Spath Explained

Country:	England
Official Name:	Spath
Coordinates:	52.915°N -1.873°W
Shire District:	East Staffordshire
Shire County:	Staffordshire
Region:	West Midlands
Constituency Westminster:	Burton
Post Town:	UTTOXETER
Postcode District:	ST14 5
Postcode Area:	ST
Dial Code:	01889
Os Grid Reference:	SK085352

Spath is a small village located 0.3miles north of Uttoxeter, Staffordshire, England. The village is on the River Tean and is separated from Uttoxeter by the A50 road.

History

In UK railway history, Spath was on the now-disused Churnet Valley Line, owned and operated by North Staffordshire Railway. The village is notable as the site of the first automatic half barrier crossing in the United Kingdom, which came into operation on 5 February 1961.^{[1] [2] [3]} The railway closed four years later and the road which crossed it via the automatic crossing is now gated. There is no remaining visible sign of the crossing.

Spath was the original home of Stevensons of Uttoxeter, a bus company that celebrated its 80th anniversary in 2007.

Notes and References

1. Practical Motorist . 7 . 81 . News Summary: Automatic 'Gates' . Britain's first automatically operated level crossing barriers are now in operation at Spath Level Crossing near Uttoxeter. The barriers, electronically operated by an approaching train, consist of poles fixed each side of the road only, and are conspicuously marked with red and white bands. Additional warning is given by flashing red lights & gongs. . 957 . May 1961.
2. Unnamed 1961 publication quoted at Web site: First BR Automatic Level Crossing Barriers . https://web.archive.org/web/20160324161647/http://www.railblue.com/pages/Related%20Rail%20Blue%20Info/first_b.htm . 2016-03-24 . Rail Blue.
3. Web site: Spath Level Crossing, the First Automatic Level Crossing in Britain: The Behind the Scenes Story of its Development . Derby Signalling History.