Tallington Level Crossing, Lincolnshire

Date filmed: 24/02/2023
Videos filmed between 13:44 and 14:12

Route: East Coast Main Line (ECML)
Between Peterborough and Grantham Stations

Crossing type: Manually Controlled Barriers Crossing with CCTV (MCB-CCTV)

Location: A1175 Main Road, Tallington
Trains featured:
Lowering 1 (0:00):
1) Class 800 (LNER Azuma) - 1:03
Harrogate ➡ London Kings Cross

2) Class 180 (Grand Central) - 1:32
London Kings Cross ➡ Sunderland
-
Lowering 2 (1:54):
1) Class 801 (LNER Azuma) - 2:53
London Kings Cross ➡ Edinburgh Waverley

2) Class 800 (LNER Azuma) - 3:15
Aberdeen ➡ London Kings Cross

3) 2 Class 801s (LNER Azuma) - 3:35
London Kings Cross ➡ Leeds

4) Class 91 & Mk.4 Driving Van Trailer "Intercity 225" (LNER) - 3:55
Leeds ➡ London Kings Cross
-
Lowering 3 (4:17):
Class 801 (LNER Azuma) - 5:05
London Kings Cross ➡ York
-
Lowering 4 (5:29):
Class 802 (Hull Trains 'Paragon') - 6:24
Hull Paragon Interchange ➡ London Kings Cross

A level crossing found next to a footbridge over the busy East Coast Main Line on a very busy main road in the village of Tallington, Lincolnshire. The weight of traffic for both railway and road traffic at this location means that long queues of vehicles frequently build up here. Since my last visit, the barriers have been at long last renewed after falling into a state of considerable disrepair, but so has one of the alarms. As for the other alarm, it has gone flat and produces a loud continuous tone. Trackside views here are quite good, but on one side they're obstructed by vegetation looking southbound, and a mast for the overhead electrification intrudes into the view southbound on the other side. There is an abandoned signal box here which has been out of use for some years now.

A selection of high speed traffic features in this video, including an Intercity 225 set in full LNER 'Oxblood' colours. During the second lowering, I spotted and zoomed in on one of the flashing green signals exclusive to this section of the East Coast Main Line, which were put in place as a trial to allow the Intercity 225 sets reach their planned speeds of 140mph / 225kmh on this section between Peterborough and Grantham. However, since it wasn't deemed practical to observe lineside colour light signals at this speed, all traffic was limited to 125mph / 201kmh without specialist infrastructure (e.g. in-cab signalling). These would've been a 'fifth aspect' as well as the usual four (red, yellow, double-yellow, and green), with the driver having to slow to 125mph if they saw a steady green signal. Today, they are just there in situ and activate when the line is clear for at least four more signals.

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