Boulby Branch

[3rd Carabinier]

Walking along the coastal path at Huntcliff south of Saltburn today, where the freight line makes that enormous loop around the hillside, I was struck by how close the track is to the cliff edge. From old photos it appears that the line used to be double-track, now singled, which has bought some space, but even so the route looks vulnerable to coastal erosion in the longer term. Given that the railway is 200+ feet above the sea at this point it would surely mark the end of the route if it were ever breached.

The route in itself is a precarious survivor given the parlous state of Teesside steelmaking but it is hanging on and well worth a visit even if the trains are few and far between; today the skylarks were singing and the fulmars soaring above the cliffs.But I won't be surprised if one day the route is no more, there's certainly less room to spare than on the ECML at Burnmouth for instance.

 

[PHILIPE]

If you travel up or down Gresford Bank between Chester and Wrexham over the single line, it makes me wonder now how on earth it could ever have been double track in the past when you look down and see a big drop from the embankment down onto the A483. There is high banking on the opposite which looks like a tight squeeze. I use to use the route to and from work when it was double track with a speed restriction due to mining subsidence

 

[RichmondCommu]

The route in itself is a precarious survivor given the parlous state of Teesside steelmaking but it is hanging on and well worth a visit even if the trains are few and far between; today the skylarks were singing and the fulmars soaring above the cliffs.But I won't be surprised if one day the route is no more, there's certainly less room to spare than on the ECML at Burnmouth for instance.

Does the route serve the potash mine? How frequent are the trains? One a day?

 

[Geeves]

Looks like there are still plenty of arrivals and departures if they all run.

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/sea...17/04/10/0000-2359?stp=WVS&show=all&order=wtt

 

[4973]

Does the route serve the potash mine? How frequent are the trains? One a day?

It varies according to the ships that are in to receive the traffic, but you can expect 2 or 3 during office hours. Some go to Tees Dock, others to Middlesboro.

There is also one or two to Skinningrove.

 

[bearhugger]

Looks like there are still plenty of arrivals and departures if they all run.

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/sea...17/04/10/0000-2359?stp=WVS&show=all&order=wtt

Looking at that link, a lot of the timetabled runs are "Q" timed, which AIUI, are paths that are "reserved" so trains can run if and when required. I think there may be a bit more to it than that but that's essentially what happens so they don't have to create STP paths whenever they need to.

 

[DarloRich]

Does the route serve the potash mine? How frequent are the trains? One a day?

It serves the potash mines at boulby and the British steel special profiles division at Skinningrove - there are a couple of trains a day ( try crag Hall signal box on rtt)

 

[Crossover]

Here is a link to the timings at the signal box for today
http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/sea...17/04/10/0000-2359?stp=WVS&show=all&order=wtt