Moment influencers stop for photoshoot on railway tracks and reckless youths play 'chicken' with high-speed trains in terrifying video montage of near-misses on level crossings By Mary O'connor Published: 05:11 EDT, 22 July 2024 | Updated: 05:21 EDT, 22 July 2024 e-mail 1 View comments New video footage shows people risking their lives by posing for photoshoots on a railway track while reckless youths play 'chicken' with trains as rail bosses move to shut a level crossing over the number of incidents. The series of clips taken from covert CCTV cameras in the last year show people dicing with death on the Chesnut Grove level crossing in Burton Joyce, Nottinghamshire, with one seen hurling stones down the line and another even caught lying down on the tracks. Rail bosses warn the reckless behaviour could have lethal consequences and that trespassers on the tracks spark massive delays for passengers.
In one video captured less than 10 days ago, on July 13, four youths are seen playing in the middle of the tracks at Burton Joyce at 12.25am. One of them lies down on the track with their arms crossed over their chest while their friends take photos of them on their mobile phones.
Another then hurls stones down the railway line while the others look at the snaps of their reckless friend. The boys are not the only ones to use the level crossing as the scene for a photoshoot. In August last year, a man was caught taking pictures of a female influencer as she straddles a chair in the middle of the tracks.
A female influencer straddled a chair placed in the middle of the railway tracks as her male companion took various photos of her Undeterred by the risk of oncoming trains, the woman struck several seductive poses astride the chair The man can be seen putting one foot on the railway line while taking photos of the woman who strikes several seductive poses. Other clips show a woman dodging a high-speed train by a mere second as she walked her dog on the crossing on May 6 this year. In the terrifying footage, the train driver repeatedly sounds the horn, moments before the woman scrambles through a gate.
In one video captured on July 13 four youths are seen playing in the middle of the tracks at 12.25am One youth lay down on the tracks as friends took photos of them while another hurled stones down the line The heartstopping videos come as Network Rail move to enforce an emergency six-month closure order on the crossing due to the level of incidents - plans which have been fiercely opposed by residents and the local council. Burton Joyce Parish Council has demanded 'better and more considered solutions' over a temporary closure, arguing the crossing is at the centre of the village and a public right of way.
'It provides a vital access to a beautiful section of the River Trent which is a huge attraction for many people, not just from within the village but also from further afield,' the council said in a statement on its website. It added: 'The Parish Council have held a number of meetings with Network Rail, but despite repeated requests for research and analysis on causes of incidents, and how they could be addressed and mitigated through well considered solutions, nothing substantive has been presented. 'Questions about the effectiveness of basic safety signage have been asked but not been answered.
'Without this evidence and an understanding of the impact a crossing closure would have, we do not believe it is convincing for us to accept closure of a basic right of way. 'Pedestrian and train crew safety are paramount, but we need to be assured that all options have been explored before a closure is instigated.' Parish councillor Jeanette Johnson, who lives in the village, told Nottinghamshire Live: 'People in the village will have to pay the price for some lunatic behaviour.
'They're using a sledgehammer to crack a nut. 'You're always going to get people who flout measures. Taking a chair there and sitting on it isn't a normal action from anyone.
It doesn't matter what measures you put in. 'No one wants any fatalities but there needs to be much more discussion. 'There's no suitable signage at all there.
We want an explanation as to why we can't have more signage to stop people crossing when they shouldn't do.' A dogwalker scrambled through a gate on the other side of the crossing moments before a high-speed train thundered past Dozens of freight trains use the line to travel between Nottingham and Newark, often hitting speeds of 60mph Network Rail previously shut the crossing in 2021 following 'repeated misuse' by locals, citing 16 near-misses on the tracks in the past two years. At the time, it released horrifying CCTV video of three teenage girls risking their lives to sit down for a chat on the tracks .
Every day, dozens of freight trains use the line to travel between Nottingham and Newark, often hitting speeds of 60mph. Network Rail released its most recent footage of the crossing to remind people of the lethal risks of straying onto railway tracks and warned youths not play on the lines during the school summer holidays. It said there were 2,755 trespass incidents recorded across the East Midlands in 2023-24, including 219 involving children.
These incidents, it added, caused passengers to suffer more than eight days of delayed trains over the period - up 40 per cent on the previous year. Hayley Manners, Network Rail's community safety manager in the East Midlands, said: 'Every time someone strays on to the tracks, they are placing themselves at risk of serious, life-changing injury or worse. 'The consequences can be devastating, not only for them, but their loved ones and the wider community.
'Shutting the railway while we investigate reports of trespass also causes costly delays for rail passengers and freight. 'We hope that sharing the CCTV will act as a deterrent and show that acting irresponsibly on the railway is extremely dangerous.' Share or comment on this article: Moment influencers stop for photoshoot on railway tracks and reckless youths play 'chicken' with high-speed trains in terrifying video montage of near-misses on level crossings e-mail Add comment.
