Eccles To Weaste Freight Traffic

[Richard P]

This topic has been covered in the past and I know inbound Cement to the Terminal at Salford is covered every 10 days or so by boat from Limerick and Drogheda but I noticed today people working on the line and a lot of clearance work has taken recently place in the vicinity too with trees cut back and associated detritus removed. Does anyone have any news of a reinstatement of rail traffic - last I witnessed down there was 2016 if my memory serves me right?

 

[furnessvale]

It strikes me that such work may have been done in anticipation of no B----- deal.

Now a deal has been struck, it may, or may not, be simple to continue the present arrangements.

 

[Greybeard33]

I believe the last use of the branch was in 2016, when the Ship Canal was temporarily blocked by the collapse of the Barton lift bridge. This disrupted the normal cement deliveries by ship. See this thread: https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/eccles-weaste-freight-spur.123079/post-2600160

 

[IamTrainsYT]

Sort of continuing on from this... https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/eccles-weaste-freight-spur.123079/page-3

looks like Weaste is back in businesses.

2125 Oxwellmains Lafarge Colas to Weaste https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/R03326/2021-02-15/detailed


1434 Weaste to Oxwellmains Lafarge Colas https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/R03327/2021-02-16/detailed

 

[palmersears]

Whilst stranger things have happened, I wouldn't hold your breath on this running.

 

[IamTrainsYT]

Whilst stranger things have happened, I wouldn't hold your breath on this running.

They’ve recently cleared the vegetation & a colas route learner recently ran around the area. Don’t see why it wouldn’t run?

 

[Ianno87]

They’ve recently cleared the vegetation & a colas route learner recently ran around the area. Don’t see why it wouldn’t run?

Otherwise, it'd be a total Weaste of money.

(I'll see myself out)

 

[6Gman]

When I saw the thread title "Eccles to Weaste freight traffic" my immediate thought was "railfreight can't possibly be competitive over that distance!"

 

[NI 271]

Whilst stranger things have happened, I wouldn't hold your breath on this running.

Why would you say this, when you must be aware you have absolutely no idea either way? It's just a total guess (and a bad one at that). So odd.

 

[Wandering pete]

..due to leave Oxwellmains Lafarge Colas at 21.25 tonight..apparently behind 70801..

..the eagle is in the air...

 

[Bob figgis]

Off and running 36 early at Berwick

 

[palmersears]

Why would you say this, when you must be aware you have absolutely no idea either way? It's just a total guess (and a bad one at that). So odd.

I'm happy to hold my hands up and say my source(s) for this were incorrect on this occasion, such is life.

EDIT: Life is too short to argue on an internet forum, so post edited. Have a lovely day, NI 271

 

[Wandering pete]

70801 at Weaste with the train from Oxwellmains(16.2.21)

 

[Geeves]

Not sure what the delay was on departure but just passed through Victoria 81L 6S64

 

[weastebusdepot]

It was late arriving, so maybe takes the same length of time to unload. Only 10 tankers though, but bigger than the PCA tankers we used to get in quantities of up to 36 when there were regular trains from Hope valley. It does explain why there has been so much activity from people in orange in recent weeks including cutting back lineside vegetation.

I think this is the first time a class 70 has visited Weaste. Any idea if this is going to become a regular event?

 

[Freightmaster]

Any idea if this is going to become a regular event?

I'm told that it is intended to be weekly, but I notice that there is already a path in the system
for another delivery this Saturday!





MARK

 

[IamTrainsYT]

I'm told that it is intended to be weekly, but I notice that there is already a path in the system
for another delivery this Saturday!

Apparently it will run every Tuesday and Saturday, with 20 JPA's.

Here it was at Stalybridge:

 

[IamTrainsYT]

Apparently it will run every Tuesday and Saturday, with 20 JPA's.

to add to this, it is part of a 5 year contract.

 

[Railworker101]

Running again this Saturday with 10 JPAs whilst the crew at Weaste familiarise themselves with the wagon types. Will be up to 20 JPAs on Tuesdays run.

 

[kevconnor]

Are these movements making use of the ship canal or are they delivering to the cement works?

 

[soasccs]

Are these movements making use of the ship canal or are they delivering to the cement works?

Delivering to the cement works. It has been brought in by boat for the past 5+ years or more but these trains are replacing the ships entirely.

 

[RAPC]

Lovely to see it back in use. When I eventually get to return to my place of work, I might pop out and try to get a view of one of the services in operation.

 

[Bevan Price]

Lovely to see it back in use. When I eventually get to return to my place of work, I might pop out and try to get a view of one of the services in operation.

Photos possible from a newish road overbridge very close to the Weaste terminal. A zoom lens may help at certain times.

 

[Freightmaster]

Running again this Saturday with 10 JPAs whilst the crew at Weaste familiarise themselves with the wagon types.

Cancelled.





MARK

 

[palmersears]

No movement for today's paths, and nothing yet in for Saturday either. Hope it wasn't a flash in the pan...

 

[soasccs]

There's a (small) ship due in on Friday, seemingly in place of the cancelled trains. Not sure what the issue is.

 

[john prytherch]

Do these trains travel through Manchester Victoria, both westbound loaded and eastbound empty? When they reach Eccles, do they run round on the Up Chat Moss line or the Up Goods loop (which?) or do they propel down the branch to the wharf? I guess they run round there and do not propel up the branch - is this right?

 

[NI 271]

Do these trains travel through Manchester Victoria, both westbound loaded and eastbound empty? When they reach Eccles, do they run round on the Up Chat Moss line or the Up Goods loop (which?) or do they propel down the branch to the wharf? I guess they run round there and do not propel up the branch - is this right?

Yes, through Victoria in both directions. Runs round in the loop, and again in the terminal (then again in the loop on departure).

 

[Baxenden Bank]

Self-loading freight on the line, pictured in 1978.

Looking towards Manchester, the branch drops through the arch in the background on the left, the main line to the right.

Moderators and fellow forumites, please permit this slight deviation from the main topic.



Taken from Branch Line Society Album
Image shows a Branch Line Society railtour in 1978, at the signal short of the main line junction. Manchester Ship Canal loco 4002 and passengers in open wagons.

Caption for image:

25. Beyond Mode Wheel the line proceeded to Weaste Junction, where the former LNWR connection to Eccles commenced. The organisers of the 1978 tour had requested to be allowed to run towards Eccles, but even they were surprised at how far the crew were prepared to proceed up the line, eventually stopping at the signal short of the main line junction (now Eccles Station Junction, the area has changed out of all recognition), shown here. It turned out that MSC locos were occasionally needed to assist BR freights from Lancashire Tar Distillers up the bank so could proceed this far, although given the London Midland Region of BR's attitude to passenger trains on freight lines at the time, what happened on the day was definitely a local arrangement!

 

[soasccs]

Does anyone know what happened to this?