If you register, you can do a lot more. And become an active part of our growing community. You'll have access to hidden forums, and enjoy the ability of replying and starting conversations.

Swanage Railway General Discussion

Discussion in 'Heritage Railways & Centres in the UK' started by Rumpole, Oct 10, 2012.

  1. twr12

    twr12 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Sep 2, 2007
    Messages:
    1,541
    Likes Received:
    693
    Network Rail were going to fund the cost of building the ramps, but after being turned down by the intransigence of the local authorities over two designs, NR have decided not to fund the ramps.

    The standoff being perpetuated by local councillors is ridiculous, NR offered time and again to build ramps to the existing footbridge to provide “step free” crossing of the railway when the level crossing is closed. Local councillors don’t want the level crossing closed so they block the ramps at every opportunity plus organise these silly meetings to make a fuss.
     
  2. torgormaig

    torgormaig Part of the furniture Friend

    Joined:
    Jul 17, 2007
    Messages:
    4,443
    Likes Received:
    6,546
    Can the local council actually stop the closure of the level crossing if an alternative (and safer) means of crossing the railway is being provided?

    Peter
     
  3. Steve1015

    Steve1015 Member

    Joined:
    May 26, 2011
    Messages:
    902
    Likes Received:
    268
    Gender:
    Male
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    Lifts wont be installed as not suitable due the amount of people that use the crossing, NR funding towards a replacement bridge runs out March 2019, the crossing is a permissive ROW and leased to DCC and has 20 years left to run. NR will not just close the crossing and walk away.
     
  4. MellishR

    MellishR Resident of Nat Pres Friend

    Joined:
    Apr 16, 2009
    Messages:
    8,068
    Likes Received:
    5,165
    The crossing was the original road out of Wareham towards the north, becoming a foot crossing when the new road bridge was built a little way to the east. The original road before the railway arrived would have been a public right of way. When and how did its status change to permissive, subject to the railway (and currently leased to the Council)?

    I visited last year just before the West Coast operated service ceased for the season. I don't recall seeing any sign of a security guard but it did seem that it would be difficult to force one's way onto the crossing when the gates were closed. What is the present situation? If it is still possible to force one's way across, why not just improve the fences?
     
  5. torgormaig

    torgormaig Part of the furniture Friend

    Joined:
    Jul 17, 2007
    Messages:
    4,443
    Likes Received:
    6,546
    Steve - you seem to be implying that everyone would have to use the lift to cross the railway. Most places that have a lift installed have it incorporated in the footbridge structure so that everyone's needs are catered for.

    Peter
     
    Wenlock and MellishR like this.
  6. Gladiator 5076

    Gladiator 5076 Part of the furniture

    Joined:
    Oct 2, 2015
    Messages:
    6,078
    Likes Received:
    4,892
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Swanage
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    Security Guard still in his hut I believe 363 days a year, (even if trains are not running due to engineering works) paid for by Dorset Council.
    Everyone is still so entrenched in their positions more chance of Donald and Kim signing a deal tomorrow.
    Locals seem not accept crossings are misused, bridge proposal too ugly and/or ramps too steep. Believe I read they feel a lift unacceptable as well as would be vandalised.
    They are also some bizarre ideas around, best one I saw was NR only want to close it so they can increase line speed to allow trains to run on the new line that will be built from Weymouth to Portland to allow for trains to run for the cruise ships at Portland.
     
    Last edited: Jun 11, 2018
  7. MellishR

    MellishR Resident of Nat Pres Friend

    Joined:
    Apr 16, 2009
    Messages:
    8,068
    Likes Received:
    5,165
    Thank you for confirming that. Clearly one option for the Council, and from their point of view perhaps the least worst given the objections to the alternatives, is to maintain the status quo for as long as the lease lasts. But what is wrong with improving the fences? Ten foot fences with razor wire at the top would be ugly, but perhaps less ugly than the proposed ramps. Anyone who forces their way through when the gate is closed would be in the same situation as someone doing so at a place where no crossing exists.

    Some footbridges with incorporated lifts are within stations, behind ticket barriers where those are present, but there certainly are some in public areas where people other than rail passengers with tickets can use and abuse them (though I recall the one at Kilkenny station being out of service when I was there on the RPSI long weekend last year).
     
  8. Steve1015

    Steve1015 Member

    Joined:
    May 26, 2011
    Messages:
    902
    Likes Received:
    268
    Gender:
    Male
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    My apologies for seeming to imply....not my intention
    A lift is not suitable and is not the preferred option
     
  9. Steve1015

    Steve1015 Member

    Joined:
    May 26, 2011
    Messages:
    902
    Likes Received:
    268
    Gender:
    Male
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    Am afraid you are slightly incorrect.
    When the bypass was built the road crossing was closed off along with the rights of way. There was never a legal public pedestrian right of way across the railway. When it was all closed off the local council realised their error and negotiated a lease for a permissive ROW which the public can use. The lease expired 25 years later and has been renewed for another 25 year (2013) and it wont be renewed after it expires.
    Hope this explains
     
    Wenlock likes this.
  10. Steve1015

    Steve1015 Member

    Joined:
    May 26, 2011
    Messages:
    902
    Likes Received:
    268
    Gender:
    Male
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    Sorry oh so wrong.....typical railway rumour
     
  11. MellishR

    MellishR Resident of Nat Pres Friend

    Joined:
    Apr 16, 2009
    Messages:
    8,068
    Likes Received:
    5,165
    What did I say that was incorrect? Are you saying that there was never a public right of way even before the railway arrived?
     
  12. Steve1015

    Steve1015 Member

    Joined:
    May 26, 2011
    Messages:
    902
    Likes Received:
    268
    Gender:
    Male
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    Yes ..there was never a legal pedestrian right of way across the railway...
     
  13. twr12

    twr12 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Sep 2, 2007
    Messages:
    1,541
    Likes Received:
    693
    Out of interest, is any Level Crossing a public right of way? Or have they always been by permission of the Railway?
     
  14. torgormaig

    torgormaig Part of the furniture Friend

    Joined:
    Jul 17, 2007
    Messages:
    4,443
    Likes Received:
    6,546
    I'm intrigued by this problem, Steve. I do not see why a lift is unsuitable in Wareham yet it works well in so many other places. If, as you say, it is not the preferred option do we know what is?

    Sorry to badger you with so many questions

    Peter
     
  15. Steve1015

    Steve1015 Member

    Joined:
    May 26, 2011
    Messages:
    902
    Likes Received:
    268
    Gender:
    Male
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    Ramped footbridge is the preferred option.

    Lifts out of the equation due to being unsuitable as a replacement for a footpath crossing.
     
  16. nine elms fan

    nine elms fan Part of the furniture

    Joined:
    Sep 18, 2012
    Messages:
    2,439
    Likes Received:
    855
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Retired
    Location:
    Wessex
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    Might not be in keeping with the surrounding area, bit of a toffee nosed bunch in Wareham.
     
  17. torgormaig

    torgormaig Part of the furniture Friend

    Joined:
    Jul 17, 2007
    Messages:
    4,443
    Likes Received:
    6,546
     
  18. torgormaig

    torgormaig Part of the furniture Friend

    Joined:
    Jul 17, 2007
    Messages:
    4,443
    Likes Received:
    6,546
    Prefered by whom I wonder - they are a monstrosity and I am unsure what they achieve that is not catered for by a combined lift/footbridge, which would take up far less space.

    Peter
     
  19. Jamessquared

    Jamessquared Nat Pres stalwart

    Joined:
    Mar 8, 2008
    Messages:
    26,103
    Likes Received:
    57,431
    Location:
    LBSC 215
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    I’m struggling to see how a combination lift + footbridge is an unsuitable replacement for a flat crossing in a way that a ramped footbridge isn’t.

    Tom
     
  20. Ploughman

    Ploughman Part of the furniture

    Joined:
    Apr 1, 2008
    Messages:
    5,806
    Likes Received:
    2,649
    Occupation:
    Ex a lot of things.
    Location:
    Near where the 3 Ridings meet
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    Are there likely to be any speaker announcements?
    Doors Opening etc.

    That may have an affect on local residents within 100m of the lift site.
     

Share This Page