Freight/Engineers trains on Merseyrail

[Tubeboy]

As the title suggests, is there any freight workings on the Wirral/Northern lines? I know of the line at Ellesmere Port to Manisty Wharf but was wondering if there's anything else on the network?

Thanks in advance.

 

[8A Rail]

As the title suggests, is there any freight workings on the Wirral/Northern lines? I know of the line at Ellesmere Port to Manisty Wharf but was wondering if there's anything else on the network?
Thanks in advance.

Obviously you will get "Engineers" trains on the third rail network from time to time in connection with track renewal and such like but there is no freight actually travels on the system itself.

As regards Ellesmere Port - Manistry Wharf section, there is only approx 100/150 yds actually on the third rail section, as the rest of it is on the actual branch. Currently there is only the twice / three times sand train that goes on that line and this service will in the next few months (or thereabouts), transfer to the new sidings at West Cheshire Junction (nr Helsby). The coal trains finished for good in June gone.

There is no freight that goes to Birkenhead Docks which would use the Rock Ferry-Hooton section - been a long time since there has been any and no plans in the near future either. There use to be Tanker trains that operate to and from Port Sunlight but again they finished in the nineties.

The Bootle Bch line which serves the docks from Edge Hill meets up with the third rail system at Bootle Junction but no freights actually go near those lines as the docks line is seperate although there is a phyiscal connection between the two.

The line to the ex Potters Terminal (Knowsley) is not on the third rail system as its north of Kirkby Station. I think that covers everything?

 

[Ianigsy]

The freight line which accessed Birkenhead Docks round the back of Birkenhead North depot is now very well forested! I keep meaning to take a picture for the Railway Magazine's "where is this?" feature because the crossing gates are still there. As far as I understand, Wrexham-Bidston tends to be the favoured route for engineering trains and Merseyrail units going away to works- easier to fit a ballast train (for example) in on a line with an hourly DMU service than potentially six units an hour through Hooton.

 

[Tubeboy]

Thanks folks, very interesting.

 

[8A Rail]

The freight line which accessed Birkenhead Docks round the back of Birkenhead North depot is now very well forested! I keep meaning to take a picture for the Railway Magazine's "where is this?" feature because the crossing gates are still there. As far as I understand, Wrexham-Bidston tends to be the favoured route for engineering trains and Merseyrail units going away to works- easier to fit a ballast train (for example) in on a line with an hourly DMU service than potentially six units an hour through Hooton.

Only if engineering trains are required on the Wirral. Engineering trains for the "Northern Line" come via Bootle Branch Line and Allerton Junction for the Hunts Cross - Brunswick line.