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GWR Route: Hatton to Bearley and Alcester Branch
Great Alne Station: gwrga801
Looking towards Alcester in 1949 showing the level crossing
that guarded one end of the station. The road lead down to a ford across the
river Alne and then up to the village of Haselor. The level crossing was
protected by the standard GWR medium hand gate arrangement; wooden construction
with three panels, a mandatory Board of Trade red target (for day
time visibility) and oil lamps (for night time). When required, the gates at
Great Alne were manually operated by the station porter. The porter was also
responsible for the maintenance of the level crossing gate lamps and the lamp
on the distance signal, which protected the crossing from the Alcester
direction.
The level crossing gate bolts (fixed to the large black
square gate posts) were released from a three-lever ground frame, which also
controlled the interlocked up and down distance signals. Rule 99 of the Railway
Clearing House standard rulebook required level crossing gates to be kept
closed against the roadway, except when required to be opened to allow the line
to be crossed, but with the increase in road traffic the law was changed
in 1933 and upon application to the Minister of Transport level crossing gates
could be normally closed across the railway. These crossings were called
Rule99 Exempt.
Robert Ferris
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