The Fully-renewed Buckland Level Crossing, Surrey

Date filmed: 16/07/2022
Videos filmed at: 18:50 | 19:01 | 19:07

Route: North Downs Line
Between Reigate and Betchworth Stations

Crossing type: Automatic Half Barrier Crossing (AHBC)

Location: Rectory Lane, Buckland
Old compared to new - 0:00
Trains featured:
Lowering 1 (Starts at 0:32):
Class 165 (Great Western Railway) - 1:10
Gatwick Airport ➡ Reading
-
Lowering 2 (Starts at 1:47)
Class 165 (Great Western Railway) - 2:37
Reading ➡ Gatwick Airport
-
Lowering 3 (Starts at 3:12)
Class 165 (Great Western Railway) - 3:47
Redhill ➡ Reading

A level crossing with automatic half barriers found down a quiet no-through road at the foot of the Surrey Hills just at the edge of the village of Buckland between Reigate and Dorking. Within three weeks of these videos being filmed, the level crossing was given a full renewal to replace life-expired equipment, but was kept as a half barrier level crossing. This renewal has been a pretty complete one; the wigwags (road traffic lights) and their supporting masts, the alarms, and the barriers are all new, and surprisingly there is now a thin set of lights in the corner next to the cottage. As to be expected, the alarms now sound throughout the activation sequence, whereas before they didn't. This is the smallest, quietest level crossing on the whole line, yet is the first of the half barrier level crossings to get a renewal to this extent since they were originally commissioned.

Three services are seen passing this level crossing in the evening. Some shots with the whole level crossing in view, comparing it between before and after the renewal, are featured at the start of the video.

Thanks for watching!