Report on the Accident that occurred on 8th March 1972 at Funtham's Lane Occupation Level Crossing near Whittlesea in the Eastern Region British Railways

"The crossing is protected by manually controlled barriers operated, and monitored by closed circuit television, from King's Dyke signalbox 517 yards distant. The 08.05 Whitemoor to Leicester Down goods train was travelling at about 30 mph under clear signals when it collided with the rear of the lorry. The barriers were in the raised position and the road signals and bells were not working because the signalman and a technician working in the signalbox had between them irregularly released a vital electric lock on the signal protecting the crossing.

Although there was no derailment, the lorry and the locomotive were badly damaged and one barrier machine was destroyed. The emergency services were immediately alerted and arrived without delay, and rail traffic was allowed to pass over the Up line at 10.56 although the Down line was not opened until 13.40. The secondman, who was driving the train, was trapped in his cab for almost 1£½ hours, but he and his driver and the lorry driver suffered only cuts, bruises and shock. The weather was overcast but visibility was good.

The crossing, although only of Occupation status had a bad history of accidents when it was equipped with user operated gates, and was the subject of an Inquiry in April 1958. It was equipped with manually controlled barriers monitored by closed circuit television (CCTV) in March 1970 and was the first crossing to be so equipped in the United Kingdom."

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