INVESTIGATION: Bunchrew AOCL

An investigation into alleged failures at a Scottish automatic open crossing has revealed a battery used to power train detection gear was losing power.

The Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) met with Network Rail over concerns that the warning lights at the crossing at Bunchrew, Invernessshire, had failed on several occasions.

A spokesman for ORR said: "The immediate cause of the failures was exhaustion of the battery power supply to track circuits, with underlying causes relating to local factors at the crossing and possibly the particular batch of batteries.

"The track circuits are used for train detection and thereby initiate crossing operation."

He added: "Network Rail have reassessed the demand made on the supplies at Bunchrew and have increased the frequency at which the batteries are replaced and are taking other steps to ensure that the problem does not recur.

"ORR will continue to monitor performance at the crossing and we note that there have been no further failures from this cause since remedial action was taken."

A spokesman for Network Rail said: "We have worked closely with the ORR throughout their investigation at Bunchrew level crossing and will be incorporating their recommendations into our regular maintenance regime."