2012

TL1986 : Conington Level Crossing as dusk falls

taken 12 years ago, near to Holme, Cambridgeshire, England

Conington Level Crossing as dusk falls
Conington Level Crossing as dusk falls
Conington is perhaps the most atmospheric level crossing in Britain with just the fen and a few farms on the other side. It is said to be the most haunted level crossing in the country and has the name 'The crossing of death'. Six German prisoners of war were killed on the crossing in the 1940s when the lorry they were travelling in was hit by an engine, and in 1948 the black car of Colonel A. H. Mellows was hit by a London-bound express, killing the colonel and his dog. The dog was buried alongside the line.

Signalmen at the adjacent signal box would often hear the sound of locked gates being opened and closed, the sight of a black car approaching, or the sound of ghostly tyres on the gravel. The signal box was removed in the 1970s for technical reasons when the crossing was controlled from Holme to the north.

As dusk approaches and after dark Conington Level Crossing has few equals for atmosphere. To quote 'Railway Ghosts' by W.B. Herbert "The crossing is still regarded with fear at night and few brave people will venture near.." In 'Haunted Britain and Ireland' Richard Jones says "People still avoid the 'crossing of death' when the lengthening shadows of night stretch across the remote and windswept expanse of Conington Fen." This view looks across to Conington Fen as night falls.

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Geographical Context: Roads, Road transport Railways Air, Sky, Weather other tags: Level Crossing Click a tag, to view other nearby images.
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TL1986, 44 images   (more nearby 🔍)
Photographer
Marathon   (more nearby)
Date Taken
Thursday, 23 August, 2012   (more nearby)
Submitted
Friday, 24 August, 2012
Subject Location
OSGB36: geotagged! TL 1991 8614 [10m precision]
WGS84: 52:27.6031N 0:14.1953W
Camera Location
OSGB36: geotagged! TL 1988 8612
View Direction
East-northeast (about 67 degrees)
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Image classification(about): Geograph
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