Small Hidden Cameras at AHBC Crossings

[clm]

On my travels, I happened to notice a strange arm sticking out in front of the wig-wag board at an automatic half barrier crossing. On closer inspection with streetview (https://goo.gl/maps/HgR8aZtUzaab2QyaA), it appears to have something pointing back towards the lights, so I assumed this was something to do with checking that the lights are working (perhaps a light sensor, seems too small to be a camera). However, on looking round the back of the board (https://goo.gl/maps/cwtdQf2UAdTdDCt36), I can see a small camera. Possibly one with two lenses and an infrared illuminator. The board on the same side of the road but the opposite side of the railway also has the arm and camera fitted.

Does anyone know what these are for? They seem to be aimed at traffic (the one I linked to seems to be pointing right at the streetview car) so my first assumption was that it is for enforcement against crossing misuse. However, the next crossing along the line has been fitted with enforcement cameras which look nothing like this. They are as obvious as possible (see https://www.networkrailmediacentre....h-motorists-who-endanger-lives-on-the-railway), presumably to deter abuse as much as punish people for it.

 

[miami]

Does anyone know what these are for? They seem to be aimed at traffic (the one I linked to seems to be pointing right at the streetview car) so my first assumption was that it is for enforcement against crossing misuse.

Maybe some form of sensor like a PIR sensor to check crossing is clear?

Room 204 at the BW Crewe Arms

I suspect you were looking for this thread

Trivia; best hotels for rail views?

Having booked the Jury's Inn in Brighton (not the one on the sea front) I have found out it overlooks the station and you get great views of the trains! When booking I didn't know that and might have asked for a station-facing room if I had? So which hotels are reccomended for rail...

www.railforums.co.uk

 

[tellytype]

That camera on the rear is Rapier mode of ANPR.

Rapier 35 ANPR Camera | Licence Plate Recognition

WORLD CLASS ANPR | The Rapier 30 analogue camera takes our compact ANPR cameras to new heights of performance in fixed and mobile applications.

www.anprcameras.com

 

[Tempest Malice]

I wonder if sensor pointing at the lights is not so much checking the lights are working; but as a way of triggering the ANPR only when the crossing is closing, without actually modifying the crossing circuitry to feed a trigger input to the camera?

 

[clm]

Maybe some form of sensor like a PIR sensor to check crossing is clear?

Possibly, however given that this is an automatic half barrier crossing, which aren't interlocked with the signalling, there doesn't seem to be any benefit to having such a feature. This contrasts with the full barrier MCB-OD (manually controlled barriers with obstacle detection) crossings which have the RADAR 'tic-tac' detector and LIDAR detector to automatically check if the crossing is clear and then clear the signals if so.

That camera on the rear is Rapier mode of ANPR.

Interesting. So these appear to be the versions of this camera that, as well as the ANPR camera, feature an overview camera as well. I guess this makes sense for getting an image of the car going over the crossing rather than just the plate (or indeed to allow detection of the car going over the crossing in the first place).

I wonder if sensor pointing at the lights is not so much checking the lights are working; but as a way of triggering the ANPR only when the crossing is closing, without actually modifying the crossing circuitry to feed a trigger input to the camera?

I think this is very likely, as they probably don't want to mess about with the crossing circuitry. I also know that the speed enforcement cameras on smart motorways work in this manner, with a camera pointing at each gantry reading the speed limit signs which is used to set the trigger speeds for the enforcement cameras themselves.

I suppose this suggests enforcement-style use, however it's interesting that the cameras are so different to the next crossing up the line where they are extremely obvious. I found this http://library.college.police.uk/do...orcement-Technology-Guide-v1-2-1-July2016.pdf concerning police guidelines for the use of speed and red light cameras. The section on red light and level crossing cameras (chapter 17.1, page 46) states

Images from automatic red-light cameras have within the first overview image the relevant traffic signal head so the illumination status of the green, amber and red lamps at the time of the images and the vehicle passing over the stop line can be evidenced.

Obviously these cameras here cannot possibly comply with this, since they are behind the lights so can't get a photo of the status of the lights. That seemingly rules them out for using them for prosecutions. Maybe network rail is just trying to build a list of registration plates known to regularly abuse crossings; perhaps so they can then contact them themselves for education purposes (or similar).

 

[185]

I suspect you were looking for this thread

Yep... and I guess my boss is looking for the breathalyser. Apols.

Think the mobile version, when you click a section's most recent thread it sometimes reverts to a different one.

 

[Meerkat]

Obviously these cameras here cannot possibly comply with this, since they are behind the lights so can't get a photo of the status of the lights. That seemingly rules them out for using them for prosecutions. Maybe network rail is just trying to build a list of registration plates known to regularly abuse crossings; perhaps so they can then contact them themselves for education purposes (or similar).

Depends. Might not get those who go over on just the reds flashing, but you are going to struggle in court if you are alleging the lights weren’t red but the photo shows the barriers are down!