Updated 2 May, 2005

These pictures come from mike125hst@hotmail.com.

NOTE: This is just an archival page for now. Updated pictures of these crossings will be coming soon. Once they come in, the corresponding pictures will be moved.

These are quite different than what we're used to seeing back here in the U.S. What I like about this crossing is that there's 4 signals protecting this crossing. The "crossbuck" only appears at crossings that don't have any gates or barriers. This train line isn't very active mostly because it's a alternate route when the main line is closed for Maintenance.

I'll try to explain it as best I can from the data I got. Looking at picture 3 first, you can see a little signal to the left of the tracks. This lets the train engineer that the crossing is activated properly. When the crossing signals are activated, a flashing white light activates telling the engineer that the signals are working, when they're not activated, the white light either goes out, or thanks to L.E.D technology, some newer crossings flash red when the grade crossing signals are inactive, then it flashes white when they activate. If the light does not change to flashing white from either flashing red, or no light, then that means that the signals are not working, and the train must stop and someone must get out and flag down traffic, while the train passes slowly.

The crossing signals are a little more difficult to explain because all the details seem a little hazy to me. In picture 2, you can see a tiny red box behind the signal on the opposite side of the tracks. That is their equivalent to our warning bell here in the U.S. It's called a 'Yodalarm' which sounds very different than our U.S. bells. It's also electronic. I'm not sure if there are any mechanical yodalarms though.

It looks like there's a red light lit up below the top 2 lights, but I think it's just the yellow light reflecting. When a train comes by, a yellow light lights on the bottom light, and the Yodalarms sound. Depending on how old the crossing is, either 3 or 5 seconds later, the lights change to flashing red (on the top 2 lights), and the bottom yellow light goes out. If there's gates, they go down when the red lights flash. When the train passes, the lights go out, and the gates go back up.

The speed limits over there are 25 MPH (40 km/h) for freight and approx. 35 MPH (55 km/h) for passenger trains.

Here's an example of one type of gated crossings. This one is blocking the tracks. When a train comes by, the train must stop, the engineer must get out and swerve the gates across the road to stop traffic, and then when the train passes, the engineer must then open the gates to traffic, and therefore closing the track path. Some block signals are also connected to these gates, and will only change when the gates fully cross the road.

 There are lots more train crossing situations such as gated crossings where the driver must open the gate, and report to the railroad that they've crossed sucessfully, and other events that aren't discussed here yet, but should be in the near future. Note the the "crossbuck" isn't here because the crossing is gated.

Here's a good link for more details on how train signals work over in the U.K.

http://www.highwaycode.gov.uk/26.shtml

Here are more pictures. Each crossing has a telephone, in case of emergencies. They go one step above the DOT numbers, and actually provide the phones. I wish the U.S. had phones at each crossing. Picture 6 shows a yellow sign pointing to the phone, and picture 8 shows a blue sign.

Pictures 7 and 8 show action shots. The signal lights are incandescent lights. Picture 6 also shows "Wishbone" type gates.

When I got these pictures, the picture says that it was taken on 21 January 2003. I don't know about the other photos.

Picture 8 is from North Wales, and is in the process of getting new signals. I guess this crossing will get gates later on in the future. Notice the crossbucks in all the pictures. They're there when there are no gates. It's missing when there are gates. Also, the sign on the right signal is in two languages: English and Welsh.

This is called a "Treadle". The white box gets pressed down by a train, and that's what activates the signals. I'm sure the U.S. doesn't use this method. I don't know how far back this is from a crossing. The picture was taken 29 September 2003.

Other notes: I asked about the light sizes, and they're either 8" or 9", but a more accurate measure will come later, because this person who sent in these pictures is a signal maintainer in Wales. He does all the things that U.S. maintainers do, but the way that the U.K. runs their crossings.

Also, most gate lights are L.E.D., while no 8" or 9" lights have L.E.D. lights at this time. However on 1 February 2008, L.E.D. lights are now required at all new crossings, and will also show up on older crossings when the older incandescents burn out.