NGE 218 Type F level crossing management

Purpose

To prescribe the rules for testing and management of Type F level crossings in the Network.

Testing warning equipment

Type F level crossing roadside and pedestrian warning equipment must be tested by authorised on-site testers, or by remote monitoring.

The warning equipment must be tested at a time when all equipment will operate.

Test results must be recorded in permanent form.

On-site testing intervals

Unless testing is suspended, warning equipment that is tested on-site must be tested daily, at not more than 32‑hour intervals.

Testing may be suspended only on the authority of the Signals Maintenance Representative.

If testing is suspended, the Signals Maintenance Representative must tell affected Signallers.

If rail traffic needs to use a level crossing that has not been tested for 32 hours, Signallers must treat the level crossing as potentially faulty.

Authorising testing

The Signaller must authorise each test immediately before it is done.

Before authorising a test, the Signaller must make sure that no rail traffic is closely approaching the level crossing.

Remote monitoring

Qualified Workers required to monitor equipment must regularly check and act on display indications.

Manually-operated warning equipment

Qualified Workers in charge of level crossings with manually-operated roadside and pedestrian warning equipment must make sure that the warning equipment:

• is activated before rail traffic is authorised to use the level crossing, and
• is deactivated only after rail traffic has fully cleared the level crossing.

Rail traffic that may not activate track‑circuits

If rail traffic needs to use a Type F level crossing operated automatically by track-circuits, but the rail traffic cannot be relied upon to activate the track-circuits, Drivers and Track Vehicle Operators must stop short of the level crossing to check if the warning equipment is operating correctly.

If the warning equipment is not operating correctly, the Driver or Track Vehicle Operator must:

• if possible, manually operate the level crossing warning equipment, or
• arrange to stop approaching road and pedestrian traffic.

Rail traffic may proceed over the level crossing only if it is safe to do so.

Level crossings with infrequent rail traffic

If rail traffic needs to use a Type F level crossing operated automatically by track-circuits, and it is more than 72 hours since the last rail traffic transit, the Signaller must treat the level crossing as potentially faulty.

Extended operation of warning equipment

The Driver or Track Vehicle Operator of rail traffic stopped in the controlling track-circuit of a Type F level crossing must promptly tell the Signaller if the rail traffic:

• is delayed, or
• cannot be moved.

The Network Controller must arrange for:

• Qualified Workers to control the level crossing, and
• if required, emergency services to control road and pedestrian traffic.

Potentially faulty level crossings

If a Type F level crossing is potentially faulty, Signallers must warn Drivers and Track Vehicle Operators in accordance with the requirements of NGE 206 Reporting and responding to a Condition Affecting the Network (CAN).

Drivers and Track Vehicle Operators warned about a potentially faulty level crossing must:

• stop short of the level crossing to check if the warning equipment is operating correctly, and
• as soon as possible, report the condition of the warning equipment to the Signaller, and
• if warning equipment is operating correctly, proceed, and
• if warning equipment is not operating correctly, treat the level crossing as faulty.

Faulty level crossings

If a Type F level crossing is faulty, the Signaller must:

• warn Drivers and Track Vehicle Operators that the warning equipment is faulty, in accordance with the requirements of NGE 206 Reporting and responding to a Condition Affecting the Network (CAN), and
• arrange, as necessary, for a Handsignaller to protect the level crossing, and
• arrange for a Maintenance Representative to attend, and
• record the details in permanent form.

Faulty level crossing protected by a Handsignaller

If a Handsignaller is protecting a level crossing, Drivers and Track Vehicle Operators must:

• be prepared to stop short of the level crossing, and
• proceed over the level crossing only when authorised by the Handsignaller.

Faulty level crossing not protected by a Handsignaller

If a faulty level crossing is not protected by a Handsignaller, Drivers and Track Vehicle Operators must:

• stop short of the level crossing, and
• arrange to stop approaching road and pedestrian traffic, and
• proceed over the level crossing only if it is safe to do so.

Protection by Handsignallers

If one Handsignaller cannot safely protect a level crossing, additional Handsignallers must be used.

If more than one Handsignaller is protecting a level crossing, only one may authorise Drivers and Track Vehicle Operators to proceed over the crossing.

Handsignallers protecting a level crossing:

• are responsible for the safety of rail, road and pedestrian traffic, and
• must not perform other tasks.

Before authorising rail traffic to use level crossings, Handsignallers must make sure that all road and pedestrian traffic has been stopped.

Warning equipment

Handsignallers must:

• leave functional warning equipment in operation, and
• unless they can be operated by a manual control switch, secure failed road traffic booms in the raised position, and
• manually operate pedestrian booms and gates, and
• make sure that emergency roadside warning equipment is placed as required.

Handsignallers may switch off warning equipment only after they have received confirmation from the Signaller that no rail traffic is closely approaching.

Wrong running-direction movements

If there is no Handsignaller to protect a wrong running‑direction movement over a Type F level crossing operated automatically by track-circuits, Drivers and Track Vehicle Operators must:

• stop short of the level crossing, and
• if possible, manually operate the level crossing warning equipment, or
• arrange to stop approaching road and pedestrian traffic.

Rail traffic may proceed over the level crossing only if it is safe to do so.

Inoperable warning equipment

If all warning equipment at a Type F level crossing cannot be operated, the Network Controller must arrange for emergency roadside warning equipment to be installed.

If the level crossing is required for rail traffic movements, the Network Controller must make sure that a Handsignaller is provided to protect the level crossing as soon as possible.

Emergency roadside warning equipment must be available from the controlling locations for Type F level crossings.

Returning to normal operation

If told that Type F level crossing warning equipment has been tested and certified as working correctly, the Network Controller must:

• arrange to tell Handsignallers to remove emergency roadside warning equipment, and
• record the details in permanent form.