Redcar Level Crossing Accident (01/05)

[John Webb]

The barriers there seem unusual - they move alont their own lenhth rather than pivoting about a horizontal axis. I've not seen that anywhere else. Anyone know why?


The lights are showing in the photograph

They do slide along as seen here:
Level crossing on West Dyke Road, Redcar

© Copyright JThomas and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.

They replaced these earlier barriers:
Level crossing on West Dyke Road

© Copyright JThomas and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.
which swung to one side under power from a motor driven wheel on the 'gate' itself - it can be seen about two-thirds of the gate length from the left of the gate. They suffered badly from winds whipping in from the North Sea causing delays to both road and rail traffic.

I understand the sliding gates were chosen as there was insufficient room to install a complete raising barrier system due to adjacent buildings.

 

[Towers]

And if he did have to pass the signal at danger the driver following the rule book would have had to stop before passing over the crossing ensuring it was clear and safe before proceeding. Also sounding the horn before commencement over the crossing

That doesn’t of course prevent a vehicle, perhaps with a less than observant driver, appearing and proceeding over the crossing just as the train is doing the same!

 

[ainsworth74]

That doesn’t of course prevent a vehicle, perhaps with a less than observant driver, appearing and proceeding over the crossing just as the train is doing the same!

Made trickier as the looking the disposition of the vehicles involved as the train will have been hidden behind the signal box until it was almost on the crossing from the perspective of the car driver. So it could well have been a dozy car driver but equally the line sight will still not have been brilliant even if they were paying close attention. Though if they were paying close attention they would have presumably seen the flashing wig-wags and, you know, stopped...

 

[norbitonflyer]

Though if they were paying close attention they would have presumably seen the flashing wig-wags and, you know, stopped...

....if they were flashing. But if the crossing had failed, the wigwags, as well as the barriers, might not have been working

 

[ainsworth74]

....if they were flashing. But if the crossing had failed, the wigwags, as well as the barriers, might not have been working

Absolutely, in which case it would be very hard for the car driver to have sight of the train until either the train or the car was on the crossing due to the location of the signal box.

 

[LowLevel]

In the interest of fairness to the motorist I think it was immediately accepted within the industry that they weren't to blame, hence the statement and I understand RAIB deployment. I'm sure the details will be made available in due course.

 

[GordonT]

In the interest of fairness to the motorist I think it was immediately accepted within the industry that they weren't to blame, hence the statement and I understand RAIB deployment. I'm sure the details will be made available in due course.

Regardless of the circumstances of this case which have still to be established, have there been many level crossing accidents in the past where a blameless motor vehicle driver and their passengers if any have been struck by a train due to total operating failure of the barrier?

 

[dosbod stuey]

Regardless of the circumstances of this case which have still to be established, have there been many level crossing accidents in the past where a blameless motor vehicle driver and their passengers if any have been struck by a train due to total operating failure of the barrier?

There was a similar scene in A Very British Coup...

 

[LowLevel]

Regardless of the circumstances of this case which have still to be established, have there been many level crossing accidents in the past where a blameless motor vehicle driver and their passengers if any have been struck by a train due to total operating failure of the barrier?

Moreton on Lugg in 2010 was a fatal accident whereby the signaller mistakenly raised the barriers before the train reached the crossing, as a result the interlocking was modified at that and various other crossings to prevent a reoccurrence.

 

[stuving]

Nothing that I've said contradicts either post #10 or Network Rail (though I could have elaborated that it was too wide and too windy for a single arm barrier). If you could explain how it would be possible to fit a conventional crossing barrier pedestal in this location without knocking down the signal box or narrowing a busy main road to allow the fitment of conventional two arm barriers on each side I'm all ears!

Fair enough. The reason for replacing the old gates was because they were worn out and unable to cope with the wind. Choosing a replacement Involved various factors - those two local ones of wind and restricted space, but also the safety requirements (then in the ORR guide Level crossings: a guide for managers, designers and operators; withdrawn in 2021) and NR's own commercial practices (preferring standard items like BR843 barriers and machines, or approved suppliers, or catalogue items over custom-build).

I can't find any evidence of what alternatives, "conventional" or not, were considered and why they were not chosen. One of the few facts I have is that barriers supplied to BR843 only go up to 9.1m at most, and the road here needs about 10.7m. But here is some extra information that may be of interest.

Railscot has several pictures of the old crossing, which show that it was almost as peculiar as the new one. It had full-width gates driven by supporting wheels, so the crossing had to be longer (along the road) than it was wide. In fact both gates withdrew to the same side of the road, so it was twice as long. One question raised by seeing it is why those cumbersome full-width gates were chosen. Even the restricted space by the signal box (where there is a short length of fence) looks enough for a gate post, allowing half-width gates.

The new sliding barrier was supplied by edsUK (here boasting about it), and is the sort of thing supplied for e.g. airports or other secure sites. It is described by NR as "bespoke", though I expect they always are designed to fit each location.

 

[ainsworth74]

Railscot has several pictures of the old crossing, which show that it was almost as peculiar as the new one. It had full-width gates driven by supporting wheels, so the crossing had to be longer (along the road) than it was wide. In fact both gates withdrew to the same side of the road, so it was twice as long. One question raised by seeing it is why those cumbersome full-width gates were chosen

They were a common design on the Eastern Region of BR used in a number of different locations. I think Redcar was the last remaining example. But there was another locally at Urlay Nook (near Allens West) until 2012(ish) for instance still visible on Streetview if you go back to the 2009 capture.

But thank you for the rest of your post. I'm not sure it told me anything new about this situation but I'm sure others will have found it interesting

 

[John Webb]

...Railscot has several pictures of the old crossing, which show that it was almost as peculiar as the new one. It had full-width gates driven by supporting wheels, so the crossing had to be longer (along the road) than it was wide. In fact both gates withdrew to the same side of the road, so it was twice as long. One question raised by seeing it is why those cumbersome full-width gates were chosen. Even the restricted space by the signal box (where there is a short length of fence) looks enough for a gate post, allowing half-width gates.....

See also the photo on my post #31 above from the Geograph Website which is one of a number showing the old 'Boom' gates, as they were referred to.

The signalbox is tight up against the pavement as this photo (click on it to go to the larger original) of the new gates shows:
Level crossing on West Dyke Road, Redcar

© Copyright JThomas and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.
so I can't see how any sort of post or barrier could be fitted in.

 

[Pinky_lid]

Made trickier as the looking the disposition of the vehicles involved as the train will have been hidden behind the signal box until it was almost on the crossing from the perspective of the car driver. So it could well have been a dozy car driver but equally the line sight will still not have been brilliant even if they were paying close attention. Though if they were paying close attention they would have presumably seen the flashing wig-wags and, you know, stopped...

It was not the car drivers fault at all. It was the railways fault !
There were no lights or sirens & the gates did not close ! Something failed. That poor car driver had a lucky escape but he will probably suffer with shock as a result as well as his wrecked car !
It should not have happened! If it was a potash train he would be dead.
I hope he sues the railway.

 

[ainsworth74]

It was not the car drivers fault at all. It was the railways fault !
There were no lights or sirens & the gates did not close ! Something failed.

Indeed, now further on from the accident it is clear that no blame can be ascribed to the car driver. A very nasty incident for them and as you say if it had been a freight it may well have ended very differently. A reason why I always look both ways when crossing a barriered level crossing even when it's open to road traffic with no sign of a train coming.

 

[dk1]

It was not the car drivers fault at all. It was the railways fault !
There were no lights or sirens & the gates did not close ! Something failed. That poor car driver had a lucky escape but he will probably suffer with shock as a result as well as his wrecked car !
It should not have happened! If it was a potash train he would be dead.
I hope he sues the railway.

There will be a claim quite rightly and of course Network Rail will have to pay out. These things go without saying in these thankfully very rare circumstances.

 

[Pinky_lid]

There will be a claim quite rightly and of course Network Rail will have to pay out. These things go without saying in these thankfully very rare circumstances.

Myself & some of my family including my elderly Dad use that crossing most days. It could have been us.
You presume when the barriers are open & there's no lights & sirens you are safe to cross but we will all be hesitant in future or avoid it altogether!
The barriers are always breaking down but usually shut.
I have never know this to happen & hope to god they learn & ensure it never happens again before someone dies !

 

[dk1]

Myself & some of my family including my elderly Dad use that crossing most days. It could have been us.
You presume when the barriers are open & there's no lights & sirens you are safe to cross but we will all be hesitant in future or avoid it altogether!
The barriers are always breaking down but usually shut.
I have never know this to happen & hope to god they learn & ensure it never happens again before someone dies !

It has happened in the past due to human error at other locations and lessons are always learned. As I said these incidents are extremely rare these days.

 

[Pinky_lid]

Indeed, now further on from the accident it is clear that no blame can be ascribed to the car driver. A very nasty incident for them and as you say if it had been a freight it may well have ended very differently. A reason why I always look both ways when crossing a barriered level crossing even when it's open to road traffic with no sign of a train coming.

You practically called him a dozy driver !

 

[jfowkes]

Myself & some of my family including my elderly Dad use that crossing most days. It could have been us.
You presume when the barriers are open & there's no lights & sirens you are safe to cross but we will all be hesitant in future or avoid it altogether!
The barriers are always breaking down but usually shut.
I have never know this to happen & hope to god they learn & ensure it never happens again before someone dies !

Being angry that this incident happened is understandable, but if you took this attitude to driving in general you would never get in a car at all. There are many, many risks on the road and "failure of a level crossing" is way, way down the list.

 

[atillathehunn]

You practically called him a dozy driver !

Indeed, and assumed that the lights were working in the absence of any evidence #33. Whenever there's a pure railway incident, the same posters immediately demand that zero assumptions are made about the circumstances until there's an inquiry. When there's a chance there's a car driver at fault, there is a free reign to speculate.

 

[172007]

Indeed, now further on from the accident it is clear that no blame can be ascribed to the car driver. A very nasty incident for them and as you say if it had been a freight it may well have ended very differently. A reason why I always look both ways when crossing a barriered level crossing even when it's open to road traffic with no sign of a train coming.

Buy why do you look both ways on a clear crossing. You need to have faith in the equipment. You don't see is train drivers slow from 110mph to 15 just to check on the off chance that whilst on green signals the crossing has failed, just daft. As a car driver I trust the system works and don't check.

If your time is up it's up full stop.

 

[14xxDave]

Buy why do you look both ways on a clear crossing. You need to have faith in the equipment. You don't see is train drivers slow from 110mph to 15 just to check on the off chance that whilst on green signals the crossing has failed, just daft. As a car driver I trust the system works and don't check.

If your time is up it's up full stop.

Hmm, I certainly look both ways at a level crossing because that was how I was taught together with looking both ways at a road signalled crossing. I've been saved a few times in the second instance because I spotted a driver that wasn't going to stop at the red light. Never met a train though.

 

[DelW]

Buy why do you look both ways on a clear crossing. You need to have faith in the equipment. You don't see is train drivers slow from 110mph to 15 just to check on the off chance that whilst on green signals the crossing has failed, just daft. As a car driver I trust the system works and don't check.

Different regulations and safety standards admittedly, but in the US it's mandatory for drivers of yellow school buses to stop short of the tracks at level (grade) crossings, open the passenger side doors, and check the tracks in both directions before driving across.

That applies regardless of the provision of barriers, wigwag lights, etc. The only exception is where local authorities provide a crossing guard who watches the tracks and signals to each driver to confirm that no trains are approaching. I assume that this requirement came about as a result of there having been accidents caused by wrong side equipment failures.

That said, the US has a poor record of grade crossing accidents, probably partly because drivers are tempted to zig zag the barriers if an approaching train is going to take up to about ten minutes to pass over the crossing.