ABUSE: Langley Green MCB

Langley Green in the West Midlands is one of the most abused level crossings in the UK, by both motorists and pedestrians. Not surprisingly, it was chosen by the BBC in August as a location for a live news report about railway crime and trespass.

Also not surprisingly, the camera crew caught a pedestrian dodging the barriers as the crossing was closing, as the above still shows.

More photos and details can be found on the Daily Mail website.

Photo (c) BBC

INCIDENT: Bog Hall Farm UWC, Durham 13.08.09

A motorist was struck by a freight train on a user worked crossing in County Durham.

The unnamed woman was reported to have edged her Mazda out onto the crossing, at Bog Hall near Stillington, to get a clearer view of the track. The vehicle was struck by a Fiddlers Ferry - Middlesbrough freight train operated by Great British Rail Freight. No injuries were reported and the train did not derail.

Comment - this photo was taken in 2006; reports suggest that the crossing is currently gated.

Photo (c) Hugh Mortimer at www.geograph.org.uk

INCIDENT: Cults Mill UWC, Springfield, Fife 08.08.09

A teenager was killed after being struck by a train on a crossing in Fife, Scotland.

Natalie Mulholland, 16, was hit by a First ScotRail service from Edinburgh to Dundee around 11.30pm. The user-worked crossing is on a private access road to a farm near the village of Springfield. Reports suggest that a group of youths were making their way back to the village over the crossing when the incident occurred.

Photo (c) thescottishsun.co.uk

INCIDENT: Dalchalm AOCL, Sutherland 07.08.09

A refuse lorry and a passenger train collided at an automatic open crossing on Scotland's most incident-prone line.

The rear of a Highland Council refuse lorry was clipped by the 1038 Inverness-Wick passenger train on the Dalchalm crossing near Brora. No injuries were reported and the train did not derail.

Several of the eleven automatic open crossings on the Inverness-Wick line have been the scene of incidents in recent years, including a multiple fatality at Delny in 2007.

Photo (c) The Northern Times