Occupation crossing signaling rules 1930s

[ColHut]

G'day all. I was wondering what signaling rules were in place in the 1930s for occupation crossing. My limited understanding is that, sighting permitting, none were required so long as the targets could be seen or a red lamp was visible to the oncoming train. Bearing in mind the gates were normally shut to crossing traffic. I would be grateful for a better or correct understanding.

Regards

 

The answers are implied here I think

 

http://www.railwaysarchive.co.uk/documents/MoT_WharfRoad1934.pdf

 

And the targets and lamps would not be visible to the train as they are for the benefit of the occupier.

[The Stationmaster]

Normally no signals at all were required at occupation or accommodation crossings as the crossing was worked by users.  And no lamps or targets either except possibly in very exceptional cases.

[Wheatley]

The crossing at Wharfe Rd (your link) was unusual in that it was right under the signalman's nose but not operated by him nor interlocked with signals, and there was some confusion/misunderstanding locally as to whether it was a public road or not. It appears to be a public road now, at least it has the full complement of gates and wig-wag lights !

 

Most occupation crossings were more remote than that, and as Stationmaster says, completely unsupervised and unprotected save for a pair of user-worked gates and a "BEWARE OF TRAINS" sign.

[G1DRG]

Occupation Crossings are usually to connect land severed by the railwayand Accomodation Crossings are (usually) on private roads, neither type of crossing requires to have any protection, lamps or anything, just warning signs for crossing users. Today there may be telephones which users must use before crossing. The gates are usually field gates and the user must close them.

 

Where a public road cosses the railway, the gates are required to be across the railway when open for road traffic (there are exceptions), if they open away from the railway the crossing was probablyt originally a private crossing which has aquired public rights by some means.

 

[Wheatley]

Occupation Crossings are usually to connect land severed by the railwayand Accomodation Crossings are (usually) on private roads,

 

Other way round. The accommodation crossing accommodates the landowner's right of access to his land severed by the railway, the occupation crossing provides access for an occupier of land (not necessarily owning land on both sides of the railway), their visitors and those requiring to carry out an occupation, i.e. butcher, baker, binman etc.. At least that's how BR(E) used to explain it.

[ColHut]

Thankyou all for your responses. It is much appreciated.

 

Was there any speed restriction on which such crossing could be placed? It really look like a game of Russian Roulette!

[uax6]

Another point is that most of these crossing had gates that opened out wards, ie into the field, not across the railway.

 

As for speed restrictions the answer is none. These days phones are put on the ones with bad sighting.

 

Andy G

[The Stationmaster]

Thankyou all for your responses. It is much appreciated.

 

Was there any speed restriction on which such crossing could be placed? It really look like a game of Russian Roulette!

They are not permitted on lines where the linespeed is in excess of 100mph - hence when HSTs came along large numbers of such crossings were permanently closed.