Level Crossing (Trummery) Order (Northern Ireland) 2004

Article 3(c)

SCHEDULE 2 CONDITIONS AND REQUIREMENTS TO BE COMPLIED WITH BY THE RAILWAY UNDERTAKING

1.  The carriageway shall be at least 5 metres wide at the crossing.

2.  The ground at the two edges of the carriageway over the crossing shall be made up to the level of the carriageway for a distance of not less than 1 metre beyond each edge.

3.  The surface of the carriageway over the crossing shall be maintained in good and even condition.

4.  The barriers shall be kept in the fully raised position except during the time when engines, carriages or other vehicles passing along the railway have occasion to cross the road.

5.  The electric lamps on each barrier mentioned in Schedule 1 shall be lit at all times except when the barriers are in the fully raised position.

6.  If the road approaches to the crossing are lit the crossing shall be lit to at least the same standard.

7.  The protecting signals shall be controlled from the signal box containing the crossing control point. This control point shall be located so that there is a clear view of the crossing from it.

8.  The picture of the crossing shall be exhibited on the television monitor before the sequence of events to close the crossing to road traffic begins. The picture shall continue to be exhibited until either the barriers are fully raised after the ‘raise’ push-button is pressed, or if automatic raising is in operation after the ‘crossing clear’ push-button is pressed.

9.  Visual indicators and an audible alarm shall be provided at the control point. The indicators shall show when:

(a) the main power supply is available;

(b) all the barriers are fully raised;

(c) all the barriers are fully lowered;

(d) at least one of the intermittent red lights of the traffic light signals on each side of the railway is showing along the carriageway.

10.  The audible alarm shall sound if:

(a) any barrier is horizontally dislocated when in the fully-lowered position;

(b) the main power supply fails;

(c) all the red traffic light signals facing in one direction fail.

11.  When the ‘lower’ push-button is pressed or the train occupies a track circuit, the sequence of events to close the crossing to road traffic shall begin. The sequence shall be:

(a) the amber lights shall immediately show and the audible warning shall begin. The lights shall show for approximately 3 seconds;

(b) immediately the amber lights are extinguished the intermittent red lights shall show;

(c) 4 to 6 seconds later the left-hand side barriers shall begin to descend and shall take a further 6 to 10 seconds to reach the lowered position;

(d) the right-hand side barriers shall then begin to descend taking 6 to 10 seconds to reach the lowered position;

(e) the audible warning shall stop when all the barriers are fully lowered.

12.  The arrangements shall be such that the protecting railway signals can only be cleared after the barriers are fully lowered and after the ‘crossing clear’ push-button has been pressed. Unless the protecting signals have been cleared for another train, all the barriers shall rise simultaneously either after the ‘raise’ push-button has been pressed or automatically as soon as the train has passed clear of the crossing.

13.  If a train overruns a protecting signal the arrangements shall be such that the red lights will immediately show omitting the amber sequence, the audible warning will sound and all barriers remain in the raised position.

14.  The intermittent red lights shall continue to show until the barriers have begun to rise and shall be extinguished before the barriers have risen to an angle of 45 degrees above the horizontal.

15.  If any barrier fails to rise from the lowered position the intermittent red lights shall continue to show.

16.  Should automatic lowering or raising take an abnormally long time an audible and visual warning shall be given at the control point.