Why are gate wheels disconnected from still manually closed gates?

[SomeTrainboy]

For example, Pyewipe Road SB has manually closed gates, with gate wheel intact, but it's been disconnected for decades.
It just seems silly to have it there but not being used.

 

[Belperpete]

Is it because something has broken? Gate wheel mechanisms use some fairly bespoke mechanical components, such as the gearing and drives. If the patterns are no longer available to make new castings, it could be expensive to get replacements made.

 

[rower40]

Motorist behaviour deteriorating over the years?
I.e. a car driver is less likely to jump the red flashing lights if they see a human being in hi vis pulling the gates shut across the road, compared to if the gates just appear to move by magic.

 

[MarkyT]

Motorist behaviour deteriorating over the years?
I.e. a car driver is less likely to jump the red flashing lights if they see a human being in hi vis pulling the gates shut across the road, compared to if the gates just appear to move by magic.

But the staff member is placed in greater danger by having to venture out into the carriageway.

At Pywipe Road, it's most likely the wheel mechanism broke irreparably, as suggested above, and the risk to staff swinging the gates manually was considered tolerable. It's a quiet box on a freight line, and visibility along the straight road approaches is good.

This drone video, shot in 2020, shows several personnel attending the crossing for passage of a ballast train. While the gates are definitely being manually closed, the sympathetic rod linkages beneath the road seem to remain operative, as not all the gates were being pushed individually, yet all four moved.

This video shows the normal procedure, and the general state of the equipment.

 

[Belperpete]

But the staff member is placed in greater danger by having to venture out into the carriageway.

At Pywipe Road, it's most likely the wheel mechanism broke irreparably, as suggested above, and the risk to staff swinging the gates manually was considered tolerable. It's a quiet box on a freight line, and visibility along the straight road approaches is good.

This drone video, shot in 2020, shows several personnel attending the crossing for passage of a ballast train. While the gates are definitely being manually closed, the sympathetic rod linkages beneath the road seem to remain operative, as not all the gates were being pushed individually, yet all four moved.

This video shows the normal procedure, and the general state of the equipment.

Interesting videos. The state of the gates does not look good, with one of them grounding on the road surface. And what was going on in that drone video? The train seemed to take a looong time to get moving, only to stop across the crossing while someone in orange was doing something in the track ahead. Road traffic ended up backing up to the roundabout, and one of the cars on the other side gave up waiting and turned back.

With wheel-operated gates, there are usually gate stops that rise out of the road to lock the gates across the road, and ground latches that hold the gates open to road traffic, both operated from the signalbox. I couldn't see any sign of either. The operator is having to use manual drop-latches on the gates themselves (and in the drone video, the road traffic seems to be passing over before the gates on one side have been properly secured open). There are some pot holes in the tarmac in the middle of the road, but not in a position where a stop could hold both gates.

 

[ex-probationer]

Interesting videos. The state of the gates does not look good, with one of them grounding on the road surface. And what was going on in that drone video? The train seemed to take a looong time to get moving, only to stop across the crossing while someone in orange was doing something in the track ahead. Road traffic ended up backing up to the roundabout, and one of the cars on the other side gave up waiting and turned back.

With wheel-operated gates, there are usually gate stops that rise out of the road to lock the gates across the road, and ground latches that hold the gates open to road traffic, both operated from the signalbox. I couldn't see any sign of either. The operator is having to use manual drop-latches on the gates themselves (and in the drone video, the road traffic seems to be passing over before the gates on one side have been properly secured open). There are some pot holes in the tarmac in the middle of the road, but not in a position where a stop could hold both gates.

Completely agree that the gate stops and latches are missing.

It is usual for crossing gates to be physically locked across the road, by using a gate lock lever, which also releases the interlocking for the protecting signal levers. I think the drive rodding linking the crossing gates must still go back to the signal box, as in my experience with wheel gates (Littlehaven & Plumpton in Sussex), the locking mechanism is housed in the signal box lower floor just below the wheel.

Littlehaven Wheel Gates - Drive Rod and Locking mechanism - Photo taken by me in 2007

 

[MarkyT]

Completely agree that the gate stops and latches are missing.

It is usual for crossing gates to be physically locked across the road, by using a gate lock lever, which also releases the interlocking for the protecting signal levers. I think the drive rodding linking the crossing gates must still go back to the signal box, as in my experience with wheel gates (Littlehaven & Plumpton in Sussex), the locking mechanism is housed in the signal box lower floor just below the wheel.

Littlehaven Wheel Gates - Drive Rod and Locking mechanism - Photo taken by me in 2007
View attachment 192505

That's why the signaller had to go back and restroke the lever in the second video I think...