(On-request warning system) Penweathers (User-worked) Level Crossing, Cornwall

Official name: Paradise Level Crossing

Date filmed: 13/09/2022
Videos filmed at: 10:25 | 10:32

Route: Cornish Main Line
Between Truro and Redruth Stations

Crossing type: User-Worked Crossing with Miniature Stop Lights (UWC-MSL)

Location: 50.254757, -5.091201
Video chapters:
Walk-up and showcase - 0:00
-
Activation 1 (Starts at 1:48)
Class 150 (Great Western Railway) - 2:23
Penzance ➡ Plymouth
-
Activation 2 (Starts at 2:58):
Class 43 HST 'Castle Set' (Great Western Railway) - 3:32
Bristol Temple Meads ➡ Penzance

A quiet user-worked level crossing with red/green lights and alarms located just outside of Truro. Officially called 'Paradise level crossing', the name seems rather accurate as it is a very pleasant, peaceful and reasonably scenic location, with Penwithers Viaduct located just east of it. This is a seemingly very lesser-used level crossing which leads to both only a few houses and a public footpath in the area, and there are good track-side views here!

The system here (a 'Value for Money system' installed by Schweizer Electronic) is oddly only activated on request to save electricity as this level crossing is relatively under-used. Users are instructed to push a button to activate the lights before they cross so that they can obey the signals given (though it's not so much a 'button' but a sensor that activates the modules when touched). This is demonstrated at the start of the video. After a few minutes (enough time to safely cross and close both gates behind you even if you're in a vehicle), the lights will go out again, and the system will operate as usual for the period during which the lights are turned on. It is still unclear what would happen if the lights weren't activated with a train approaching, but all users are specifically instructed to activate them when they want to cross.

Thanks for watching!