UK | Still got Bells! | Charlton Lane Level Crossing!

People have been waiting for this one, but my first ever UK Level crossing video is here! This is such a well-known crossing to enthusiasts, and its also very popular, due to the fact that it still has its original mechanical bells!

[@FlashingRedProductions]

Nice video of this iconic crossing! 0:56 - The road here is actually reasonably wide enough for 4 barriers to be fitted, but because there’s a footbridge immediately next to the crossing I assume there’s little to no room for 2 extra barrier machines to be installed. 2:08 - The barriers here were renewed twice in the last 15 years for some unknown reason - before 2009, this crossing had 2 GWE (Godwin Warren Engineering) barrier machines with red and white skirts. 2:15 - Here in the UK, our barrier arms have been using skirts with plastic material since (I believe) around 1982 - prior to that, all crossing barriers had metal skirts.

[@griffithsgriffiths1529]

Even though I've lived in the uk my whole life I always thought that the barriers were fully plastic

[@TheTrainlover123]

same

[@westburnworld]

It feels quite refreshing seeing a UK level crossing since most level crossing videos I watch are NZ or Australian level crossings with American equipment like WCH E-Bells

[@MichalM]

I live in the UK, but I've never seen this. A very rare find!

[@amandasmith3303]

I love the bells!Nicer to the ears than E2S and Yodalarms!

[@MTrains]

Wokingham station on the South Western Railway Network has in barrier bells.

[@TheosTrainsWalesOfficial]

Won't be for long though, as it's getting upgraded soon.

[@MTrains]

@@TheosTrainsWalesOfficial I'm aware. I'll have control of it come February.

[@TheosTrainsWalesOfficial]

@@MTrains Wait, you'll have control of it? What do you mean?

[@liftrailphotographyinnz3992]

This has been one of the videos from your UK Trip that I’ve been most looking forward to, until I watched this I thought all Level Crossings in the UK had alarms or sirens but no I was wrong.

[@Samcaldow-z4x]

Is when is the next video from you lift&rail photography nz I'm just wondering because you haven't posted for a while

[@liftrailphotographyinnz3992]

@@Samcaldow-z4x Hopefully next weekend, be patient I will get one out asap.

[@Jamie-Tane-media]

Nice one Alex, Been looking forward to this, And also great to see this level crossing still has the bells!!! One thing that stood out to me was in your shot on the bridge, There is actually someone sitting in that signal box, So that must mean that the level crossing is still manually operated from it. This has also made me curious to find out how many crossings are in or around London, Because apart from this one, And the pedestrian one (on some small freight only branch) that Geoff Marshall I think did a video on, You just don't hear about them. Anyway very glad you were able to film this.

[@the_alex_ellis_channel6923]

There are indeed almost no Level Crossing's in London, and that's why you don't hear about them. Most full-barrier crossings I think are still manually controlled.

[@love.kiwirailnz]

Thanks Alex for this video

[@SN06BNF]

You Got Lucky With That 12 Coach Southeastern Train. They’re Very Rare On Southeastern Nowadays.

[@pineappleroad]

I live in the UK, and i never realised the vertical parts of the skirts are plastic As far as i know, all full barrier crossings (regardless of how many barriers) are manually controlled Most are controlled remotely via CCTV or have obstacle detection (Im not sure how the obstacle detection crossings work, apart from the fact that they have various sensors that automatically scan the crossing for anything that may still be on the tracks, and automatically raise the barriers (while preventing the signals from clearing) if there is something on the crossing)

[@raypatel5108]

They have lights/lamps on the barrier arms unlike in NZ they just have reflective strips

[@Jamie-Tane-media]

We used to have lights on the barriers in NZ, But sadly they decided to ditch them sometime in the late 90s when they went from using paint to using reflective strips. The barriers in NZ also used to be black and white instead of the red/white like we have today. We are actually one of the very few countries now that don't have lights on our level crossing barriers, Like you have seen, Most other countries still do.

[@Jamie-Tane-media]

Actually, Look up Rayner St level crossing on the Pleasant point railway, That's an example for what I just said.

[@raypatel5108]

@@Jamie-Tane-media i wonder why kiwirail or the company at the time got rid of them ?

[@Jamie-Tane-media]

@@raypatel5108 Would have been Tranz Rail at the time, I was born round the time the Government had initially sold the railways off and privatised it, So I think the reason it was done, Was to cut matience costs down... Marker lights on signals also went from having lamps to reflectors round the same time...

[@AngelaHurst-tu7ph]

Usually there is "ES2" alarms they are the most common

[@AngelaHurst-tu7ph]

I meant E2S

[@TheTrainlover123]

actually the most common is yodalarms

[@therickychannel6292]

Trains on this line use third rail

[@SN06BNF]

These Bells Are Kinda Fast

[@TheTrainlover123]

trust me there not!