Dr Unbewachter von Eisenbahn-Übergang

Schoolgirl, 15, dies after being hit by train in 'tragic accident' at level crossing

2012-01-29T19:44:00.000Z

A schoolgirl has died after being hit by a train in what police described as a 'tragic accident' at a level crossing. The girl, 15, who has not been named, was killed at an intersection on the Bishop Stortford railway crossing in Hertfordshire. Safety concerns about the crossing had already been raised following the death of an 81-year-old woman who was killed there in 2002 while walking across the track with her dog.

More rail woes as level crossing is destroyed

2012-01-29T14:13:00.000Z

A SECOND rail crossing incident has happened in the Whitland area, just a month after a hay lorry was in collision with a train at the nearby Henllan Amgoed.Last Sunday, a lorry collided with the rail level crossing barriers at St John Street, damaging them.

No one was injured.

A British Transport Police (BTP) spokesman said: "At 6.10pm on Sunday, January 22, BTP was informed by Network Rail that a vehicle had collided with the barriers. "BTP contacted Dyfed-Powys Police, whose officers quickly arrived at the scene and the road was closed. "At no time was the vehicle obstructing the railway. "An investigation has been launched into the incident." A spokesman for Network Rail said two of the four crossing barriers were damaged beyond repair, with replacement parts being sourced.

Moreton level crossing works to continue for a fortnight

2012-01-29T14:10:00.001Z

WORK at a railway level crossing will be extended by a further fortnight, it has been announced.
Traffic on the B3390 has been diverted because of maintenance work at the Moreton crossing. The work was due to finish today but Network Rail says due to ‘unforeseen circumstances’ the work will be extended by a further 14 days. A spokesman said ‘complications’ uncovered during the project have meant additional time is needed to complete the work.

Poor planning of work.........?

INCIDENT AT LEVEL CROSSING

2012-01-29T14:07:00.000Z

TRAINS between the coast and Glasgow and Ayr were subject to delays at Stevenston station on Tuesday following an incident in which a lorry apparently struck equipment on the level crossing. One onlooker said: "At one point it looked as though it was on fire. At first we thought it had hit the overhead electrical cables.

Level crossing closure will cut Paignton in two, say traders

2012-01-29T14:05:00.000Z

BUSINESSES in Paignton fear the town centre will be split in two as the main level crossing barrier stays down for two weeks. Network Rail is upgrading the signalling and infrastructure on the Paignton branch line and installing a new crossing at the Torbay Road junction.

It means the route will be closed to vehicles for a fortnight with diversions in place, and pedestrians will have to take the bridge or find an alternative flat route. Torbay Council has brought in a special £1.50 all-day parking ticket to try to encourage people to still shop in the town.

Feltham level crossing closed

2012-01-29T14:02:00.000Z

THE level crossing at Feltham Station has been closed for a full upgrade and will be out of action until Monday, February 6. The work is being carried out by Network Rail and will involve the complete removal of the existing barriers and control equipment. This means that, unlike the usual routine maintenance closures, the crossing will also be closed for cyclists and pedestrians. Vehicles and cycles will be diverted via New Road and the A244 Hounslow Road and traffic signal timings will be adjusted to reduce delays as much as possible.

Steve Gurney diversion 'sends wrong message on rail safety'

2012-01-29T14:01:00.000Z

Public understanding about the serious consequences of poor driving at level crossings is not helped by police diversion being offered for collisions involving careless driving, rail workers say. Athlete Steve Gurney's car crashed with a passenger train on a level crossing near Rangiora in September last year. He pleaded guilty to careless driving and was yesterday offered diversion. Rail and Maritime Transport Union General Secretary Wayne Butson said Gurney was wrong last year to label the incident a simple mistake.

Well said

Elderly driver cheats death after driving onto rail tracks in rush hour

2012-01-29T13:56:00.001Z

An elderly woman driver cheated death when she accidentally took a wrong turn and careered on to the London Waterloo train line during rush hour at a level crossing in Brockenhurst, Hampshire.

Making tracks: Police and railway officials ponder how an elderly driver ended up on the line (Picture: Alex Capozza/Solent)

The 85-year-old was confused by the level crossing and instead of driving her Renault Clio straight over the lines, she turned right onto the train tracks. She drove for 70m along the lines on Thursday morning before realising her mistake at around 9.30am.

See also:
The gran arriving at Platform 2! Blundering pensioner takes wrong turn at level crossing and drives 50 yards along main line TRAIN TRACK

Level crossing failure causes traffic buildup

2012-01-29T13:50:00.000Z

A LEVEL crossing failure has caused traffic to build up near Selby this afternoon. The railway barrier, at Woodhall Lane, to the east of the town, happened at about 3.10pm, when the barriers became stuck in the down position, cutting off vehicular access to the crossing. Network Rail engineers were sent to the site, and a spokeswoman said the cause of the fault was not yet known, but they hoped to have it repaired as soon as possible.

Lucky driver in crossing escape

2012-01-29T13:38:00.003Z

A driver said she was lucky to be alive after her car overshot a level crossing and was hit by a passenger train in Cornwall. Sarah Frampton's car collided with the First Great Western single-carriage train in Newquay at 7.40pm on Thursday. The car was spun around and badly damaged but Ms Frampton walked away from the crash shaken, but unhurt. Ms Frampton, from the nearby village of St Newlyn East, told BBC Spotlight news she had not noticed the warnings at the crossing and by the time she saw the train, it was too late to stop.

Should have gone to Specsavers!

Oops, I didn't see the signs and flashing lights: Woman 'lucky to be alive' after driving into path of oncoming train - lots of sensible comments and pix here

Train stopped after corn thresher dropped on rail track

2012-01-29T13:35:00.000Z

A tractor dropped its load on a level crossing in Ely – forcing police to stop trains and causing chaos for rail commuters and motorists. Farm machinery for threshing corn was strewn across the tracks at the crossing after the accident which happened at just after 6am this morning.

Low-cost level crossing warning system goes into service

2012-01-29T13:33:00.000Z

SWITZERLAND: Swiss Federal Railways has put into service a low-cost warning system designed for deployment at unprotected level crossings which are lightly used but cannot be closed. Supplied by Swiss firm Verkehrs- und Industrietechnik AG, the 'micro' system is costed at SFr180000, less than half the cost of conventional crossing equipment.

Train smash lorry 'stopped on crossing'

2012-01-29T13:30:00.004Z

THE hay lorry which was in collision with a train in west Carmarthenshire last month had stopped on a level crossing in front of a lowered exit barrier, an independent investigation has found. The 9.10am Milford Haven to Manchester Piccadilly Arriva Trains service slammed into a lorry towing two hay trailers at the Henllan Amgoed railway crossing, less than a mile west of Whitland, shortly before 10am on December 19.

The scene of the train crash on the Henllan Amgoed crossing where the Milford Haven to Manchester train hit a hay lorry

So Network Rail, is the maintenance going well?

2012-01-29T13:27:00.000Z

Tuesday at 1.30pm: Not a workman in sight. Photo: SG170112-22MD

NO show and dead slow Network Rail has had another kick up the backside with district councillor Gary Taylor telling them to “get on with it” as they set out to upgrade the level crossing in Spalding’s Woolram Wygate. Traffic was flowing freely over the crossing on Monday morning – the first day of the advertised six-week closure. Traffic barriers were up by Monday afternoon. But there was no sign of any real work being done and the picture was just as quiet on Tuesday and yesterday morning.
Coun Taylor lives next to the crossing and said yesterday the closure had been on for two-and-a-half days and no one had begun to install the new barriers.

New shops could help end level crossing misery

2012-01-29T13:23:00.000Z

New shops at Wokingham railway station could generate the cash needed to end traffic misery around the town’s notorious level crossing. Network Rail is working on ways to close the level crossing in Station Road and build an alternative route across the railway, such as an underpass, as part of the station revamp project. The scheme would follow the council and Network Rail’s joint project to build a new station and a link road between Station Road and Reading Road. The sticking point to ending the traffic chaos at the level crossing has always been cash, with the council estimating a bridge or similar project to close the crossing would cost tens of millions of pounds.

And will create more road traffic!

Police target dangerous behaviour at Altrincham's Navigation Road level crossing

2012-01-29T13:21:00.000Z

AN initiative has been launched by police to target dangerous behaviour at an Altrincham level crossing.
In recent months, vehicles have consistently jumped the lights or ignored the signals at the Navigation Road crossing. Last November, a child was even spotted dashing across the tracks as the barriers began to fall. British Transport Police (BTP) now aim to carry out an education day on February 1 to combat these problems.

Tunstead man found guilty of dangerous driving is ordered to 180 hours of unpaid work

2012-01-29T13:15:00.000Z

Robert Trotter, of Market Street, Tunstead, appeared at Norwich Crown Court today for sentencing after previously being found guilty. He denied dangerous driving. Trotter was impaled through the legs by wooden fence posts following the collision at the Tunstead level crossing between his vehicle and the North Walsham to Norwich train which had about 60 passengers on board at the time. The incident happened in December 2009.

Open crossing barrier plan for Ayrshire and Highlands

2012-01-15T08:15:00.001Z

Barriers could be installed at 23 open level crossings on Scottish railway lines. Network Rail has told MSP Dave Thomson that a new type of barrier system will be tested at two sites in Ayrshire. If the trials are successful, the company plans to roll-out the system to the other crossings, all of them in the Highlands. Mr Thompson, SNP MSP for Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch, has been campaigning for extra safety measures.

Plea to heed safety message during Broughty Ferry underpass work

2012-01-15T08:12:00.000Z

Network Rail has asked those people who would normally use the pedestrian tunnel at Gray Street to exercise caution when making their way across the railway line as the underpass closes for over two weeks of improvement works. People are allowed to cross the railway line on foot as long as they follow the necessary rules and do so only when permitted.

Call for Werrington level crossing safety improvements

2012-01-15T08:09:00.000Z

Peterborough City Councillors have called for more safety improvements at a level crossing where a young boy died in 2009. Safety concerns about the Foxcovert level crossing in Werrington were raised by councillors Ed Murphy and David Sanders, who said they were worried another child could be killed at the crossing. Two-year-old Johnny Hall was killed at the crossing in 2009 after running through an open barrier. The concerns were raised at a Town Hall meeting on Monday (9 January) of the Scrutiny Commission for Rural Affairs.

A530 Wellington Road closed at Nantwich for level crossing work

2012-01-15T08:06:00.000Z

Nantwich drivers are being warned of delays as work continues on the town’s Wellington Road level crossing. The A530 main road in and out of town by Nantwich station is closed all weekend to allow rail engineers to complete the work.

Man dies after being hit by train at Bagillt

2012-01-15T08:04:00.000Z

Emergency crews were called to the scene of the incident, near Bagillt level crossing, just after 9.40am yesterday after receiving reports that a person had been struck. The man, who has not yet been named but is believed to be from the local area, was pronounced dead at the scene. Dozens of rail services were cancelled and hundreds of passengers were affected by the incident.

Workers at nearby Manor Lane Industrial Estate said emergency crews were on the scene for more than an hour.

Rusper Road to be closed.

2012-01-15T08:00:00.000Z

WORK to replace barriers and upgrade the level crossing at Littlehaven station will mean Rusper Road, Horsham, is closed for two weeks. West Sussex County Council is planning to close the road at the crossing from January 14 to 30. A level crossing attendant will be in place to manage pedestrian requirements and there will be a diversion route via Giblets Way, North Heath Lane, Parsonage Way and Rusper Road.

Unfortunately not permanently...........

Investigation into a collision between a train and a lorry at Llanboidy level crossing, near Whitland, Carmarthenshire on 19 December 2011

2012-01-15T07:57:00.000Z

At 09:45 hrs on Monday 19 December 2011, train 1W21, the 09:10 hrs service from Milford Haven to Manchester Piccadilly, struck a lorry on Llanboidy automatic half barrier (AHB) level crossing, which is located about 14 miles (22 km) west of Carmarthen, near the village of Whitland. The train did not derail but serious damage was caused to the driving cab. Several people on the train suffered minor injuries or shock during the accident, and a passenger became ill while the train was being evacuated. The lorry driver was not injured.

Drivers risked lives during barriers failure near Romsey

2012-01-15T07:54:00.000Z

POLICE were called out to stop impatient motorists from driving across two unmanned level crossings after the automated half-barriers failed. Drivers were reported to be zig-gagging around the half-barriers at Mottisfont and Dunbridge station level crossing and the level crossing at Kimbridge, near Romsey.
Both sets of barriers failed at about 2.35pm on Wednesday. Police took swift action to prevent an accident happening after being contacted by the public and Network Rail. A Hampshire police spokesman said: “We had reports of motorists driving around the barriers at both level crossings.”

Death on the railway at Lyminster

2012-01-15T07:50:00.000Z

BRITISH Transport Police are investigating a death on the railway at Lyminster last night (Friday, December 30). BTP officers were called to Lyminster level crossing on the A284 Lyminster Road shortly before 7pm following a report that someone had been struck by a train. Sussex Police officers and ambulance paramedics also attended, but the person was pronounced dead at the scene.

Son to sue after parents killed at level crossing

2012-01-15T07:47:00.000Z

THE son of an elderly couple who were killed when a train plunged into their car at a level crossing in the Highlands is to sue Network Rail for failing to prevent the tragedy. Donald Mackay, a data analyst from Inverness, claimed the company had failed to implement safety measures following previous accidents at the Halkirk crossing in Caithness and the condition of the warning lights had made it unsafe. His parents, Angus and Margaret, died along with his uncle, Donald Mackay, in September 2009 when their car was struck by the Inverness to Wick train. The tragedy sparked a review into the safety of open crossings, with safety investigators from the Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) concluding in July that nearly two-thirds of them, including Halkirk, should be fitted with barriers to prevent further crashes.

Driving home for Christmas ... via a four-mile detour!

2011-12-26T07:24:00.001Z

RESIDENTS face a four-mile detour around a village following the closure of a level crossing. People living in Barlaston will be forced to clock up the extra miles over the festive period while Network Rail carries out routine repair work at the railway crossing in Station Road. But the closure of the level crossing means residents will now have to go via the Wedgwood Drive crossing in order to get to the other side of the village.

The locals will be the first to complain if the level crossing is not maintained...........................

Shiplake level crossing crash man charged

2011-12-26T07:18:00.000Z

An Oxfordshire man has been charged in connection with a incident in which a train collided with a car on a level crossing near Shiplake. A silver Peugeot collided with the First Great Western Henley to Twyford service on 17 November, injuring a driver who was taken to hospital.

Llanboidy AHB: Three hurt in level crossing crash

2011-12-26T07:05:00.001Z

A train has collided with a lorry at a level crossing in Carmarthenshire. British Transport Police said officers are investigating the incident near Whitland. The collision happened at 9.50am on Monday in the Llanboidy area. Paramedics are at the scene. A spokeswoman for The Welsh Ambulance Service said three people are being treated for minor injuries and were due to be taken to West Wales General Hospital in Carmarthen shortly. As a result of the collision, train services in the area are disrupted.

And More

British Transport Police’s Sector Commander for Wales, Chief Inspector Sandra England, said: “Our investigation is continuing into the cause of the collision, including piecing together exactly how the vehicle came to be on the tracks at the time. “As part of that investigation, the driver of the vehicle, a 48-year-old man from Llanboidy, Whitland, has been arrested this afternoon [Monday, 19 December 2011] on suspicion of endangering safety.

Pic: Juan Giner

Tw@ Alert: Hunt for lorry driver who smashed through level crossing

2011-12-26T07:03:00.000Z

A lorry driver is being hunted by police after crashing into barriers at a railway crossing and then driving off. The collision happened at Ely’s level crossing on the A142 at around 7.15am this morning (Thursday). Cambridgeshire Constabulary and British Transport Police (BTP) were called to the incident and discovered a lorry had crashed into the barriers, knocking one of them off completely.

BTP’s tips for staying safe at level crossings

2011-12-26T07:01:00.000Z

BTP takes action at Wirral level crossings

2011-12-26T06:54:00.000Z

Wirral’s level crossings were the focus of British Transport Police’s activity earlier this week. BTP joined with Network Rail, the Office of Rail Regulation, and Merseyside Police as well as teachers from Wallasey School, to educate drivers and pedestrians and speak to local people about issues at the rossings. The days of action, on Tuesday and Wednesday, saw officers visit crossings in and around Leasowe and Hoylake.

Network Rail closes 500th level crossing

2011-12-25T05:44:00.000Z

Network Rail has closed 500 level crossings across Britain since April 2009 and intends to close a further 250 by 31 March 2014. This marks a significant milestone in the company’s programme to close as many user worked crossings as possible and reduce the level of risk on the network where roads and pathways cross the railway. User worked crossings are mostly private crossings, not public rights of way, and while mainly located in rural areas, many cross busy main lines. The barriers or gates need to be operated by the person crossing and not the railway and warning measures include miniature warning lights, signs or telephones.

Well Done

Bosham level crossing damaged after a hit-and-run

2011-12-25T05:42:00.000Z

A MOTORIST caused travel chaos on Friday after hitting a level crossing barrier before driving off. Trains travelling along the Brighton to Portsmouth line were delayed after the incident at 10.25am. No-one was injured when the barrier at Bosham level crossing on Station Road was smashed into the path of an oncoming train by a hit-and-run driver. A spokesperson for Network Rail said no damage was caused to the train, and engineers were soon at the site to replace the barrier.

Broken level crossing causes chaos in Malton and Norton

2011-12-11T05:56:00.000Z

TWO North Yorkshire towns were thrown into chaos today after the barriers jammed on a level crossing.
Motorists and pedestrians were left stranded at each side of the railway line between Malton and Norton for almost two hours, until Network Rail engineers arrived to lift the barriers. Ryan Swain, from Norton, was at the front of the queue driving towards Malton when he became stranded at around 1.10pm.

30 sheep killed after flooding forced them on to rail line

2011-12-11T05:50:00.000Z

The accident caused considerable disruption to rail services on Tuesday, taking nearly three hours for around 30 sheep carcasses to be removed from the tracks. An investigation is under way to establish how the animals gained access to the line. The accident happened when the 8.42pm Aberdeen to Glasgow Queen Street train struck sheep at a level crossing near Blackford.

Tragedy after man hit by train near Oswestry

2011-12-11T05:47:00.000Z

Police said the man was confirmed dead at the scene in Weston Rhyn at about 2pm yesterday. The crash sparked rail delays between Chester and Shrewsbury for several hours and led to the closure of Station Road in the village between Gledrid roundabout and the Old Chirk Road junction for about three hours.

Tw@: Student who drove through level crossing 'was not concentrating'

2011-12-11T05:45:00.000Z

The moment William Schofield drove through the barriers at Foxton level crossing

A driver sped underneath closing barriers at one of the county’s most dangerous level crossings. CCTV cameras captured William Schofield driving over Foxton crossing, where numerous reckless drivers have previously risked their lives and those of train passengers by ignoring warning lights Schofield, of Vermuyden, Earith, sped across the path of an oncoming train as the lights were flashing amber and the barriers were descending. The 22-year-old Sheffield University student pleaded guilty by post to Cambridge magistrates Court to the offence he committed just after 7.20pm on July 5.

Woman died after hit by train on Brimsdown level crossing

2011-12-11T05:41:00.000Z

A 20-YEAR-OLD Harlow woman died last night when she was hit by a train just outside Brimsdown station. The woman, who had been out with friends last night, was hit by the 10.33pm Stratford to Bishop's Stortford at the level crossing in Green Street. The death is being treated as unexplained, British Transport Police said, and officers are talking to five of the woman's friends who were at the scene last night.

Medics treating girl hit by train hopeful she will regain use of arm

2011-12-11T05:39:00.000Z

A GIRL whose arm was torn off in a horrific accident at a level crossing a week ago on Monday is still undergoing treatment in hospital. Rebecca Huitson underwent extensive surgery at Newcastle’s Royal Victoria Infirmary to reattach the limb after she was hit by an Edinburgh-to-London train at the level crossing behind Dudley Social Club shortly before 6.30pm. The 12-year-old had been with three friends at the East Coast main line level crossing when what is decribed as a glancing blow by the 110mph train tore her arm off. Doctors battled through the night to save the Seaton Burn College pupil’s arm and she has since undergone further surgery.

Caught on camera: Moment a lorry driver smashes through level crossing missing speeding train by seconds

2011-12-11T05:35:00.000Z

HGV driver Geoffrey Peachey didn't spot two sets of red flashing lights and a warning klaxon Magistrates warn consequences could have been 'catastrophic'
Driver is banned for three months and fined for safety lapse
This is the moment a lorry driver crashed through closing barriers just moments before a high-speed train thundered past - and didn't even notice. Geoffrey Peachey, 54, drove straight over the level-crossing in his 44-tonne lorry - oblivious to two sets of flashing red lights and a warning klaxon. The HGV driver then continued with his journey blissfully unaware of the wreckage dangerously left lying on the line in his wake.

Crash: Geoffrey Peachey's lorry collides with the closing barriers which can be seen hitting the top of his vehicle in this image

Ambulance involved in crash which closed A10

2011-12-11T05:30:00.000Z

A crash involving an ambulance and a car on a level crossing blocked the A10 in both directions this morning (Dec 1). A police spokeswoman said officers were called at 7.47am by the ambulance service to the collision at Foxton. The vehicles were moved from the crossing.

Stowmarket: Motorist’s miraculous escape after train ploughs into his car

2011-12-11T05:28:00.000Z

The drama unfolded in Newton Road shortly before 8pm when he swerved to avoid a pedestrian, smashed through a fence and onto the railway tracks. He miraculously managed to escape from the silver Vauxhall Astra before the 18.43 service from Cambridge to Ipswich slammed into it. The man, believed to be 38, suffered a head injury, which the ambulance service said was not thought to be life-threatening. He was treated at the scene by paramedics before being taken to Ipswich Hospital by land ambulance.

Investigation into a fatal accident at Mexico footpath crossing, near Penzance, Cornwall, 3 October 2011

2011-12-11T05:25:00.000Z

At approximately 15:50 hrs on Monday 3 October 2011, a pedestrian was struck and killed on Mexico footpath crossing, near Penzance, by train 2C47, the 13:53 hrs service from Plymouth to Penzance; formed by a two-car Class 150 diesel multiple unit.

Minister sees latest technology for combating level crossing misuse

2011-12-06T08:35:00.000Z

The Minister of State at the Department for Transport, Theresa Villiers visited Mitcham Eastfields level crossing on Thursday, 24 November to view the Railway Safety Camera Partnership Vehicle, a police van fitted with advanced technology to deter motorists and pedestrians from breaking the law. Motorists continuing to risk their lives at level crossings by ignoring warning signs remains a serious problem and the Minister was given a demonstration of the industry’s latest investment in the fight to keep crossings safe.

What?

2011-11-27T19:14:00.000Z

You Tube

Railway worker found drunk and unconscious in charge of one of Britain's busiest level crossings is jailed

2011-11-27T19:11:00.000Z

The gatekeeper in charge of Europe’s second busiest railway level crossing has been jailed for three months after being found in a drunken stupor in his cabin. Alcoholic Peter Singleton, 29, had drunk more than five pints of cider and could not be woken when a colleague found him slumped in the cabin as a passenger train waited further down the track. An ambulance was called and Singleton later admitted drinking three pints before coming on duty and a large empty bottle of cider was discovered in his locker at work.

Second busisest crossing in Europe - what pharking rubbish...............

Network Rail to face charges over level crossing deaths

2011-11-27T19:07:00.000Z

The Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) is set to launch a criminal prosecution today over the deaths of Olivia Bazlinton, 14, and Charlotte Thompson, 13, who were killed in December 2005. The two friends were setting off to go shopping in the run-up to Christmas when they were killed. Charges set to be lodged at Chelmsford Magistrates' Court are likely to allege breaches of health and safety laws that contributed to the accident in which the girls were hit by an express train at a village station in Elsenham, Essex. The case is likely to go to Crown Court next year.

Girl's arm severed by passing Edinburgh to London train

2011-11-27T19:03:00.000Z

A 12-year-old girl's arm was severed when she was struck by a passing train at a level crossing on Tyneside. British Transport Police (BTP) said the girl's limb had to be retrieved from the track after she was hit at Killingworth at 18:30 GMT on Monday. Surgeons at Newcastle's Royal Victoria Infirmary are trying to reattach the arm and the girl is stable, BTP said. A spokesman said the girl had been with three friends when she suffered a "glancing blow" from the train. Police said the incident involved the 17:00 Edinburgh to London King's Cross train.

Driver's lucky escape after level crossing crash

2011-11-27T18:59:00.003Z

None of the passengers on the three-carriage train were injured in the accident that occurred just 10 days after British Transport Police launched a safety campaign. Firefighters had to cut the roof off the car, which was shunted around 20 yards off the rack by the impact at around 6.30pm. The driver was rushed to the Royal Berkshire hospital, but was only kept overnight. He is believed to have been visiting a friend living in a riverside house on the East side of the crossing.

And MORE

TWAT Catching: Spy cameras used to catch drivers flouting level crossing warnings

2011-11-20T09:57:00.000Z

SPY cameras are being used to catch motorists who are putting lives at risk by driving over level crossings without first checking for trains. British Transport Police (BTP) says reckless motorists are racing across the remote level crossing at Mill Lane, Barthomley, unaware if trains are approaching
the area.

Mill Lane level crossing

The user-operated crossing with gates means drivers are expected to use a telephone line to contact the signalman to ask if any trains are near. Once they have been given the all-clear, drivers are then expected to open the gates, cross the railway line, which runs between Crewe, Alsager and Stoke stations, then close the gates. But BTP officers say drivers are not stopping to find out if trains are close by and are instead opening the gates and crossing the railway lines, and then not closing them behind them.

Motorist who caused rail crash after jumping level crossing escapes with fine of just £250

2011-11-20T09:49:00.001Z

A motorist who caused a rail crash after jumping a level crossing in his BMW has escaped with a fine of just £250. Jonathan Dawson, 46, could have caused a serious disaster after he failed to hear a screaming warning siren and drove straight through a level crossing in Woodbridge, Suffolk. The train driver, who was travelling at about 15mph, was forced to slam on the brakes but still smashed into Dawson's 4x4, a court heard yesterday. Dawson, who admitted careless driving at Ipswich Crown Court, amazingly escaped unhurt. Judge David Goodin said last December's crash at the Lime Kiln crossing in Woodbridge, Suffolk, was caused by Dawson's 'momentary inattention'.

Seaford: Work starts on rail crossing

2011-11-20T09:47:00.000Z

CAMPAIGNERS calling for improvements to an unmanned rail crossing near Seaford are celebrating after learning works will get underway next month. Residents have been calling for changes amid fears someone could get killed following several near misses at Tide Mills Level Crossing. Jim Skinner, chairman of the Friends of Tide Mills, who has, along with Access in Seaford and Newhaven Committee, called for better access for tourists and residents, said the latest news was an end to a ‘true community wide effort’. Mr Skinner said phase two of the crossing improvements would get underway on December 3, adding, “All pedestrian users of the crossing will at long last be able to access Tide Mills, this much-loved and special open space, some for the very first time, in much greater safety than for many years.

Train hits car on level crossing in Oxfordshire

2011-11-20T09:46:00.000Z

A train has collided with a car on a level crossing in Oxfordshire. The silver Volkswagen Polo was hit by the First Great Western Henley to Twyford service at 18:26 GMT near Shiplake. A spokesman from the train operator said he understood that all passengers and the train driver were evacuated. The driver of the car was injured and taken to hospital. Trains on the line have been suspended with a replacement bus service in operation. The car was 10ft (3m) from the train tracks as emergency services attended the scene.

Rail tragedy: Bridge safety move at Foxcovert Road crossing

2011-11-13T07:39:00.000Z

ACTION could soon be taken to step up safety on a Peterborough level crossing where a toddler was killed in 2009. Bosses at Network Rail are looking to build a bridge across the mainline near Foxcovert Road between Werrington and Glinton. The level crossing was the scene of a tragedy when two-year-old Johnny Hall died after running out in front of a train in 2009. Details of the bridge plans are contained in a letter from Network Rail to Peterborough City Council. The news has been welcomed by councillors John Fox and John Holdich, who have been campaigning for years for action to improve safety at the crossing, which is regularly used by children going to and from school.

Haltwhistle mum still fighting to close West Lodge level crossing

2011-11-13T07:37:00.002Z

THE mother of a teenage boy killed on a railway crossing is still fighting to have it closed almost four years after the tragedy. Michelle Walton, of Haltwhistle, Northumberland, claims the West Lodge level crossing where her 17-year-old son Chris died in January 2008 is “an accident waiting to happen again.”
Yesterday she said: “I want that crossing closed – and I’m not going to stop fighting until it is closed down.”

Trains delayed after crash at Mortlake level crossing

2011-11-13T07:33:00.000Z

Commuters faced delays this morning following an accident at Mortlake railway crossing. Trains were brought to a standstill after British Transport Police (BTP) were called to reports of a vehicle colliding with the level crossing in Sheen Lane. A BTP spokesman said: “British Transport Police are investigating a report of a vehicle colliding with the level crossing barrier on Sheen Lane, Mortlake on Wednesday, November 9.

Car smashes through level crossing barrier in high speed police chase

2011-11-13T07:29:00.001Z

Terence Fowler, 20, went on the run in a stolen red Mercedes after an unmarked police patrol car indicated for him to pull over. He led officers on a frantic chase through heavy traffic, hitting speeds of up to 90mph as he crossed onto the wrong side of the road to avoid speed cameras.

Driver denies Tunstead rail crash charge

2011-11-13T07:25:00.000Z

A driver who was seriously injured when his car was struck by a train on a level crossing, near Norwich, is alleged to have driven round an automatic half barrier, which was meant to prevent him driving forward over the crossing, a court heard. Robert Trotter, 25, was impaled through the legs by wooden fence posts following the collision at the crossing at Tunstead, between his vehicle and the North Walsham to Norwich train, which had about 60 passengers on board at the time, Norwich Crown Court heard. Trotter, of Market Street, Tunstead, has denied dangerous driving on December 10, 2009.
Charles Kellett, prosecuting, said that following the collision, National Express train driver Steven Godden immediately applied his emergency brakes and after alerting emergency services about what happened he had rushed to the scene to find Trotter lying injured in his badly damaged car.

Pensioner run over at 'dangerous' crossing in West Barnes Lane, Raynes Park, sparks safety concerns

2011-11-13T07:23:00.000Z

Safety concerns about a ‘dangerous’ level crossing have been raised in the wake of a pensioner being mown down by a lorry. The 66-year-old man was airlifted to hospital at about midday on Monday, November 7 after being struck at the railway crossing in West Barnes Lane, near Raynes Park Station. The lorry’s driver has been arrested as part of a police investigation and has not been charged as this story was published. A London Ambulance spokeswoman said the man was taken to St George’s Hospital and was given pain relief, but his injury is not thought to be life-threatening. The news reported on our website sparked several complaints from residents that the crossing was badly designed and was a safety hazard that needed to be addressed by Merton Council.

Shiplake level crossing targeted by British Transport Police

2011-11-05T13:03:00.000Z

Shiplake Level Crossing in Berkshire will be the focus of British Transport Police’s (BTP) attention on Monday, 7 November. BTP officers and staff from Network Rail will be at the level crossing aiming to make motorists and pedestrians more aware of the potential dangers and to educate them on how to use crossings correctly. BTP’s Sergeant Chris Maddox, said: “In just the last two weeks a driver was reported for dangerous driving at the crossing when a train was forced to make an emergency stop to avoid colliding with her vehicle.

Argentina level crossing crash kills 8

2011-11-05T13:00:00.000Z

Eight people have been killed and dozens of others injured in a level crossing accident in central Argentina, where a freight train slammed into a bus full of children. Six of the dead were girls between the ages of 10 and 12, authorities said. The assistant director of their school and another adult chaperone were also killed, while at least 10 other people were seriously injured. Local media reported there had been a ninth fatality, but the death could not be officially confirmed. The collision, which happened in the small town of Zanjitas in San Luis province, involved a bus carrying 40 children and several clergy to a spiritual retreat in the western province of Mendoza.

Tackling congestion at Oakham level crossing is top issue

2011-10-30T16:06:00.000Z

TRAFFIC congestion at Oakham’s main railway crossing is top of a list of issues to be tackled in the town. Oakham Town Partnership is looking at ways to improve the town centre and now you have a chance to influence its decisions. The railway crossing in Melton Road is in the spotlight because new housing developments are likely to increase traffic passing through. The partnership is in talks with council highways staff about ways to cut queues when the crossing barriers are down.

Kidwelly train crash farmer 'incredibly stupid'

2011-10-30T16:01:00.000Z

A judge has told a farmer who parked a trailer on a rail line which was hit by a train he was "incredibly stupid". John Watkyn-James, 51, from Kidwelly, Carmarthenshire had admitted endangering safety on a railway at an earlier hearing at Swansea Crown Court. Sentencing him to a 36-week suspended jail sentence, the judge said he had put the train, staff and passengers at risk when he parked to feed horses.

The Manchester to Milford Haven train was damaged but no-one was injured. The farmer from Kidwelly must also carry out 200 hours community work. Watkyn-James, of Limestone Hill Farm, parked his tractor next to the track at Kidwelly on 31 January with the trailer he was towing on the line.

7 years and still holding fast

2011-10-30T15:55:00.000Z

HoldFast has supported the rail engineer in every issue for the last seven consecutive years. Here, we take a look back on selected HoldFast developments over those years. Level crossings are tricky things. The outwardly simple process of having a road cross a railway line is actually more difficult than you might think. For a start, the road surface has to be safe. It should have the same skid resistance as the rest of the road. It has to take line markings and those shouldn’t wear off particularly quickly.

Accident train still not fixed

2011-10-30T15:52:00.002Z

THE train involved in the Little Cornard rail crash has still not been repaired – more than a year after the accident. The two-carriage National Express train was badly damaged after being hit by a 44-tonne sewage tanker on an unmanned level crossing off Bures Road on August 17 last year. As a result of the impact, the front carriage of the train, which was travelling from Sudbury to Marks Tey, derailed and the tanker was ripped in half. Following the collision, National Express East Anglia ran out of local trains to use on the tracks and drafted in two 50-year-old locomotives to haul carriages.

Plans to tackle queues at Ely level crossing

2011-10-21T20:05:00.000+01:00

Cambridgeshire County Council has presented four other solutions for the area to the south of the station, including a lorry stacking system. Improvements to the A142 have been identified as one of the council's key infrastructure projects. A spokesman said funding could come from "prudent approved borrowing", and "possible contributions" from developers and government. A survey carried out in 2010 found that the level crossing barriers at Ely were down for an average of 35 minutes in every hour on a weekday, resulting in traffic queues of up to 100m (330ft) several times a day.

Network Rail fined £20,000 for ‘dangerous level crossing’ in Eastergate, West Sussex

2011-10-21T20:01:00.001+01:00

Network Rail has been fined £20,000, the maximum fine a magistrates’ court can impose, and ordered to pay costs of £4,750 at Worthing Magistrates’ Court after pleading guilty to a health and safety offence related to the dangerous placement of a building next to New Barn level crossing in Eastergate, near Chichester, West Sussex. In September 2009, an Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) health and safety inspector visited the site to investigate a collision between a train and a tractor and found that Network Rail had installed a building, containing electrical equipment, alongside the level crossing.

Train collides with car on level crossing near Ramsgate

2011-10-21T19:56:00.002+01:00

The vehicle, which had been abandoned at Cliffsend, near Ramsgate, was struck shortly before 5am. Two people, a man and a woman, both in their 40s, have been held on suspicion of endangering the safety of those on the railway. They were arrested in Cliffsend this morning. The train – the 4.50am Ramsgate-London Charing Cross service – was one of the first of the day, with only a handful of passengers on board. It struck the car – a black Vauxhall Astra – at around 40mph, pushing the vehicle down the tracks. The train was damaged but did not derail and there are no reports of any injuries to passengers. The car was empty and British Transport Police (BTP), which attended the crash alongside Kent Fire and Rescue Service and South East Coast Ambulance Service, are now investigating why it was abandoned.

and MORE - and MORE again

Rail crossing ‘danger’ at site for nearly 1,000 homes highlighted

2011-10-21T19:31:00.000+01:00

COMMUNITY activists were today preparing a last-ditch attempt to force action over “dangerous” rail crossings on a site where work is due to start on almost 1,000 new homes. A group of residents have consistently raised concerns about two level crossings on a busy passenger and freight line which borders the Manor Farm development in Bessacarr, Doncaster. They claim lives will be put at risk unless an underpass or bridge is built, but say no provision has been made by housebuilder Persimmon in plans for the first phase of 276 new homes. According to protesters, figures produced by Network Rail show that the chance of an accident happening on the crossings increases by a factor of 100 as soon as houses are occupied on the site.

Update: Moreton on Lugg

2011-10-21T19:26:00.000+01:00

COURT proceedings against Network Rail and a signalman over the death of Bosbury woman Jane Harding have been adjourned until next month. Mrs Harding was killed on January 16 this year when her car and a train were in collision at a level crossing at Moreton-on-Lugg, Herefordshire. The rail company and signalman Adrian Maund, aged 41, have been charged with offences under the Health and Safety Act 1974. At Birmingham Magistrates Court on Wednesday, October 5, proceedings were adjourned until Wednesday, November 16, for a committal-for-trial hearing.

Police copter heroine: Pilot swoops to halt train and avert disaster at level crossing

2011-10-21T19:18:00.001+01:00

From the birdseye vantage of her helicopter, police pilot Kathryn Chapman saw disaster unfolding. From the birdseye vantage of her helicopter, police pilot Kathryn Chapman saw disaster unfolding. An abandoned car sat on a level crossing with police chasing the driver on foot while a passenger train hurtled towards the vehicle at 50mph. Then, in a scene that could have come from a Hollywood movie, Mrs Chapman swooped to the rescue. Flying at three times the speed of the train, she dropped to little more than 60ft above the ground and managed to get ‘ahead and just above’ it.

Hatson's User Worked Crossing, near King's Lynn

2011-10-21T19:14:00.001+01:00

At 10:13 hrs on Sunday 25 September 2011, train 1T60, the 10:10 hrs service from King’s Lynn, to Ely, struck a tractor on the single line at Hatson’s (also known as White House Farm) User Worked Crossing, which is located approximately two miles from King’s Lynn station. The tractor driver sustained serious injuries in the accident and the train driver suffered from shock. One set of wheels on the train was derailed and debris from the tractor damaged a stanchion supporting overhead line electrification equipment. None of the 41 passengers on board the train were injured, but it took almost three hours for them to be evacuated because of concerns related to the damaged electrification equipment.

Photos: Rail.co.uk

Totton schoolboys' mobility scooter level crossing rescue

2011-10-21T19:11:00.001+01:00

Two Hampshire schoolboys have been praised for rescuing an elderly man on a mobility scooter who was stuck on a level crossing. The boys saw the man was trapped when barriers came down on the crossing as they walked home from school in Totton on 28 September. Hayden Smith, 15, pushed up the barrier while Jay Handley, 15, helped the man and retrieved the scooter.

and MORE

Redwood demands answers over near miss

2011-10-21T19:09:00.000+01:00

The town’s MP has called for a full investigation into a near-miss at the same level crossing where a train crash cost seven people their lives in 2004. Rail crash experts are now looking into how a member of staff did not get a message to lower the barriers at the Ufton Nervet level crossing on Sunday, September 4, as a train was on its way, and will examine employees’ “competence and fitness”. A car approaching the crossing, which is on the stretch of line between Aldermaston and Theale stations, had to jam on its brakes to avoid colliding with the oncoming 11.13am train from London Paddington to Bedwyn which sped over the crossing at around 60mph at 12.29pm.

Pride of Britain Awards 2011: Lucy Gale given Outstanding Bravery gong for saving motorists from oncoming train

2011-10-18T17:38:00.001+01:00

HERO

Twat Alert: Driver risked disaster at rail crossing

2011-10-18T17:35:00.000+01:00

A MOTORIST narrowly avoided creating a rail disaster when he burst through a level crossing. Bank worker Rajee Matharo (31), of Lincoln Road, Glinton, was seen approaching the railway line at Helpston on June 6 as the red lights were flashing and the barriers were coming down. But instead of coming to a stop on the B1443 he accelerated towards the barriers, swerving between them and shooting across the railway. A railway signalman had to hit the emergency stop button to prevent the barriers from hitting Matharo’s Volkswagen Golf TDi. Thankfully no one was hurt but the Deputy District Judge Alan Jones told Peterborough Magistrates’ Court said it could have been a “very serious accident” and banned him from driving. Pc Rachel Montgomery, the investigating officer for British Transport Police, said after the case: “Matharo’s actions were reckless and dangerous – not only was he risking his own life but he was running the risk of colliding with a fast-moving passenger train. He was banned for 28 days, fined £275 and told to pay £30 costs and a £15 victim surcharge and his license was endorsed.

Twat Alert: Great Blakenham: Rail delays after level crossing accident in Gipping Road

2011-10-18T17:31:00.000+01:00

A car collided with barriers while crossing tracks in Gipping Road, Great Blakenham, around 5.17pm. It was causing delays of up to 20 minutes on main line services between Suffolk and London, as well as those on the Ipswich to Cambridge line. Network Rail had engineers at the scene working to fix the problem and have now fixed the barriers, but several services have been affected by the knock-on delays. Traffic also built up in both directions along Gipping Road between the junctions for Chapel Lane and Plummers Dell, but cars are now flowing freely.

'It is an accident waiting to happen'

2011-10-18T17:28:00.000+01:00

Gates at a pedestrian railway crossing have been broken again, forcing schoolchildren to cross the tracks on the busy A10. The spring-loaded gates at Foxton level crossing, which lock electronically to prevent people crossing when a train is near, were vandalised on Friday. They first broke down after a faulty signal in December 2009 and have since been broken on and off ever since, prompting complaints by Councillor Susan van de Ven, who represents Foxton on Cambridgeshire County Council (CCC), to Network Rail that pedestrians, especially children, were in danger.

Police cleared over Enfield Lock train death

2011-10-18T17:25:00.000+01:00

POLICE officers involved in a chase which ended when a man was hit by a train have been cleared of wrongdoing. Twenty-year-old Mircea Adam jumped over the level-crossing barriers in Ordnance Road On August 9 last year and was hit by a high-speed train. He died instantly. The Independent Police Complaints Commission has cleared the Acting Special Sergeant and two Special Constables who pursued the car carrying Mr Adam prior to his death.

Twat Catching : New Camera Vans

2011-10-18T17:24:00.000+01:00

A purpose-built police van, fitted with nine cameras, is to be used in Scotland to deter motorists from using level crossings dangerously. The vehicle's introduction to Scotland follows a pilot in south east England. Number plate recognition technology will be used, and the van has access to computer systems so that prosecutions can be processed immediately. Network Rail and the British Transport Police (BTP) launched the van at Central Station in Glasgow.

Train delays after Norfolk level crossing crash

2011-10-18T17:21:00.001+01:00

More delays are expected for railway passengers in Norfolk after a crash involving a tractor and a train. The 10:10 BST Sunday service from King's Lynn to London King's Cross was in collision with a tractor on a level crossing at Saddlebow, King's Lynn. The tractor driver, a 29-year-old man, was taken to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in King's Lynn and the train driver was treated at the scene. The damaged train was still blocking the line on Monday.

Investigation begins after car narrowly avoids hitting a train at the scene of the 2004 Ufton Nervet rail crash

2011-10-09T16:54:00.001+01:00

AN investigation is being carried out after a car nearly collided with a train at the Ufton Nervet level crossing two weeks ago, the scene of the 2004 tragedy in which hundreds of people were injured and seven people were killed. The incident occurred at around 12.30pm on September 4 when a train travelling from London Paddington to Bedwyn passed over the barrier level crossing at the stretch of line between Theale and Aldermaston. The double track main line between Reading and Westbury had been closed for engineering work the previous night, and the train was the first to cross the line after the re-opening of one line.

And more

Rail industry safety partnership recognised at industry awards

2011-10-09T16:52:00.000+01:00

A successful and unique approach taken by train operator East Midlands Trains in partnership with Network Rail, British Transport Police (BTP) and the Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) to reduce level crossing incidents was recognised at the National Rail Awards. The industry-leading scheme picked up this year’s award for Safety, beating off competition from other safety initiatives across the UK rail network.

TWAT Alert: Lingwood rail crossing padlocked after pedestrian misuse

2011-10-09T16:50:00.000+01:00

Padlocks have been added to pedestrian railway crossings in a Norfolk village after people were seen running across the line. A signalman will lock the gates as trains approach Lingwood, near Acle, after Network Rail reports of "misuse". In one case a woman and two children were spotted running across the line very close to an oncoming train. "There's no excuse for misusing a level crossing," said Russell Spink of Network Rail.

TWAT Alert: Foxton again

2011-10-09T16:44:00.001+01:00

A gardener claimed he overtook vehicles and sped across a railway crossing as the barriers were descending because he thought he was being chased by rogue TV salesmen. Neil Orbell, of Long Reach Road, Chesterton, Cambridge, was the latest in a series of motorists convicted for ignoring the warning lights at Foxton level crossing on the A10. The 64-year-old pleaded guilty at Cambridge Magistrates’ Court to failing to comply with a stop sign and driving without due care and attention on March 2. Paul Brown, prosecuting, showed the court CCTV images of Orbell in his white Ford Transit van overtaking a yellow car which had stopped at the lights, before he sped over the tracks, narrowly missing the barriers as they dropped down.

Disqualified..........brilliant!

Open verdict into death of Sutton train death man

2011-10-09T16:39:00.000+01:00

A CORONER has recorded an open verdict into the death of a Sutton man who walked in front of a train.
Sixty-five-year-old Carl Bough, of Dalestorth Street, was killed after a collision at a level crossing in Sutton Parkway at around 6.50am on 15th September last year. A Nottingham inquest was told on Thursday how Mr Bough had been hit after climbing over a safety barrier.

Dalchalm: Train wagons 'jumped' at level crossing in Sutherland

2011-10-09T16:35:00.000+01:00

Network Rail were alerted to the derailment of a freight train after a member of the public saw some of its 27 empty wagons "jump". The train had been travelling from Georgemas in Caithness to Hartlepool on 23 February this year. Parts of a brake broke and fell on to the tracks at Dalchalm level crossing in Sutherland causing the last wagon to derail, according to a new report. It re-railed at another level crossing about 340m (0.2mile) down the line.

Woman killed by train at level crossing

2011-10-09T16:32:00.001+01:00

The woman was struck by the 12.30pm train service from London Liverpool Street to Norwich yesterday. Police and paramedics were called to the scene in a desperate bid to save the woman. However, she was pronounced dead at the scene in Gipsy Lane, Needham Market. The tragedy, which happened around 2pm, left nearby residents feeling “sad and cold”. One resident, who asked not to be named, told the East Anglian Daily Times that he heard loud noises moments before police arrived at the scene.

AN investigation into the death of a woman at a level crossing has been launched by the Rail Accident Investigation Board.

TWAT Alert: Broughty Ferry

2011-10-09T16:27:00.000+01:00

As offences continue, British Transport Police and Network Rail are once again warning motorists and pedestrians at Broughty Ferry, that misusing level crossings is just not worth it. As offences continue, British Transport Police and Network Rail are once again warning motorists and pedestrians at Broughty Ferry, that misusing level crossings is just not worth it. Today, for the first time, officers will be joining forces with colleagues from Tayside Police and Tayside Fire and Rescue to reinforce that message, to drivers who continue to ignore warning lights and lowering barriers at the town’s level crossing in an initiative which supported by the Dundee Community Safety Partnership.

Vote on your favourite option for new rail crossing

2011-10-01T21:06:00.000+01:00

TWO ways to bring a rail crossing to Lower Hamworthy, giving residents a safe route to Hamworthy Park, are being put forward. Residents can vote for their favourite at a series of exhibitions that started this week and continue at St John’s House, in Serpentine Road, for Tuesday 30 August, Wednesday 31 and Monday 5 September.

Vote for a bridge or a bridge

TWAT Alert: Level crossing lorry mayhem

2011-10-01T21:02:00.000+01:00

THIS is the moment a lorry driver smashed through a level crossing into the path of an on-coming express train – then escaped a driving ban. Reckless Zdzislaw Zdanowski crashed through the crossing tearing the safety barrier from its hinges only minutes before a high-speed train thundered past. Zdanowski, 40, had ignored flashing red lights at the crossing and proceeded to stop in the middle of the tracks. Realising the danger he then reversed to safety before picking up the debris left after he hit the descending barrier. The whole incident was captured on CCTV and Zdanowski, of Stretham, Cambs, pleaded guilty to driving without due care and attention at Cambridge Magistrates' Court.

Only nine penalty points?

Woman appeals to find Alresford crossing fall rescuer

2011-10-01T20:57:00.000+01:00

A WOMAN who was knocked over by a level crossing barrier is trying to trace the teenager who came to her aid. Betty Bird, 83, was sent sprawling when the gate hit her, leaving her concussed and sprawled on the railway line. She had walked under the gates at Coach Road, Alresford, after a train had passed and the gates had risen. She says she was not given enough time to cross the line before they went down again.

Signaller asleep then?

Porthmadog bypass & its four rail lines

2011-10-01T20:54:00.000+01:00

The Welsh Government placed a £35 million contract in December 2009 for the construction of 5.3km of new road taking the A487 around the towns of Porthmadog, Minffordd and Tremadog in North Wales. A joint venture (JV) partnership of Balfour Beatty and Jones Bros Civil Engineering UK was asked to construct a 7.3m wide carriageway on the flood plain of the River Glaslyn to the north of the Cambrian Coast mainline railway. Along with sub-contractors Balfour Beatty Rail and Cleveland Bridge UK, the JV has built 8 new bridges, a number of smaller structures and a considerable length of embankment to create the substructure for the new road.

Translink warns owners of private rail crossings over safety concerns

2011-10-01T20:52:00.000+01:00

Translink NI Railways has warned owners of private railway crossings, or ‘user worked crossings’, to take care this Autumn as darker evenings can lead to reduced visibility for crossing users.
Keith Pollock, Level Crossing Risk Coordinator with NI Railways said: “The weather has been relatively poor this summer and we recognise that farmers are working around the weather patterns and to tight deadlines to gather their harvest, however we would encourage user worked crossings users to put a safe system in place when using their crossings and to stick to it. “In terms of the numbers of rail services operating on our rail network, we want to remind the owners of user worked crossings that Translink’s new Class 4000 trains continue to undergo testing day and night and this practice will continue until the last of the trains is in service in 2012.

Train hits lorry on Dereham rail crossing

2011-10-01T20:49:00.001+01:00

The 1.16pm service to Wymondham, run by the Mid Norfolk Railway, clipped the back of the lorry at the Greens Lane crossing just minutes into its journey. Nobody was injured and the train - undamaged in the collision - continued its journey 45 minutes later. James Steward, operations manager for the Mid Norfolk Railway, said: “We stress the importance of obeying the traffic signals at all the level crossings.”
Norfolk Police were called at 1.20pm today and the matter will now be referred to the independent Rail Accident Investigation Branch.

TWAT Alert: Man survives ‘glancing blow’ from train

2011-10-01T20:45:00.001+01:00

A MAN hit by a train close to Trooperslane railway crossing was recovering in hospital on Tuesday afternoon (September 6). Police said the 42-year-old was struck by a glancing blow from the train just after 12.30pm close to the level crossing.

Prosecute the twat.

New solution developed for Kirknewton level crossing

2011-10-01T20:42:00.000+01:00

Network Rail has developed a new solution to enhance safety at a West Lothian level crossing following consultation with the local community. The new proposal, which has met with ORR (Office of Rail Regulation) approval, will see proposals for a road bridge under the railway withdrawn in favour of a solution which uses cutting edge object detection technology combined with a full barrier system.
Network Rail route managing director, David Simpson commented: “We have been seeking ways of improving safety at Kirknewton level crossing for several years. We developed plans for an underpass at this location, however, it was clear from the response we received from the local community that this was not a popular solution.

So it will be another few years before anything is done?

Rail radar will replace manned Attleborough level crossing

2011-10-01T20:39:00.000+01:00

Work will begin in December to upgrade the level crossing as part of a resignalling project on the Norwich-Ely line, which will make the town’s signal box redundant. Officials from Network Rail told Attleborough Town Councillors that the scheme will help make the line more reliable, safer, and will help to slightly reduce waiting times at the level crossing. The new signalling system, which is set to be in operation from June 2012, was welcomed by town councillors at a meeting on Monday. Paul Burr, senior construction manager at Network Rail, said the works would result in little disruption to drivers or rail passengers, but the line would have to be closed for 27 hours when the new crossing barriers are commissioned.