THE SIGNAL BOX

Despite much searching, I have not been able to establish when Eastbrook level crossing was closed on the Barry Branch between Cogan and Dinas Powys in Glamorgan

Decades of large scale Ordnance survey study never showed the usual LC indication but just a footbridge there (FB) although on the maps, a relieved kerbline was shown on the Cardiff Rd and Chamberlain Row sides of the double tracks. The vehicular level crossing served a short cul-de-sac called Chamberlain Row and when the crossing was taken out of use, residents had to travel by car almost 1 mile further if travelling to or from the Cardiff direction.

A crossing-keeper was posted there for many years but the gates were not interlocked with the signalling system at either Cogan Sidings or Cadoxton South ’boxes.

To date, the SRS have not been able to answer this query and it is not shown on R.A Cooke's track diagrams. Neither was any mention made of it in the BR 1960 Sectional Appendix for the Cardiff Traffic District. Local press archives have shown no reference to the closure either but it must have raised some protest when finally closed and I believe it was post-1964. A new station was established at Eastbrook in 1986, just north of the present footbridge (where previously there had never been a station).

I wonder whether anyone has information on the abolition of that crossing.

It's the "Vale of Glamorgan line" not the Barry Branch.

1956 OS 1" map shows a level crossing, as does the 1947 6" OS map.

Moderator Note: Thread Title corrected

LlaniGraham wrote:It's the "Vale of Glamorgan line" not the Barry Branch.

1956 OS 1" map shows a level crossing, as does the 1947 6" OS map.

Moderator Note: Thread Title corrected

The 6" or 25" OS maps, studied when viewing viewed versions on the Scottish Ordnance Survey Library maps, do not show the symbol LC at the site, only a relieved kerbline both sides of the double track which by inference, might indicate a road/rail crossing. The 1" map is too small to show the usual "pointed" road ends at the site as it does for St.Fagans, St.Georges, Pontsarn and Miskin level crossings.
If I mistakenly added "Line" to the title of this enquiry, it was a blunder on my part and I have edited similar entries on Wikipedia. The Cardiff-Barry Island Branch is not in railway terms, The Vale of Glamorgan Line. It is definitely the Barry Branch and carries the engineer's line reference BRY (Also the LOR GW830), its 1968 reference being "Cardiff (General) and Barry Pier" The Vale of Glamorgan Branch limits are Barry Junction and Bridgend, ELD VOG (LOR, GW870). Before the Beeching cuts, as at 1964, Barry station's Bay platform used to carry a very large station board announcing "Change for the Vale of Glamorgan Line" (Which is still necessary for Vale of Glamorgan passengers if travelling on down Barry Island trains and wishing to alight at Rhoose, or Llantwit Major).
So the closure date of Eastbrook level crossing still remains unsolved.
As an annex, the only vehicular level crossing on the Vale of Glamorgan Branch is that of the much-used CCTV-monitored level crossing at Rhoose and it separates the up and down platforms. Formerly monitored by the now defunct Aberthaw signal box, it is now monitored by the new Central Wales Operations Centre (WROC) at Canton, Cardiff. (Brian Mills, Permanent Way Adviser/Hon Life member PWI).

Hmmm.
The fact that the letters LC do not appear does not mean that there was not a level crossing at a particular site. If the cartographer decided that adding the insignia would have made the mapping crowded or confusing then it wasn't added.
And one of my friends is an ex-Aberthaw and Barry signalman.

Thanks for your further response. I have had a word with some of the residents of Chamberlain Row and so many years have passed and new occupants are now living there and their response was that they never knew there was a level crossing at Eastbrooke although the present road and kerbline on their side of the tracks all lead to what was obviously a vehicle path to Cardiff Road. If I ever resolve my query, I'll let you know. Regards, BPM.

I note that the header for this topic still carries the words "Vale of Glamorgan Line" but although the line is within the Vale of Glamorgan, it is nevertheless the BARRY BRANCH and is part of the original Barry Railway Company's extension from Cadoxton South Junction to Cogan Junction, opened to passengers on 20th December 1888. Some editions of the Ordnance Survey maps had labelled it the Cogan Branch in the past. Alluding to Eastbrook Level crossing, I believe it was still open in the early 1960s when I worked Cogan Junction signal box but I have been unable to view copies of the K2s over the years 1960 to 1963, one or two of which would have mentioned the taking out of use, the level crossing. There has been no mention of it in succeeding K2s between 1963 and 1968 all of which I have copies of. (BPM)

THE FOLLOWING UNDATED SNIPPET HAS BEEN PASSED ON TO ME BY A WELL-KNOWN BARRY HISTORIAN BUT IT STILL DOES NOT HELP IN ESTABLISHING A LEVEL CROSSING ABOLITION:
The crossing at Eastbrook and Chamberlain Row was once part of a footpath from Eastbrook to Sully and was partially replaced by a footbridge in 1957/58. The residents of Chamberlain Row told the Railway Company that they would use the bridge if they were not going to cycle to work or if they had children, that they would have to carry them up the steps and would object to the removal of the footpath and the rail crossing, so the rail crossing is still being used.

Possibly your only way will be by going through all the maps for that area and seeing what they show.
1949 6" map shows it as a foot bridge
https://maps.nls.uk/view/102183924
And I can find no evidence on any of the OS maps that there was ever a PRoW there. It may have been a "common useage path" but even that seems unlikely from the maps as there is nothing shown.There is a footpath further west, from Perclose.