Mainline Diversions at Portobello Junction (Noose Lane) Level Crossing, West Midlands - 07/03/2026

Route: Walsall to Wolverhampton Line Between Willenhall (WIA) and Wolverhampton (WVH) Stations Crossing type: Manually Controlled Barrier crossing with CCTV (MCB-CCTV) Filming location: Noose Lane, Willenhall (WV13 3BX) Looking back, one of my favourite videos from Early 2026. Here's an action-packed video from just over an hour at Noose Lane Level Crossing, a heavily-filmed mid-2010's-installed level crossing with absolutely blaring alarms. On the date/weekend of filming, the line between Tipton and Soho (the 'Stour Valley' section of the West Coast Main Line) was closed for engineering works, which meant that everything that would normally pass through the likes of Smethwick Galton Bridge and Sandwell & Dudley got diverted via Bescot Stadium and the Walsall to Wolverhampton Line, past the sites of the stations at Willenhall and Darlaston which opened within weeks of filming. I'd filmed more action than I had ever done so previously at this level crossing in this one session alone, as the line was pretty busy! If you'd like to experience this crossing, it's highly recommended you try to visit on one of these days for the best action. In the weeks after filming, the higher-pitched yodel (alarm) slowed and developed a flat tone. The pair were replaced by a buzzy new pair in late August. No other changes at this crossing have occurred since. Trains featured: Lowering 1 (0:00): 350 402 + 350 125 (London North Western Railway) - 1:10 1G57 Liverpool Lime Street ➡ Birmingham New Street - Lowering 2 (1:40): 390 044 (Avanti West Coast 'Pendolino') - 2:53 9S80 London Euston ➡ Edinburgh Waverley - Lowering 3 (3:30): 221 132 (Cross Country) - 4:23 1V61 Manchester Piccadilly ➡ Bristol Temple Meads - Lowering 4 (4:51): 221 116 (Cross Country) - 5:50 1M50 Reading ➡ Manchester Piccadilly - Lowering 5 (6:19): 221 126 (Cross Country) - 7:10 1O24 Manchester Piccadilly ➡ Bournemouth - Lowering 6 (7:44): 221 119 (Cross Country) - 8:35 1M53 Bristol Temple Meads ➡ Manchester Piccadilly - Lowering 7 (9:03): 1) 350 125 + 350 402 (London North Western Railway) - 9:55 1F64 Birmingham New Street ➡ Liverpool Lime Street 2) 390 119 'Progress' (Avanti West Coast 'Pendolino') - 10:30 9M56 Edinburgh Waverley ➡ London Euston - Lowering 8 (11:13): 1) 350 116 + 350 120 (London North Western Railway) - 12:00 1G59 Liverpool Lime Street ➡ Birmingham New Street 2) 390 009 (Avanti West Coast 'Pendolino') - 12:35 9S85 London Euston ➡ Glasgow Central - 221 117 (Cross Country) - 13:25 1V63 Manchester Piccadilly ➡ Bristol Temple Meads - End-of-video picture showcase: 13:51 Train details sourced from: Real Time Trains: https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/sear... Open Train Times: https://www.opentraintimes.com/maps Traksy: https://traksy.uk/live Filmed on: Panasonic HC-VX1 in 4K, 25fps Thanks for watching!