Video footage has emerged of a speeding train narrowly avoiding a potentially devastating crash with a tractor and baler at a level crossing in the UK.

The video, shot from the cab of the train, was posted on Twitter by the British Transport Police (BPT) Leicestershire yesterday, July 27.

The footage shows a train speeding down along the tracks as it approaches a rural level crossing.

With the level crossing in sight, a driver of a Fendt tractor and a New Holland big square baler decides to cross the tracks with the train approaching.

In what must have been the tightest of margins, a collision is avoided. The train flies through the level crossing – missing the rear of the baler by a matter of inches – before coming to a halt further down the line.

The train comes to a halt nearly 10 seconds after it passes the level crossing, which gives an indication of the speed it must have been travelling at.

In its post on Twitter, BTP Leicestershire highlighted this case as evidence to “why rural crossings must used with care”. It encouraged people using these crossings to follow the rules and not to risk it.

Train services disrupted as tractor destroys level crossing

Earlier this year, train services provided by Irish Rail were disrupted – as people were commuting home from work in the evening – when a tractor destroyed a level crossing.

Major disruptions were caused to Irish Rail’s services between Maynooth and Sligo, after a Deutz-Fahr tractor and a low-loader damaged the Barberstown level crossing.

The incident took place at around 5:00pm on June 22, just as the majority of people were making their way home from work.

It took Irish Rail close to two hours to get services back up and running.

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