Protecting the Train Driver and the Public at the User Worked Crossing: THE NEED FOR PROTECTING THE TRAIN DRIVER AND USER

摘要

In the same manner that Miss Marple in the Agatha Christie novels based all her knowledge on here studies of the folk of St Mary Mead, the majority of the observations of this narrative are based upon the observations of the railway that runs through the hamlet in which I live. Newton le Willows on the Wensleydale branch in British Rail and Railtrack days had one regular working six days a week, a train carrying limestone dust from Redmire to Redcar. The stretch of line through Newton is single line with nine user worked (occupational) crossings within the three quarters of a mile environs. Of these one was installed on the sly and given credibility when Railtrack fitted warning signs, four are essentially enclosing fields containing livestock and four providing regular vehicular access to properties and one to a sports facility, our cricket ground. The farmers obviously ensure the gates protecting their stock are shut, but what of the others? Only one of the regular road traffic crossings has the gates routinely shut and that is to the cricket field. On match days the gates are left open during the match but shut afterwards which seems a reasonable modus operandi. Don't be fooled, however, there is a small gap about three yards down from the gate through which the erstwhile dog walker can squeeze, which is why all lady dogwalkers in Newton never become larger than a size 14. The far gate has no convenient by pass for pedestrians but the gate is always shut. The other four - gates wide open continuously. Only one has good visibility and that ironically is closest to the railway worked gated level crossing at which all trains stop before proceeding, train crew operating the gates. One farmer once rang Railtrack as advised on the signs, only to be told that they didn't actually know where the train was and to take care when crossing with his stock!