TRIVIA: Stations where passengers still have to cross via a level crossing or barrow crossing

[transmanche]

• Gobowen. The only way to get between the two platforms (and between the ticket office & the n/b platform) is via the level crossing, the footbridge having been removed decades ago.
• Dent. Previously mentioned, but the only way to access the s/b platform is via the barrow crossing from the n/b platform. There is no separate access to the s/b platform.
• Hexham. Still has a barrow crossing to give step-free access the e/b platform, but is behind a locked gate and only available when the ticket office is open. Mostly made redundant in recent years by a new step-free entrance direct to the e/b platform.

 

[mlambeuk]

Seamer
Poppleton
Hammerton
Cattal

 

[Alex62319]

Newark Castle. You have to go onto the road then across a level crossing to get from one platform to the other (there are only two platforms there)

 

[Lemmy99uk]

Braystones, if you live on the beach (and for those that don’t know the area, that is not a joke).

 

[Taunton]

The most incompetent approach to this was Elsenham, on the Liverpool Street to Cambridge line, where in 2005 two girls were killed crossing the line

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elsenham_railway_station#Crossing_accident

Platforms separated by a level crossing, used to be ticket offices on both platforms, but in an economy the one on the Cambridge-bound platform was closed, and no TVM was provided. The village is wholly on the Cambridge side of the line, meaning passengers headed north now had to cross the line on the level twice, once to get a ticket and then again to get their train. The main road was gated but the foot crossing was not secured. This was all completely ignored by the Risk Assessment of closing the northbound ticket office, especially the likelihood of there being multiple trains closing the crossing for an extended period. The only action by the TOC had been putting up notices warning boldly of penalties for anyone boarding without a ticket.

Notably after the accident a TVM was provided on the northbound side, followed by a footbridge - which of course now served little purpose. Network Rail were fined £1m for this but the real culprit was surely the TOC manager who decided to close the ticket office and not provide a TVM to save a few bob. It was the second comparable fatality that had happened there.

 

[jj1314]

Canterbury East, if you're not able to use the stairs to and from the subway, requires use of a barrow crossing at the London end of the platforms to interchange between platforms 1 and 2. I understand there are plans afoot to introduce some form of access-for-all in the near future.

 

[alxndr]

Midgham
Kintbury
Hungerford

 

[Llanigraham]

Porthmadog uses the road level crossing to get between the 2 platforms.

 

[philthetube]

Berney arms

 

[Jona26]

Penyffordd and Buckley.

Buckley has separate entrances to both platforms but it would about mile trip from via the local roads.

 

[whhistle]

The most incompetent approach to this was Elsenham, on the Liverpool Street to Cambridge line, where in 2005 two girls were killed crossing the line.

The thing I don't get about this sort of thing is that the victims appear not to carry any blame in this sort of accident.
Ultimately, it was their own choice to perform the actions they did. Nobody forced them to. That doesn't work in every situation but NR can't be wholly to blame, and neither can the TOC. The victims must bore a significant part, but as is the case, nobody seems to want to mention it.

 

[Belperpete]

Porthmadog uses the road level crossing to get between the 2 platforms.

Agreed, but how many people would want to cross from one platform to the other at Porthmadog or many of the other stations mentioned on this thread?
Barmouth: last summer they did a set swap there which involved two train-loads of passengers walking over the level-crossing to swap trains.

 

[computerSaysNo]

Tulloch (Scottish Highlands) has a barrow crossing. There are probably many others in the Highlands too.

 

[Y Ddraig Coch]

Bodorgan, Ty Croes, Valley.

Llanfair PG has the only footbridge on Anglesey.

 

[swt class 450]

Gomshall used to have one but i believe that it has now been replaced by one of those massive accessible ramp footbridges.

 

[bearhugger]

Battersby. Yo have to use the barrow crossing to access the only usable platform.

• Hexham. Still has a barrow crossing to give step-free access the e/b platform, but is behind a locked gate and only available when the ticket office is open. Mostly made redundant in recent years by a new step-free entrance direct to the e/b platform.

Thirsk has a similar arrangement as the footbridge is step only - no ramp.

 

[Greybeard33]

Mobberley
Navigation Rd
Silverdale
Kents Bank
Blythe Bridge
Bare Lane
Chapel en le Frith

Navigation Road is particularly bad, because the level crossing is the only way to get between the Northern and Metrolink platforms. The barriers are lowered at least 10 times per hour, with trams at 6 minute intervals in both directions, all day long. Normally a tram goes through in each direction each time the barriers are down; sometimes they stay down for one or two passenger or freight trains to go through too.

It is advisable to change between Metrolink and Northern at Altrincham instead, where there is a footbridge.

 

[martinsh]

Wrenbury
Prees

 

[Skipness]

Par, the junction for the Newquay line, does have a footbridge but not accessible to people with reduced mobility. There is a barrow crossing at the Penzance end of the platforms. I have heard of people being recommended travelling one stop further to St Austell where there is a lift.

 

[Raedwald]

Sea Mills
Lelant

 

[GW43125]

Gilingham (Dorset) requires wheelchair users to be escorted over the barrow crossing to the Up platform, though as both platforms are bi-di, with enough forward planning a train can be swapped to the down platform if required.

At Egham, neither bridge has lifts, so disabled access from the town to the down platform is via the level crossing.

 

[Llanigraham]

Sea Mills
Lelant

Lelant and Lelant Saltings are both on the single track St Ives branch

 

[CambrianCoast]

Porthmadog, Barmouth and Tywyn

 

[Joey Beauchamp]

My local commuter station Pevensey Bay. Also, back in my home county of Oxfordshire, Tackley has a foot (and bridleway) crossing at the end of the platform with no warning lights. You can't see very far down the tracks and it is all too easy to assume that the line is clear if a train has just passed, but they can be pretty frequent. There have been several near misses with Pendolinos and sadly an 82 year old lady was killed in 2008. I proposed to my wife by the River Cherwell near there and luckily we made it safely back to the far platform!

 

[Shaun_92]

Crowle, still has a Barrow crossing.

 

[railjock]

The thing I don't get about this sort of thing is that the victims appear not to carry any blame in this sort of accident.
Ultimately, it was their own choice to perform the actions they did. Nobody forced them to. That doesn't work in every situation but NR can't be wholly to blame, and neither can the TOC. The victims must bore a significant part, but as is the case, nobody seems to want to mention it.

A bit harsh on this one I feel. They do have some responsibility but significant risks were ignored or missed.

 

[Cletus]

Silverdale - When I first visited there, departing from the class 37 service I walked out of the station looking for the footbridge/road bridge, only to belatedly realise I needed to cross the tracks!

 

[LWB]

Bootle, Cumbrian line, level crossing

 

[adc82140]

Twyford, you have to cross the Henley branch for access to and from the main car park. However train movements across this must be very limited since the end of the through Henley to Paddington workings

 

[philthetube]

The thing I don't get about this sort of thing is that the victims appear not to carry any blame in this sort of accident.
Ultimately, it was their own choice to perform the actions they did. Nobody forced them to. That doesn't work in every situation but NR can't be wholly to blame, and neither can the TOC. The victims must bore a significant part, but as is the case, nobody seems to want to mention it.

We do all have responsibility for out actions, however there can be situations which mislead us into thinking something is not what it seems, I am sure it has happened to us all at some time, and if this situation can happen is a way which can cause injury or worse it should be mitigated against.