Petersfield Level Crossing

Thursday July 30 2020 at 14.30. The 13.30 London Waterloo to Portsmouth Harbour (15.08) train which just fitted in the station. This crossing was filmed from the other side in 2011. Since then not much has changed. Until 1955 there was another platform on the near right side opposite the signal box. A branch line went to Midhurst. When there were gates here they weren’t lined up with the railway lines. They were hung from posts roughly where the lifting mechanisms are. One post was therefore well beyond the signal box and only just reached a railway track. You can see the blue shirted signal man checking that the train has cleared the crossing. 70 seconds of the wait here was cut. I went back to film towards the station but, as you can see, 3 rail workmen suddenly appeared and their privacy is respected. Last summer the Petersfield Catholic Church magazine asked why there are no ’Switch off engine’ signs here. They may have influence in the right place as there is one on the right now. Just before Christmas 2016 someone ended their life on the crossing. In June 2018 someone took their life in the station resulting in a train blocking the crossing for hours. In January this year smoke from an overheating carriage brake closed and evacuated the station for over 2 hours. Passengers were left to find their own way to London.

[@kovislevelcrossingtrafficlight]

07:10-07:14