RAILWAY REALISM
Level crossings are one of the common features on model railways, but few represent the diversity of styles which existed on the national system, as EVAN GREEN-HUGHES discovered.
WHEN BRITAIN’S railways were under construction, mostly in the 19th century, their lines stretched for many thousands of miles and as they did so they cut through many acres of private land and bisected any roads, canals and rivers that happened to be in their path.
Each of these obstacles had to be crossed and provision was made for those who were already occupying or using them. This was a process that caused many arguments during and after the legislative process to build the railway. Where the topography was suitable, existing rights of way could be accommodated by running them either over or under the railway. This was accomplished by providing bridges which would vary in character from those which could carry ‘only the normal traffic of the area’ (later defined as less than three tons) to those which were built to full highway standards. Bridges provided in this way were paid for by the railway’s promoters and were for many years maintained by the railway itself, although in recent years responsibility f…
