Is the Skelton Junction to Ditton Junction line in use?

[KATIEC85]

Good morning, could anyone advise if the Skelton junction to Ditton junction line was still operational and in use?

I have looked on Google Earth, and it doesn't appear to be in operation.

We need to do some building works to the building marked pink eye building below, but the railway line forms a drop zone, so it would be good to know if it is in operation. The post code for the building is WA5 1AH

 

[Benjwri]

It is still operational, for example 0F42 passed over it on the 20th.

It goes without saying you shouldn’t be parking on a level crossing to unload things without prior permission.

 

[nw-sparks]

The line between Ditton Junction and Warrington Arpley is still open and gets occasional use. My records show just five movements so far in June

I think you need to consult Network Rail before commencing work!

 

[fishwomp]

A shocking question to be asking the internet. No-one here is the right authority to answer this.

If you place anything near railway land, or specifically near running lines, you are placing people at risk unless you have authority from Network Rail.

It would be a serious criminal offence to fail to get that, and I would expect serious consequences - regardless of whether there was an accident or not. Clearly the sentence would be higher if casualties resulted.

If someone here had said "sure, fine".. that is not a defence in court.

 

[duffield]

It is still operational, for example 0F42 passed over it on the 20th.

It goes without saying you shouldn’t be parking on a level crossing to unload things without prior permission.

The most recent movement I can see is 0F44 0907 Halewood (Jaguar Cars) to Arpley Sidings H.S. on 21st June.

But the OP should know that asking unknown random people on a forum (even one as knowledgeable as this) is *not* the way to make any safety related decisions about railway matters.

Consider the case where perhaps this post had gone largely unnoticed, apart from one ill-informed post saying "Oh yes, nothing uses that line, you'll be fine" and a tragic accident had resulted.

As per previous post, Network Rail are the only people who matter. Only they can grant (or deny) permission for any work impinging on the live railway (which all lines should be assumed to be by default).

I see while composing this post someone else has essentially given the same advice.

 

[bluenoxid]

Considering the information provided, there is the reasonable possibility that the OP has already engaged Network Rail, received a response, quote and thought that seems high for a railway line that they haven’t seen any trains on, which considering the last movement that previous posters can find was a light engine movement a week ago is fairly reasonable. I also would check for this sort of information because if the quote is significant and/or response restrictive, it could require a change to the scope of the project.

My advice is to (continue to) engage Network Rail and any other organisation that you’re talking to.

 

[duffield]

Considering the information provided, there is the reasonable possibility that the OP has already engaged Network Rail, received a response, quote and thought that seems high for a railway line that they haven’t seen any trains on, which considering the last movement that previous posters can find was a light engine movement a week ago is fairly reasonable. I also would check for this sort of information because if the quote is significant and/or response restrictive, it could require a change to the scope of the project.

My advice is to (continue to) engage Network Rail and any other organisation that you’re talking to.

If they'd already engaged with NR, they would have been told that the line *is* operational and would not be asking us that specific question, they would be asking us (for example) if this theoretical NR quote was reasonable.

Also given there are a number of paths every day, at least some of which are "live" in the sense that they are active by default unless cancelled (as opposed to "Q" paths which need to be activated), NR have to assume there will be movements every day, and any process they need to follow for a line block etc. would no doubt be pretty much the same as for a somewhat more intensively used line.

 

[daodao]

The line between Ditton Junction and Warrington Arpley is still open and gets occasional use. My records show just five movements so far in June

I think you need to consult Network Rail before commencing work!

It might be worth changing the thread title as the line east of Arpley to Skelton Junction was closed 40 years ago.

 

[duffield]

Another movement today, happening right now:
0F42 0929 Arpley Sidings H.S. to Halewood (Jaguar Cars)

 

[Gloster]

You should not obstruct, stop, loiter, park, unload or otherwise delay on any level-crossing. This crossing has a controlling box (Littons Mill, I think) and if you obstruct the crossing the signalman/crossing keeper will tell you to move: if you don’t he has the full force of the law behind him. Simply put: don’t.

 

[Sheridan]

A couple of posts have mentioned the level crossing but I don’t think the OP made any reference to it at all?

 

[Tom]

It is still operational, for example 0F42 passed over it on the 20th.

More importantly, the output of systems that derive data from railway information systems such as RTT won't necessarily show all train movements and so cannot be taken as read as being the full train service listed. The line is operational and therefore trains can run at any time whether or not they are listed on online systems.

 

[Benjwri]

A couple of posts have mentioned the level crossing but I don’t think the OP made any reference to it at all?

The OP stated 'the railway line forms a drop zone', I think we've given the OP the benefit of the doubt that they are meaning (presumably unloading) on the level crossing, rather than trespassing somewhere else on the railway...

More importantly, the output of systems that derive data from railway information systems such as RTT won't necessarily show all train movements and so cannot be taken as read as being the full train service listed. The line is operational and therefore trains can run at any time whether or not they are listed on online systems.

Yes definitely a good point.

 

[zwk500]

We need to do some building works to the building marked pink eye building below, but the railway line forms a drop zone,

You have already identified the line is within a risk zone. You need to talk to Network Rail directly.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: Friday at 11:40 ==

The OP stated 'the railway line forms a drop zone', I think we've given the OP the benefit of the doubt that they are meaning (presumably unloading) on the level crossing, rather than trespassing somewhere else on the railway...

I read that as the OP meaning the railway is within the zone into which things may drop when e.g. crane lifts are happening, rather than planning on using the railway as a drop-off point for materials.

 

[Benjwri]

I read that as the OP meaning the railway is within the zone into which things may drop when e.g. crane lifts are happening, rather than planning on using the railway as a drop-off point for materials.

Ah potentially, I had taken it to mean drop off, but it very well could mean that.

 

[matt]

You need to talk to Network Rail directly. The forum isn't really the right place for this.