Level Crossings

[AlanL]

Just a thought.... many people think level crossings are complicated and dangerous, but the HMRI seem happy with this one at Joan Croft on the East Coast Main Line - 30 foot manual single span gates, overhead 25 Kv wires oh and ....125 MPH trains every few minutes!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/loose_grip_99/392939824/

[Rail Rover]

I was there a few weeks ago (to photo the Jarrow - Lyndsey tanks behind 60011!). I suppose the difference here is the full time employment of a gate keeper!

[AlanL]

Thats true but working a level crossing like this is not the most onerous jobs for a volunteer - on the Wensleydale Railway we had a 70 year old lady who regularly manned the crossings.In the case of Sledmere & Fimber the maximum line speed (as with all light railways) would be 25 mph and of course since it would be the main station on the line there would presumably be no shortage of volunteers about.The most likely service frequency (again, as on the Wensleydale) would be a train every 2 hours.

[csimpson]

It could be the station staff duty to shut the gates and change the Home starter signal to go. That is surely a sight to sum up the MDJR, a quirkly little railway trapped in time..joe public will love it!

[AlanL]

Ken Hoole actually described the M&DR in one of his books as "The quintessential country branch line".

BTW it might be worth mentioning here that someone on the RMweb forum has said that the contract for resignalling Scarborough station has been awarded with completion expected late next year. All that track and mechanical signalling equipment will soon be looking for a new home......

[AlanL]

An interesting page from the Mid Norfolk Railway (Wymondham - Dereham) describing the replacement of one of their level crossings - http://www.mnr.org.uk/photos/norwichroad/

[Turnip Town]

I read about this previously as this line is one of those I like to keep up on. The interesting point though is that their crossing was already in-situ - would it be different for us ?

Plus, who knows what we may find when (hopefully) we start chipping through the tarmac ready to rebuild level crossings!

I was meandering around the site of a single arch bridge on the York to Beverley route near Stamford Bridge in about 2007 I think and although the bridge was demolished in about 1972-1974, it appears that the brick foundations are still there under the edges of the road.

Will we find any interesting artefacts still buried under the tarmac at Sledmere & Fimber ?!

[AlanL]

It's an intriguing thought.Certainly what we will find if / when we get access to the trackbed is signal parts, pulleys etc.

[csimpson]

The level crossing reconstruction would heavily depend upon the cooperation of several bodies such as ERYC Highways, HMRI, external contractors..and us for the early prep work...If we did find anything, take a photo before it is ripped out and replaced with Flat bottom rail, check rails and ofcourse a new surface (possibly low maintainance plastic like material)..but this could be done, Just look a Plymm Valley Level crossing at Lee Moor.

[AlanL]

It's interesting to note that the northern extension of the MNR will involve the reinstatement of level crossings (I think there was one at County School) so it will be an acid test of the H&SE's real attitude to "new" level crossings.I have read their site and it sounds like a load of waffle driven by media scare stories.
Also note that the MNR have their own construction facility for building level crossing gates - they would be a useful contact in this respect, as they would have a clear idea of the costs and pitfalls.