Abandoned Hams Hall (EAR) Level Crossing, Coleshill, Warwickshire.
Location: 52.520307, 1.693010
Date Filmed: 15012020
A very rare, hidden and rather interesting abandoned level crossing, found at the end of the Hams Hall industrial estate, near Coleshill. The crossing was installed in the early 2000s on a branch / spur line that was never extended or completed. If built, it would've probably followed the River Tame, into the what was Hams Hall Power Station. The area is now an industrial estate. Whatever was planned was never started or completed, leaving the line to stop only 200 metres from the crossing. The level crossing has been left abandoned on what I believe is an Emergency Access Road to the estate, hence it has 'EAR' as part of its name. It was suppose to be an open level crossing, with just four warning lights. Some of the plastic lenses on the lights have cracked, exposing the insides of the concave metal which the halogen bulb is attached to. The crossing probably had two alarms, although I only found one, so the other one seems to have gone missing. Most of the approach signs have been vandalized. There are two signals either side of the crossing which very oddly still work and have been left on. There are two crossing buttons ('plungers') which are used to activate the level crossing. I didn't touch them in the surprising and awkward case they may still work. Its a very hidden crossing, beside a Nature Reserve, and you wouldn't find it unless you walked right past it, or saw it online. Nevertheless, another fascinating piece of railway infrastructure has been left to rot among the trees, probably never to be used again.
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