A level crossing

Martino

Martino

Photography, The GWR, Aviation, Travel, Cars.
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I’ve built my first level crossing. I wanted something that would withstand weather, it being humid and damp here, with additional high temperatures, as well as withstanding the chewing of a young Collie. So decided to build in brass, soldered up. As I’ve never done any soldering except soldering wires, this was a learning experience! The gates are brass and they don’t open, that was never the intention. The roadway is wood, made of supposedly weather resistant stuff liberally soaked in WaterSeal. Previous use of this has stood up well over some years.

Here it is installed temporarily and awaiting the ballasting of the track either side and creation of the road.
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Looks real nice. The brass construction will stop the young collie's chewing. :lipssealed:
I'm only familiar with gates that swing across the track. Yours must theoretically go the other way. The grills to stop straying animal is a nice touch.
Now you just need a rickety old shack for the rickety old lady in overalls to sit in between trains. :)
 
Looks like what I saw when visiting Didcot Railway Center.....:)
 
Paradise said:
Looks real nice. The brass construction will stop the young collie's chewing. :lipssealed:
I'm only familiar with gates that swing across the track. Yours must theoretically go the other way. The grills to stop straying animal is a nice touch.
Now you just need a rickety old shack for the rickety old lady in overalls to sit in between trains. :)
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Yes, I originally was going to create an ‘occupation’ crossing but the project just grew. It was going to be in a much smaller place, so I used artistic license with the way the gates swung. If I were doing it again I have a wider crossing and probably get the gates to actually open. C’est la vie! Next time. We’ll see how long the cattle grid survives. Although I was aware of them in 1:1 railways, I got the inspiration from John Robinson in New Zealand - who is of this parish.

In theory the crossing is controlled by the signal box at East Burnham Station just a bit down the line. The old lady has other tasks at the Station, making the tea.
 
Madman said:
Looks like what I saw when visiting Didcot Railway Center.....:)
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My heart is with the GWR, and I was a member of the Great Western Society Back in the ‘60s at Taplow, before we moved to Didcot.
 
Who am I to comment? But lengths of diagonal wire (or white plastic) from corner to corner is quite usual as a way of supporting the gate when being opened and closed.

Hope you don't mind my observation.

Sarah Winfield
 
Martino said:
In theory the crossing is controlled by the signal box at East Burnham Station just a bit down the line. The old lady has other tasks at the Station, making the tea.
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Yes, they could be automated ones, therefor no shack. On the metropolitan electric lines here in Melbourne, Australia they still had a few manually operated gates only 20 years or so back. Seems strangely antiquated. They are now doing tunnels and flyovers trying to get rid of level crossings in general. The metro trains are up in the air or under the ground half the time.
 
A nice piece of work and it looks just the job. As for opening away fro the track, there is a prototype for pretty well everything somewhere.
 
A cracking job.. nicely done
 
Paradise said:
Yes, they could be automated ones, therefor no shack. On the metropolitan electric lines here in Melbourne, Australia they still had a few manually operated gates only 20 years or so back. Seems strangely antiquated. They are now doing tunnels and flyovers trying to get rid of level crossings in general. The metro trains are up in the air or under the ground half the time.
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We still have manual gates here, even on main lines
 
Ballast is looking good, Martino. Not sure I like the look on the faces of those flamingos, though.

Rik
 
I think you’re OK unless you’re a shrimp.
 
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