Possibly seen by everyone at some stage in their life, whether it be on TV or in the car with Mum and Dad, but possibly you've never paid full attention to how they work and what the timings of them are.
There are various different types of crossing, some with just lights, some with just barriers and some with lights and barriers.
Some may be fully automated and others have to be dealt with manually.
The best advice whenever you see signs for railway crossings is be extra vigilant!
The weight of a train against the weight of any other road vehicle just doesn't even come close, and for smaller vehicles a train would possibly not even know it it hit one.
Sequencing at a Railway Crossing with lights and barriers.
Amber lights will come on as well as a siren/bell.
Within seconds the red lights will begin to flash.
A few seconds after this two opposing barriers will lower.
and a few seconds later the other two will lower.
The barriers will remain down and red lights will continue to flash until any trains due through the crossing have cleared.
There may be more than one train coming, so if the barriers do not raise after the first train has come through, just expect another one to follow.
Sometimes trains may pull into the station first from a direction that has not allowed you to see them arrive.
Remember, they will need time for passengers to depart the train and for new passengers to get on before the train can depart.
One of the Highway code rules states that:-
You must not leave an parked vehicle unattended with the engine running or leave a vehicle engine running unnecessarily while that vehicle is stationary on a public road. Generally, if the vehicle is stationary and is likely to remain so for more than a couple of minutes, you should apply the parking brake and switch off the engine to reduce emissions and noise pollution.
However it is permissible to leave the engine running if the vehicle is stationary in traffic or for diagnosing faults.
Stationary idling is an offence under Section 42 of the Road Traffic Act 1988.
There are usually signs installed around Railway Crossing that look like this.
If you’re caught idling you could be hit with a £20 fixed-penalty fine under the Road Traffic (Vehicle Emissions) Regulations 2002, rising to £40 if unpaid within the required timeframe.
Fines can be as high as £80 in certain areas of London where there are additional measures to cut emissions.