How are level crossings signalled in 2022? Should a Green aspect show when the main road is still open?

[Neal Ball]

I have been standing at Moreton station on the former LSWR line from Weymouth and was surprised to see a Green Aspect displayed with the level crossing open to road users.

 

Is this a fault? Or just the way the crossing works, meaning that the next section is technically free?

 

Or of course is the modern LSWR route reliant on in-cab signalling so the line-side signals are effectively redundant.

 

Both photos are from this morning 11am to 12 mid-day and the aspect conundrum happened twice.

 

 

 

NOTE: The train came along later, when the crossing was closed!

[Mike_Walker]

4 minutes ago, Neal Ball said:

I have been standing at Moreton station on the former LSWR line from Weymouth and was surprised to see a Green Aspect displayed with the level crossing open to road users.

 

Is this a fault? Or just the way the crossing works, meaning that the next section is technically free?

 

Or of course is the modern LSWR route reliant on in-cab signalling so the line-side signals are effectively redundant.

 

Both photos are from this morning 11am to 12 mid-day and the aspect conundrum happened twice.

 

 

 

NOTE: The train came along later, when the crossing was closed!

Moreton LC is an AHBC that is Automatic Half Barrier Crossing which is activated by the approaching trains therefore the signalling does not reflect the status of the crossing as it would if the barriers were locally controlled or remotely by a human via CCTV in which case the signalling would be interlocked and only show a proceed aspect when the barriers were proved down.

 

In-cab signalling on the LSWR main line?  Do me a favour, guv!  This is Britain circa 2022; we are still attempting to catch up with the early 20th century in some parts.

[Wickham Green too]

Bloody 'Ell  .................. photos taken at 11.00-12.00 in Dorset and posted from the Cost Blanca before 2PM ..... c'mon, I've heard of high-speed ferries but that's ridiculous ! 

[Michael Hodgson]

There is an important difference between Automatic crossings and those controlled manually or by Lidar (laser obstacle detection) 

 

The latter require intervention to close the gates/barriers, and the crossing is confirmed as clear (visually or by Lidar) before clearing protecting signals which are interlocked and held at danger whilst the road is open to traffic. In order to run at line speed, the crossing must be closed to road traffic sufficiently early that the signals (including distant signals, yellow and double yellow signals) on the approach can be cleared before the  driver reaches them (including their associated AWS ramps).  This is inherently safer, but requires the the road to be closed for longer (especially if the train is running at much less than line speed).

 

With the former, the signals are not in general* related to the crossing.  The crossing sequence is started when the train reaches a given place called the strike-in point.  That location is calculated based on line speed and minimum times that the wig-wags must be operating and the barriers down to allow road users to complete crossing.    The crossing reopens when the train clears the crossing, unless of course another train is coming on the opposite line.  There is an advantage to road users in that the crossing closure is relatively brief, so motorists are not as delayed, but this is less safe in that the train is coming whether or not the road traffic has ceased - the train may well be unable to stop in the event that the barriers fail to drop.  It is the reason why drivers of slow vehicles or cattle drovers must ring and ask for permission to cross.  The choice beween automatic and CCTV crossings is decided based on a risk analysis, taking into account the volume and speeds of both road and rail traffic, and local geographical issues such as a nearby school or a road junction which might cause traffic to come to a stand on the crossing or the risk of long low vehicles grounding because of the gradients.

 

An over-simplification, but as a rule of thumb you can assume a crossing with half barriers (or with no barriers, just wig-wags) will be automatic, whereas those with old fashioned gates, or CCTV cameras + floodlights on tall poles will involve some form of manual control and they usually have full barriers.  The half barrier is to allow any vehicle already on the crossing to drive clear. 

 

* it gets more complicated if there is a platform between the strike-in point and the crossing.  A signal at the end of the platform might be held at red for a stopping train and only cleared when the train is ready to leave.  That might be controlled by the driver pressing a button on the platform, or might involve the signaller.

[Edwin_m]

43 minutes ago, Michael Hodgson said:

There is an important difference between Automatic crossings and those controlled manually or by Lidar (laser obstacle detection) 

 

The latter require intervention to close the gates/barriers, and the crossing is confirmed as clear (visually or by Lidar) before clearing protecting signals which are interlocked and held at danger whilst the road is open to traffic. In order to run at line speed, the crossing must be closed to road traffic sufficiently early that the signals (including distant signals, yellow and double yellow signals) on the approach can be cleared before the  driver reaches them (including their associated AWS ramps).  This is inherently safer, but requires the the road to be closed for longer (especially if the train is running at much less than line speed).

 

With the former, the signals are not in general* related to the crossing.  The crossing sequence is started when the train reaches a given place called the strike-in point.  That location is calculated based on line speed and minimum times that the wig-wags must be operating and the barriers down to allow road users to complete crossing.    The crossing reopens when the train clears the crossing, unless of course another train is coming on the opposite line.  There is an advantage to road users in that the crossing closure is relatively brief, so motorists are not as delayed, but this is less safe in that the train is coming whether or not the road traffic has ceased - the train may well be unable to stop in the event that the barriers fail to drop.  It is the reason why drivers of slow vehicles or cattle drovers must ring and ask for permission to cross.  The choice beween automatic and CCTV crossings is decided based on a risk analysis, taking into account the volume and speeds of both road and rail traffic, and local geographical issues such as a nearby school or a road junction which might cause traffic to come to a stand on the crossing or the risk of long low vehicles grounding because of the gradients.

 

An over-simplification, but as a rule of thumb you can assume a crossing with half barriers (or with no barriers, just wig-wags) will be automatic, whereas those with old fashioned gates, or CCTV cameras + floodlights on tall poles will involve some form of manual control and they usually have full barriers.  The half barrier is to allow any vehicle already on the crossing to drive clear. 

 

* it gets more complicated if there is a platform between the strike-in point and the crossing.  A signal at the end of the platform might be held at red for a stopping train and only cleared when the train is ready to leave.  That might be controlled by the driver pressing a button on the platform, or might involve the signaller.

Good description.  

 

Interesting that the OP's photo shows a tractor pulling a trailer of hay bales, which might well qualify as a large or slow vehicle.  Did they stop before crossing?  If so then I think the signaller would have put the signal to danger before allowing them to proceed.  However, looking on Streetview I can't see a "large or slow vehicles" sign on either approach to the crossing, though there is a caravan site just adjacent which might suggest such vehicles are quite frequent here.  

[iands]

I remember back in the late 70s when with the S&T Maintenance at Selby, whilst trackside to the north of Riccall (York Road) AHB, seeing a Deltic hauled express heading south at line speed (100mph) approaching U179 signal at green (which was only about 300 yards on the approach to the crossing) and seeing vehicles still going over the crossing. It was sort of mesmerising watching (hoping!) that the barriers worked okay (and the road traffic stopped) before said train reached the crossing. Quite possibly the drivers would use a different word than 'mesmerising' to describe what they were experiencing when approaching the crossing(s)* at line speed.

 

* There were three AHB crossings at the time (York road, Riccall South and Turnhead)

[Michael Hodgson]

54 minutes ago, Edwin_m said:

Good description.  

 

Interesting that the OP's photo shows a tractor pulling a trailer of hay bales, which might well qualify as a large or slow vehicle.  Did they stop before crossing?  If so then I think the signaller would have put the signal to danger before allowing them to proceed.  However, looking on Streetview I can't see a "large or slow vehicles" sign on either approach to the crossing, though there is a caravan site just adjacent which might suggest such vehicles are quite frequent here.  

Yes, I did wonder about that.  Agricultural tractors used to be slow, but these days they are often faster than some of the cars, even when pulling a trailer.  Definitions have changed over time and are usually posted with the sign - slow = 5 mph or less, large is over 44Tonnes or 61'6" long or 9' 6" wide, so he's probably OK.  As for hay bales, it looks like the sort of load that maybe caused the suspension of services at Arlesey on the ECML the other day - hay in the overhead wires!  But the Azumas were able to drop their pans and run anyway.

 

Drivers of large/slow vehicles don't like phoning in, not only because they may have to wait (at some rural crossings, it's difficult for the signaller to know where within the section a particular train might be)  but they are usually asked to stop and phone again once they are safely across.  Frequence non-compliance at certain crossings can be a headache for railway management.

Another issue in East Anglia is that where fences are lacking these tractors can have such big wheels they have been known bump across the line where there isn't even a crossing! 

[Michael Hodgson]

There is a database of level crossings, giving the type and risk info.  Here's Moreton ....

https://abcrailwayguide.uk/moreton-public-level-crossing-dorset#.YvZ63xzMJ68

[Neal Ball]

4 hours ago, Mike_Walker said:

Moreton LC is an AHBC that is Automatic Half Barrier Crossing which is activated by the approaching trains therefore the signalling does not reflect the status of the crossing as it would if the barriers were locally controlled or remotely by a human via CCTV in which case the signalling would be interlocked and only show a proceed aspect when the barriers were proved down.

 

In-cab signalling on the LSWR main line?  Do me a favour, guv!  This is Britain circa 2022; we are still attempting to catch up with the early 20th century in some parts.

Thanks very much Mike… I still think its strange that you can get a green aspect with the level crossing open…. But I understand what you are saying thank you.

 

In cab signalling 🤣🤣

 

2 hours ago, Wickham Green too said:

Bloody 'Ell  .................. photos taken at 11.00-12.00 in Dorset and posted from the Cost Blanca before 2PM ..... c'mon, I've heard of high-speed ferries but that's ridiculous ! 

Staying at the camp site next door!

 

2 hours ago, Michael Hodgson said:

There is an important difference between Automatic crossings and those controlled manually or by Lidar (laser obstacle detection) 

 

The latter require intervention to close the gates/barriers, and the crossing is confirmed as clear (visually or by Lidar) before clearing protecting signals which are interlocked and held at danger whilst the road is open to traffic. In order to run at line speed, the crossing must be closed to road traffic sufficiently early that the signals (including distant signals, yellow and double yellow signals) on the approach can be cleared before the  driver reaches them (including their associated AWS ramps).  This is inherently safer, but requires the the road to be closed for longer (especially if the train is running at much less than line speed).

 

With the former, the signals are not in general* related to the crossing.  The crossing sequence is started when the train reaches a given place called the strike-in point.  That location is calculated based on line speed and minimum times that the wig-wags must be operating and the barriers down to allow road users to complete crossing.    The crossing reopens when the train clears the crossing, unless of course another train is coming on the opposite line.  There is an advantage to road users in that the crossing closure is relatively brief, so motorists are not as delayed, but this is less safe in that the train is coming whether or not the road traffic has ceased - the train may well be unable to stop in the event that the barriers fail to drop.  It is the reason why drivers of slow vehicles or cattle drovers must ring and ask for permission to cross.  The choice beween automatic and CCTV crossings is decided based on a risk analysis, taking into account the volume and speeds of both road and rail traffic, and local geographical issues such as a nearby school or a road junction which might cause traffic to come to a stand on the crossing or the risk of long low vehicles grounding because of the gradients.

 

An over-simplification, but as a rule of thumb you can assume a crossing with half barriers (or with no barriers, just wig-wags) will be automatic, whereas those with old fashioned gates, or CCTV cameras + floodlights on tall poles will involve some form of manual control and they usually have full barriers.  The half barrier is to allow any vehicle already on the crossing to drive clear. 

 

* it gets more complicated if there is a platform between the strike-in point and the crossing.  A signal at the end of the platform might be held at red for a stopping train and only cleared when the train is ready to leave.  That might be controlled by the driver pressing a button on the platform, or might involve the signaller.

Interestingly the London bound side has a platform immediately before the crossing and the Weymouth bound side is immediately after. 
 

It might have been more interesting to record the passing trains and how long before the signal went green.

 

Incidentally, these are two aspect LED signals.

 

1 hour ago, Edwin_m said:

Good description.  

 

Interesting that the OP's photo shows a tractor pulling a trailer of hay bales, which might well qualify as a large or slow vehicle.  Did they stop before crossing?  If so then I think the signaller would have put the signal to danger before allowing them to proceed.  However, looking on Streetview I can't see a "large or slow vehicles" sign on either approach to the crossing, though there is a caravan site just adjacent which might suggest such vehicles are quite frequent here.  

In the short space of time I was there, two tractors took hay across the line - they certainly weren’t at a dawdling 5mph.

 

The cement lorry - huge arctic trailer with bags of ballast or cement was certainty a lot slower…. And would be sufficient (probably) to have warranted calling it in.

 

Its a busy B road, with signs to call the signaller on the Weymouth bound side and a phone on the crossing. But there’s no lay-by either side to do that.

 

The added complication from the railways point of view is that both directions are from curves that would mean you can’t see the crossing until you are on top of it. Trains “whistle” in both directions….. almost when they are on top of the crossing.

 

1 hour ago, iands said:

I remember back in the late 70s when with the S&T Maintenance at Selby, whilst trackside to the north of Riccall (York Road) AHB, seeing a Deltic hauled express heading south at line speed (100mph) approaching U179 signal at green (which was only about 300 yards on the approach to the crossing) and seeing vehicles still going over the crossing. It was sort of mesmerising watching (hoping!) that the barriers worked okay (and the road traffic stopped) before said train reached the crossing. Quite possibly the drivers would use a different word than 'mesmerising' to describe what they were experiencing when approaching the crossing(s)* at line speed.

 

* There were three AHB crossings at the time (York road, Riccall South and Turnhead)

Thanks - not something I would want to see!

 

20 minutes ago, Michael Hodgson said:

Yes, I did wonder about that.  Agricultural tractors used to be slow, but these days they are often faster than some of the cars, even when pulling a trailer.  Definitions have changed over time and are usually posted with the sign - slow = 5 mph or less, large is over 44Tonnes or 61'6" long or 9' 6" wide, so he's probably OK.  As for hay bales, it looks like the sort of load that maybe caused the suspension of services at Arlesey on the ECML the other day - hay in the overhead wires!  But the Azumas were able to drop their pans and run anyway.

 

Drivers of large/slow vehicles don't like phoning in, not only because they may have to wait (at some rural crossings, it's difficult for the signaller to know where within the section a particular train might be)  but they are usually asked to stop and phone again once they are safely across.  Frequence non-compliance at certain crossings can be a headache for railway management.

Another issue in East Anglia is that where fences are lacking these tractors can have such big wheels they have been known bump across the line where there isn't even a crossing! 

Thanks

 

11 minutes ago, Michael Hodgson said:

There is a database of level crossings, giving the type and risk info.  Here's Moreton ....

https://abcrailwayguide.uk/moreton-public-level-crossing-dorset#.YvZ63xzMJ68

Interesting these days to see this sort of risk assessment…. Dating back to 2020….. traffic levels have changed I suspect in the last 2 years, but I suspect in summer it’s back to pre Covid levels. Certainly this camp site is very busy.

 

Of course on a preserved railway with similar crossings, you get an indication lineside to say it’s closed properly….. 

 

25mph risk assessment vs 70mph on this line !

 

 

Interesting comments guys, thank you.

[SM42]

It looks a little odd, but the one thing that makes it odder to me is that the signal apoears to be plated as a controlled signal. 

 

All other AHBs in my experience have been in auto or absulute block sections. 

 

Perhaps it is an auto plated up as controlled due to the presence of the crossing.

I'm not up to date on such things

 

Andy

[Wheatley]

Deleted.

Edited August 12, 2022 by Wheatley

[Edwin_m]

53 minutes ago, SM42 said:

It looks a little odd, but the one thing that makes it odder to me is that the signal apoears to be plated as a controlled signal. 

 

All other AHBs in my experience have been in auto or absulute block sections. 

 

Perhaps it is an auto plated up as controlled due to the presence of the crossing.

I'm not up to date on such things

 

Andy

Probably an example of what was described earlier, where there is a stopping and a non-stop control.  If the approaching train is stopping the signaller pushes a button which keeps the signal at red and the crossing open to road traffic (assuming no train the other way).  When ready to depart, the crossing sequence is started but the signal doesn't clear until the barriers are down.  

[Neal Ball]

7 minutes ago, Edwin_m said:

Probably an example of what was described earlier, where there is a stopping and a non-stop control.  If the approaching train is stopping the signaller pushes a button which keeps the signal at red and the crossing open to road traffic (assuming no train the other way).  When ready to depart, the crossing sequence is started but the signal doesn't clear until the barriers are down.  

I should have made a note of the full sequence of light / barrier changes.

 

I don’t recall the signal still being red as a stopping train approached…. But I was more interested in photography.
 

Hoping of course for something different. I should have logged onto Realtimetraines.co.uk before I left the camp site.

 

Even so, I have a few photos of class 444 emu going through the station. Thanks everyone for the suggestions.

[SM42]

44 minutes ago, Edwin_m said:

Probably an example of what was described earlier, where there is a stopping and a non-stop control.  If the approaching train is stopping the signaller pushes a button which keeps the signal at red and the crossing open to road traffic (assuming no train the other way).  When ready to depart, the crossing sequence is started but the signal doesn't clear until the barriers are down.  

 

That requires the automatic crossing to be controlled in some way and as such if one forgot to operate the stopping sequence, would the crossing time out and show up as failed?  

 

However, I don't know the location  nor the controls installed.

 

It would be good to find out exactly how the signals and crossing interacted in this case

 

Andy

[The Pilotman]

On 12/08/2022 at 18:26, SM42 said:

It looks a little odd, but the one thing that makes it odder to me is that the signal apoears to be plated as a controlled signal. 

 

All other AHBs in my experience have been in auto or absulute block sections. 

 

Perhaps it is an auto plated up as controlled due to the presence of the crossing.

I'm not up to date on such things

 

Andy

The only AHB crossing with which I was professionally familiar was the infamous one at Ufton Nervet, scene of the 2004 crash. Both protecting signals were controlled. 

Edited August 17, 2022 by The Pilotman

[Fishoutofwater]

36 minutes ago, SM42 said:

 

That requires the automatic crossing to be controlled in some way and as such if one forgot to operate the stopping sequence, would the crossing time out and show up as failed?  

 

However, I don't know the location  nor the controls installed.

 

It would be good to find out exactly how the signals and crossing interacted in this case

 

Andy

Have spent many hours (in total) waitingfor trains at a small country (unstaffed)  station with a AHB level crossing immediately at one end of the platforms. The signaller in the panel has a switch to set the crossing for either  an express train or a stopping train. On the line where the crossing is after the station, when set for a stopping train nothing happens until the train activates a treadle just before the platform. The sequence then starts with the train stopping in the platform and waiting for the signal to change from red to green. When the crossing is set for an express train the signal turns immediately to green (provided line is clear!) but the crossing does not activate until the train passes a treadle further out (probably 1200 yards or more). If the crossing is left on the fast setting for a stopping train the barriers are down for much longer - 2 to 3 minutes or more compared to about 30-40 seconds for an express

[Michael Hodgson]

The signalman at March East has a switch for stopping/non-stopping trains.  If stopping is seleted, this signal is held at red but the sequence is initiated by  treadle as the train departs - the train here is  just pulling away after a station stop and has triggered the crossing, but the signal is still red because the barriers are not yet proved down.  If non-stopping had been selected the crossing would have been triggered much earlier and the signal The strange thing on the bogie is a bag over the autocoupler to prevent freezing.

 

The second picture shows the problem of pedestrians ignoring the rules in front of a train in the other direction.  The third  shows how quickly the crossing is reopened after passage of a train.  The fourth shows a train passing a semaphore frozen at Danger having been authroised to do so.

 

Photos taken 2003.

 

[The Stationmaster]

19 hours ago, SM42 said:

It looks a little odd, but the one thing that makes it odder to me is that the signal apoears to be plated as a controlled signal. 

 

All other AHBs in my experience have been in auto or absulute block sections. 

 

Perhaps it is an auto plated up as controlled due to the presence of the crossing.

I'm not up to date on such things

 

Andy

 

22 hours ago, iands said:

I remember back in the late 70s when with the S&T Maintenance at Selby, whilst trackside to the north of Riccall (York Road) AHB, seeing a Deltic hauled express heading south at line speed (100mph) approaching U179 signal at green (which was only about 300 yards on the approach to the crossing) and seeing vehicles still going over the crossing. It was sort of mesmerising watching (hoping!) that the barriers worked okay (and the road traffic stopped) before said train reached the crossing. Quite possibly the drivers would use a different word than 'mesmerising' to describe what they were experiencing when approaching the crossing(s)* at line speed.

 

* There were three AHB crossings at the time (York road, Riccall South and Turnhead)

A ruddy sight safer as an AHB that it had been as a gated crossing with a gate box having been the scene of at least two collisions between trains and road vehicles in the past -

 

https://www.railwaysarchive.co.uk/documents/MoT_RiccallGates1952.pdf

 

Knowing one of the people named in that Report, and knowing something of his local reputation, I must admit to being a trifle wary of his evidence.

 

There was another collision there involving a 'bus but I think that on that occasion it was mainly down to the 'bus driver trying to beat the gates.  No fatalities and it never seems to have made it to a full public enquiry  but a photo did appear in the local press.

 

[iands]

38 minutes ago, The Stationmaster said:

 

A ruddy sight safer as an AHB that it had been as a gated crossing with a gate box having been the scene of at least two collisions between trains and road vehicles in the past -

 

https://www.railwaysarchive.co.uk/documents/MoT_RiccallGates1952.pdf

 

Knowing one of the people named in that Report, and knowing something of his local reputation, I must admit to being a trifle wary of his evidence.

 

There was another collision there involving a 'bus but I think that on that occasion it was mainly down to the 'bus driver trying to beat the gates.  No fatalities and it never seems to have made it to a full public enquiry  but a photo did appear in the local press.

 

1952 was just a little before my time, but I did know one person from the village that worked in the gate box. Also remember 'gates' at Riccall South, and the conversion to AHBs. 

[RailWest]

In a way, this is not a new(ish) situation. Not long ago I came across the situation (in the 1960s) of a level-crossing with gates immediately next to a signal-box on a busy main line, but NOT interlocked with the signalling in anyway. The explanation apparently was the simple fact that this was an 'occupation' crossing and therefore it was the responsibility of the road user rather than the railway to use the crossing safely :-)

[Neal Ball]

29 minutes ago, RailWest said:

In a way, this is not a new(ish) situation. Not long ago I came across the situation (in the 1960s) of a level-crossing with gates immediately next to a signal-box on a busy main line, but NOT interlocked with the signalling in anyway. The explanation apparently was the simple fact that this was an 'occupation' crossing and therefore it was the responsibility of the road user rather than the railway to use the crossing safely :-)

Thanks Chris,

I guess the difference is that Moreton station has a very busy B road crossing at this point. In fact it seems to be a major crossing through the area, possibly as the next road along, ends at Wool station, but winds across the countryside and by comparison is not as busy.

 

As discussed above the crossing was risk assessed in 2020 and rated as High / very high.

Edited August 13, 2022 by Neal Ball

[Pandora]

The LC would be operated by track circuits and by treadles positioned a considerable distance in advance of the LC,  treadles are rail mounted and the wheel flanges depress the treadle as the train passes, known as  "Strike-in"  if before and corresponding "Strike-out" treadles after the crossing.  The signaller will also have controls for the LC, imagine the train is delayed  in the  platform for 15 minutes, signal at danger, the signaller can raise the barriers to road traffic to avoid traffic jams 

[Pandora]

On 12/08/2022 at 19:26, SM42 said:

It looks a little odd, but the one thing that makes it odder to me is that the signal apoears to be plated as a controlled signal. 

 

All other AHBs in my experience have been in auto or absulute block sections. 

 

Perhaps it is an auto plated up as controlled due to the presence of the crossing.

I'm not up to date on such things

 

Andy

Operationally needs to be a Controlled Signal,  the signaller replaces the controlled signal to red  when a train is to held or delayed at the platform,  with the train safely at a stand behind the red, the signaller can open the crossing to road traffic, otherwise long unnecessary delays and traffic jams for motorists

Edited August 14, 2022 by Pandora

[Right Away]

Back in “semaphore days”, as a youngster living near to what would later be known as the West Coastway line from Brighton to Portsmouth, I can remember seeing at certain locations, (Portslade, Shoreham-by-Sea and Angmering come to mind) westbound trains running in and stopping at the platform starter at what appeared to be a mere 10-20ft from a closed (to the train) gated signalman-operated level crossing.

Thinking in terms of “overlap” and its clearance distance, I was surprised to learn that in this respect a level crossing was not considered to be an obstruction when the gates were across the track. 

Would this practice have been the norm or would it surely have required initiation of a “Warning Arrangement” to permit such a movement.

 

[RailWest]

As a level-crossing with its gates across the rails was not normally regarded as an obstruction of the Clearing Point, then IMHO a Warning Acceptance would neither be necessary nor appropriate as de facto the CP was not fouled and so normal Reg 4 acceptance would be feasible (assuming all other requirements had been satisfied).

 

Of more importance was the fact that normally not only would the stop signal immediately in rear of the gates require the gates to be locked across the road before it could be cleared, but also the next stop in rear worked from the same box also have the same requirement. Sometimes the latter had a subsidiary arm which could be lowered to permit a train to enter a platform without the need to close the gates, in some cases the locking simply did not exist anyway.

 

If you go to Blue Anchor station you will often see instances where, if a Down train arrives early and/or the Up train is late, then the gates are closed against the road, the Down Inner Home (3) is held 'on', the Down train rolls into the the platform and stops, whereupon the gates are opened to road traffic again. This apparent 'unnecessary' closing of the gates puzzles/annoys some car drivers who are not aware that, out of sight around the corner towards Taunton, is the Down Home (2) which can not be cleared to admit a train into the platform unless the gates are shut.

Edited August 14, 2022 by RailWest