Railway 'islands': areas accessible by public roads but only by level crossings.

[John Griffiths]

I was looking at an OS map of Northumberland and noticed a stretch of unclassified road north of Ashington by Old Moor, High Stead and Middlesteads farms (NZ255905). The road linking these has five 'exits', four of which require level crossing of a railway line - two of the ECML, two of the Morpeth to Ashington freight line.

It got me wondering - are there areas where every access requires a level crossing, or with a higher proportion of level crossings than the example above? I am thinking of places accessible to the public.

 

[yorkie]

The far end of Rose Lane, Church Fenton
Map: https://www.openstreetmap.org/#map=18/53.82377/-1.22828
Street view: https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@53.8...4!1s5hHdzaXDd_B7-v0VahE8mA!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

As far as I'm aware it is publicly accessible, as I can't see anything to the contrary, but I could be wrong.

Looks like some residents/visitors park their cars before the level crossing, to avoid taking their vehicle over it.

This is on the busy York to Leeds line, which has 7 trains per hour each way under a normal timetable.

 

[swt_passenger]

Further north in Northumberland there’s Holy Island (Lindisfarne)? Presumably coastal railway routes must cause quite a few small areas with the only entry being over a level crossing?

 

[61653 HTAFC]

The beach/car park area at Hest Bank... also the only place the West Coast Main Line actually lives up to its name!

 

[mailbyrail]

I always remember the small settlement of Walden Stubbs just north of Doncaster can only accessed by one of two level crossings on the line from Shaftholme to Knottingley. At one time both crossings had 'manned' gates and nobody could enter or leave the place without attracting attention. The gate keepers knew everything that was goin on

 

[androdas]

Sticking to Northumberland - West Sleekburn. Has the Blyth and Tyne to Ashington at one end of the village and the Cambois branch at the other. Trains dont run over three connecting north - east curve anymore since Alcan smelter closed at lynemouth but in the past both crossings could be closed cutting off the village, especially when the pits and power station were in full swing. https://goo.gl/maps/bDdS66wxu4aP143j6

 

[stuu]

Steventon near Didcot is a very well known example

 

[London Trains]

Theres a lot of houses northwest of Ashtead station only accessible by using the level crossing at Ashtead station if driving.

 

[androdas]

I was looking at an OS map of Northumberland and noticed a stretch of unclassified road north of Ashington by Old Moor, High Stead and Middlesteads farms (NZ255905). The road linking these has five 'exits', four of which require level crossing of a railway line - two of the ECML, two of the Morpeth to Ashington freight line.

It got me wondering - are there areas where every access requires a level crossing, or with a higher proportion of level crossings than the example above? I am thinking of places accessible to the public.

If it is the line from Ashington that runs North West towards Potland Burn, even though it shows as in tact on ordnance survey its mostly been lifted at its southern end. The northern end that went as far as the opencast site, that has not seen a train for about 5 years and is very overgrown since the opencast closed.

 

[MarlowDonkey]

It got me wondering - are there areas where every access requires a level crossing, or with a higher proportion of level crossings than the example above? I am thinking of places accessible to the public.

Frinton on Sea in Essex has been quoted as an example. Looking at the map, the level crossing isn't the only way in or out, but other routes would require a lengthy diversion.

 

[Dr_Paul]

A couple of little places in North Wales between the Cambrian Coast line and the seaside around Harlech can only be reached across a level crossing: Mochras (Shell Island) and Llanbedr aerodrome for example.

If Llanbedr aerodrome actually becomes (as some hopeful folk believe it will) the centre for hypersonic flight, then the road link to it will presumably be via a bridge.

 

[steamybrian]

The only public access road to Dungeness crosses the Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch Railway at a level crossing just south of the Pilot Inn which is about a mile north of Dungeness. I believe there is another road connecting through the Nuclear Power Station which is closed to the public.

 

[Dr Hoo]

Grain.

 

[swt_passenger]

Steventon near Didcot is a very well known example

Are really saying you can only reach Steventon over a level crossing?

 

[stuu]

Are really saying you can only reach Steventon over a level crossing?

Admittedly not the whole village, but several streets' only public road access is via level crossing

 

[CarltonA]

There was a company I used to visit near Thatcham that was accessed via a level crossing. We got a letter from BR asking the company's suppliers not to reverse articulated lorries over the crossing! I only drove a transit in there but I think it was the only way into that road for heavy vehicles.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Abererch Sands caravan park is normally only road accessible by the level crossing adjacent to Abererch station (being normally the penultimate station stop on the Cambrian Coast line to Pwllheli).

Think that Holme Island just east of Grange over Sands is also only road accessible by a level crossing as well.

Similarly, the small settlement of Dunnerholme north of Askam in Furness on the Cumbrian Coast line requires road access using a level crossing.

Further along the Cumbrian Coast, there are properties at Angerton Hall and Angerton (both between Kirkby-in-Furness and Foxfield stations) and again east of Green Road station that require LC access.

And beyond Millom, looks like the small coastal communities of Kirksanton, Silecroft (Western side) and Gutterby all require LC crossings to access by road.

And finally on the Northumberland Coast, Goswick (just North of the LC crossing for Lindisfarne) and Fenham le Moor (just South) both need their own LC crossings.

 

[John Griffiths]

Looking at the map (Landranger 75) I see that not only is Mcr correct, but also that Beal (excluding Beal West Mains) and the whole of Holy Island is LC-accessible only, as said earlier by swt_passenger.

Thank you all for your fascinating responses.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Abererch Sands caravan park is normally only road accessible by the level crossing adjacent to Abererch station (being normally the penultimate station stop on the Cambrian Coast line to Pwllheli).

Similarly there is (or was) a caravan site in Ynyslas (between Borth & Dovey Junction) whose access road crosses the railway.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Similarly there is (or was) a caravan site in Ynyslas (between Borth & Dovey Junction) whose access road crosses the railway.

Think it's called the Cambrian Coast Holiday Park. Located in the Aberleri/Ynyslas area.

And another contender is Borth Zoo at Ynys Fergi, just South of Borth station. This and the caravan park mentioned above are slightly unusual in that they are located inland of the B4353 road / Cambrian Coast railway line that both hug the coastline in parallel in this locality.

 

[Revilo]

The small settlement of East Hewish near Weston-super-Mare is only accessible over a level crossing for the Bristol to Exeter line. So it’s cut off when the barriers are down. The railway spells the crossing differently from the village as ‘Huish’.

 

[ANDREW_D_WEBB]

Didcot Railway Centre.

Plasser's works at West Ealing.

 

[DarloRich]

There is also one near me at stewartby brickworks that i think has a working level crossing but cant be accessed at all as both sides of the crossing are in fenced off private land.

Maybe @Bletchleyite knows about it

 

[Bletchleyite]

There is also one near me at stewartby brickworks that i think has a working level crossing but cant be accessed at all as both sides of the crossing are in fenced off private land.

Maybe @Bletchleyite knows about it

No, not come across that one I'm afraid!

 

[DarloRich]

No, not come across that one I'm afraid!

In fairness the amswer may be that i couldnt find the access point will try and link a map

 

[mcmad]

Cambuskenneth near Stirling is another only accessible via a level crossing, in this case across the Stirling - Alloa line, maybe 100 houses and a Rioch products factory. Not sure what happens when the level crossing is shut for engineering works.

 

[Bletchleyite]

In fairness the amswer may be that i couldnt find the access point will try and link a map

The public footpath I've highlighted on this perhaps? Looks like it's only accessible from one end!


(1:25K map excerpt of Stewartby Brickworks)

 

[Quakers Yard]

The farm or hamlet at Treherbert and at Coombe Junction?

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Borrobol Lodge and Altanduin (between Kildonan and Kinbrace on the Far North line) looks only to be accessible by LC.

Had its own halt until 1965.

 

[DarloRich]

The public footpath I've highlighted on this perhaps? Looks like it's only accessible from one end!

View attachment 81243
(1:25K map excerpt of Stewartby Brickworks)

That looks like the fella but it was frnced off as it seemed to run through the entrance gate to the old brickworks. It is an actual road