Dangerous bridleways

[dixie]

We’re currently on holiday and came across this bridleway. ?
couldn’t believe it’s an official bridleway that you had to actually cross the railway tracks and also to slow you down a gate at either end (Altho I understand why they’re there). I didn’t see any hoof prints ?

Does anyway on here have similar bridleways?

 

[stangs]

There's one like this near Virginia Water. I believe the signs advise both riders and cyclists to dismount; I've always thought there ought to be a small log on both sides to help people get on again. Wouldn't fancy having to introduce it to a skittish youngster for the first time though.

 

[Snowfilly]

There’s one near me that crosses a railway in the same way as that one does. It’s a faff getting through the gates and across the tracks but not had any problems. I won’t take youngsters or anything green across though.

 

[Cloball]

I cycled past one the other day that did didn't think it was too bad as it had suitably easy to open and close gates and a mounting block at either side. Plus it's a very slow steam train so fairly easy to see/hear coming.

 

[ester]

How I feel about this depends on the track usage

 

[SEL]

One of the routes I did in Staffs had one. There was a phone you had to use to check (I never used it my riding companion did it) and then we dismounted to cross. It was safer than one of the roads I have to cross now where I also dismount

 

[nikicb]

There was at least one (maybe two) like that in the Shere, Surrey area that I used to cross occasionally around 30 years ago. You had to use the phone on one side to call and check if there was a train coming, then call and let them know you were safely across. Thankfully the mare I had at the time was fine with trains whistling past, even though she was terrified of logs!! Having done a quick google, it looks like they have replaced/are replacing it at long last. https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/6811922 I would be interested to hear from current 'locals' as to whether this has been done now. Amazing to believe it's still been allowed up until recently on a fairly well used line.

 

[Velcrobum]

We have one like that locally which has been padlocked shut as there is now a temporary pedestrian bridge( it was at one end of the small station.) Council is in a row with Network rail as it agreed to put in an underpass for both horses and pedestrians some time ago (4-5 years) but has as yet no start date and is not giving one either!

 

[dixie]

This one is near Burleigh House and having to cross a busy road to get to it from a yard.
I’m not sure where it continued to but looked like possibly having to go over a very narrow bridge, possibly over a canal.

 

[cindars]

The South Downs Way crosses one. When we rode it I got off used the phone to tell a guard or signal box how many there were friend led my horse over,used phone again and carried on.

 

[FitzyFitz]

There's a similar rail crossing near me but it's got steps either side! Used to be ramps which were slippery but doable but the new steps are really steep. Currently (so far unsuccessfully) trying to get them changed

 

[chaps89]

Not over a railway but there is a bridleway in the Surrey Hills which starts as a gentle slope then becomes virtually vertical with loose scree. It’s single track so you’d be beggared if you set off down it without realising as not a great one for turning round in. Frightens me that it’s a bridleway as it loops onto lots of other nice tracks so for someone out of the area it would be easy to head for.

 

[RachelFerd]

That looks just like one outside Newmarket - Dullingham. I never used to use it as a tended to hack alone and it was really on do-able when there were two of you.

I did used to use the ones in Shere in Surrey on my mad old mare by using the telephone to check!

 

[dorsetladette]

There is a railway crossing on a bridle path in Chapel en le frith in the peak district. We had a yard at the bottom of the lane leading to the train station. You'd have to call the controller and see if it was safe to cross.

 

[Northern Hare]

Not a railway line, but another "hazard" to contend with on a bridleway, was up in Northumberland across one of the fells. To avoid a really big marshy / boggy area, the track went right under a massive windfarm wind turbine.

On the one and only time I used the track, the blades were moving quite fast in the wind and although there was plenty of room to pass safely underneath it, it felt like your head was going to be chopped off! My horse was actually fine with it because the wind turbines were part of the landscape that he was used to.

I've just checked and the bridleway is no more! ?

 

[Laafet]

That looks just like one outside Newmarket - Dullingham. I never used to use it as a tended to hack alone and it was really on do-able when there were two of you.

I did used to use the ones in Shere in Surrey on my mad old mare by using the telephone to check!

I did that one a few times, only where there were two of us. I got off, passed horse to friend, opened both gates, walked across with horses, went back to shut gates, clambered back on. It was a faff for an extra bit of ride, especially crossing the London Road which was more dangerous than crossing the railway line! All for a canter up to the A14. I don't recall the phone, we never used it and there were not many trains.

 

[eggs]

About 30 years ago I was on a riding holiday in the Cotswolds and the bridle path had a railway line going across it. We dismounted, had a good listen and then led the horses across.

 

[Fransurrey]

There was at least one (maybe two) like that in the Shere, Surrey area that I used to cross occasionally around 30 years ago. You had to use the phone on one side to call and check if there was a train coming, then call and let them know you were safely across. Thankfully the mare I had at the time was fine with trains whistling past, even though she was terrified of logs!! Having done a quick google, it looks like they have replaced/are replacing it at long last. https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/6811922 I would be interested to hear from current 'locals' as to whether this has been done now. Amazing to believe it's still been allowed up until recently on a fairly well used line.

They're still there. I used the one near Albury when my horse was just turned 5. Phone to check no trains are approaching, then phone again to let them know you're across. There are a couple at Ranmore (Dorking), too. Trains are 4 per hour I think. Not fast by train standards, but I cannot tell a lie. I practically needed new undies making that crossing as I'd only had the horse a few months and he was still a baby! Not seen anything on the local pages about a new crossing, but I will investigate, now I've seen your post, Nikicb!

 

[AShetlandBitMeOnce]

We had one at the bottom of our yard, it also had a phone. I didn't mind it but my horse would always horrendously rush gates and hit my leg, it was annoying there as you couldn't take the time to work with him and the single width gates due to the trains so I just had to chance it. I wasn't getting on/off as he was 17.2hh

 

[fidleyspromise]

We had one to get from yard to fields at riding school.
Hold horse, phone and say you're at x crossing with x number of horses. They'd say there's a train due in x minutes and either wait or you can cross.
Going through and across is no different to a field gate.

In the morning we could have up to 5 ponies that one person would take in. One of them was a nightmare and stopped for a wee in the middle of the track though.

I wouldn't cross without a phone as it is amazing how quiet the trains are until they come around the corner.
We didn't phone if it was just people crossing and listening out for trains at least once we had to run for it as we heard it as we got onto the tracks.

Horse's very quickly got used to the trains (some of the fields were a good bit up a track and behind trees so not beside the track) and most of the horses just stood at the gate as it went past as we were ready to cross.

 

[dixie]

It’s interesting reading about all these bridlepaths crossing the lines.
how far away are the phones normally to the line? I didn’t see one on that crossing.

The closest we get to trains was at a yard I was on a couple of years ago and we had to go under the tunnels, which is quite frightening if you get caught.

 

[HobleytheTB]

There was at least one (maybe two) like that in the Shere, Surrey area that I used to cross occasionally around 30 years ago. You had to use the phone on one side to call and check if there was a train coming, then call and let them know you were safely across. Thankfully the mare I had at the time was fine with trains whistling past, even though she was terrified of logs!! Having done a quick google, it looks like they have replaced/are replacing it at long last. https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/6811922 I would be interested to hear from current 'locals' as to whether this has been done now. Amazing to believe it's still been allowed up until recently on a fairly well used line.

I can confirm the bridge is fully operational, it also has a mounting block each end so riders can dismount and lead over the bridge! I've never ridden it but I've seen hoofprints on it so it must get some use.

 

[Fransurrey]

It’s interesting reading about all these bridlepaths crossing the lines.
how far away are the phones normally to the line? I didn’t see one on that crossing.

The closest we get to trains was at a yard I was on a couple of years ago and we had to go under the tunnels, which is quite frightening if you get caught.

The one at Shere/Albury is right next to the track. No more than 6 feet away from the gate onto the track itself.

 

[Hanno Verian]

Just think what it will be like with HS2, I was part of the project team 8 years ago and kept trying to raise the point that they were going to kill horses and riders if they didnt sort out how people were going to cross the track in the safest manner. They thought it was quite acceptable for a bridle path to run alongside the track for a 100m and then cross it on a bridge.... Good luck sitting that one when a train comes out of nowhere at 200mph

 

[Northern Hare]

Just think what it will be like with HS2, I was part of the project team 8 years ago and kept trying to raise the point that they were going to kill horses and riders if they didnt sort out how people were going to cross the track in the safest manner. They thought it was quite acceptable for a bridle path to run alongside the track for a 100m and then cross it on a bridge.... Good luck sitting that one when a train comes out of nowhere at 200mph

Where we were at livery in Kent, the Eurostar train line ran alongside the farm ride which was a great stretch for a really long canter/gallop, and it definitely made it more exciting when you were overtaken by a Eurostar train at full speed so close. I was sure the horses could tell when the train was coming and really accelerated. I loved seeing all the passengers looking out of the windows.
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[dixie]

Where we were at livery in Kent, the Eurostar train line ran alongside the farm ride which was a great stretch for a really long canter/gallop, and it definitely made it more exciting when you were overtaken by a Eurostar train at full speed so close. I was sure the horses could tell when the train was coming and really accelerated. I loved seeing all the passengers looking out of the windows.
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[Snowfilly]

Where we were at livery in Kent, the Eurostar train line ran alongside the farm ride which was a great stretch for a really long canter/gallop, and it definitely made it more exciting when you were overtaken by a Eurostar train at full speed so close. I was sure the horses could tell when the train was coming and really accelerated. I loved seeing all the passengers looking out of the windows.
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Mum used to keep horses in London and one field backed onto a busy railway line - I think it was the line from Reading to Kings Cross? She used to gallop the ponies alongside the trains for a laugh, and a lot of passengers would wave to her. The horses were fairly blasé about a train racing up behind them.

 

[SusieT]

I'd rather have a safe crossing than no crossing and be cut off for the sake of a railway line. Like anything you take appropriate care and take your time, do it with help if not confident etc.

 

[Landcruiser]

We have at least 3 crossings of the railway near us, this is a
Mainline to London. See maps. Only one of these is a bridge, all of the others have gates either side. No phones. There are signs asking riders to dismount, but no mounting blocks. I’m happy to scurry across them with my well behaved boy, but I can see why they are dangerous!