Crossing cited in rail line death (BBC News)

[RF News]

The design of a crossing may have been partly to blame for a fatal crash on a railway line, a report finds.

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[bramleyman]

IF any driver of a tractor, or other road vehicle can't see lights flashing at crossings, then surely they can in most cases HEAR the claxon, or at the very least STOP and check with the signalman/woman and by use of the crossing phone, that the line is clear, or a train IS approaching? Far too much blame is put upon the railway, rather than the REAL reason and the human neglect, or simple abuse of level-crossings.

[paul miller]

Hi Bramleyman,
You are dead right mate.
These crossings, in general, have been in place for heaven knows how many years. Why when someone gets it wrong and a tragedy occurs is it always the railways fault.
I have seen people hooting at crossing gates to show their frustration. Are they barmy or what?
Paul.

[Dynamo]

Originally Posted by paul miller

Hi Bramleyman,
You are dead right mate.
These crossings, in general, have been in place for heaven knows how many years. Why when someone gets it wrong and a tragedy occurs is it always the railways fault.
I have seen people hooting at crossing gates to show their frustration. Are they barmy or what?
Paul.

That reminds me of a Mercedes that was inching across an unmanned crossing at Norton near Stockton On Tees as I approached it doing about 30mph. I blew my horn to warn him and he just reveresed in time before I'd have hit him. He blew his horn cos he was annoyed at me. I sort of wished I hadn't blown then just to show him what sort of a mess I'd have made of his car if I hadn't.

[bramleyman]

Originally Posted by Dynamo

That reminds me of a Mercedes that was inching across an unmanned crossing at Norton near Stockton On Tees as I approached it doing about 30mph. I blew my horn to warn him and he just reveresed in time before I'd have hit him. He blew his horn cos he was annoyed at me. I sort of wished I hadn't blown then just to show him what sort of a mess I'd have made of his car if I hadn't.

Pity you never stopped On the crossing and annoy him a bit more.

[Dynamo]

Yeah good point BM. If I remember correctly I was only in a light loco at the time so even if I'd have slammed my brakes on I'd still have been passed the crossing by a few hundred yards.

There have been two occasions that I've been on a train thats been stopped to be annoying to some people though. The first time I was just a second man and we were coming back from Eastgate Cement Works up the Wear Valley. As we trundled along we saw a fox run across the track, and not far behind it there was a hunt which was going to pursue it over the line. Unfortunatley for the hunt, our train passed between them and the fox, and to make matters worse, my driver decided it was a good time to have a cup of tea and a sandwhich, so he stopped the train. The people on horseback weren't very happy and aimed quite a few expletives in our direction. As you can imagine, I was pretty cut up about it, not.

The other time was a couple of years after that in 1984 and I was made a driver for the day on a trip from Port Clarence to Healey Mills. I'd been stopped at the barriers at Sherburn In Elmet at about 4am, but then I got a green light, so I set off. Just as I started to approach the crossing, police cars started to arrive waiting for me to get out of the way so they could continue their journey on to some mine or other to do battle with some pickets. Unfortunately I had to stop because my loco lost all its power. I went back to the signlapost telephone and informed the signalman that I'd be on my way as soon as I could. I asked him if I was holding anything up behind me and he replied that the next train probably wouldn't be along for a good half hour. Thankfully I managed to regain power after about ten minutes. Temperamental buggers those class 37's.