Two Faulty Alarms at Winchelsea Level Crossing, East Sussex

Описание: Date filmed: 07/07/2020

Route: Marshlink Line
Winchelsea Station

Location: Winchelsea Lane, Winchelsea
Trains:
Lowering 1 (Starts at 0:11): Class 171 (Southern) - 0:45
Lowering 2 (Starts at 1:45): Class 171 (Southern) - Arrives at 2:16 - Departs at 3:14

A half barrier level crossing located next to Winchelsea Station in a remote location on the Marshlink Line connecting Hastings with Ashford International. This level crossing is an Automatic Open Crossing plus Barriers (AOCL+B) level crossing, most notably characterised by how the alarms cut-out a few seconds before the barriers raise (though the noise from the passing diesel units completely drowns out the alarm cut-out in both videos). Red/white LED indicators signal to approaching train drivers whether or not the level crossing is working as it should whilst halogen white lights illuminate the track over the crossing during activation, and there is a slow line speed around the level crossing in case of a level crossing failure, and the alarms stop sounding at the same time the halogen white lights extinguish. The SPX half barriers currently at this level crossing were installed in mid 2014 to improve safety, as this level crossing previously had no barriers. One of the half barriers is also located in front of one of the entrance-side wigwags, another feature notable on numerous level crossings of this type.

The two alarms at this level crossing are quiet, and most notably in both videos, both are faulty, since one with a new-ish-looking sounder 'warbles' slightly, with the other old-looking alarm sounding water-damaged as it only produces a single distorted tone, out of the two it should produce, rather rapidly. The station is served every two hours in each direction, with one of the two trains that pass within an hour stopping at the station regardless of the direction it is headed in, and both trains in an hour come close together as they are timetabled to meet in the two-track passing section of Rye station a few miles east of here. Hastings-bound trains can be seen approaching before the level crossing activates.

The second of two lowerings featured in this video is a long one, since four-car trains were being used on the line to improve capacity at the time of filming, and these cannot fit in the station as demonstrated by the Hastings-bound stopping service over-hanging the level crossing.

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