The UK's Longest Level Crossing - Helpston Level Crossing, Cambridgeshire

Helpston Level Crossing, Helpston, Cambridgeshire

Date filmed: 17/10/2020

Routes: East Coast Main Line / Birmingham to Peterborough Line
Between Peterborough and Grantham / Stamford Stations

Location: B1443 Glinton Road, Helpston
Trains: Class 801 & 800 (LNER Azuma) - 3:04

A very long and rather iconic level crossing found a few miles to the north of Peterborough within the village of Helpston, 81 miles north of London on the East Coast Main Line. At roughly 230ft (70 metres) in length, it is the longest level crossing in the UK, and it spans a total of six tracks with the two of the Birmingham to Peterborough Line separated by a short stretch of the level crossing from the four tracks of the busy and high speed East Coast Main Line. It takes a considerable amount of time to walk from one side to the other at this level crossing as a result, and there is a 5-second time gap between the lowering of each barrier pair for safety reasons.

This level crossing was previously two separate manual gate level crossings, one for each route which this level crossing is located on, but it was made into one very long level crossing during re-signalling, and now the signal box which controls this level crossing is located in the middle of the level crossing itself. There are four loud alarms at this level crossing as to make sure the alarm sound is audible across the entire length of and around the level crossing, one of which has become incredibly faulty as of recent to the time of filming and it sounds with a slow and very wobbly tone (clearly heard in this video).

The four barriers here have also been renewed since my previous visits here, and the current four were installed pair by pair in June 2020 to replace the previous set of barriers which were in a very tired state. What can be noted about one of these barriers is that is has a rather odd fault where it dampens but doesn't go to its fully lowered position straight away (seen in the distance on the far-left barrier in this video), which has been known to occur at this level crossing throughout the years. This is a very busy level crossing, and it's responsible for a lot of traffic build up a lot of the time on this moderately busy road running through the village.

Thanks for watching!