(Night Mode Alarms) Late-night Freight Train at Wybourne Level Crossing, Kent

Date filmed: 14/06/2021
Video filmed at 22:49
Route: Grain Branch Line (Hundred of Hoo Railway)
- Closest timing point: Cliffe Signal NK509 (on Realtime Trains)
Location: Wybournes Lane, High Halstow
Trains:
Class 66 (GBRF) "Sence" - 1:16
Brentford Town Days ➡ Grain Foster Yeoman
A video of the unique un-gated level crossing located at the edge of the village of High Halstow in the Hoo Peninsula of northern Kent, filmed activating for one of the freight trains heading for the Thames Port at Grain at close to 11pm. At this time, the alarms had switched to their "night mode" setting and were significantly quieter than they usually are here, and the train took twice as long as usual to arrive at this level crossing as it was going quite a bit more slowly. You can also see from the difference in the speed of the train, between the locomotive passing over the level crossing compared to how fast it was going when the last wagon was being hauled across, just how much the trains have to slow for this level crossing as it has no barriers. It was a very unique and cool, different experience filming so late on in the day, and I chose to experience this at my personal favourite level crossing in Kent and its quiet and rural location.
The transition at the start has been edited in as I was filming for a long time before the level crossing had activated, but stopped recording until the level crossing actually activated, as I wasn't expecting the train to take so much longer than the usual 3-4 minutes after leaving the closest timing point to arrive.
Believe it or not, the end-of-video pictures were actually taken not too long before the video was filmed, in the pitch black! This was the work of my filming device's stellar 'night' mode, along with a little help with the exposure in editing.
Thanks for watching!

[@bayernbahn1549]

Cool, I like such small level crossings without barriers! And this brigth LED, everything is lit red!

[@SouthEastLevelCrossings]

Thank you! 👍👍
The LEDs are so bright at night, so it's no wonder the surroundings are lit up amber and red when they flash!

[@jameswhetton5202]

Good video Caleb 👍, the alarms sound quite nice in night mode

[@SouthEastLevelCrossings]

Thanks, James! 👍👍I agree

[@FlashingRedProductions]

What I do like about the automatic locally monitored crossings is that they come with floodlights that light up the crossing when it activates, especially because it helps with making the crossing and train more visible on camera.
Sounds different in night mode too, although, I don’t know if it’s just because of the way the recording has picked it up or if it’s because I wasn’t wearing any headphones at the time of commenting, but the alarms seem louder than I thought they’d be. Might just be me though, lol.
Great video anyway! 👍😁

[@SouthEastLevelCrossings]

Thank you! 👍😁
The crossing floodlights did make a difference for visibility. I'd boosted the audio to improve audibility, and it is roughly as loud in real life as it is in the video after editing (well if you're listening at full volume on a mobile device that is, at least for me).

[@NELincsTrainspotting]

Great video of a nice crossing. Nice catch of this in night mode 👍

[@SouthEastLevelCrossings]

Thanks very much! 👍👍

[@freebrickproductions]

Great video and crossing!

[@SouthEastLevelCrossings]

Thanks very much! 👍👍

[@nathansrailwayphotography8125]

Great video

[@SouthEastLevelCrossings]

Thanks!

[@ElectraProductions225]

Senceeeee Great Video!

[@SouthEastLevelCrossings]

Thanks very much! 😁

[@JTCrossingsUK]

Wow that would be a great Halloween trailer hahaha

[@SouthEastLevelCrossings]

Yeah it would tbf. Very atmospheric!

[@Newtownabbeyist208]

They sound like Roundham

[@SouthEastLevelCrossings]

They do actually. Didn't make the connection until you said, however.