Has anyone ever reported a level crossing incident caught on camera?

[John Luxton]

At the WHR 100 Gala on Saturday I was on the 12:45 Minffordd to Beddgelert train which ran through Porthmadog non stop.

I was taking photos out of the window and could clearly see the amber signal on the crossing come on then the red wig/wags.

Just as MERDDIN EMRYS was about to enter the crossing area a car crossed heading towards Boston Lodge clearly having ignored the stop lights.

Camera has captured car, reg no, red lights and loco in view.

As I was probably not the only person to capture this on camera I am wondering if I should forward it to North Wales Police?

Given the number of level crossing vehicle incidents these days I feel as though I should.

Has anyone else caught crossing incidents on camera when out photographing railways and has anyone reported them?

I have had a look at the Operation Snap submission form. It asks one not to delete from device if submitting. Presumably for device really reads memory card?

 

[WAB]

At the WHR 100 Gala on Saturday I was on the 12:45 Minffordd to Beddgelert train which ran through Porthmadog non stop.

I was taking photos out of the window and could clearly see the amber signal on the crossing come on then the red wig/wags.

Just as MERDDIN EMRYS was about to enter the crossing area a car crossed heading towards Boston Lodge clearly having ignored the stop lights.

Camera has captured car, reg no, red lights and loco in view.

As I was probably not the only person to capture this on camera I am wondering if I should forward it to North Wales Police?

Given the number of level crossing vehicle incidents these days I feel as though I should.

Has anyone else caught crossing incidents on camera when out photographing railways and has anyone reported them?

I have had a look at the Operation Snap submission form. It asks one not to delete from device if submitting. Presumably for device really reads memory card?

I would report it. I had understood that Britannia Bridge was quite bad for running the lights and that CCTV footage was being passed on to the police. No harm in them receiving it twice - better than them not receiving it at all!

 

[WesternLancer]

At the WHR 100 Gala on Saturday I was on the 12:45 Minffordd to Beddgelert train which ran through Porthmadog non stop.

I was taking photos out of the window and could clearly see the amber signal on the crossing come on then the red wig/wags.

Just as MERDDIN EMRYS was about to enter the crossing area a car crossed heading towards Boston Lodge clearly having ignored the stop lights.

Camera has captured car, reg no, red lights and loco in view.

As I was probably not the only person to capture this on camera I am wondering if I should forward it to North Wales Police?

Given the number of level crossing vehicle incidents these days I feel as though I should.

Has anyone else caught crossing incidents on camera when out photographing railways and has anyone reported them?

I have had a look at the Operation Snap submission form. It asks one not to delete from device if submitting. Presumably for device really reads memory card?

You should certainly report it to the police IMHO John. Ideally do it in writing via an e-mail or on line form

I have reported stuff (arguably less serious than this, one that comes to mind being a bloke driving at reasonable speed down my residential street talking on his mobile phone) and the police made it clear to me that they would at least visit the offender and speak to them - I had no photo proof unlike you - which I thought was reasonable action for the police to do in the case concerned.

The fact that the person you saw doing this might think twice before doing it again if they knew someone had reported them might save lives or injuries in future. People who you have saved from possible injury or worse will go about their lives in blissful ignorance of your good deed.

 

[Deepgreen]

Yes - I would report it as you have the details. Preserved railways suffer with this as they are perceived to be safe compared with the main line, but recent events on the NYMR have proved otherwise.

 

[John Luxton]

Thanks for feedback.

I have reported via Operation Snap and sent the two relevant images.

There must have been umpteen witnesses including the Harbour Station car park attendant who can be seen in the image and another chap standing on the pavement with camera pointing towards the crossing.

It appears that the driver was rather youngish looking even if he only gets a warning it might stop him doing it somewhere else.

John

 

[WesternLancer]

Thanks for feedback.

I have reported via Operation Snap and sent the two relevant images.

There must have been umpteen witnesses including the Harbour Station car park attendant who can be seen in the image and another chap standing on the pavement with camera pointing towards the crossing.

It appears that the driver was rather youngish looking even if he only gets a warning it might stop him doing it somewhere else.

John

Good work IMHO. Just because others saw it does not mean they will have been as conscientious as you in terms of doing something about it.

 

[Palaceboy]

Whilst I fully commend you wanting to report the incident I would also like to point out that sticking your head/camera out of the window to take pictures is not the safest thing to do. Perhaps somebody took a picture of you and is going to report it.

 

[WAB]

Whilst I fully commend you wanting to report the incident I would also like to point out that sticking your head/camera out of the window to take pictures is not the safest thing to do. Perhaps somebody took a picture of you and is going to report it.

On a low speed heritage railway with decent clearances, the risk of leaning your head is rather minimal... unlike running the lights at a level crossing, with a Beyer Garratt bearing down on you...

You're welcome to dob John in to Paul Lewin if you want though

 

[Jan Mayen]

Whilst I fully commend you wanting to report the incident I would also like to point out that sticking your head/camera out of the window to take pictures is not the safest thing to do. Perhaps somebody took a picture of you and is going to report it.

Would this have been an offence? And if not, would it be against the WHR terms & conditions?

 

[Krokodil]

Whilst I fully commend you wanting to report the incident I would also like to point out that sticking your head/camera out of the window to take pictures is not the safest thing to do. Perhaps somebody took a picture of you and is going to report it.

And what law would he have broken?

There are places with tight clearances, particularly on the Ffestiniog branch, but the CTRL has plenty of room.

 

[John Luxton]

Whilst I fully commend you wanting to report the incident I would also like to point out that sticking your head/camera out of the window to take pictures is not the safest thing to do. Perhaps somebody took a picture of you and is going to report it.

There were a number of there people at the location with cameras on the pavement including one chap pointing his camera directly towards the car as he appears in the photo. Therefore he may have also submitted an image.

As to me putting my head or camera out of the window I was not putting anyone else in danger and at the location there is more than adequate clearance. Besides I would say about 50% of the windows had heads out of them on that train and most of the others I travelled on at the weekend. I even noted what appeared to be a black labrador with its head out!

However, deliberately ignoring a red stop signal at a level crossing is a road traffic offence which causes significant risk to the locomotive crew, passengers and rolling stock not to mention a vehicle deflected by any collision could mount the pavement and hit the numerous spectators and photographers gathered on the pavement there.

Even if the driver only gets a warning it might stop him from ignoring signals at other level crossings where it might not be a relatively small Fairlie travelling at around 15 miles an hour as it was in the case but a 158 DMU or similar travelling quite a bit faster! The driver appeared quite young, thus it might just save his life and that of any future passengers he might be carrying if he gets a rap on the knuckles.