Date(s) filmed: Saturday the 14th of December 2024 / Tuesday the 7th of January 2025
Videos filmed at: 12:11 / 13:46
Route: Grain Branch Line
- Closest timing point: Grain (Old Station) (on Real Time Trains) for both
- The first crossing is only used by trains going to/from Grain Thamesport, and the second by trains heading to/from Grain Foster Yeoman.
Crossing type(s) - My best estimate as these are non-standard:
- Manually Controlled Barrier crossing (MCB) (?)
- Manually Controled Barrier crossing Remotely Monitored (MCBR) (?)
Filming location: Isle of Grain, Hoo Peninsula (ME3 0EP)
A pair of level crossings just 100 feet apart (yes, another double crossing) at the entrance to the Thames Port at Grain on the Hoo Peninsula in Kent. Both level crossings are publicly accessible as they are not on the operational part of the port and near the main road, and members of railway staff appear to almost be used to enthusiasts here. It's generally quite unusual that non-standard level crossings not found on heritage railways are at all publicly accessible, though the crossings are awkward for standing and see a high-level of HGV and vehicular usage. In the order of which you pass over them from the main road (reverse to their features in this video), the first, newer crossing with full barriers is on the line to the Foster Yeoman stone terminal, and the second crossing with older equipment and half-ish barriers is on the line into the Thamesport. The latter, and personal favourite of the two, may well fall inactive once HS2 trains finish their course of running, as these are pretty much its only users. In this video, both level crossings are featured activating, with long, slow trains entering the Thamesport and Foster Yeoman terminal respectively. A third, manual gated level crossing exists near this double-crossing, but isn't featured here as I am not sure of its accessibility to the public.
Both of these level crossings are unique, being non-standard, and despite their very close proximity to each other could not be less alike. The most quirky is the first featured in this video, having half-ish barriers and one sole working 'Yodalarm YO5' alarm (rare on any crossing) which sounds throughout the activation sequence, accompanied by two non-working alarms and Forest City wigwags with retrofitted LED bulbs, which unfortunately aren't brilliant when sun glare is factored in. This level crossing is operated by an attendant from open controls right beside the crossing on a cabinet (to which the sounding alarm is also fitted), which much contrasts the situation at the other (second in this video) crossing on the line to Foster Yeoman which is remotely-operated. This level crossing was fully-renewed at some point in the last few years, has 'Roshni' fire alarm sounders with sweeping tones, full barriers (one is missing its 'STOP' roundel which can be seen lying by the track), LED wigwags (exact make not known), Newgate barriers, and an amber light timer which is as much as ten seconds long - the longest I've ever seen on a crossing!
You may wonder why it took me so long to visit such a remarkable pair of crossings within just an hour of me, and why instead of coming to these I opted to film the nearby manual A228 crossing and Wybourne crossings numerous times over the years. I was always unsure of the situation of public access here until recently, but there is nothing to suggest it's not possible or allowed, and a friend visited the crossings twice and proved it fine to visit. I also then discovered some older videos from here too. Nonetheless, I am glad to have finally gotten around to filming both. I hope you enjoy these sunlit videos!
Trains featured:
Grain Thamesport "No.2" (Thamesport Line) Intro - 0:00
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Grain Thamesport No.2 (Thamesport Line) Lowering (0:40):
66 727 'Maritime Intermodal One' (GB Railfreight) - 1:10
6O82 West Ruislip HS2 Stop Boards ➡ Grain Thamesport GBRf | On-time
Barrier raise - 4:30
-
From one crossing to the other - 5:02
-
Grain Thamesport "No.1" (Foster Yeoman Line) Lowering (5:27):
66 796 'The Green Progressor' (GB Railfreight) - 7:10
6O12 Ferme Park Reception Line (GBRf) ➡ Grain Foster Yeoman (GBRf) | 2 minutes late
Barrier raise (& Amber light reactivation) - 9:36
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End-of-video picture showcase: 9:57
Train details sourced from:
Real Time Trains: https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/search/detailed/
Traksy: https://traksy.uk/live
Filmed on: Panasonic HC-VX1 in 4K, 25fps
Thanks for watching!