Calum’s Road and Last of the Summer Wine for fingerstyle / classical guitar

I am going to Raasay soon.

This Scottish Island is the scene of the famous Calum’s Road, hand-built by the eponymous Calum over 15 years,  because the Council failed to connect Arnish, a settlement of North Raasay, with the rest of the island. That’s on top of his job and life as a lighthouse keeper and a crofter.

Something about his dogged intransigent effort defying authority appeals to me.

Donald Shaw / Capercaillie wrote a pleasant Strathspey in Calum’s honour, “Calum’s Road“. As I want to play this when I’m up there, I have arranged this for classical or fingerstyle guitar,  with the help of my excellent guitar tutor, David Richter. (NB: any mistakes or poor decisions are solely mine 🙂 )

Sheet music also available as a PDF – Calum’s Road Guitar sheet music.

Whilst I’m at it, I might as well also upload my fingerstyle guitar adaptation of the theme music from Last of the Summer Wine.

Sheet music also available as a PDF – Last of the Summer Wine Guitar sheet music.

Did Network Rail risk deaths rather than pay for an accessible footbridge?

Content Warning: deaths on the railway / at level crossings, suicide

At the Copmanthorpe Crossing public inquiry today, I commented that two people have died at the crossing since 2015 and that if Network Rail had agreed to pay for an accessible footbridge, they may still be alive.

Network Rail objected to my comment. In their closing submission, they said my comment was unfair because Network Rail cares very much about people’s safety. But my comment is valid.

2015 attempted closure

In 2015, as part of a level crossing risk reduction strategy,  Network Rail planned to shut the crossing and install this inaccessible footbridge.
3D model of the Copmanthorpe footbridge, showing it has 4 flights of stairs either side.

It has the same footbridge design as they are trying to install now.

But they didn’t shut the crossing in 2015. The reason was revealed in Network Rail’s Freedom of Information Response:

The crossing was being considered for closure as part of our national level crossing risk reduction closure programme. This programme aimed at finding safer alternatives to our level crossing so we could close them and reduce the risk of accidents.

The risk of the crossing was measured by the Fatality Weighted Index (FWI), and each FWI had a cost associated with it. At the time of this scheme, the crossing risk value equated £630,000 which was the budget allocated to closing this level crossing and providing an alternative crossing option. This figure was sufficient to build a stepped footbridge but on consultation with the local community, and despite our experts advising that a stepped footbridge was the only feasible solution within the limited budget available, this proposal met with significant local opposition, and the parish council and others putting forward counterproposals. These alternative suggestions included a ramped bridge or an underpass at a nearby recreation ground – these options were estimated to cost around £1.65m and £3m respectively.

In consequence, we decided not to progress the closure of the crossing at this time.

In other words: after the local community objected to replacing the level crossing with an inaccessible footbridge, Network Rail had the option of installing an accessible one and preventing the risk – but refused to do so because of the extra cost.

Level crossing incidents since 2015

Tragically, two people have died on the line at Copmanthorpe since 2015—this death in 2016 and this death in 2022.

These deaths are reflected in Network Rail’s Statement of Case for their current attempt to install the stepped footbridge. (Appendix 2 on page 79).

Fatalities in the last 10 years at Copmanthorpe No.2 Level Crossing

  • 01/05/2016 – the driver of 2T08 Leeds to York reported that they had observed a body in the vicinity of Y779 signal in the vicinity of Copmanthorpe crossing.

  • 02/11/2022 – the driver of 2T16 York to Leeds reported that they had struck a person on the Up Leeds line at Copmanthorpe No 2 level crossing.

At the Public Inquiry Site Visit yesterday, I met Network Rail trespass management staff who had been called out to the aftermath of these incidents. My heart goes out to them.

These tragedies don’t just affect the person who died and their families and friends. There’s also the poor train driver, Network Rail staff who must clean up the site, and others. So many people are profoundly affected.

Known Risks

Network Rail knew that these deaths were a possibility. They had previous incidents, e.g.,

  • 16/01/2013 – British Transport Police reported a suicidal male on the line near Copmanthorpe No 2 FPWM crossing.

Network Rail rated Copmanthorpe as one of the higher-risk crossings for fatalities.

Using their “All Level Crossing Risk Model“, Network Rail rated it Level 2 Risk (out of 1-13, 1 being the greatest risk) for the collective risk of the crossing, and the risk to each person as Category B (out of A-M, A being the greatest risk.)

Yet despite this, in 2015, Network Rail chose not to replace the crossing because they wouldn’t commit the extra funding to put in an accessible footbridge after the community (rightly) objected to Network Rail’s planned 96-step inaccessible one.

Conclusion

Many factors contribute towards deaths on the railway. It would be simplistic and wrong to say that Network Rail has been responsible for the deaths since 2015. I would not, and could not, say that.

What I did say – and stand by – is that these deaths may not have occurred had Network Rail put in an accessible footbridge in 2015 because installing the footbridge would have enabled them to close the crossing as they intended.

It is also transparently the case that Network Rail chose to continue the risk of fatalities these last eight years rather than spend the extra money to install an accessible footbridge. A risk that was realised; two people tragically lost their lives.

Now, in 2023, they are attempting once again to install the same inaccessible footbridge that they failed to install in 2015.

3D Printable Railway / RADAR keys

Radaramp Key. A British Railway metal T-Key with a Radar key bit added.

The Radaramp: A niche key particularly useful for UK railway-using disabled people who use disabled toilets and ramps – this key operates RADAR locks AND railway ramp locks.

tl;dr

Download the Radaramp key’s .stl model file, and get it printed in steel from e.g. Craftcloud (dimensions in mm) – but be prepared, it works out about £35 per key, + postage from China…

Radaramp key model

Disabled people travelling on the railway need a RADAR key for access to accessible toilets at stations.

All wheelchair ramps used for accessing trains are locked up with T-keys (Carriage, Bell and Heater keys.) Sometimes railway staff forget their key. It can be useful to have one’s own to lend to them.

There are existing, Creative Commons models of the Radar key by George Tempest, and of the T-key by “Dar01”. I took the two and put them together into one model. The Radar key replaces the Round end of the T-Key – I have never seen the Round end used for anything. I’ve then added a keyring / lanyard loop.

Download my Radaramp combination RADAR and T-key model file.

Getting them printed in Steel – 316L by SLM Selective Laser Melting, using CraftCloud3D (dimensions in millimetres), has resulted in a particularly niche but useful tool.

NB: to quote Dar01:

If you (use the T key) and don’t have authorisation to do so, you will possibly/probably be committing an offence.
. . . and before some Gammon type gets upset, the real thing is readily available online on sites like eBay and even from the mainstream railway suppliers for very little money. If you want one, just buy the real thing … and also this won’t breach any security of the railways (those who know will also point out that other common tools can be used to open these locks and the really secure stuff no longer uses these keys to open).

I bought my own T-keys from Rivval without any verification, also from Longleat Safari Park back when they sold random railway kit (I have no idea why!), also I’ve made my own from a budget T-key adapted with the aid of a jewellery file. Also I can see at least two on sale right now on Ebay

Hex bit models

3D metal printed RADAR key with Hex bit end against a wooden background3D metal printed railway carriage key with Hex bit end against a wooden background

A disabled friend finds keys easiest to operate with her existing hex bit holder. So I created a printable 3D model of a RADAR key with a hex end, and of a Carriage / Ramp key with a hex end. (dimensions in millimetres)

They are made by combining the models of the Radar key by George Tempest, of the T-key by “Dar01”, and of the Hex Bit by lbrown_napa.

These Hex bit keys can also be printed at Craftcloud. Don’t make the mistake I did of “saving money” by printing them in Aluminium – you want them to be steel in order to be ferromagnetic and thus to stay in the bit holder.

Files on Printables.com

Files for all three models  are also available in my collection on Printables.com.

License

All of my blog is Creative Commons licensed. However in order to comply with the licences of the constituent models, all model files above are licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike license.