Manually operated crossings

[Dai Corner]

Bishton on the SWML between Severn Tunnel and Newport.

A busy railway but relatively quiet crossing as cars can use the adjacent underpass and the gates only need to be opened for larger vehicles.

 

[142Pilot]

Chapel lane crossing Southport line.

A non block crossing to add to the mix as well as having a crossing keeper.

 

[Aictos]

That one was Marholm IIRC!

I knew it was near Marholm but I always got Woodcroft and Marholm confused with each other, as to Woodcroft I wonder how much longer it will stay as a manual crossing?

 

[Kneedown]

I knew it was near Marholm but I always got Woodcroft and Marholm confused with each other, as to Woodcroft I wonder how much longer it will stay as a manual crossing?

Indeed. It does seem a little out of place on that stretch of line. I'm not aware of any plans to alter or close it in the immediate future though. You always get a wave from the guy in the house on the West side of the crossing, who, I believe, runs a model railway business.

 

[Y Ddraig Coch]

So in answer to the OP question, there are many and the member of staff was talking rubbish!

 

[BanburyBlue]

It was claimed the other day by traincrew that Pantyffynon on the Heart of Wales / Central Wales line is the last manually operated gated crossing in the UK, (apart from UWC's of course)
Anyone know of any others?

Incidentally it still has a GWR stamped gate locking mechanism on one gate (BRW on the other)

Firstly, what is a 'UWC'?

Secondly (and probably stupid question time), why are there so many manually operated crossings left? Is it that hard/costly to automate them?

 

[Y Ddraig Coch]

Firstly, what is a 'UWC'?

Secondly (and probably stupid question time), why are there so many manually operated crossings left? Is it that hard/costly to automate them?

UWC - User Worked crossing (ie one across a farm or such like)

I cant speak why they haven't automated any others but I know that part of the reason for the one at Tal - Y - Cafn near me is due to network rail having issues with the crossing being so close to a bridge over a river and the danger implications associated with that.

 

[MarkyT]

So in answer to the OP question, there are many and the member of staff was talking rubbish!

Maybe the last NR example in Wales? Apart from Bishton

 

[Y Ddraig Coch]

Maybe the last NR example in Wales? Apart from Bishton

and Taly - Y Cafn which I mentioned and Ty Croes and Llanfair PG that someone else mentioned.

So no not at all the last in Wales.

 

[bramling]

and Taly - Y Cafn which I mentioned and Ty Croes and Llanfair PG that someone else mentioned.

So no not at all the last in Wales.

Where Pantyffynon is slightly unusual is that it has a separate crossing keeper for the crossing, which is remote from the signal box. There aren't so many examples of this arrangement - OTTOMH I can think of Brundall and Whittlesea which are like this, also Gosberton was until resignalled a decade or so ago. Any others?

 

[Y Ddraig Coch]

Where Pantyffynon is slightly unusual is that it has a separate crossing keeper for the crossing, which is remote from the signal box. There aren't so many examples of this arrangement - OTTOMH I can think of Brundall and Whittlesea which are like this, also Gosberton was until resignalled a decade or so ago. Any others?

Sorry to name the same names again but yes.... Tal - Y - Cafn, no signal box there. The crossing keeper does just that. opens and closes the gates and gives the driver a signal to pass once all is complete.

 

[bramling]

Sorry to name the same names again but yes.... Tal - Y - Cafn, no signal box there. The crossing keeper does just that. opens and closes the gates and gives the driver a signal to pass once all is complete.

Sorry, perhaps I wasn't quite clear. The point I was making is that Pantyffynon *does* have a signal box, with a separate crossing keeper's box as well. That arrangement is unusual.

 

[Kneedown]

Forgot one: Norwood Crossing on the Robin Hood line between Langwith WT and Creswell!

 

[bramling]

Forgot one: Norwood Crossing on the Robin Hood line between Langwith WT and Creswell!

Here's what I make to be the current list of gate boxes. Note however that not all of these are manually worked gates, many of these will be barrier crossings. There are also plenty of signal boxes with crossings attached.

EASTERN REGION
Carlton
Claypole
Finningley
Grassthorpe Lane
Helpston
Ranskill
Woodcroft
Brundall (works in conjunction with adjacent signal box)
Chapel Road
Elsenham
Foxton
Ingatestone
Lincoln Road
Lingwood
Stowmarket
Strumpshaw
Trinity Marsh Lane
Whittlesea (works in conjunction with adjacent signal box)
Deep Wharf Crossing
Jurgens Crossing
Thames Board Mills Crossing
Barrow Road Crossing
Bonsall Lane
Godnow Bridge
Medge Hall

LONDON MIDLAND REGION
Burneside Higher
Fine Lane
Littons Mill Crossing
Llanfair PG
Norbury Hollow Crossing
Roddige
Tal-y-cafn
Ty-croes
Hilton Crossing (works in conjunction with adjacent signal box)
Cheltenham Alstone
Norwood Crossing
Wyfordby
Wymondham
Chapel Lane
Crofton
Norton
Red Lane
Kirksanton
Limestone Hall
Saltcoats
Skelly Crag

NORTH EASTERN REGION
Barlby
Bedale
Belmont
Cave Crossing
Common Road
Denton Village
Dormer Green
Green Oak Goit
Gristhorpe
Hammerton Road
Hessay
Hirst Lane
Howsham
Lane Head
Lebberston Road
Marston Moor
Milton Village
Noblethorpe
North Seaton
Oxmardyke
Spittal
Urlay Nook
Welton
Whixley
Wilstrop

SOUTHERN REGION
Charlton Lane Crossing
Chartham
Grain Crossing
Whyteleafe South
Wye
School Road

WESTERN REGION
Bishton Crossing
Colthrop Crossing
Kintbury Crossing
Pantyffynnon
Puxton & Worle
Red Cow (supervises only)
St Mary's Crossing
Llwyn Cadwgan (supervises only)

 

[Basher]

Sherburn in Elmet on the Leeds line
Has anyone been to the pump up crossing on west coast main line south of Motherwell recently?
Its some time since I was there so not sure if it still there, if you wanted to cross to the farm you had to pump up the gates to cross.

 

[MadMac]

Sherburn in Elmet on the Leeds line
Has anyone been to the pump up crossing on west coast main line south of Motherwell recently?
Its some time since I was there so not sure if it still there, if you wanted to cross to the farm you had to pump up the gates to cross.

Bodsbury. Still there AFAIK. Still a couple of others like that around in Scotland: Hospital Mill near Cupar and Pitmedden near Inverurie (I think that gets upgraded with the doubling of the line). Scotland also has only one set of wheel-operated gates left, at Holywood near Dumfries.

 

[MadMac]

Crossings in Scotland with gates/barriers operated by an adjacent box:
Holywood
Kilkerran
Dunragit
Blackford
Errol
Longforgan
Carnoustie
Carmont
Insch
Banavie
Blair Atholl
Kingussie

Numerous "user-worked" crossings as well.

 

[Llanigraham]

Here's what I make to be the current list of gate boxes. Note however that not all of these are manually worked gates, many of these will be barrier crossings. There are also plenty of signal boxes with crossings attached.

EASTERN REGION
Carlton
Claypole
Finningley
Grassthorpe Lane
Helpston
Ranskill
Woodcroft
Brundall (works in conjunction with adjacent signal box)
Chapel Road
Elsenham
Foxton
Ingatestone
Lincoln Road
Lingwood
Stowmarket
Strumpshaw
Trinity Marsh Lane
Whittlesea (works in conjunction with adjacent signal box)
Deep Wharf Crossing
Jurgens Crossing
Thames Board Mills Crossing
Barrow Road Crossing
Bonsall Lane
Godnow Bridge
Medge Hall

LONDON MIDLAND REGION
Burneside Higher
Fine Lane
Littons Mill Crossing
Llanfair PG
Norbury Hollow Crossing
Roddige
Tal-y-cafn
Ty-croes
Hilton Crossing (works in conjunction with adjacent signal box)
Cheltenham Alstone
Norwood Crossing
Wyfordby
Wymondham
Chapel Lane
Crofton
Norton
Red Lane
Kirksanton
Limestone Hall
Saltcoats
Skelly Crag

NORTH EASTERN REGION
Barlby
Bedale
Belmont
Cave Crossing
Common Road
Denton Village
Dormer Green
Green Oak Goit
Gristhorpe
Hammerton Road
Hessay
Hirst Lane
Howsham
Lane Head
Lebberston Road
Marston Moor
Milton Village
Noblethorpe
North Seaton
Oxmardyke
Spittal
Urlay Nook
Welton
Whixley
Wilstrop

SOUTHERN REGION
Charlton Lane Crossing
Chartham
Grain Crossing
Whyteleafe South
Wye
School Road

WESTERN REGION
Bishton Crossing
Colthrop Crossing
Kintbury Crossing
Pantyffynnon
Puxton & Worle
Red Cow (supervises only)
St Mary's Crossing
Llwyn Cadwgan (supervises only)

The thread is tiltled "manually operated gates" and I would query the one highlighted above. From each time I have used that crossing the gates are controlled from the signal box by the use of a pedestal and push buttons. Other wise known as AHB(LC) (Automatic half barrier, locally controlled).
Now if we are going to include those type of crossings we could add hundreds more; try Bromfield, Onibury, Craven Arms and Marshbrook on the Marches Line for starters.

 

[moogal]

One I drive across regularly on visiting family is Hubbert's Bridge in Lincolnshire - operated manually by staff from the adjacent signal box who come down the stairs and open/close the gates.

 

[Tomnick]

The thread is tiltled "manually operated gates" and I would query the one highlighted above. From each time I have used that crossing the gates are controlled from the signal box by the use of a pedestal and push buttons. Other wise known as AHB(LC) (Automatic half barrier, locally controlled).
Now if we are going to include those type of crossings we could add hundreds more; try Bromfield, Onibury, Craven Arms and Marshbrook on the Marches Line for starters.

Do you mean MCB - manually controlled barriers? AHBs are, as the name suggests, automatic and not directly controlled from the box.

(edit: a quick look suggests that it’s actually barriers monitored by CCTV, but that the list is actually a list of gate boxes with the disclaimer that some might not control manually-worked gates, and there’ll of course be signal boxes not listed there that *do* control such crossings!)

 

[AM9]

Stonea and Whittlesey are stil manually operated, In the case of Stonea this has cars racing across at 100mph plus.

Wow! A level crossing on a motor racing circuit?

 

[Llanigraham]

Do you mean MCB - manually controlled barriers? AHBs are, as the name suggests, automatic and not directly controlled from the box.

(edit: a quick look suggests that it’s actually barriers monitored by CCTV, but that the list is actually a list of gate boxes with the disclaimer that some might not control manually-worked gates, and there’ll of course be signal boxes not listed there that *do* control such crossings!)

Sorry, yes MCB, as I used to control at Bromfield.
Not thinking straight!

 

[OwlMan]

How many Public Road User Worked Crossings are left on through roads (not farm access or crossings on private roads.)
An example is East Green Level Crossing at Kelsale cum Carlton in Suffolk.
see on google maps https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@52.2...4!1sYbylXTk-KZU0n08Ky55I-Q!2e0!7i13312!8i6656
see crossing details at http://abcrailwayguide.uk/east-gree...ng-1-kelsale-cum-carlton-suffolk#.W-mFtfZ2vVF

 

[142Pilot]

How many Public Road User Worked Crossings are left on through roads (not farm access or crossings on private roads.)
An example is East Green Level Crossing at Kelsale cum Carlton in Suffolk.
see on google maps https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@52.2...4!1sYbylXTk-KZU0n08Ky55I-Q!2e0!7i13312!8i6656
see crossing details at http://abcrailwayguide.uk/east-gree...ng-1-kelsale-cum-carlton-suffolk#.W-mFtfZ2vVF

Portsmouth crossing near Todmorden

 

[furnessvale]

How many Public Road User Worked Crossings are left on through roads (not farm access or crossings on private roads.)
An example is East Green Level Crossing at Kelsale cum Carlton in Suffolk.
see on google maps https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@52.2...4!1sYbylXTk-KZU0n08Ky55I-Q!2e0!7i13312!8i6656
see crossing details at http://abcrailwayguide.uk/east-gree...ng-1-kelsale-cum-carlton-suffolk#.W-mFtfZ2vVF

I have an idea that Portsmouth (Copy Pit line, not the southern imposter) may be in that category.

Crossed in the post with 142Pilot

 

[Highlandspring]

How many Public Road User Worked Crossings are left on through roads (not farm access or crossings on private roads.)

Foulis, on the Far North between Dingwall and Alness, is the only UWC on a public road in Scotland.

 

[Silverdale]

Dullingham. Gates worked manually.

In addition to being manually worked gates, Godnow Bridge, listed in #44 is worked in conjunction with the adjacent swing bridge over the canal. The swing bridge being normally closed and worked by boat crews. If the swing bridge is open the rail crossing gates are kept closed to road traffic as there is no exit off the crossing.

 

[snowball]

There are only two Os in Godnow.

 

[Silverdale]

Thx. Fixed.

 

[Midnight Sun]

Wow! A level crossing on a motor racing circuit?

Just a major problem with speeding on this section of the B1098. Cars have gone across the crossing at such speed that all four wheels leave the ground. Many have crashed a few miles further north at Bedham Bridge where the road jinks to the right then back again.