Isle of Grain Level Crossing

A Class 66 with a number of hoppers makes its way to the Grain sidings where it will head off into one of the docks or factories here on the Isle of Grain. The train had just come all the way along the single track line from Hoo Junction and was seen earlier in the day by me; captured at Aylesford Village Level Crossing. This is a quite unique crossing. For a start, it is in a bizarre place. The crossing at Stoke was bypassed by a really huge bridge but this one hasn't been even though it is in the heart of the industrial estate, and there still is room for one. The other bizarre thing is that this is the only crossing in the UK (not sure about anywhere else) to have the road number change at it. On the side I was filming, the road is the B2001, but the other side of the track is the A228. This is also one of two (soon to be one) crossings that has LEDs and manually operated gates. This crossing must have had its lights changed from 80s halogens at some point last year, as there are no pictures of it as an LED crossing. As can be heard too, the crossing has an alarm, which only activates once the amber light has gone out, and still jitters at first. Worryingly, the gate closest to the camera still has a foot wide gap in it even when fully closed. The driver and crossing operator exchanged tokens when the train crossed. The man who operated the gates drove up to the crossing in a white van and then let the train by before heading into the sidings. He must be a part of Thamesport or something. Whilst filming, I was approached by a man from the National Grid security. He asked why I was filming on their lawn and my dad had to give him ID. I hope he hasn't been arrested.

Route: Hundred of Hoo Railway
County: Kent
Train: 2:00