May 1993

(1) This series of 5 views were taken one spring evening in May 1993. East Stoke is a picturesque location just off the A352, with a farm and church nearby, and this relic from the past, Stoke No. 32 Level Crossing. It was, and still is at the time of writing (2018), controlled by a gate keeper who would keep the gates closed to road traffic unless a vehicle needed to cross.

At the time of our visit the gate keeper had the protection of an original gate keeper's hut, but I believe this has long since been replaced by a more modern modular building. Lots of memorabilia from the steam age was evident too, such as lamps and cast iron signs, all adding to the atmosphere. At the time of our visit the gate keeper was a friendly and welcoming guy who was quite happy to allow us to wander around and take photos. It was a much more relaxed time back then!