Level Crossing Activation Timings?

[Super Sprinter]

I was at Reigate Station a few days ago waiting for the train into London.

During this time a Southbound Train pulled into the station to pickup passengers. Before the train had even appeared the level crossing gates came down (the level crossing is literally at the end of the platform / station) and the traffic then had to wait over 5 minutes for the train to come into the station, stop and let passengers alight and then get the signal to start moving once again.

I do not know how the level crossing is activated, but it seemed a little silly to do this 5 minutes before the train left the station.

Are all level crossings all like this?

 

[jopsuk]

It'll be either a local control or CCTV crossing. Problem is that the gates have to be shut for an approaching train, as if there was a wheelslide issue or the driver had a failure to call, causing the train to overshoot the platform, with the crossing still "open" it would likely be a fatal accident. Raising the barriers and lowering them again whilst the train is stopped (likely for under a minute) would be impractical. So for safety, yers, you do get five-minute plus timings at that sort of location. There's even stations where the platforms are staggered either side of the crossing the "wrong" way, so that the barriers are down during station stops in both directions (whilst some are staggered the "right" way allowing the barriers to be raised as soon as the train stops, assuming nothing coming the other way)

 

[30909]

I am certain someone on here will have the definitive answer but, for what its worth, this is what I have experienced. Reigate is still local control, at the moment I think, the barriers and for that matter the old gates, were always closed well in advance of trains approaching from Guildford direction as the crossing is on the approach end of the up platform. They tend to close later with through down trains towards Guildford if they are timetabled to stop, however they may not come down for the terminating electrics. The other issue is the congested nature of London Road the A217 and the need to ensure that the barriers can come down when road traffic is clear.

 

[tsr]

I am certain someone on here will have the definitive answer but, for what its worth, this is what I have experienced. Reigate is still local control, at the moment I think, the barriers and for that matter the old gates, were always closed well in advance of trains approaching from Guildford direction as the crossing is on the approach end of the up platform. They tend to close later with through down trains towards Guildford if they are timetabled to stop, however they may not come down for the terminating electrics. The other issue is the congested nature of London Road the A217 and the need to ensure that the barriers can come down when road traffic is clear.

You are quite correct. Staff at Reigate SB monitor the A217 Level Crossing at present. They can do this from the large window on the South side of the box. The whole approach and LC activation procedures can be watched from the footbridge to the West of the LC.

The LC is not necessarily activated and clear by the time a Westbound train arrives, though it is often simultaneous with its arrival. In addition, Southern services terminating from London/Redhill do not activate the crossing, despite the risk of overshoots (indeed, ISTR this has happened at very slow speeds due to wheelslip in the past, which causes much danger and chaos on the A217). The congestion on the A217 does indeed mean that some slight time precautions have to be taken to avoid near misses with trapped traffic and thus delaying the passage of trains. The activation for Eastbound trains from Reading also needs to take place so the train is allowed a clear run from the stretch between the Lawrence Lane & Colley Lane road bridges, which are some distance to the West of the station. This avoids unnecessary braking and thus delays at both Reigate & Redhill stations. It is a bit irritating to have a Turbo on a fast run through Betchworth slow down or stop needlessly after successfully navigating the busy Betchworth LC (and to some extent the very much quieter/more rural Buckland AHBC) etc., just because the A217 wasn't clear or there was some delay in activation which could have been avoided.

 

[30909]

Yes I can remember some very impatient “crowing” from the crews of U, N and Q1 classes in the 1950s as they approached the advanced starter (is that the correct term) on the bank between Colley Lane and the station. Stopping a lose coupled freight of over 30 trucks and or the Meldon Quary loaded ballast trains worked the guard hard and could result in a challenging restart especially on a wet winter’s day. Much abuse could be heard from the footplate as the engines barked their way past the Box and we stood in a shower of hot ciders on the aforementioned footbridge.

 

[dannyandy]

The level crossing at chathill closes well before a stopping train arrives just like you described...

 

[Sidious]

The level crossing at chathill closes well before a stopping train arrives just like you described...

What both of them?

 

[30909]

The level crossing at chathill closes well before a stopping train arrives just like you described...

As do the full barrier crossings on the Portsmouth Direct at Liss Station which is CCTV controlled from Petersfield; and especially on down services the crossing at Petersfield Station overlooked by its controlling box. It seems that by the time from lowering to down train arrival it may well be closed just after the train has cleared Liss with 3 AHBs to pass between there and Petersfield. In the up direction the barriers close about a minute before arrival of all passenger trains but the few engineer and ECS nonstop workings have a clear road so the barriers are lowered earlier.

 

[jopsuk]

without an adjacent platform, the Granhams Road CCTV crossing at Great Shelford, near Cambridge, is often closed for five minutes or ore before a train appears. I've got the impression the signaller starts the sequence when they clear a southbound train from Cambridge to depart.

 

[Welshman]

There's a similar situation at Heckington, where the starter in the Sleaford direction is right up against the level-crossing gates immediately at the end of the platform. So for the reasons jopsuk has outlined above, trains from the Boston direction cannot be allowed to enter the platform until "line clear" has been obtained for the following single-line section in the Sleaford direction, the crossing gates closed to road traffic and the starter cleared.

So, by the time the train has recovered from its check down Great Hale fen, entered the station, stopped, allowed its passengers to alight and board and then cleared the crossing, a good 5 minutes have elapsed.

This occurs every hour, and regular road users of Heckington learn to plan their journeys accordingly!

 

[scotraildriver]

It'll be either a local control or CCTV crossing. Problem is that the gates have to be shut for an approaching train, as if there was a wheelslide issue or the driver had a failure to call, causing the train to overshoot the platform, with the crossing still "open" it would likely be a fatal accident.

This is not always the case. At Kingsknowe near Edinburgh stopping trains are required to press a plunger to activate the crossing, so if an overshoot occurred the train would indeed foul the open crossing.

 

[Cliveblackpool]

Camborne station has a level crossing on the East side.
Full barriers (on a busy road) cctv controlled from Roskear Junction SB.
Many up trains stopping at Camborne enter the station very slowly especially the sleeper train, as the barriers are not down - stop signal at the end of the platform. They press the plunger when ready to leave.

 

[michael769]

This is not always the case. At Kingsknowe near Edinburgh stopping trains are required to press a plunger to activate the crossing, so if an overshoot occurred the train would indeed foul the open crossing.

Kingsnowe is protected by a red signal at the platform end (I assume this is always the case with this arrangement) so the trains approach much more slowly that they would otherwise, which will reduce the risk of an overshoot somewhat.

Does Kirknewton still have the plunger now it has full barriers?