They Took the Barriers Away. Then Nine People Died.

Why do British level crossings have half barriers, an amber light before the reds, and signs telling lorry drivers to phone first? A lot of it goes back to a crash. This is the history of level crossings in Britain, from paid gatekeepers in 1839 to automatic half barriers, lights-only crossings and the crossings still being closed today. If you wish to support my efforts please visit Ko-Fi page, I credit every supporter in my videos with your name and/or YouTube channel handle as you prefer. https://ko-fi.com/marcflint For enquiries and outreach please contact me at flintmarc1@gmail.com #trains #levelcrossing #railway #railwayhistory Covered in this video: Naworth 1926 and the gatekeeper's job Minster and Whitehall Road, Kent's pump barrier crossings The first automatic half barriers at Spath, 1961 The Leominster near miss and the Hixon disaster, 1968 Lockington 1986 and crossings with lights but no barriers The Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch Railway crossings Halkirk 2009 Elsenham 2005 and the second train warning Athelney 2013 and driving round half barriers Why Network Rail closes crossings Sources: Railway Regulation Act 1842; Railways Clauses Consolidation Act 1845; British Transport Commission Act 1957 Ministry of Transport report on Naworth, A. H. L. Mount, 1926 Ministry of Transport, Hixon inquiry report, 1968 Hansard, House of Commons, 17 January 1968 and 13 November 1968 Level Crossing Protection, HMSO, 1978 Department of Transport report on Lockington, King, 1987 Automatic Open Level Crossings: A Review of Safety, HMSO, 1987 RAIB reports 23/2006 (Elsenham), 16/2010 (Halkirk), 12/2011 (automatic open crossings) and 04/2014 (Athelney) Evans, Accident Analysis and Prevention, 2011 Evans and Hughes, Accident Analysis and Prevention, 2019 Office of Rail and Road, Railway Safety Publication 7 and Rail Safety 2025-26 Network Rail KentOnline RailAdvent railsigns.uk BOOKS The Hixon Railway Disaster: The Inside Story, Richard Westwood https://link.amazon/B0ibTQ1El (#ad) Level Crossings, Stanley Hall and Peter van der Mark (used copies) https://link.amazon/B04Xgr6l7 (#ad) Danger Signals, Stanley Hall (used copies) https://link.amazon/B0fRsa4jg (#ad) As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. #levelcrossing #railway #trains #railwayhistory