This video is on the brink of reaching 1k views. I can’t thank you guys enough! Edit. This video has exceeded my expectations. I though I would never get here. Thanks to everything who has taken the to leave a comment and subscribe.
Driving under perfect conditions at 60mph, you need 1/4 mile to stop. I used to drive trains for BR and the train will always win. Its not worth the risk. We always asked the question, " Is it better to be a few minutes late, rather than 40 years early?" To die prematurely on a level crossing is the wrong choice.
That's Mount Pleasant level crossing (albeit in Southampton). We used to brake there from 75mph for the 25mph curve at Northam before they put TPWS overspeed in.
Happy days. Whites of their eyes then give it full fifty, used to give it fifty at the footbridge a hundred yards north of Lewes tunnel ( doing line speed 70 )where the twenty was at the other end of the tunnel, in the tunnel. Perfect, got them all standing up for the station stop.
I remember this crossing when I was a small kid. I was always worried the barriers would come down when we were half way across and we would be stuck so I always used the footbridge 🤣
@@danwiddon3854 I just wonder how the old 1950s vans and wagons sounded like on jointed rail, and even the more modern 1970s TEA and HAA wagons. Cause they don't have bogies.
Thanks for posting. I recall when the Desiros first came out, starting with the 450s, then the 444s, one unnumbered 444 sat on Northam depot for a few weeks until the fleet was launched - some of the smaller stations needed to be extended to take 5 coach trains. The idiot abusing the crossing was doubly at fault as some of your shots were from the sufficiently functional footbridge. Please keep posting.
I know this crossing well. Often used it on the way to or from the football ground nearby. I learned early on not to wait for the trains to finish. I once did and counted five trains going past before the barrier lifted, so now I always use the bridge if the barriers are down.
I live in New Malden, Surrey. We have a level crossing that closes two or three full minutes before a train actually passes, and it's not uncommon to be sat waiting for upwards of 10 minutes. I feel that sometimes that these level crossings actually encourage drivers to try and nip through as it's incredibly frustrating to be sat waiting such a long time for a train to even appear after the barriers have dropped.
Awesome Video! Greetings from across the pond! Just subscribed! TBH, i wish the crossings here had the yellow warning light before the red lights come on...
i already knew those junctions were what made the clicking sound, and at the start of the video i was like: "awesome, junctioned rails!" i love the clicking sound trains make lol
It's a very busy crossing. I used to live near the one at Abbey Wood replaced by a flyover in 1978. Used to watch the EPBs going through it was quaint then. There's still a small one at Charlton. Thanks for the upload.
From the US -- no passenger trains in my area, just regular freight trains & double-decker intermodal freight. Sometimes gotta wait 10+ minutes for a single train to clear the crossing... 😺💕🐾
Curious why that leftermost spur siding has such a long "double dip" or where the third rail is energising both sides of pickups, always thought there had to be a gap to prevent an overload. BTW my late father was crossings keeper at Charlton Lane when off relief at Charlton and he rebuilt Snodland crossing box practically by himself back in the 70's including putting in a flushing loo first christened by Snodland local star Judge Dredd who often would wander in for a tea. He also worked his magic on Cuxton Main (his was last signature on Cuxton Down in between Sole St and Strood), Eynsford and a couple others, was promised the home starter at Cuxton by BR when they went to aspects... never got it :(
There is some railroad facility nearby. If they used the space between trains to do some manoeuvre (which, very probably, was the case), then the crossing needs to be closed even if the train composition isn't actually going all the way to the crossing, You need to have some distance buffer just in case, if anything goes wrong. So, if there is a chance that composition could go over the crossing if something fails, the crossing still needs to be closed, even if composition doesn't actually go over the crossing.
While that may be true, it's a bad way of handling things. Keeping the crossing closed without passing trains encourages people to cross when the barriers are down.
@@MarioPetrinovich it's not the only way. Solutions are possible. They just cost time and money that apparently the company isn't willing to spend because the cars/trucks/people having to wait isn't really a concern for them.
@@Robbedem This company already saved a lot of time and money for a lot of people, this is why it got the permission to work. The life of everybody (including you) is better with this company, than without it. But, of course, this created your little problem. This is always the case, nothing is perfect. Your country (I am from Croatia, and here things are terrible) is solving such things excellently, be proud. In this particular case, though, railroad is too close to harbor, and at sea level, so you cannot dig a trench, or you cannot rise the tracks, so, it is the way it is.
Took me a moment to realize what you meant by "Level Crossing". Railways in most other parts of the World call that Grade Crossing. Because it's a road that crosses the Rail Grade.
It's level crossing in British English and this is a British video. Also, many other parts of the world don't have English as an official language. Grade crossing is probably correct where you live.
In Australia: Level crossing is the common usage, but I believe (& I could be wrong about this) officially they are known as "at grade crossings". Most people who have limited dealings with the railways would use "Level Crossing" This includes me!
Look again at the tracks viewed from the footbridge. See the 3rd rails? None on the crossing, cos it's 650v DC or more. You don't want to put your foot on that!
I worked for the railway here in Britain for over 40 years and had to deal with a lot of incidents with crossings . It's the drivers I feel sorry for . They can't do anything other then put in the brakes , and it takes a long way to stop a train . I remember one , when a car driver went over in front of a train . He saw it coming and stopped . But the engine took off his head lights , it was that close . Some smashes are bad , I still have nightmares .
This happens quite regularly where I live at Ford Station crossing. Apparently the crossing is controlled by a man in an office at Brighton Station who has no view of the Ford crossing at all but has to rely on the signalmans messages. 🤣
All public crossings in Britain with full-width barriers are manually controlled. But there is interlocking; the signaller cannot show a proceed aspect until the crossing closure sequence is complete.
@@dwftube So as far as railway people have relayed to me, the signaller first has to check via CCTV cameras that the crossing is not obstructed, but once they initiate the closing sequence it then runs automatically. Once that automated sequence is complete they can 'clear' the train signals to green, or to amber if the next one along is red.
Interesting video, thank you. There are no third rail level crossings where I live. Is it possible for a train to be momentarily completely de-energized when crossing the road? Does that affect in-coach lighting? Do very slow trains ever stall when crossing the third-rail-free level crossing?
The answer to all of your questions is yes, or to be more precise, yes it’s a possibility. An individual car can be unpowered and so it’s lights and climate systems can turn off, this would depend on how the cars in the train are wired. The key to mitigating this issue so the whole train does not stop where it can not be re-powered is to make sure the train is long enough to remain powered or have enough momentum to continue moving through the crossing until it can regain power. I don’t think I’ve heard of any third-rail powered trains having battery packs or more likely super capacitors, however, those could also be options if the train is shorter or if the operator wanted to remove the third-rail for cost reasons.
There was a small section on the railway where I worked (not over a level crossing) that had sufficient distance between the live rails that a 2-car train could become gapped if it stopped there. Generally any train consisiting of more than 2 cars will have a pickup somewhere along it's length in contact with the live rail, thus preventing such a problem.
I have been at that very crossing and was rather disheartened seeing so many people chancing it by trying to beat a train when there’s a footbridge right bleeping there.
Strange how they’ve left a gap in the roof during production for a pantograph to be fitted wonder what the idea of that was looks rather untidy in my opinion.
I think Thameslink also use Desiro trains. That have to run on both overhead 25 kv North of London and 3rd rail South of London. As these only run on 3rd rail they don't need the Pantographs fitted.
All new build electric trains are required to have capability for conversion to 25kV overhead pickup in the future, because at some point they want to do away with 3rd rail wherever possible. Probably talking centuries though but at least they're optimistic!
If you saw my video I done one on this crossing where the barrier just stayed up and had to restart it was super weird but I am still begging that this crossing don’t get upgraded I love the bells and hope they will last a couple more years 🤠
I looked at your video (I'd have commented there but you've turned commenting off!), was it windy? I worked one box where the wind caused all sorts of problems with the barriers!
@James Wells oh sorry I didn’t turn comments off sometimes TH-cam turn them off without me knowing. It was windy there and that’s what caused the malfunction but still rare to see I guess.
@@EuroScot2023 In Germany, the rails are usually welded - as far as I know. I don't know where you have to screw them - except temporarily e.g. at construction sites?
@@dblyth5098 More than 100 years old! The LSWR began operating third rail outer London suburban services in 1916 but the Waterloo-Southampton line was not electrified until 1967.
I've driven over this crossing many times as a train driver (now retired) and as a motorist... and I've seen it from the pedestrian footbridge.... I also went many times to the old signal box, when it was operational... It has always been a busy crossing, with many abusers, even in the 1980's when I lived in Southampton, and was based at Eastleigh...
No, there are quite a few on the network. Red Cow Crossing at Exeter St David's once crossed seventeen tracks and had no gates, controlled by hand signalmen.
I watch You Tube channels that show American trains running down the central main road of Towns and Cities I as a Brit having driven many miles within the UK and also in Europe Believe that regardless of Human Nature to end ones own life our European System works better And it also keep the tik tokers out of Sainsbuds while I'm shopping
This video is on the brink of reaching 1k views. I can’t thank you guys enough!
Edit. This video has exceeded my expectations. I though I would never get here. Thanks to everything who has taken the to leave a comment and subscribe.
12k
24k
26k
28k
@@Buses_trainsdevon yep
Driving under perfect conditions at 60mph, you need 1/4 mile to stop. I used to drive trains for BR and the train will always win. Its not worth the risk. We always asked the question, " Is it better to be a few minutes late, rather than 40 years early?" To die prematurely on a level crossing is the wrong choice.
That's Mount Pleasant level crossing (albeit in Southampton). We used to brake there from 75mph for the 25mph curve at Northam before they put TPWS overspeed in.
Happy days. Whites of their eyes then give it full fifty, used to give it fifty at the footbridge a hundred yards north of Lewes tunnel ( doing line speed 70 )where the twenty was at the other end of the tunnel, in the tunnel.
Perfect, got them all standing up for the station stop.
Thanks for posting. The train sounds are soothing! Cheers from USA
the clickety clack of the trains is so hypnotic
I remember this crossing when I was a small kid. I was always worried the barriers would come down when we were half way across and we would be stuck so I always used the footbridge 🤣
No matter how the rolling stock changes the rails are still making the same noise, I remember from over five decades ago. 😁
Jointed rail vs Continuously welded rail
Bogey geometry (gauge-determined) sets the rhythm we all appreciate.
@@danwiddon3854 I just wonder how the old 1950s vans and wagons sounded like on jointed rail, and even the more modern 1970s TEA and HAA wagons. Cause they don't have bogies.
@@Ben31337l err the TEA 100t bogie tanker have bogies.
@@neiloflongbeck5705 Oops! you're right, I meant TTA
One thing I know is that the trains in the UK are a lot nicer looking than those here in Florida, USA.
Good video. 👍🏻😊
Yes but Amtrak isn't so much person transit, as a livestock movement. 😂
There's 6 and a half minutes of my life that I will never get back!
Thanks for posting. I recall when the Desiros first came out, starting with the 450s, then the 444s, one unnumbered 444 sat on Northam depot for a few weeks until the fleet was launched - some of the smaller stations needed to be extended to take 5 coach trains. The idiot abusing the crossing was doubly at fault as some of your shots were from the sufficiently functional footbridge. Please keep posting.
I know this crossing well. Often used it on the way to or from the football ground nearby. I learned early on not to wait for the trains to finish. I once did and counted five trains going past before the barrier lifted, so now I always use the bridge if the barriers are down.
I live in New Malden, Surrey. We have a level crossing that closes two or three full minutes before a train actually passes, and it's not uncommon to be sat waiting for upwards of 10 minutes. I feel that sometimes that these level crossings actually encourage drivers to try and nip through as it's incredibly frustrating to be sat waiting such a long time for a train to even appear after the barriers have dropped.
Awesome Video! Greetings from across the pond! Just subscribed! TBH, i wish the crossings here had the yellow warning light before the red lights come on...
Exciting train movie!🤠🤠🤠
i already knew those junctions were what made the clicking sound, and at the start of the video i was like: "awesome, junctioned rails!" i love the clicking sound trains make lol
@@soulman3590 oh, cool
It's a very busy crossing. I used to live near the one at Abbey Wood replaced by a flyover in 1978. Used to watch the EPBs going through it was quaint then. There's still a small one at Charlton. Thanks for the upload.
From the US -- no passenger trains in my area, just regular freight trains & double-decker intermodal freight. Sometimes gotta wait 10+ minutes for a single train to clear the crossing... 😺💕🐾
I love third rail. Super video. 💙 T.E.N.
Mannn does the gate ever go's back up 👀😳🙄
The trains are very busy going over the crossing.
Love the video ❤️📹
So cool thank you
Curious why that leftermost spur siding has such a long "double dip" or where the third rail is energising both sides of pickups, always thought there had to be a gap to prevent an overload. BTW my late father was crossings keeper at Charlton Lane when off relief at Charlton and he rebuilt Snodland crossing box practically by himself back in the 70's including putting in a flushing loo first christened by Snodland local star Judge Dredd who often would wander in for a tea. He also worked his magic on Cuxton Main (his was last signature on Cuxton Down in between Sole St and Strood), Eynsford and a couple others, was promised the home starter at Cuxton by BR when they went to aspects... never got it :(
Thanks for an interesting video. Hi from Australia. New subscriber.
Great location for trains!
Sparks, at least it stayed upright. 🤔😊🏴🇫🇷
I like claggy track i do. Great vid
I subbed! You deserve more your content it great!
Well done 👍 Kind regards 🙂
That is a busy crossing.
It was fine with the creaking noise it made me feel comfortable with the sound it felt real nice
There was a crossing like this at Tipton,West Mids,you could,wait for up to 20 mins plus,lucky they have now but a tunnel under the railway
As busy as that crossing is they really ought to consider an underpass for the road.
It's very close to the water and surrounded by buildings making it an ideal location for not building an underpass.
Do freight trains run on this line?
Why run on it?
I used to own a unit in the industrial estate next door, this is a bugger to get caught at, it's not one train but usually two or three.
There is some railroad facility nearby. If they used the space between trains to do some manoeuvre (which, very probably, was the case), then the crossing needs to be closed even if the train composition isn't actually going all the way to the crossing, You need to have some distance buffer just in case, if anything goes wrong. So, if there is a chance that composition could go over the crossing if something fails, the crossing still needs to be closed, even if composition doesn't actually go over the crossing.
While that may be true, it's a bad way of handling things. Keeping the crossing closed without passing trains encourages people to cross when the barriers are down.
@@Robbedem Well, it's the only way.
@@MarioPetrinovich it's not the only way.
Solutions are possible. They just cost time and money that apparently the company isn't willing to spend because the cars/trucks/people having to wait isn't really a concern for them.
@@Robbedem This company already saved a lot of time and money for a lot of people, this is why it got the permission to work. The life of everybody (including you) is better with this company, than without it. But, of course, this created your little problem. This is always the case, nothing is perfect.
Your country (I am from Croatia, and here things are terrible) is solving such things excellently, be proud. In this particular case, though, railroad is too close to harbor, and at sea level, so you cannot dig a trench, or you cannot rise the tracks, so, it is the way it is.
Wow my old trainspotting home back in the late fifties early sixties, apart from the foot bridge everything looks to have changed.
Took me a moment to realize what you meant by "Level Crossing". Railways in most other parts of the World call that Grade Crossing. Because it's a road that crosses the Rail Grade.
It's level crossing in British English and this is a British video. Also, many other parts of the world don't have English as an official language. Grade crossing is probably correct where you live.
where i live both are correct
In Australia: Level crossing is the common usage, but I believe (& I could be wrong about this) officially they are known as "at grade crossings".
Most people who have limited dealings with the railways would use "Level Crossing" This includes me!
Been through that crossing many times on the train, thankfully. Wouldn't want to drive across, it seems to spend more time down than up.
Try Tallington or Helpst9n on the ECML. During busy periods they are down more than up.
Explain the sparks?
The pickup shoe from the 3rd rail bouncing.
@@EuroScot2023 OK, thanks.
That explains a lot.
At least no big temptation to walk the tracks. 630VDC as the tube?
Any people getting electrocuted?
nice vedio bro
How are these trains powered, I don't see a third rail or overhead wires?
Look again at the tracks viewed from the footbridge. See the 3rd rails? None on the crossing, cos it's 650v DC or more. You don't want to put your foot on that!
I hope the pizza wasn't cold 🤣
4 tracks wide and not even electrified?! Seriously?
Oh yes it is! Just not on the crossing......
Awesome video
I worked for the railway here in Britain for over 40 years and had to deal with a lot of incidents with crossings . It's the drivers I feel sorry for . They can't do anything other then put in the brakes , and it takes a long way to stop a train . I remember one , when a car driver went over in front of a train . He saw it coming and stopped . But the engine took off his head lights , it was that close . Some smashes are bad , I still have nightmares .
Amazed you got no freight and no Southern in that period. You must be a desiro fan 😆
When was in India the locos would let passengers cross the line in front of them before moving off
Geez, over on your side of 'The Pond' even the trains go on the wrong side like your automobiles do!
This happens quite regularly where I live at Ford Station crossing. Apparently the crossing is controlled by a man in an office at Brighton Station who has no view of the Ford crossing at all but has to rely on the signalmans messages. 🤣
Fords under lancing box
The signaller locally monitors by CCTV)
What is a "clear" in British railroading, and why do people need to keep crossing it whatever it is?
Are those high voltage third rails at anyone's reach? O.o
All the painted lines are making me cross-eyed.
There was no freight train passing
The word SPOT is repeated in the question - "CAN YOU SPOT SPOT THE MISTAKE ?"
PLURAL, haha
Are some of those trains electric? We have electric trains here in Australia, but they all have overhead powerlines.
Yes, they're powered from a third rail which is electrified in the same way as an overhead line. No wheels run on this rail, just an electrical pickup
Is it customary there to see multiple trains during one cycle of the barriers?
Oh god yeah. The highest I’ve heard was EIGHT trains in one sitting.
A a rule I dislike pointing out the obvious but British Rail hasn't existed as a TOC for 25 years.
05:54 so it's manually conrolled? Let's hope they don't forget to put it down!
All public crossings in Britain with full-width barriers are manually controlled. But there is interlocking; the signaller cannot show a proceed aspect until the crossing closure sequence is complete.
@@Gordanovich02 So the train driver won't get a green light until that's happened? Is the 'crossing closure sequence' controlled by man or machine?
@@dwftube So as far as railway people have relayed to me, the signaller first has to check via CCTV cameras that the crossing is not obstructed, but once they initiate the closing sequence it then runs automatically.
Once that automated sequence is complete they can 'clear' the train signals to green, or to amber if the next one along is red.
@@Gordanovich02 Thanks - so if the automated sequence isn't complete the operator would not be able to change the signal?
@@dwftube Correct.
Because people that’s why seen multiple while I was visiting there
Interesting video, thank you.
There are no third rail level crossings where I live. Is it possible for a train to be momentarily completely de-energized when crossing the road? Does that affect in-coach lighting? Do very slow trains ever stall when crossing the third-rail-free level crossing?
The answer to all of your questions is yes, or to be more precise, yes it’s a possibility.
An individual car can be unpowered and so it’s lights and climate systems can turn off, this would depend on how the cars in the train are wired. The key to mitigating this issue so the whole train does not stop where it can not be re-powered is to make sure the train is long enough to remain powered or have enough momentum to continue moving through the crossing until it can regain power.
I don’t think I’ve heard of any third-rail powered trains having battery packs or more likely super capacitors, however, those could also be options if the train is shorter or if the operator wanted to remove the third-rail for cost reasons.
There was a small section on the railway where I worked (not over a level crossing) that had sufficient distance between the live rails that a 2-car train could become gapped if it stopped there. Generally any train consisiting of more than 2 cars will have a pickup somewhere along it's length in contact with the live rail, thus preventing such a problem.
I have been at that very crossing and was rather disheartened seeing so many people chancing it by trying to beat a train when there’s a footbridge right bleeping there.
Funny, the US practice with rail joints is to stagger them such that only one side clicks at a time.
Less shock (mechanical) to customers.
Strange how they’ve left a gap in the roof during production for a pantograph to be fitted wonder what the idea of that was looks rather untidy in my opinion.
I think Thameslink also use Desiro trains. That have to run on both overhead 25 kv North of London and 3rd rail South of London. As these only run on 3rd rail they don't need the Pantographs fitted.
Standard body shell I would think. Saves on costs.
All new build electric trains are required to have capability for conversion to 25kV overhead pickup in the future, because at some point they want to do away with 3rd rail wherever possible. Probably talking centuries though but at least they're optimistic!
@@K-o-R would prefer existing mainlines to be electrified first.
Time to build a bridge?
I like trains :)
Cool
If you saw my video I done one on this crossing where the barrier just stayed up and had to restart it was super weird but I am still begging that this crossing don’t get upgraded I love the bells and hope they will last a couple more years 🤠
I looked at your video (I'd have commented there but you've turned commenting off!), was it windy?
I worked one box where the wind caused all sorts of problems with the barriers!
@James Wells oh sorry I didn’t turn comments off sometimes TH-cam turn them off without me knowing. It was windy there and that’s what caused the malfunction but still rare to see I guess.
In Germany, the gaps in the rails are welded … so no clickerty-clack 🙃
In the UK the rails are normally welded. However, in Germany and the UK there are some places where there have to be bolted joints.
@@EuroScot2023 In Germany, the rails are usually welded - as far as I know. I don't know where you have to screw them - except temporarily e.g. at construction sites?
Are those trains battery powered? No overhead wires and no smoke.
Third Rail (750v DC)
The System (in the UK) is very nearly 100 years old (London to Brighton)
@@dblyth5098 More than 100 years old! The LSWR began operating third rail outer London suburban services in 1916 but the Waterloo-Southampton line was not electrified until 1967.
1:31
Anyone realize the train made a beat
I've driven over this crossing many times as a train driver (now retired) and as a motorist... and I've seen it from the pedestrian footbridge.... I also went many times to the old signal box, when it was operational... It has always been a busy crossing, with many abusers, even in the 1980's when I lived in Southampton, and was based at Eastleigh...
No horns being blown. just bad. They need to blow horns for Safety.
There is another train 👈
Isn't it rare to have a crossing over 4 lines ?
No, there are quite a few on the network.
Red Cow Crossing at Exeter St David's once crossed seventeen tracks and had no gates, controlled by hand signalmen.
I watch You Tube channels that show American trains running down the central main road of Towns and Cities I as a Brit having driven many miles within the UK and also in Europe Believe that regardless of Human Nature to end ones own life our European System works better And it also keep the tik tokers out of Sainsbuds while I'm shopping
2.00 I think we all know why. Because that person is a complete Muppet! One slip and........
We can probably see where that’s going.
0:01
Hi
I see a few people cross by knowing the gates are going down! Near over there is prostitute area
Absolewt Gillty Pehson
Build a subway or else a bridge, problem solved
SEE BRIDGE AT SIDE OF SHOT!🤦♂️
Producer
Switch off your engines, yeah?
Just wasted 6 and a half minutes of my life