Smithy Bridge Level Crossing

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Petition-to-get-Smithybridge-Railway-station-Remanned/1400442380221630

Real concerns on this crossing !

At least people killed by the railways might get an apology now.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-26481878
It may sound silly to think an apology matters, but the railways have always been pretty nasty about the people they kill.

It's a tricky crossing at Smithy Bridge, why not give someone a job looking after it as a safety precaution?

Something similar going on with a level crossing system up in Hartlepool. Electrical fault.

These computerised electro-mechanical systems can be very complicated, an 'expert' can probably lash together a working repair, but if there is an underlying and difficult to trace fault in such a system, it may never be fully reliable. Bit like the engine management systems in modern cars, once it goes on the blink, it could again any time.

http://www.hartlepoolmail.co.uk/news/local/police-marshal-busy-level-crossing-in-hartlepool-after-another-fault-with-barriers-1-6493911

http://www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/2/news-headlines/87687/an-accident-waiting-to-happen-at-smithy-bridge-level-crossing

And months later the crossing still isn't working properly, with trains rushing through when the barriers are up, terrifying people. The great British tradition of enthusiastic amateurs running the railways with little regard for human life is outdated. Some fully qualified, well trained, well informed and really good electro-mechanical engineers are needed to sort it out, just to lash together a semblance of a safely working system on this dangerous railway crossing that needs entirely redesigning to make it safe.

Cyfrifia  I have become anaesthetised  to some of your many utterances and the way you put things but you are really over egging the pudding above.

Since May 19th eight trains an hour plus a few freight services cross this crossing Monday to Saturday.  I may be wrong but you give the impression of not only being an expert in all things but see dedicated railway employees as ‘amateurs’.  I know that Trade Unions are not as powerful as they used to be but do you honestly think that the drivers of the trains reported to have jumped red lights and ‘sped’ across an unguarded crossing would not bring this to the attention of their management and union reps?

Don’t forget that the driver has nothing in front of them but a sheet of glass so would probably come off badly in a collision.  Oh yes, signals past at danger, red to you, is a sackable offence so, according to ‘eye witnesses,’ this route will be short of drivers soon.

Hello Old Regulator, there are two views on railway safety, that of the railway enthusiast, and that of the public that suffer terrible service, and are injured and killed.

The railway enthusiast will offer all sorts of reasonable explanations of procedures, but the public will never be convinced that all is well as long as people are killed by trains.

Are the people who see trains crossing the road when the barriers are up having hallucinations?

Cyfrifia.  As a public minded citizen why not go along to the crossing and send us a report.  I know this will drag you away from a certain lady’s bosoms but who knows you may prove me  wrong.

I am not a roving reporter specialising in danger zones, O.R.

What should we believe, a bland statement from Network Rail, or the veracity of members of the public?
Local residents say they saw trains going through the level crossing while the barriers were raised, and the police were called about it. Sounds like a matter for real concern.

It would be unusual for these 'stories' to circulate on such a matter as this if 'some' substance wasn't behind them. IF, and I do stress ' if,' these have any foundation at all, perhaps someone should 'write' to the Rail Regulator as a concerned member of the public to have the crossing 'checked'. In other words camera equipment etc etc which is available to the Rail Inspectorate for such purposes. It does depend really on 'accuracy' of the reports and not just malicious gossip - does it not?

Cyfrifia Of course it is a matter for concern, and as a passenger I want it to be safe and am reasonably sure it is.  The crossing is equipped with CCTV.  I note one eye witness got it wrong saying a train was coming when they were crossing, but did not understand that Yorkshire bound trains which stop at Smithy Bridge do indeed approach whilst the barriers are up, this to pacify motorist, local residents,  who complained that the barriers used to be down too long and the train was stood in the station.  

I try not to judge factual statements by experts as ‘bland’ when dealing with probably the most regulated public transport service.

As for not being a roving reporter, maybe more constructive action by all of us might bring about the changes you seem to be keen on, and I’m not just referring to railway issues.

Hello O.R., is the anesthetic wearing off now? Perhaps you are ready for some eggy pudding?   

Now, let me see, where does this wire go?   
http://www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/2/news-headlines/88345/safety-fears-as-smithy-bridge-level-crossing-fails-again
Just the bells and whistles a bit mixed up and barriers going up and down a bit random, if I connect this wire in here it might work, no, ah well.

Any more on this then?

Nothing too drastic, just the continuing saga of electro-mechanical failures, as expected.
http://www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/2/news-headlines/88883/smithy-bridge-level-crossing-failure

Not quite got it to work properly yet.

http://www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/2/news-headlines/95161/jammed-railway-level-crossing-shut-off-main-road-through-smithy-bridge-for-four-hours

They have obviously got a lot of numpties working on this one. The technology isn't that complicated. Needs a dedicated supervisor to kick arse.

For a combination of reasons it's always been obvious this level crossing is problematic and potentially dangerous, yes it needs someone realistic to manage the project.

Of those who argue that all is well and there is no problem, most annoying are the amateur railway enthusiasts. It's all very well being a choo-choo enthusiast, but, always arguing that the public are at fault and the railways are brilliant is silly.

Puffer nutters have always been silly. I know. I was there. They live in a make-believe world of gleaming steel traction and coal-fog. Reality is about as far from those people as we are from our nearest neighbouring galaxy. They survive by blundering. As there are always more of them as another one bites the dust the 'clan' proliferates ad-nauseum. It does little towards helping to keep modern day railways 'on track' and efficient. But it does help our nations perception abroad - that we are all wildly eccentric and thus 'worth a visit'.  It's a strange world - - - -.

If they sent a wagon round to collect all the eccentric engineers and steam enthusiasts from their garden sheds and put them in charge, they might do a better job than those who run the railways now?

http://www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/2/news-headlines/95229/full-steam-ahead-at-littleborough-coach-house

Oh dear me No. They wouldn't get passed a programme of works without having fallen out with each other and resigned in the process.

If no group of people either professional or amateur can run the railways any better than they are, this is as good as it gets. The best railway lines are the ones that have been derelict for many years, they make nice level nature walks.

A Network Rail spokesperson said: “The barriers at the Smithy Bridge level crossing malfunctioned last night."

There seems to be an ongoing intermittent technical problem with this level crossing that can't? be solved? Might be as well to slow trains to a gentle walking pace as they pass through and have a man with a red flag walking in front of them.

I think (if one wanted to) you (or somebody else) could demand an inquiry into the repeated failures from the RI (now under a different body OR /ORR I think) at Smithybridge and demand also that in the meantime the crossing be 'manned'. Manning will cost a fortune and may just propel someone into sorting out the problem tout de suite so to speak. Fair fortune.

Some engineers in the rail industry will know what has gone wrong on each occasion the barriers have failed, and if they don't they should be immediately re-trained and employed as baristas.