A SMALL Radnorshire community is benefitting from an improved and safer railway level crossing after Network Rail installed new miniature stop lights – the first of their kind to be installed on the rural Heart of Wales line. 

The new lights, or Miniature Warning Stop Lights (MSL), on a level crossing at the Heart of Wales Riding School, in Dolau, near Llandrindod Wells, cost £150,000 and were installed last month.

It comes after safety concerns from local people spanning three decades.

The lights are designed for foot crossings or private roads where the user has to operate the barriers or gates themselves.

Despite Dolau’s rural location, and with only a small number of authorised users, the crossing does attract traffic – sometimes more than 50 people use the crossing in a day.

The upgrade will reduce risks from potential sun glare and other factors such as vegetation growth that may hinder the sight of oncoming trains, as well as waiting times as the lights will inform users when a train is approaching. 

County Times: The crossing at Dolau's Heart of Wales Riding School. Credit David Thomas The crossing at Dolau's Heart of Wales Riding School. Credit David Thomas (Image: David Thomas)

Previously users could face waits of up to 30 minutes because of the long signal section – which means signallers could tell crossing users exactly where an approaching train was between Knighton and Llandrindod Wells, so they would have to wait until it passed the whole section. 

On Wednesday, April 19, authorised users joined local county councillor Geoff Morgan and local Network Rail level crossing manager Rhodri Evans to celebrate the opening of the new system. 

“It’s great to see this level crossing enhancement installed at Tyddu,” said Mr Evans.

“It’s a real statement from Network Rail, that we are committed to safety and efficiency across the whole route, including this rural line."

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“It’s good news as we have been looking for an upgrade on safety for nearly 30 years,” said David Thomas, whose wife Billy runs the popular riding school.

“It has been a long, slow battle to get the safety improved on the crossing. Network Rail have always argued that no improved safety was necessary. However, there have always been occasional incidents where the train drivers report that a car has crossed when they are approaching the crossing.

“Telephones were installed in the early 2000s but as no-one knows where a train is in the section. If I rang up I would not be allowed to cross if a train was in the section, until the train had passed.

“Who is going to wait 25 minutes for a train? So, we had a meeting with Network Rail and the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) and they agreed that cars need not use the phones. But long or slow-moving vehicles should.”

Power Operated Gate Opener (POGO) gates were then installed around 2018, but they caused problems on some crossings and were uninstalled across the network after a review.

“We still have to open and close the gates but this is a definite improvement for safety and a very considerable relief for myself," added David.

“Network Rail had always placed the safety of user worked level crossings on the authorised person. I have always argued that safety is the primary responsibility of Network Rail. Thankfully, the ORR has now taken the same view.”