Level crossings explained: the types and the signaller's role

Level crossings — places where a road, track or footpath crosses the railway on the level — are one of the parts of the job that bring signallers into direct contact with the public. There are thousands of them on Britain's railway, and they come in several types. This guide explains the main ones in plain English, and where the signaller fits in.

It is a general overview for people considering the job, not an operating guide. The exact equipment and arrangements at any crossing are covered in training.

Crossings the signaller works or watches

Manually controlled barrier crossings

Full barriers close the whole road on both sides. The barriers are lowered and raised under a signaller's or crossing keeper's control, and the signal protecting the crossing is not cleared until the crossing is confirmed clear.

CCTV crossings

A variation of the manually controlled crossing where the signaller watches the crossing on a camera screen, often from some distance away, and checks it is clear before the protecting signal is cleared.

Crossings with obstacle detection

A further variation where radar or laser equipment checks the crossing area is clear after the barriers come down, instead of relying on a person watching.

Gated crossings

Older crossings with gates, operated by a signaller or crossing keeper, still exist in some places.

Automatic crossings

At automatic crossings, an approaching train starts the warning sequence itself: lights flash, alarms sound and, where fitted, barriers come down. Types include:

• Automatic half barrier crossings — barriers close only the entry side of the road on each side, so vehicles already on the crossing can drive off. The warning sequence starts automatically.
• Automatic open crossings — flashing lights and alarms but no barriers, generally on quieter roads, with drivers watching the crossing as they approach.

The signaller does not operate these for each train, but faults and incidents at them are reported to the signaller, who decides how trains are allowed over a crossing that is not working properly.

User-worked crossings

At a user-worked crossing, often on farmland or a private road, users open and close gates themselves. Many have a telephone to the signaller. Users driving a vehicle or moving animals are typically asked to phone before crossing, and the signaller tells them whether it is safe.

This is where a lot of real signaller judgement comes in, because the signaller is dealing with members of the public who may be impatient, unfamiliar with the railway, or moving something slow and large.

Footpath and bridleway crossings

Crossings for pedestrians, cyclists or horse riders, usually with gates or stiles and warning signs. Some have warning lights. Users are responsible for checking it is safe to cross.

Why crossings come up in signaller scenarios

Crossings are where the railway meets people who are not trained in railway safety, so they produce situations that test judgement:

• A farmer on a user-worked crossing phone wanting to cross with a tractor when a train is due.
• A crossing whose barriers will not come down.
• A vehicle stuck on a crossing with a train approaching.
• A complaint that barriers stayed down too long.

The principles that decide these are the same as elsewhere in the job: protect the railway and the public first, confirm rather than assume, and do not over-react when something is inconvenient rather than unsafe. Our job simulation practice includes crossing scenarios with the reasoning explained.