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Ashton in Makerfield Line

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Y961 XBU

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terryc

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Is this the old Kelbit bitumen works siding?
If so, it's actually in Golborne, and involves a reversal into the sidings from a head-shunt on the spur.
I'm not sure when it was last used, but I'm old enough to remember when the spur was used for oil trains to Haydock. (There was also a platform for Haydock Park racecourse)
 

adsteamfan

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Is this the old Kelbit bitumen works siding?
If so, it's actually in Golborne, and involves a reversal into the sidings from a head-shunt on the spur.
I'm not sure when it was last used, but I'm old enough to remember when the spur was used for oil trains to Haydock. (There was also a platform for Haydock Park racecourse)
It's Hanson Asphalt now so looks like they're going to be delivering the chippings by rail.
 

furnessvale

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the Ashton in Makerfield Line is getting Repaired ready for a Freightliner Contract starting next month, I think the Cargo is Ballast, Paths are on RTT

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/H36247/2016/05/20/advanced

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/H36246/2016/05/22/advanced
I never even knew the Line was still there, Does anyone know the last Time a Train used that line as it must of been some years ago!

Harrisons is a limestone quarry so it won't be track ballast, unless for whatever reason, they are roading granite into Harrisons from elsewhere for onward movement by rail.

ps I have just checked and Harrisons is now also owned by Hanson.
 
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Y961 XBU

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The line ran from the CLC St Helens Central station to the junction with Lowton St Marys station. Stations that were constructed on the line were:-
St Helens Central
Haydock
Ashton-in-Makerfield
Haydock Park Racecourse
Golborne North

Yea, thats the Line, I never knew any of it was left as i thought the lot had well gone
 

Shaw S Hunter

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the Ashton in Makerfield Line is getting Repaired ready for a Freightliner Contract starting next month, I think the Cargo is Ballast, Paths are on RTT

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/H36247/2016/05/20/advanced

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/H36246/2016/05/22/advanced
I never even knew the Line was still there, Does anyone know the last Time a Train used that line as it must of been some years ago!

It's Hanson Asphalt now so looks like they're going to be delivering the chippings by rail.

This movement has been proposed previously, something like 10 years ago IIRC but nothing came of it. The traffic would indeed be inward roadstone to be coated for use in roadbuilding/repair. Don't know when the bitumen train from Lindsey last ran but it was notable for involving a propelling movement on the WCML.

And I've actually travelled on the line courtesy of an Institute of Mining Engineers railtour way back in September 1991! Traversed pretty much the limit of both branch and siding. Mind you that tour was a real buffer-kisser's delight; how often did passenger trains pass under a coal loading hopper as this one did at Bickershaw.
 

popsider

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the Ashton in Makerfield Line is getting Repaired ready for a Freightliner Contract starting next month, I think the Cargo is Ballast, Paths are on RTT

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/H36247/2016/05/20/advanced

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/H36246/2016/05/22/advanced
I never even knew the Line was still there, Does anyone know the last Time a Train used that line as it must of been some years ago!

There was a rail enthusiasts train down there last year.And before that freightliner put a few loaded ballast trains down there,which were then forwarded by road for the extension of the Manchester metro.
 

LDECRexile

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There was a rail enthusiasts train down there last year.And before that freightliner put a few loaded ballast trains down there,which were then forwarded by road for the extension of the Manchester metro.

The enthusiasts' train ran on 6th-7th March 2015, named "Sabrina's Tea..."

Please see: http://www.sixbellsjunction.co.uk/

Click on 2016

then

trawl down and click on Sabrina's etc.

The Wikipedia entries on the line and its stations are pretty comprehensive:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liverpool,_St_Helens_and_South_Lancashire_Railway

The easiest and possibly best place to photograph can be seen by copying and pasting this grid ref into Bing Maps: 53.485287, -2.602068
 

LDECRexile

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As the 20th May service still shows in RTT Paul Gaskell and I went for a shufty today.

We couldn't see any sign that any work had been done to ensure this seldom-used track was ready for a 600 ton trailing load train, but we stress we are amateurs who know nowt.

The line from the WCML to the headshunt seemed pretty clear. The points almost directly below the road bridge at 53.485203, -2.602475 looked unlubricated and had no lever.

The line to Hanson's seemed pretty clear as far as we could see, except for a substantial bush a few yards into the branch (no pun intended) which doubtless could be brushed aside (ha ha) by a 600 ton plus train.

We really hope it happens successfully!
 

furnessvale

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That's just a (speculative) WTT path - the chance of it actually running is zero,
I'm afraid.

MARK

Sad to read that. The stone must come in by road at the moment. I wonder how far it has to travel.

The timings looked good. Around 2.25hrs from Shap to Wigan matches road times.
 

LNW-GW Joint

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Mold, Clwyd
The line ran from the CLC St Helens Central station to the junction with Lowton St Marys station. Stations that were constructed on the line were:-
St Helens Central
Haydock
Ashton-in-Makerfield
Haydock Park Racecourse
Golborne North

Strictly speaking, the lines from Glazebrook to Wigan and St Helens were MS&L/GC lines.
The original Wigan Junction Railway line became part of the Sheffield & Midland Joint Committee network (like the lines through Romiley, and the Widnes loop), but eventually fell into direct GC ownership.
The St Helens branch was built by the GC.
These lines could all have been part of the CLC but the GN wasn't interested.
But essentially, like the CLC, they were all part of the "Not the LNWR" network.
 

Class 170101

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That's just a (speculative) WTT path - the chance of it actually running is zero,
I'm afraid.

MARK

Why is it allowed to stand on our congested network then?

It should be removed to allow someone else to to actually use the capacity on the remaining open network.
 

Freightmaster

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Unless my brain cell is malfunctioning (again) RTT shows that a 2400 ton trailing load made the run this morning and others are due to follow tomorrow and Friday.
Unfortunately, that's just the booked path/timing load;
the train didn't run, and isn't likely to for some time yet.

MARK
 

montyburns56

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5 Oct 2015
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There's actually a wire fence across the line near where the line to the Hanson sidings branches off from the headshunt, so I don't think that there is going to be any traffic down it in the near future.
 

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Elecman

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That's a pretty impressive wire fence!! I think you meant a Pallisade fence and it's a gate so easily opened
 

popsider

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Network Rail engineers were checking the line over last week for the reopening to traffic.
 
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