Since the South Devon Railway took over the running of the Buckfastleigh branch from Dart Valley the record of accidents at the level crossing gates at Staverton has been good – until recently, that is!!
 
About four years ago a drunken driver smashed into the cast steel hinge post on one side of the crossing writing his car off in one neat movement. The car, being a non-runner, and he, being a bit shook up, managed to get the car off the crossing and into a nearby corner where the police picked him up next morning. Game, set and match.
And the gatepost – well that didn’t flinch – not even a scratch!
 
Since then all has been quiet, until a month ago when the driver of a Range Rover suddenly found a complete lack of adhesion one morning when giving away to a vehicle approaching from the other side of the crossing. A damp road, leaves and a set of new tyres (just fitted 1 mile down the road) resulted in the vehicle floating gently into the same hinge post. Another written off vehicle. And the gatepost – well that didn’t flinch – not even a scratch.
 
Next weekend and a Transit Van crossed the crossing and turned left too quickly and gouged a deep hole in its side having caught itself on the locking mechanism on the wooden closing post. The mechanism was torn off but undamaged. An SDR carpenter was able to refix the ironwork to get train working back to normal. And the wooden post remained vertical.
 
A whole weekend off, and then ‘BANG’.  Joyriders driving a stolen scrap vehicle from the Paignton area, having hit a hedge a little distance from the crossing then lost control of the vehicle at the crossing and slammed it into the newly completed disabled access gate at the foot of the platform ramp and impaled the car on the wooden closing post. Having had the decency to drag the car clear of the crossing they left it and legged it. The post remained undamaged although a little off vertical, which will require rectification before the gates can be properly opened and shut again.
 
C’est la vie!  Now, the actual crossing gates themselves are a bit dodgy and need replacing, so if anyone is planning to run into the gates in the next few weeks please try and hit the gates themselves so we can talk to your nice insurance man! By the way. I am pleased to report no injuries were suffered in any of the above incidents – only to the General Manager’s blood pressure.