St. Mary's Bay (Jefferstone Lane) Level Crossing, Kent

Date filmed: 12/12/2020
Route: Romney, Hythe & Dymchurch Railway (RH&DR)
- St. Mary's Bay (Request Stop) Station
Location: Jefferstone Lane, St. Mary's Bay
Trains: RH&DR Locmotive No.2 "Northern Chief" - Whistles at 0:24 - Appears at 0:38
A half barrier level crossing with halogen white floodlights and halogen driver's crossing indicators located within a quiet residential area at the edge of the settlement of St. Mary's Bay on the Kent Coast - one of thirteen half barrier level crossings on the narrow-gauge Romney, Hythe & Dymchurch miniature steam railway. This level crossing is located next to St. Mary's Bay Station - the only request stop on the line which runs for a total of thirteen and a half miles along the Kent Coast between Hythe and Dungeness. At this station, anyone wishing to get on or off of one of the trains would have to signal to the train driver from the platform, or tell the train driver in advance that they want to board or alight here, in order to be able to do so. This half barrier level crossing has fairly quiet alarms, and is officially known as 'Jefferstone Lane Level Crossing', named after the road which it is located on. Four 1970s GEC Elliot halogen wigwags were operational at this level crossing to the day of filming to alert drivers of the approaching trains, one of which had a dropped amber light. As seen in a picture at the end of the video, one of the 'Stop When Lights Show' signs on approach to this level crossing rather oddly features a smaller retro-fitted triangular sign which was fitted to state the subsequent addition of half barriers in 2005, fitted within a larger triangle which would have once shown a steam train to alert drivers that this level crossing had no barriers back in the day.
It can also be noticed that the barrier lights on the half barrier closest to the New Romney-bound track of this level crossing have a loose or faulty connection, since the barrier lights illuminate until the barrier is two thirds of the way lowered before turning off, and very briefly turning back on just before the barrier is fully raised at the very end of the level crossing sequence. The train that can be seen passing in this video was running the final leg of the second return journey of the running day of the railway's Santa Specials.
The 1970s halogen wigwags have since been replaced as of the start of the 2023 season.
Thanks for watching!

[@lewfinnis7795]

I had the pleasure of seeing these crossings from the other point of view a couple of years ago when my family paid for me to have a 'Footplate Experience' as a belated 70th birthday present. Highly recommended!

[@GBLCUK]

I love st Mary‘s Bay level Crossing

[@SouthEastLevelCrossings]

I quite like it too personally, though I prefer the level crossings around Dymchurch Station and Botolph's Bridge 👍

[@SgtChip]

Neat. It's cool how the railway retrofitted the triangle sign.

[@SouthEastLevelCrossings]

Thanks! It is rather interesting what they did there.

[@NELincsTrainspotting]

Great video

[@SouthEastLevelCrossings]

Thanks! Glad you enjoyed!

[@OttoFeher]

Nice

[@SouthEastLevelCrossings]

Thank you!

[@jameswhetton5202]

That's a request stop station

[@GBLCUK]

Yes it is

[@SouthEastLevelCrossings]

Yes this is a request stop station. You're correct 👍