywood: Last wheel-operated gates on NR in Scotland.
There’s one near Ballinluig that’s a “rural barrier” but is electrically, rather than hydraulically, operated due to one of the regular users being an elderly couple who couldn’t operate a hydraulic installation.

Fabulous stuff, thanks.
For my ignorance, what's an AOCR?

 

[MadMac]

Fabulous stuff, thanks.
For my ignorance, what's an AOCR?

Ah. Automatic Open Crossing (Remotely Monitored). Essentially, an Automatic Half-Barrier without the barriers. They fell out of favour after the Lockington accident and subsequent Stott Report. Rosarie has survived largely because nobody knows quite how to replace/remove it given local conditions.

I believe there may still be some in Northern Ireland?

 

[Sun Chariot]

Automatic Open Crossing (Remotely Monitored). Essentially, an Automatic Half-Barrier without the barriers.

Thanks. I'm guessing it's similar to what I put on post #19 but with the added feature of remote monitoring?

 

[MadMac]

Thanks. I'm guessing it's similar to what I put on post #19 but with the added feature of remote monitoring?

Basically yes. Some video of Rosarie Here.

 

[stadler]

There are a small handful of level crossings that still have bells instead of alarms. These days 99% use the standard yodalarm alarm sounds but a few with bells still exist.

Ashwell (Langham Road) Rutland
Brook (New Road) Surrey
Charlton (Charlton Lane) Greater London
Chilworth (Sampleoak Lane) Surrey
Collingham (Cross Lane) Nottinghamshire
Ditchling (Spatham Lane) Sussex
Farncombe (Bourne Road) Surrey
Hatton (Station Road) Derbyshire
Hythe (West Street) Hampshire
Marchwood (Tavells Lane) Hampshire
Marchwood (Trotts Lane) Hampshire
Marchwood (Veals Lane) Hampshire
Sandwich (New Street) Kent
Sandwich (Woodnesborough Road) Kent
Southampton (Adelaide Road) Hampshire
Southampton (Mount Pleasant Road) Hampshire
Winthorpe (Holme Lane) Nottinghamshire
Wokingham (Barkham Road) Berkshire

These level crossings with bells are certainly getting very rare these days. I would imagine that within five or ten years all of these will be replaced with alarms.

 

[jammmmmsssssss]

Helpston crosses six tracks and used to be protected only at the outer sides of the six running lines.
As you rightly say, there's now a split - refuge - for motorists.

You can't stay in the middle when the barriers are down

 

[Sun Chariot]

You can't stay in the middle when the barriers are down

Is it an emergency refuge, e.g. if a person or a vehicle cannot reach either side safely once the alarm sequence starts?
Before barriers were installed, there were two separate gated crossings (ex-Midland / ex-Great Northern) - and the "refuge" was in fact a legitimate place for vehicles to stop.

 

[jammmmmsssssss]

Is it an emergency refuge, e.g. if a person or vehicle cannot reach either side safely once the alarm sequence starts?
Before barriers were installed, there were two separate gated crossings (ex-Midland / ex-Great Northern) - and the "refuge" was in fact a legitimate place for vehicles to stop.

No, the person controlling the barriers will stop them lowering until you get out

 

[Boilinthebag]

Chichester has two level crossings 80 metres apart and just to the east of the station platforms. Stockbridge Road by the station and Basin Road 80 metres east of it.

Southampton's busy Canute Road is crossed by the line into Eastern Docks (and next to the erstwhile Terminus Station).
No barriers or gates - just the warning lights, yodel alarm and a hefty hoot from the locomotive.
Bizarrely, the far less busy Chapel Road, 1/4 mile to the north of Canute Road, has AHBs.

There are good reasons for the set up of the two crossings between Northam and Eastern Docks. Chapel Road is an ABCL, which means as long as the crossing is working and clear, the driver can keep the train moving. The speed approaching the crossing is lowered but stopping isn't necessary here. The signal prior to Canute Road protects the entrance to the docks and the position light can't be cleared until acceptance is given by the staff/shunter in the docks. As the train is starting from a stationary position and is moving at slow speed, the risks are much lower.

 

[BayPaul]

Forge Farm Crossing is possibly unique in crossing both a National Rail line and a Heritage Railway (Spa Valley Railway)

Paignton South does as well, though only the heritage Dartmouth Steam Railway has service trains, the NR line is used to access the sidings and to shunt trains from platform 1 to 2.

 

[Sun Chariot]

No, the person controlling the barriers will stop them lowering until you get out

I really must get up from the south coast to photograph it!

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 18 May 2025 ==

As the train is starting from a stationary position and is moving at slow speed, the risks are much lower.

Whenever I've been stood to photograph a freight working over Southampton Canute Road, vehicle drivers are (mostly) sensible and patient. Pedestrians, on the other hand...

 

[AlterEgo]

No, the person controlling the barriers will stop them lowering until you get out

Surely the refuge is there in case something goes wrong.

 

[bishdunster]

Poole High Street, a barriered l/c on a very busy pedestrianised High Street.

 

[generalnerd]

I don’t know if it has been mentioned/removed but there is the famous hand pumped level crossing in Kent that seems very unique!

There’s also loads (or maybe less now) of creepy, rarely used crossings that are for track that form bare bones connections or alternative routes that see basically no use.

 

[edwin_m]

Surely the refuge [at Helpston] is there in case something goes wrong.

It's basically there because there is a gap between the ex-Midland and ex-GN lines. I presume this was because it was easier to build the newer route (the GN I think) without messing with the older one.

It's obviously possible to stop in the refuge in an emergency, but this would have to be a situation where firstly the signaller in the gate box didn't see the vehicle before confirming the crossing clear, and secondly the vehicle driver had the presence of mind to stop or reverse there instead of continuing to the barriers at the far end.

 

[OscarH]

There are a small handful of level crossings that still have bells instead of alarms. These days 99% use the standard yodalarm alarm sounds but a few with bells still exist.

Ashwell (Langham Road) Rutland
Brook (New Road) Surrey
Charlton (Charlton Lane) Greater London
Chilworth (Sampleoak Lane) Surrey
Collingham (Cross Lane) Nottinghamshire
Ditchling (Spatham Lane) Sussex
Farncombe (Bourne Road) Surrey
Hatton (Station Road) Derbyshire
Hythe (West Street) Hampshire
Marchwood (Tavells Lane) Hampshire
Marchwood (Trotts Lane) Hampshire
Marchwood (Veals Lane) Hampshire
Sandwich (New Street) Kent
Sandwich (Woodnesborough Road) Kent
Southampton (Adelaide Road) Hampshire
Southampton (Mount Pleasant Road) Hampshire
Winthorpe (Holme Lane) Nottinghamshire
Wokingham (Barkham Road) Berkshire

These level crossings with bells are certainly getting very rare these days. I would imagine that within five or ten years all of these will be replaced with alarms.

I was very disappointed when they replaced the crossing at Ford and it lost the bells.

I was going to say a couple of years back, but I suspect I've lost track of time