You must have been there at the wrong time of day... I live about 500m from the line at the next station down at Hartford and I can vouch for there being a steady procession of freights. Container traffic is the majority traffic. There is a northbound train bound for Liverpool north at about 4.30/5pm. There is then a jumbo car train southbound at about 5pm which normally brings out a 92 or a 90. At about 3pm there is a southbound from Scotland which is normally an 86 or two. Other than that, there is the morning northbound Tesco train through at about 8/9am. There are of course others, but these are ones I see as they go through about the time I happen to be near the railway! There is also a train which comes off the Chester-Manchester line at CLC junction on a Thursday lunchtime(this is completely erratic, sometimes running very late, or very early, or not at all. Has been known to run on a Friday or a Tuesday as well...) This can bring out either a 37, 67, or a 66, This is only a tiny representation of the number of trains, but they can run as required and there are quite a lot that run through the night. Coal does occasionally put in an appearance as well aggregates, and there is a lunchtime flask working as well - again, this is an erratic service.
I have often got some great shots of freight around Hartford and Acton Bride and various points in between.
Hope this is helpful
