Mitcham Eastfields Level Crossing, Greater London

Описание: Official name: Eastfields Road Level Crossing
Borough: London Borough of Merton

Date filmed: 30/06/2021
Videos filmed at: 12:08 | 12:19 | 12:31

Route: Sutton & Mole Valley Lines
Mitcham Eastfields Station

Crossing type: Manually Controlled Barriers crossing with CCTV (MCB-CCTV)

Location: Eastfields Road, Mitcham
Trains:
Lowering 1 (0:00):
2 Class 377s (Southern) - 1:25
Horsham ➡ London Victoria
-
Lowering 2 (1:49):
1) Class 377 (Southern) - 3:05
Epsom ➡ London Victoria

2) Class 700 (Thameslink) - 4:20
Sutton ➡ St. Albans

3) 2 Class 377s (Southern) - 5:20
London Victoria ➡ Epsom
-
Lowering 3 (Starts at 6:08):
Class 700 (Thameslink) - 7:36
St. Albans ➡ Sutton

A busy suburban level crossing located in between the staggered platforms of Mitcham Eastfields Station within Mitcham, South London. This level crossing is rather busy for both vehicles and trains, and the current guise of level crossing equipment dates back to a full level crossing renewal which was completed in February 2018. This level crossing used to have bells, but now it has four quiet alarms, four LED pedestrian lights, four fairly long barriers with tension chords and supporter arms, and four LED wigwags (warning lights). Each LED wigwag on the left-hand side (the ones closest to each station platform in this instance) has a full set of long shades, and the other two here have all regular short shades.

Unusually for a level crossing controlled via CCTV like this one, Automatic Number Plate Recognition cameras to catch misuse, as well as 'light cameras' have been provided here, and these are often only seen on level crossings with obstacle detection systems, and each pairing of these additional systems is located on the supporting mast for each exit-side wigwag. Along side these, additional red light cameras on yellow masts have been provided on each side here as a further method of catching impatient users. The level crossing is located just off of a roundabout, and the frequent lowerings of the barriers for trains causes a lot of traffic to build up on this busy road.

Three separate lowerings are featured in this video. In the second video, the level crossing was active for a total of nine and a half minutes, in which time three trains passed, but most of this has been cut. Additionally, an impatient pedestrian can be seen taking a very unnecessary risk by running around the lowering barriers at the start of this second video, risking delays to services and injuries to themselves, even though there's a large footbridge with lifts right next to this level crossing which would've allowed them to bypass the lowered barriers very much comparatively risk free.

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