Level crossing accident on Arun Valley Line 17/02/18

[Marklund]

I was under the impression that train drivers had a white light displayed to them to confirm that the barriers had lowered and the wig-wags were wig-wagging. Is that not the case?

Not on AHBCs.

 

[Tomnick]

It won't 'fail' but they do 'time out' and raise after a while, the lights stay flashing though. See the thread about the car colliding with the failed freight train across an AHB. They're designed to.

It won’t time out with a train within the controls on the approach, only in certain conditions if the train’s at least started to leave the crossing but hasn’t operated the ‘strike out’ sequence correctly (fairly sure that still requires the track circuit on approach clear even if the exit treadle has been operated).

 

[45669]

Not on AHBCs.

So how do train drivers know that the crossing has deployed correctly?

 

[Marklund]

So how do train drivers know that the crossing has deployed correctly?

They don't.
Other types of crossings do have DWLs, although I understand they have a flashing red aspect as well, when the crossing hasn't activated.

 

[dk1]

So how do train drivers know that the crossing has deployed correctly?

The driver wouldn't know. They fail blocking the road as tend not to be linked with signals although the box would have an indication it has failed. Only AOCL, ABCL & AOCL+B types of automatic crossings operate with flashing white lights to indicate to the train driver that the crossing is operating correctly.

 

[dk1]

They don't.
Other types of crossings do have DWLs, although I understand they have a flashing red aspect as well, when the crossing hasn't activated.

The red is flashing at all times & only changes to white once the road warning lights have started flashing correctly but before the barriers are fully lowered.

 

[Marklund]

The red is flashing at all times & only changes to white once the road warning lights have started flashing correctly but before the barriers are fully lowered.

Thanks. Been years since I've been near an AOCL.

 

[Marklund]

So how do train drivers know that the crossing has deployed correctly?

Not my photo, but...

Lowdham Block Shelf by John Illingworth, on Flickr

The items on the right of block shelf are what the signal box has for AHB indications.
Other variations exist.

 

[MarkyT]

I was under the impression that train drivers had a white light displayed to them to confirm that the barriers had lowered and the wig-wags were wig-wagging. Is that not the case?

Not for AHBC type crossings. The flashing white light, together with a colocated flashing red light at the most modern examples, are only employed at locally monitored type of crossings: ABCL and AOCL.

http://orr.gov.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0016/2158/level_crossings_guidance.pdf

 

[silverfoxcc]

On another non Rail forum, a chap arrived on the scene shortly after it happened.
Agree that the twitter moaners sshould not be dealt with wi hregard to repayment ( just hope somone in that office reads these)

And i bet that the report will mention the price of the house they lived in Journos+lowlife ( mostly)

 

[Signal Head]

Sorry, but if the crossing is half barriered then it is NOT locally monitored, and there are NO signal indications for the train driver.

Erm:
ABCL
Auto (half) Barrier Crossing Locally monitored.

 

[al78]

To be fair the "cretin"'s complaint seems to be more about the surprisingly circuitous route she's now been required to take in order to get just a few stops up the line, rather than the accident itself, but I agree that she's been extremely insensitive about the whole thing. A simple rephrasing expressing condolences to all concerned before then complaining about the workaround arrangements might have worked wonders.

I actually think the journalist's behaviour is arguably worse, especially given the age of those involved.

Hmmm, that makes it sound as if I might be defending the complainant's text. I'm really not.

Unfortunately if someones journey is necessary and there are demands on them to be somewhere at a certain time, then major disruption to that journey are going to cause them stress and a reaction of anger and frustration is what comes out. That is human nature, hands up if you have never felt or vented any frustration or anger at disruption/inconvenience to yourself in your life. She might be insensitive, but calling her a cretin is over the top, I've seen just as bad, if not worse, posted on this forum.

 

[al78]

No, why should they, it would be far more common. This is quite unusual.

We should do, as it might get the message through to people that driving is a dangerous activity, and by reinforcing the consequences of poor driving over and over and over again, people might eventually give it the care and consideration it requires, rather than treating it like programming the DVD recorder, or any other trivial everyday activity that people do without thinking, but where mistakes and carelessness doesn't take someone elses life.

 

[Wychwood93]

I was just going to post to my wife the somewhat odious Kate Jackson's Twitter feed re. this incident - link not now available. Surprised? - no! As a former Level Crossing Manager with Railtrack SW this was not one of mine, so to speak. I would view the situation as generally commented on. The driver of the train in question is the one who can give more substance. Traumatic, to say the least, for him/her.

 

[furnessvale]

I was under the impression that train drivers had a white light displayed to them to confirm that the barriers had lowered and the wig-wags were wig-wagging. Is that not the case?

If he had such a light he could do nothing about it as AHBs only activate after the point that a train could stop.

This is done for the convenience of road traffic to avoid delays to traffic.

 

[Darandio]

I was just going to post to my wife the somewhat odious Kate Jackson's Twitter feed re. this incident - link not now available. Surprised? - no! As a former Level Crossing Manager with Railtrack SW this was not one of mine, so to speak. I would view the situation as generally commented on. The driver of the train in question is the one who can give more substance. Traumatic, to say the least, for him/her.

If you still wish to show your wife, the Mirror have reported it.

https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/delayed-commuter-slammed-complaining-after-12041924

A commuter has been branded "ignorant and selfish" for complaining about delays after a 15-year-old boy and his granddad were killed when their car was hit by a train.

The car was reportedly engulfed by a fireball as it was shunted along the track in the tiny hamlet of Barns Green near Billingshurst, Sussex.

But people began seething at one commuter online after she complained about having to get a rail replacement bus following the incident.

Kate Jackson was told to "get some perspective" and to "get a grip" following her comments just over an hour after the incident.

She wrote: "Ridiculous from Southern Rail UK.

 

[Monty]

If you still wish to show your wife, the Mirror have reported it.

https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/delayed-commuter-slammed-complaining-after-12041924

 

[Bromley boy]

Happened too in the derailment near Ashford a couple of years ago. GSMR failing to work correctly when most needed.

From memory the GSMR MCB was tripped during that derailment. It would (in theory) be possible to use the GSMR set in a non driving cab. Quicker to use the nearest SPT if it’s less than 4 coach lengths away.

If you still wish to show your wife, the Mirror have reported it.

https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/delayed-commuter-slammed-complaining-after-12041924

Good. She fully deserves to be publicly shamed. Serves her right.

 

[LOL The Irony]

Just going to leave this here.

 

[SPADTrap]

It won’t time out with a train within the controls on the approach, only in certain conditions if the train’s at least started to leave the crossing but hasn’t operated the ‘strike out’ sequence correctly (fairly sure that still requires the track circuit on approach clear even if the exit treadle has been operated).

Thank you for that clarification

 

[dk1]

From memory the GSMR MCB was tripped during that derailment. It would (in theory) be possible to use the GSMR set in a non driving cab. Quicker to use the nearest SPT if it’s less than 4 coach lengths away.



Good. She fully deserves to be publicly shamed. Serves her right.

You know that awful feeling you get when you've posted something you regret maybe after too many sherbets the night before? Well posts like hers put those into perspective. I really don't think I could leave the house for a very long time. To make the local press would be bad enough. Oh dear.

 

[Darandio]

View attachment 42911
Just going to leave this here.

And look what she changed her profile image to in the last 30 minutes or so, says a lot.

 

[SPADTrap]

The problem with attempting to use another GSMR in another cab X far away comes when you have to answer in court why you didn't lay emergency protection immediately after realising you couldn't contact the signaller. I wouldn't want to walk back to the other end of my HST only to have a train in the opposite direction unknowingly hit my derailed train or wreckage. I digress, apologies.

 

[LOL The Irony]

And look what she changed her profile image to in the last 30 minutes or so, says a lot.

It sure does.

 

[Llanigraham]

Erm:
ABCL
Auto (half) Barrier Crossing Locally monitored.

No half mentioned in any description I have seen.

 

[45669]

Many thanks to those that have enlightened me about AHBs. I have to confess that my involvement in level crossings is limited to those with big white gates protected by semaphore signals.

 

[Wychwood93]

If you still wish to show your wife, the Mirror have reported it.

https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/delayed-commuter-slammed-complaining-after-12041924

Darandio - many thanks. A lot more there than the twitter feed.

Just to add that some years ago, when our girls were younger, there was a broadly similar situation at the crossing on the up side of Agde (Languedoc) - 4 young people doing a weave through the barriers. At Salou the PAX on the back of a bike doing a similar weave at the crossing opp. Camping Sanguli did not make it. When we stayed at the latter as a family I impressed upon the girls that even if you could see both ways, which you could, that you do not cross when the lights are red and flashing.

 

[Marklund]

Many thanks to those that have enlightened me about AHBs. I have to confess that my involvement in level crossings is limited to those with big white gates protected by semaphore signals.

You're welcome.

Erm:
ABCL
Auto (half) Barrier Crossing Locally monitored.

And AOCL+Bs...

 

[Raul_Duke]

The problem with attempting to use another GSMR in another cab X far away comes when you have to answer in court why you didn't lay emergency protection immediately after realising you couldn't contact the signaller. I wouldn't want to walk back to the other end of my HST only to have a train in the opposite direction unknowingly hit my derailed train or wreckage. I digress, apologies.

Better hope you have a guard I suppose.

 

[LOL The Irony]

Her tweet is availble again.