Fiddlers Ferry Railway Line

[Dylan1992]

Hi,

Does anyone know if any type of trains are running on the railway line from Fiddlers Ferry Power Station.

If so, is there any kind of timetable to see when they run?

Thanks

 

[jfollows]

The working timetable, section CZ, sub-section CZ09 at https://www.networkrail.co.uk/running-the-railway/the-timetable/working-timetable/ shows the normal freight train paths defined in the timetable.

 

[Trackman]

Thought it shut a few years ago.

 

[Donny Dave]

Video of the route...

 

[Bertie the bus]

Nothing runs to/from Fiddlers Ferry Power Station. There are still a few occasional trains that use the route past the power station. I believe these are mainly light loco's to/from Arpley and wagons for/from repair. Put Fiddlers Ferry S.B. as a location in RTT for details.

Realtime Trains | Departures from Fiddlers Ferry S.B. all day on 13/08/2024

Train information at Fiddlers Ferry S.B. all day on 13/08/2024. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

 

[jfollows]

Thought it shut a few years ago.

Fidlers Ferry power station closed on 31/3/2020 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fiddler's_Ferry_power_station) and when I worked in Daresbury (until 2015) I could see both its cooling towers and the mid-day coal train from Ellesmere Port out of my office window. But the line has not closed.

 

[Trackman]

Fidlers Ferry power station closed on 31/3/2020 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fiddler's_Ferry_power_station) and when I worked in Daresbury (until 2015) I could see both its cooling towers and the mid-day coal train from Ellesmere Port out of my office window. But the line has not closed.

I meant the power station not the line.

 

[Geeves]

There was a train from the Jaguar plant that was running that way recently but unsure if it's still running

 

[childwallblues]

I meant the power station not the line.

The Power Station is in the progress of being demolished. At least four of the eight cooling towers have gone.

 

[Adrian Barr]

The line is mainly used for light engine movements between Warrington Arpley and Halewood or Ditton Foundry Lane.

The best bet for seeing a freight train would be 6O16 (Novelis aluminium to Germany) from Ditton on a Friday. It's not a guaranteed runner but does take that route fairly regularly on a Friday (other days tends to run as 6O26 via Runcorn).

6O16 is seen here taking the low level route via Warrington earlier this year: https://www.flickr.com/photos/jjm2009/53633377921/

There's also a wagon trip (empty STVA car wagons to or from maintenance) which does Warrington > Halewood > Garston > Halewood > Warrington usually on a Tuesday, running as 6F42 to Garston, then 6F82 to Halewood and 6F49 to Warrington. The problem with that one is that it is often cancelled or runs light engine, and can often run very early back from Halewood. For example yesterday it ran light engine in both directions and just did a bit of shunting at Halewood, and the week before it was cancelled completely...

The 6F49 move is seen back in 2015 in this carefully composed shot with the power station in full effect in the background: https://www.flickr.com/photos/8arail/16784768459/

Timings can be seen on RealTimetrains at Fiddlers Ferry S.B. - for example this is yesterday when 6F42 and 6F49 ran light engine as 0F42 / 0F49. No guarantee anything shown there will run on any particular day, but at least gives an idea of the timings for when 6O16 / 6F42 / 6F49 might run: https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/se...24-08-13/0000-2359?stp=WVS&show=all&order=wtt

Apart from those workings I can't think of any other regular freight that uses the line.

 

[D6975]

This line is supposed to be reopening as a passenger line.. Don't hold your breath though.

 

[Adrian Barr]

Another quick note about 6O16 on Fridays: If it's running, the loco will come from Warrington in the morning as 0F56, so if you check on RTT to see if 0F56 has run it will be a good indication of whether 6O16 is running or not.

I don't think 6O16 will run tomorrow (it's been a quiet week on the line past Fiddlers Ferry due to summer factory shutdowns e.t.c.) but trains should resume next week.
See if it runs on the 23rd... https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/se...24-08-23/0000-2359?stp=WVS&show=all&order=wtt

 

[daodao]

This line is supposed to be reopening as a passenger line.. Don't hold your breath though.

I can't see any purpose in re-opening it as a passenger line. There are adequate alternative routes from Liverpool to Warrington, and the line east of Warrington through rural stations like Dunham Massey was closed many years ago and was converted into a long-distance footpath/cycle route. Please could you clarify.

 

[The Planner]

I can't see any purpose in re-opening it as a passenger line. There are adequate alternative routes from Liverpool to Warrington, and the line east of Warrington through rural stations like Dunham Massey was closed many years ago and was converted into a long-distance footpath/cycle route. Please could you clarify.

Part of the NPR route.

 

[daodao]

Part of the NPR route.

Thanks for the clarification. However, the likelihood of this happening is reduced with the new economic austerity. Using this line for NPR would also be a longer roundabout route from Liverpool to Manchester and beyond, and would not deal with the issue of a relatively slow route into Liverpool west of Ditton Junction.

 

[The Planner]

Thanks for the clarification. However, how likely is that to happen in reality, given the new economic austerity? Using this line for NPR would also be a longer roundabout route from Liverpool to Manchester and beyond, and would not deal with the issue of a relatively slow route into Liverpool west of Ditton Junction.

No idea, but the route from Ditton would be upgraded/new to Lime St.