'Telescopic' level crossing gates?

[ainsworth74]

One of the level crossings near where I live has been troublesome over the last year or so and Network Rail have been persuaded to fast-track a replacement. I was expecting that they'd use conventional barriers rather than the present gate like barrier but this article suggests they're going to use a 'telescoping' gate and includes a picture of a design that I've never come accross. Does anyone have any more details of this type of crossing and does anyone know where else (if anywhere) it's been installed?

'Temperamental' rail crossing to be updated

A "temperamental" rail barrier that has repeatedly broken down is to be updated.

There have been more than 15 closures of the crossing in West Dyke Road, Redcar over the past 18 months, the town's Labour MP Anna Turley said.

Strong winds regularly mean the crossing has to close for safety reasons, causing traffic disruption.

Work will begin in the next few weeks to install custom-built telescopic sliding barriers.

Network Rail said the work had been fast-tracked.

A spokesman said a start date would be confirmed early next week.

"The new barrier system should bring an end to the frequent failures and closures that have brought our town centre to a standstill," Ms Turley said.

It says 'custom-built' but I'm not clear on whether that means custom built for the location but a generic design or a completely custom design and solution.

 

[TheNewNo2]

I think the one on the right is just a generic sliding gate to give an idea of what is being proposed. I like the idea though.

 

[ainsworth74]

I think the one on the right is just a generic sliding gate to give an idea of what is being proposed. I like the idea though.

Yeah I was thinking that if for no other reason that it seems incredibly over-engineered compared to more usual crossing gates!

 

[edwin_m]

Yeah I was thinking that if for no other reason that it seems incredibly over-engineered compared to more usual crossing gates!

Looks like something that might be seen at a prison! However there are much lighter versions that have appeared on some "upscale" domestic driveways in recent years.

Is this the crossing with "boom gates" that swing across on motorised wheels? If so, is there any obvious reason why conventional lowering barriers aren't feasible?

 

[Darandio]

One of the level crossings near where I live has been troublesome over the last year or so and Network Rail have been persuaded to fast-track a replacement.

About bloody time too!

 

[najaB]

Is this the crossing with "boom gates" that swing across on motorised wheels? If so, is there any obvious reason why conventional lowering barriers aren't feasible?

I'm guessing this is the one (about 40s in)?
[youtube]RgYxOjJT9K4[/youtube]

 

[ainsworth74]

Looks like something that might be seen at a prison! However there are much lighter versions that have appeared on some "upscale" domestic driveways in recent years.

Is this the crossing with "boom gates" that swing across on motorised wheels? If so, is there any obvious reason why conventional lowering barriers aren't feasible?

I'm guessing this is the one (about 40s in)?
[youtube]RgYxOjJT9K4[/youtube]

Yeah that's the one.

I don't know of a reason why conventional barriers couldn't work but I'm not a level crossing expert!

About bloody time too!

Indeed! Though it did make it easier to get out of the station car park what with there being no traffic down the road

 

[Llanigraham]

.
Is this the crossing with "boom gates" that swing across on motorised wheels? If so, is there any obvious reason why conventional lowering barriers aren't feasible?

They do look like an unusual design currently.
Looking on Streetview I can't see why they can't use a normal set of lifting booms.

 

[GB]

I imagine a location like that would require full barriers and I guess it either comes down to cost or theres not enough space for the pedestal/barrier on the signal box side.

Edit...saying that it could have been a two barrier full crossing rather than 4 barrier so who knows!

 

[edwin_m]

If the signal box is the problem then it's probably going to be better to convert it to CCTV or even build a new signal box, so the old one can be demolished (unless it's listed).

 

[Blindtraveler]

Could the refference to high winds in the above quote be relevant to the design?

 

[Darandio]

It's not that the winds are higher than would be at any other location, it's just the design of the old gates and shouldn't have any relevance to the replacement crossing.

Basically, an electric motor drives a wheel on each gate and it isn't very powerful. Once there is a strong wind (I use the term 'strong' lightly, even what seemed like minor gusts rendered the thing useless, it was shut for 2-3 days at times) the motor struggles to push the gates against the wind and the job is stopped.

 

[John Webb]

The 'boom gates' also have the problem that in cold and icy weather the driving wheel can lose grip on the road surface - another potential failure of these style of gates. They were popular in the BR (NE) region, but are being removed because of these problems and the increasing lack of spares for them.

 

[GrimsbyPacer]

I liked that L/C gate when I went there on my birthday trip a few years ago. Didn't seem like it's a problem, I thought it was cool.
The new idea looks awful.

 

[ainsworth74]

I liked that L/C gate when I went there on my birthday trip a few years ago.

Commiserations on going to Redcar for your birthday.

Didn't seem like it's a problem

You obviously weren't there on a day when it was windy. It most certainly is a problem then trust me.

 

[fgwrich]

Commiserations on going to Redcar for your birthday.

(Although I cant fully laugh, I do hale from some town in Hampshire near bbbasingstoke)

It will be interesting to see how they install these telescopic booms in this location given the space, over a 'normal' type.

 

[DarloRich]

I liked that L/C gate when I went there on my birthday trip a few years ago. Didn't seem like it's a problem, I thought it was cool.
The new idea looks awful.

Commiserations on going to Redcar for your birthday.

He lives in Humberside - Redcar will be like the Riviera by comparison

I don't think the gates will look like the ones suggested in the news article. they just look like a standard folding security barrier

 

[Peter Mugridge]

It looks like it will cost quite a fortune more than a conventional gate to fix when it inevitably gets rammed by some motorist at some point. However, it should at least prevent the said errant motorist from reaching the track; it looks quite robust.

 

[GrimsbyPacer]

Commiserations on going to Redcar for your birthday.
You obviously weren't there on a day when it was windy. It most certainly is a problem then trust me.

When I went it was cloudy and not windy. The seafront was boarded up for the vertical pier building or something. I went to Saltburn also for the cliff tram which was broken down the first day, not the second. I still enjoyed the trip though as I like Pacers and the seaside alot. It's a nice change from the usual Scarborough trip.

 

[TheNewNo2]

It looks like it will cost quite a fortune more than a conventional gate to fix when it inevitably gets rammed by some motorist at some point. However, it should at least prevent the said errant motorist from reaching the track; it looks quite robust.

Again, that is not a picture of the crossing gate, it's just a generic telescopic gate...

 

[GrimsbyPacer]

He lives in Humberside - Redcar will be like the Riviera by comparison

I hope you're not calling Cleethorpes and Bridlington worse than the riviera as they're not.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Again, that is not a picture of the crossing gate, it's just a generic telescopic gate...

I got the impression from the report that that was the sort of barrier they are going to be installing at that crossing?

 

[ironstone11]

I got the impression from the report that that was the sort of barrier they are going to be installing at that crossing?

The picture of the telescopic gates is attributed to Google, so is a library picture.

The NR Press Release is Here

A bespoke barrier which could change the appearance of level crossings across the country is set to be installed in Redcar.

The existing boom gate crossing on West Dyke Road in the seaside town suffers frequent reliability issues during strong winds, meaning the barriers must be closed to motorists and pedestrians for extended periods of time until the wind speed drops.

As the barrier has approached the end of its working life the issue has intensified, with Network Rail engineers carrying out regular repairs and upgrades over the last 12 months in an attempt to improve its reliability, including a new battery, a new motor, new wheels and reducing the size of the slats across on the barrier face.

Initially the replacement barrier was not due to be installed until 2018, but Network Rail and Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council have fast tracked the approval process – which can often take over a year - to allow work on the novel crossing design to start in October this year.

The new, telescopic barrier will slide out across West Dyke Road from alongside the railway tracks, meaning they will no longer swing out into the road and battle against the wind. This will also allow the barriers themselves moved nearer to the railway and create more space in the area around the crossing. The bespoke barrier will also mean that the signal box at Redcar can remain, reducing the amount of time the work will take to complete.

Gary Walsh, area director for Network Rail, said: “We are all too aware of the problems suffered at West Dyke Road in high winds and decided that the level of disruption caused needed addressing ahead of the original programme.

“The new barrier has been designed with this specific problem in mind and is unlike any existing crossing on the network, and we are confident that its installation with help improve the flow of traffic and pedestrians in Redcar.”

 

[Ediswan]

I agree it will not be the gate pictured.

I used to work on a site with such a gate. What you can't see is just how s...l...o...w they are when opening and closing - for safety. At least a minute to open or close across a road that wide.

 

[SpacePhoenix]

I agree it will not be the gate pictured.

I used to work on a site with such a gate. What you can't see is just how s...l...o...w they are when opening and closing - for safety. At least a minute to open or close across a road that wide.

How many tph does the route get (both directions combined)?

 

[ainsworth74]

How many tph does the route get (both directions combined)?

Weekday 4tph passenger services plus freight roughly every hour or so.

 

[SpacePhoenix]

http://www.selectequip.co.uk/telescopic-barrier-strut-western-region

Is that possibly what's intended to go there?

 

[MarkyT]

http://www.selectequip.co.uk/telescopic-barrier-strut-western-region

Is that possibly what's intended to go there?

No. What are 'telescopic' in that product are the vertical struts of the barrier skirt, not the boom itself. If you read the text accompanying the photos it is explained that standard non-telescopic struts get damaged and bent in use, and the telescopic ones are designed to overcome this.
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Telescopic or sliding gates are an interesting idea. They're widely used outside the railway industry and I expect they're sturdy and reliable. As they don't fall from a raised position there's little risk of them striking a person on descent and causing injuries. Also I heard of a case in a busy town location like this where a pedestrian waiting a long time at a closed barrier tied their dog's leash to the barrier, only for rover to have a scenic vertical ride when the barriers suddenly lifted! There is also risk that people leaning on the barrier might get clothing caught, however an adult attached to the far end of a boom would probably represent too great a load for a machine to lift, but a child might be in danger. Not a risk with the sliding design. The road is quite wide and for a boom design probably a four barrier solution would be desirable. The signal box is in the way of one of the barrier machine locations for that however. It is so close to the road that one of the road signals is actually bracketed from it's nearest wall. A two barrier design might just be possible but the longer an individual boom gets the heavier and more unwieldy it becomes and that puts more strain on it's operating mechanisms, and if it's a very windy site as claimed that could also be a factor with respect to damage when in the raised position. The signal box doesn't just supervise the level crossing, it also controls at least one AB section and seems to 'fringe' Grangetown TCB area. Obviously ideally it would be closed and control centralised somewhere, but with the parlous state of NR projects at the moment, unless there are safety concerns generally in the area I can't see Redcar being at the top of the list for urgent resignallng, so a four barrier CCTV solution could be many many years away. The sliding gate solution as a stand-alone project, worked from the same controls and indications as the current motorised swinging gate could be a very quick and easy job. If, as seems likely, it proves reliable and cost-effective the solution might also be applied at other locations.

 

[HSTEd]

A sliding gate is certainly an interesting concept, it might be worth a trial as it could potentially prove useful in any number of locations.

 

[jopsuk]

It also sounds from the NR press release like NR are keen to trial something different, so are taking this as an opportunity to experiment