Purfleet Level Crossing, Thurrock (Essex)

Five intermodal freight trains and a Rail Head Treatment Train appear along-side the local Class 357 units as they navigate the tight curves of the Tilbury Loop through this station and level crossing in Purfleet-on-Thames, Essex! The level crossing is seen cycling a total of eleven times in this video, filmed at this part of the line’s busiest time for freight in the daytime (midday – early afternoon), and a decent variety of angles and vantage points take advantage of the good selection available here too. This is close to the Dartford Crossing, and the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge over the Thames from Essex to Kent can clearly be seen from the station’s footbridge.

New barriers were installed here in the last few years, yet one alarm from its original 1990s install from the line’s major re-signalling still remains, sounding with quite a strange but cool-sounding low-pitched tone. The level crossing is operated from Upminster I.E.C.C. (Integrated Electronic Control Centre) and has been known for a number of misuse incidents over the years. In the time I was here (not caught on camera though), I did unfortunately notice a younger person trespassing between the crossing and the London-bound platform over the anti-trespass guide, most likely fare-evading – an unfortunately relative commonplace in this area – as the ticket barriers in the small station building are the only permitted and safe access to that platform.

In a few years, this crossing may well be no more, as the town’s regeneration plans include moving the station slightly and constructing a flyover, which would remove the need for this crossing and allow Network Rail to permanently close it. If I don’t return to this crossing again before that, I’ve got a near-enough Pur-fect video in my view here 😉. Enjoy!

Date filmed: Tuesday the 28th of November 2023
Videos filmed between 12:42 and 14:02

Route: London, Tilbury & Southend Railway (Tilbury Loop)
– Purfleet Station

Crossing type: Manually Controlled Barrier crossing with CCTV (MCB-CCTV)

Location: London Road, Purfleet-on-Thames
Trains featured:
Lowering 1 (0:00):
357 024 (c2c) – 0:43
2R97 Grays ➡ London Fenchurch Street | On-time
–
Lowering 2 (1:13):
357 010 (c2c) – 2:00
2R90 London Fenchurch Street ➡ Grays | 2 minutes late
–
Lowering 3 (2:28):
1) 66 755 “Tony Berkeley OBE” (GBRf) & Intermodal freight service – 3:12
4M47 London Gateway GBRf ➡ Hams Hall GBRf | 8 minutes late

2) 66 568 (Freightliner) & Intermodal freight service – 4:09
4L44 Trafford Park F.L.T. ➡ London Gateway (Freightliner) | 2 minutes late
–
Lowering 4 (5:21):
357 010 (c2c) – 6:14
2R99 Grays ➡ London Fenchurch Street | On-time
–
Lowering 5 (6:44):
357 323 (c2c) – 7:14
2R92 London Fenchurch Street ➡ Grays | On-time
–
Lowering 6 (7:36):
69 002 “Bob Tiller C.M.&E.E.” & 69 004 (GBRf) Rail Head Treatment Train – 8:19
3S70 Broxbourne Down Tamper Siding GBRf ➡ Broxbourne Down Tamper Siding GBRf (Via East London and Essex Thameside) | 14 minutes early
–
Lowering 7 (8:47):
66 555 (Freightliner) & Intermodal freight service – 9:37
4M56 London Gateway (Freightliner) ➡ Garston F.L.T. | 5 minutes late
–
Lowering 8 (10:44):
357 323 (c2c) – 11:16
2R01 Grays ➡ London Fenchurch Street | On-time
–
Lowering 9 (11:55):
66 759 “Chippy” (GBRf) & Intermodal freight service – 12:45
4E39 Tilbury Container Srvs. G.B. ➡ Wakefield Europort GBRf | 8 minutes late
–
Lowering 10 (13:50):
357 024 (c2c) – 14:25
2R94 London Fencurch Street ➡ Grays | 4 minutes late
–
Lowering 11 (14:59):
66 775 “F231 H.M.S. Argyll” (GBRf) & Intermodal freight service – 15:34
4L98 Masborough N&W GBRf ➡ London Gateway GBRf | 4 minutes late
–
End of video picture showcase – 16:37

Train details sourced from:
Real Time Trains: https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/search/detailed/
Open Train Times: https://www.opentraintimes.com/maps
Traksy: https://traksy.uk/live

Filmed on: Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus in 4K 30fps

Thanks for watching!