Silly Farmer

[Deltic18]

Evening all
Silly farmer who caused a bit of a problem.
Keep The Faith
Keith
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-15501510

[Blink Bonny]

Ay up!

There is a word ro describe him, which I shall not use on this forum. Catch the repeats of Last of the Summer Wine and Compo frequently uses it. The long one beginning with a P.

[richard]

Saw something similar near happen at Wills Point (Texas) in April (we do a Show in the old T&P depot, and everyone young or old runs out when they hear a train horn).

Chap had a large pickup truck, an RV trailer, and second trailer on that - stopped at traffic light so the rear trailer was blocking the Main. A short freight had stopped in the relief siding just short of the crossing to let a train through in the other direction on the Main (yes in the US a lot of main line trunk routes are single track with relief sidings every few miles). The driver of the short freight could see what was about to happen and was sounding his horn quite urgently but I don't think the truck driver had a clue that he was in imminent danger of being dragged backwards and relocated into the next town.

Luckily the light changed and he moved forward with seconds spare (he wouldn't have seen the incoming train until it was too late, due to the depot's position).

Richard

[Multiprinter]

Every bit as stupid is the judge who didn't send the farmer straight to gaol.

[StevieG]

At least it sounds like the crossing gates (or one at least) was initially probably closed.

There are problems with misuse of these user-worked crossings in many areas on the UK network (e.g., The RAIB is investigating a 25/09/11 EMU/tractor collision near Kings Lynn : The RAIB also released their report two months ago on the 17/08/10 collision at Sewage Works Lane, near Sudbury, Suffolk, between a 156 DMU and an articulated tanker, which resulted in derailment and several persons injured including five 'serious' :-http://www.raib.gov.uk/publications/inv ... 142011.cfm).
This includes misuse of their gates, whether it be dangerous positioning of users' vehicles while opening and closing them, or gates being left open (they should be closed by the user after use, but are often being left open, one factor in encouraging crossing misuse [and if long-term, possible eventual gate disuse and even disintegration).

Another website Forum has seen mention of this also being a potentially serious safety risk and headache for the heritage/preserved railways; the Wensleydale being mentioned as one with concerns over obtaining improvement with the problem (see RAIB report on a 01/08/11 train/car collision on this line :-
http://www.raib.gov.uk/publications/bul ... 5_2011.cfm ).

Sometimes, gates left open situations can be very difficult to combat and become protracted.
I well recall one case about 18 years ago, of a particular telephone-equipped accommodation crossing between fields, on a track-circuit block-worked and electrified single line in Essex having an hourly service both ways, with a resident farmer and frequent driver reports of gates left open.
This occurred over several years at least, to some greater or lesser degree, but on one autumn morning occasion, possibly thanks to a compressed time available for harvesting, or perhaps peeved and defiant after the latest visit from 'authority' on the matter, the signalman received a call on the crossing 'phone from the farmer which amounted to a virtual one-way conversation, along the lines (sorry), of : "I've got a lot to do here today, will be back and forth all the time (presumably with tractor/s or whatever), and if you expect me to stop and ring up every time, you got another think coming!" (click!) And no doubt the gates stayed open as well.

[Bryan]

A suggestion has been made elsewhere that the crossing should be closed as a result of this.
If it causes him hardship, well that would considered to be his own fault.

Would that be possible?
Might be a better deterrant than any fine.

[StevieG]

I understand that view. Don't really know though :

AFAIK, accommodation crossings were created as a legal obligation on the railway company to maintain access for the land owner (could've been a farmer) where construction of the line divided single pieces of land into two or more.

So closure could be very difficult, although AIUI, if land on only one side of these crossings changes hands (or perhaps both sides, but to different owners?) the railway owner has an automatic right to close the crossing.
But whether repeated safety breaches constitute some sort of special case ? .....

[Autocar Publicity]

I remember a case in recent years on the Cambrian, where a woman motorist was killed by a DMU which hit her car. The investigation revealed that the crossing phone had not been used for about 4-6 weeks before the accident. As the crossing was between her house and the (only) public road, it was fairly obvious she had taken a very cavalier attitude to safety - and one day paid the price.

There's a spot on the Leeds - Harrogate line at an occupation crossing which I used a couple of times to photograph the Spa Express, with gates either side, one way over the crossing the visibility is very poor (as with the incident on the Wensleydale) and one day I was there the gates were open and I stopped a postman about to drive across getting hit by a SSE train (actually there was an A4 on that day). It might have been a near miss, but if he had been lucky, it would have been far too close for comfort.

[neilgow]

This is not a problem common to the UK, I worked in Geramny during the 1970's and regularly visited the Rheine - Emden railway. If lucky, one could expect to see around three possibly four 4,000 tonne iron ore trains heading south from Emden. Usually headed by a pair of 3 cylinder oil fired Class 043 2-10-0's. Very impressive too.

One fine day, whilst located at a local road crossing, the barriers went down, in the distance was an approaching loaded iron ore train and along came a Mercedes, blew his horn and then the passenger got out and lifted the barrier to allow the car to cross. I shouted and pointed north, she shrugged and they carried on, oblivious to the oncoming train. As they got to the other gate, sanity prevailed but the hullaballoo from the 043's was quite impressive, they were not going to stop and how do you stop 4,000 tonnes in a hurry.

It has to be said I had my eye on some renumeration from the local press with camera at the ready to snap the ensuing carange. My German was good enough to understand the signalman's comments to the car driver, well it is basic in most languages.

Rgds

NG

[Blink Bonny]

Ay up!

I used to speak German rather well and it is a fantastic language to swear in! The swearwords have a wonderful literary quality. I wish I remembered more of them! Still, that's what a minor stroke does to you I guess...