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Ince Moss Junction : abandoned tracks

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Roose

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Travelling from St Helen's to Wigan and approaching Ince Moss Junction, on the west side of the line there are five or more abandoned tracks among the birch trees which have established themselves there.

Could anyone tell me, please, why these tracks were there?

Given the amount of steel and sleepers there, why might it not have been prudent for BR/Railtrack/Network Rail to have reclaimed them before a wood established itself? Could this area have been yet another hole in the asset register?
 
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R

RailUK Forums

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Furness
As I recall the area was used as a ballast spoil dump up until around 1990 or perhaps a little later. There was often a shunting locomotive moving wagons round on a Saturday morning, when I went past on the train.

The area fell into disuse around the time of privatisation. The last I heard of it was about 20 years ago. The wildlife trust was reclaiming the area around there for a nature reserve.
 

terryc

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I've a set of quail maps from 1990, and they're shown as active as "Wigan Ince Moss Tip", so they were in use then.
 

warwickshire

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leamingtonspa
Yes they most certainly was and served by trains from warrington as well on local ballast trips. Al'so class 31 and in pairs served it reqular. With 37s as well. Including the old brakevans and cat fish and dog fish. Stone wagons. Also some off us will remember these back in 90s same time. Those sidings and all local freight trips including st Helen's and the old colliery at very nearby at Wigan springs branch was also all filmed on vhs videos. Known as north West cab rides. Production by Ajc video productions very interesting to see and watch features those sidings and all around there also has st Helen's oil terminal on. And much more.
 

86247

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clock face
I remember ince moss tip was always full of stone wagons types included old grampus cat fish, dog fish, tope and I think their was one called clam as well. Used to be long rakes through bank Quay going to there all with spoil from various track renewals around the new west.
 

driver9000

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As others have said it was an engineers tip sidings. If you look closely next to the running lines you will see a long abandoned TOPE wagon in Dutch livery.
 
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