New Barriers at the unique Grays (Pedestrian) Level Crossing, Thurrock (Essex)

Date filmed: Monday the 2nd of September 2024
Videos filmed between 17:40 and 18:34

Route: London, Tilbury, and Southend Railway (Tilbury Loop)
Grays (GRY) Station

Crossing type: Manually Controlled Barrier crossing with CCTV (MCB-CCTV)

Filming location: High Street, Grays (RM17 6NX)

55 minutes' worth of evening peak time trains filmed at this unique pedestrian level crossing over the Tilbury Loop Line on a small pedestrianised precinct in Grays Town Centre, Thurrock. This video features almost entirely c2c Class 357 units working peak-time services, which went via Rainham and Tilbury to terminate at Pitsea, though a Freightliner Class 66 and an intermodal breaks up the monotony of this almost entirely self-contained heavy rail network in one of the lowerings featured. The last train in the video was an empty stock movement heading back to the depot at East Ham which was meant to pass at speed but got brought down to a red signal to give way to a train waiting to depart the 'bay' platform at the opposite end of the station as it was early. I hope you enjoy these videos!

Network Rail have been trying to close this highly-notorious level crossing for almost a decade now, but as of yet with no success. The location isn't suitable for a large enough accessible footbridge with lifts, and a planned underpass to replace the crossing has yet to show any signs of its construction even starting. This is one of the highest risk level crossings in the entire country due to excessively-high misuse and trespass rates (a good proportion being fare evaders), but it seems here to stay for a good while yet. Even though it's not on the main thoroughfare, this part of the high street gets very busy at all times during the day, and the only footbridge over the railway is narrow, high-up due to the overhead electrification, grim, and frequently congested, so many choose to just wait. You can even see the barriers briefly being stopped for someone impatient in this video.

As it's not likely to go any time soon, Network Rail have finally given in and given the barriers here a well-needed replacement recent to the time of filming, though the current pairs' skirting is already slightly bent. They're higher up off the ground than usual and have extra bits of skirting underneath them, but there's still not a single barrier light on either. This means that, as the lights themselves (there are only four pedestrian lights here as visual warnings which are further in from the crossing point than ideal) were renewed a few years ago now, the crossing has been almost entirely renewed with the only exception being the alarms, which sound practically identical to each other and could really do with being louder. The crossing is controlled from Upminster's Integrated Electronic Control Centre, which rather uniquely controls the entire line from London Fenchurch Street right the way through to Shoeburyness, and the CCTV cameras the crossing keeper uses to monitor the crossing are higher up due to the clutter.

Trains featured:
Start of video - 0:00
-
Lowering 1 (0:15):
357 328 & 357 029 (c2c) - 1:08
2R14 London Fenchurch Street ➡ Pitsea (via Rainham & Tilbury) | On-time
-
357 011 & 357 044 (c2c) - 1:52
1R21 Pitsea ➡ London Fenchurch Street (via Tilbury & Rainham) | On-time
-
Lowering 2 (2:32)
357 006 & 357 023 (c2c) - 3:34
2R16 London Fenchurch Street ➡ Pitsea (via Rainham & Tilbury) | 1 minute late
-
Lowering 3 (4:13):
66 513 (Freightliner) & Intermodal freight train - 5:11
4L46 Lawley Street Freightliner Terminal ➡ London Gateway (Freightliner) | On-time
-
Lowering 4 (6:24):
357 039 & 357 318 (Pride livery) (c2c) - 6:52
2R18 London Fenchurch Street ➡ Pitsea (via Rainham & Tilbury) | On-time
-
Lowering 5 (7:31):
357 020 & 357 211 (c2c) - 8:16
2R25 Pitsea ➡ London Fenchurch Street (via Tilbury & Rainham) | On-time
-
357 015 & 357 005 (c2c) - 8:57
2R20 London Fenchurch Street ➡ Pitsea (via Rainham & Tilbury) | On-time
-
Lowering 6 (9:40):
357 029 & 357 328 Empty Coaching Stock (c2c) - 10:30
5E15 Pitsea ➡ East Ham E.M.U.D. (via Tilbury & Rainham) | 2 minutes early
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End-of-video picture showcase: 11:20

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 in 4K 25fps

Thanks for watching!