Brook Level Crossing, Surrey

Date filmed: Monday the 13th of October 2025
Videos filmed between 12:35 and 13:04

Route: North Downs Line
Between Gomshall (GOM) and Chilworth (CHL) Stations

Crossing type: Manually Controlled Barrier crossing with 2nd generation Obstacle Detection (MCB-OD2)

Filming location: New Road, Brook (GU5 9DJ)

A level crossing with a second-generation obstacle detection system deep within the Surrey Hills near the village of Albury. This level crossing on the North Downs Line was extensively renewed during re-signalling in September 2025, and the barrier down time is now significantly longer than before, as it used to have automatic half barriers. By far the most unusual aspect here is the fact that the E2S 'Appello' alarms used play an electronic bell sound! This does, however, noticably 'loop' by the time the entry side barriers have lowered, as it stops for a second or so before re-starting for the rest of the lowering sequence. It's the first crossing anywhere in the UK to have any sort of Electronic Bell, and you'd think it's like this to please the very affluent local residents, who would very likely not like it if it had standard-sounding alarms.

The lowering sequence is now considerably longer than the half-barrier days as the crossing is integrated with the signals and is lowering itself in enough time to keep trains seeing the least restrictive signals possible all being well, and also in enough time to allow the trains to be brought to a stop safely in times of issue. Trains will slow significantly if they see any form of yellow, let aside red, signal, causing needless delay time if trains were, for no good reason, constantly brought to a crawl or stop every time it needed lowering (issues and obstructions aside, of course). Overall, though, you have to wonder why a seemingly low-risk crossing was given such an extensive and expensive renewal and conversion, as opposed to a simple barrier renewal, although the old signalling system is believed to have had issues with track circuit voltage and wire decay amongst other things. The set-up is also quite high-voltage, and Newgate 'Rising Arm' barriers have been used, the only kind of set-up that can be integrated with the signalling system Atkins uses.

Trains featured:
Lowering 1 (0:00):
'6U04' Eastleigh East Yard ➡ Paddock Wood Keylands Sidings (N.R. Rail Grinders) - 2:15
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Lowering 2 (2:48):
165 106 (Great Western Railway) - 4:10
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Lowering 3 (4:44):
165 117 (Great Western Railway) - 6:34
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Lowering 4 (7:08):
165 114 (Great Western Railway) - 8:35
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End-of-video picture showcase: 8:57

Train details sourced from:
Real Time Trains: https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/sear...
Open Train Times: https://www.opentraintimes.com/maps
Traksy: https://traksy.uk/live

Filmed on: Panasonic HC-VX1

Thanks for watching!