Petermac's Railway

Most railway crossings really are a relic of an age when there was <10% of the road traffic of these days.


We have at least one in suburban Melbourne (may be more but they're busy replacing them), this one on Mont Albert Rd, at a 45 degree angle where busy City train services cross a moderately well travelled minor road.
 
Mont Albert RR crossing
right next to a shopping centre  Map

Then TBH I was amazed when we last went up the ECML in 2018 when I was treated to two even more remarkable relics of a former age. First a ride on a ~45 yr old IC125, open windows, pummeled every time that oncoming traffic passed and open to rail flushing toilets! ("Do not use in Stations").

The second, the sight of actual railway crossings still in place on such an important mainline.
 

[user=2057]TeaselBay[/user] wrote:

[user=2220]Alan W[/user] wrote:

That is some crossing! 5 tracks, but it does have me wondering if that is the widest in the uk, or abroad!?

There's actually 6 tracks Chris - 4 for the ECML in front of the box and the 2 track Stamford branch behind. The Down ECML shares the Down Stamford line from Peterborough until just south of this level crossing, at which point the Stamford lines diverge just to the north.
Red Cow crossing just north of Exeter St Davids also has 6 tracks, but they are closer together as the platform lines converge. A further 2 tracks forming the goods lines no longer exist but I think were controlled by a separate crossing.

Did this ever have gates, before the barriers were fitted?  That would have been some construction!
Michael

[user=1512]Headmaster[/user] wrote:

Did this ever have gates, before the barriers were fitted?  That would have been some construction!
Michael

My thoughts exactly Michael !

Hi Petermac.  I agree with you and I wish someone would come up with the answer. Best wishes Kevin 

I needed a change from installing point servos and under-board wiring - my bones were starting to suffer from "under board fatigue" !!

I decided I'd start some scenic work in one corner so that I could probably take some photographs of "the future".

I'm not rushing - too much to do outside for that at present but thought I'd record the development of the corner in the hopes that some of our scenic masters might say "hang on, why don't you do this, or that" before I make a pig's ear of it all.

The corner I'm developing is where I'd originally planned that oblique level crossing, tunnel and switch-back access road.  This area :




Those who are following might recall, following advice, I'd scrapped the road and tunnel idea and am continuing the retaining wall between the track to the upper level and the main lines:




  The idea is that in the corner under the light switch, there will be a row or two of terraced house backs or ends thereof, being the housing for the factory workers whilst at the same time, hiding the single line rising tight to the wall.  As the gap narrows, I'll have a low relief factory growing from the retaining wall and continuing to hide the single track:

 


Suggestions, critiques will be more than welcome.   :cheers

[user=6]Petermac[/user] wrote:

[user=1512]Headmaster[/user] wrote:

Did this ever have gates, before the barriers were fitted?  That would have been some construction!
Michael

My thoughts exactly Michael !

As I posted the original photo maybe it falls to me to try and answer the question!

From some research I have found on Wikipedia that the Midland lines (2) were built first, then the Great Northern built the ECML, hence the signal box being sandwiched between the two distinct lines. The Midland had a station there but the GNR did not.

This was previously two separate level crossings, with two signal boxes. One was closed on conversion to full barriers. There was space for two cars between the level crossings. But I have not been able to find a picture of it before full barriers were put in place.

I have found a picture of Maxey level crossing, just to the north which does show a gated crossing over the four track ECML with the Midland line just to the right but with that crossing out of picture. As far as I can see this shows the gates would cover the entire width of the track, you can see the lock between the centre tracks, and overlap each other on the road.


Edited for link to RCTS page showing Helpston Mildand Station - you can see the footbridge in the background over the ECML


RCTS Mystery Photographs

[user=1512]Headmaster[/user] wrote:

Did this ever have gates, before the barriers were fitted?  That would have been some construction!
Michael

Unless I've got the wrong end of the stick (quite likely) does it matter how many tracks there are? If it's two or 20, the road is still the same width. Even with an oblique angle, surely it wouldn't grow to unmanageable widths.

[user=1120]peterm[/user] wrote:

[user=1512]Headmaster[/user] wrote:

Did this ever have gates, before the barriers were fitted?  That would have been some construction!
Michael

Unless I've got the wrong end of the stick (quite likely) does it matter how many tracks there are? If it's two or 20, the road is still the same width. Even with an oblique angle, surely it wouldn't grow to unmanageable widths.

As Captain Mainwaring often said, 'Well done Mahood, I was just waiting for somebody to say that!'.

Not forgetting of course that the road's overall length is also the same.
 
Well spotted Pete.

Bill

I was assuming the gates might block off all the tracks, when open for the road, rather than swinging around and potentially stopping in an awkward place half way over a track, for example.   Of course, if the crossing was just to stop the cars and not worry about blocking off the railway tracks, then you are right, just the road width.
Michael

Don't tell 'em your name Pike.

Just an idea?

[user=1512]Headmaster[/user] wrote:

I was assuming the gates might block off all the tracks, when open for the road, rather than swinging around and potentially stopping in an awkward place half way over a track, for example.   Of course, if the crossing was just to stop the cars and not worry about blocking off the railway tracks, then you are right, just the road width.
Michael

Michael,

You are basically correct, according to the ORR "…which complete the fencing of the railway when closed across the road or the railway…"

"….Where the gates do not completely fence in the railway when open to road traffic, cattle-cum-trespass guards may be required…."

I have seen a photo showing gates overlapping on a single track line where the road is wider than the railway. I am sure I have seen the opposite, with gates overlapping on the road, but cannot find any photo to corroborate. Possibly, as at the next level crossing north on the ECML, the gates were arranged to completely fence off one side of the road crossing, leaving the other side open, the gates then being of sufficient width to completely fence the road on both sides of the track (if that makes sense!)

Apologies Petermac for hijacking your thread!!!

[user=753]Phil.c[/user] wrote:

Just an idea?

I like that Phil ! The houses could simply be photoshopped on a false backboard hiding the rising line, so easy to remove for cleaning, and where there's space, something half relief like that Factory, the rising line could even run through the inside of the factory as its hidden, allowing more depth to the Half relief building so deceiving the eye even more  :thumbs

Cheers

Matt

[user=2220]Alan W[/user] wrote:

[user=2057]TeaselBay[/user] wrote:

[user=2220]Alan W[/user] wrote:

That is some crossing! 5 tracks, but it does have me wondering if that is the widest in the uk, or abroad!?

There's actually 6 tracks Chris - 4 for the ECML in front of the box and the 2 track Stamford branch behind. The Down ECML shares the Down Stamford line from Peterborough until just south of this level crossing, at which point the Stamford lines diverge just to the north.
Red Cow crossing just north of Exeter St Davids also has 6 tracks, but they are closer together as the platform lines converge. A further 2 tracks forming the goods lines no longer exist but I think were controlled by a separate crossing.

That is crazy. I can’t see there being any with more than 6 tracks! There is a road near me through a village called Queen Adalade, towards Ely that has three consecutive crossings and then a bridge. 

[user=753]Phil.c[/user] wrote:

Just an idea?

Looks good to me. Going to make some nice shots as they swing around the sweeping curve. 

That's brilliant Phil.   :pathead

I fear though that, whilst it looks great at that angle, looking down from the top would show that, as the track to be hidden is only single, there isn't room to fit houses in there.  One can't be expected to step out of the door only inches from a 30ft sheer drop………

That's why I thought if your scene were reversed,  my factory wall could almost be a continuation of the retaining wall with houses where you've put the factory.

Having said that, I don't suppose you'd like to send me the sky would you ?   :lol:

How about making it the backs of a row of houses, nowt but a little bit of yard behind each one close up to the wall and add half relief roofs or even full roofs  to slope over the hidden rising line to, well HIDE it !  :lol:

To be honest Peter, I didn't notice the single track, however, it's possible to add, behind the track, low relief, factory buildings and walls etc which can be close to the track :)

Just had another look, why can't you move that single track nearer to the edge, it would just need a base extention infill?