Helsby Junction Signal Box Diagram as at 12th February 2018.
Siding 2 into Ince and Elton is out of use but word is that the works and the demand for traffic into the works may well increase and the second siding may well be put back in to use.
In days of old the point where Elton sidings diverged had another signal box, Helsby West Cheshire Junction. I visited both in July 1977 as an 18 year old youth pedalling my trusty push bike from Maghull around these signalling outposts. West Cheshire Junction was where the line to Mouldsworth Junction diverged from the Up and Down Hooton and was used by the many oil trains that used to eminate from Stanlow Oil Refinery. The flow of fuel still happens but sadly these days it is via pipeline.
The only other thing to point out is that the down refuge sidings whilst still in situ are signed out of use.
All other points and crossovers are used on a regular basis.
I've been very quiet on Flickr since my move to Merseyside 25 months ago but I'm currently trying to remedy that in some small way.
Having passed out Frodsham Junction on the 25th January 2018 the next in my sites was Helsby Junction.
Helsby is a cracking spot.
A lovely 45 lever LNW box situated on the platform located between platforms 2 & 3.
The service is primarily operated by units provided by Arriva Trains Wales with an hourly Manchester to Chester and North Wales service.
In addition to this however there are a few notable exceptions.
Twice a day a Northern Trains' unit arrives and runs a little shuttle between Helsby and Ellesmere Port before heading off elsewhere.
At six in the morning a service arrives from Warrington and does two return trips from Helsby to the port before heading off back to Bank Quay.
In the afternoon another service does something similar. An ECS arrives from Chester and sets back into Platform 4 and then forms a 15.17 to Ellesmere Port before returning and doing a second shuttle at 15.45. Upon returning to Helsby the second time the service continues on back to Warrington B.Q.
The Arriva units are supplemented by a loco hauled rake of 4 Mark III's and a DVT which are timed primarily to ease the peak loadings into and out of Manchester but which of course shuttle to and fro throughout the day.
Freight is very sparse but is interesting.
The demise of King Coal has seen the end of power station coal off Ellesmere Port and the long standing flow of coal to Penyffordd Cement Sidings has also not been seen for some time.
What is seen however is a relatively new flow of sand from Middleton Towers to Ince & Elton operated by DBC. Specifically the traffic is to the Encirc Glass factory which produces glass containers (jars and bottles basically).
The sidings into the plant are controlled by Helsby Junction and generally one train a day is becoming the norm. In addition to sand there is now a relatively new flow of crushed (I assume re-cycled) glass from Tilbury Docks which seems to arrive once a week.
The train arrives around 07.20 Hrs and is booked away at 14.00'ish but is often an hour or two early away as it only has to trip back to Arpley Yard, finding it a margin for the short hop to Warrington is not normally an issue.
The only other regular booked freight is 6J37 which will need little introduction to most. The Colas Carlisle Yard - Chirk Kronospan log train which is a favourite on the S & C.
Clearly the location offers many opportunities but when I'm on duty my options are limited but these are a couple or four shots taken during my unexpected call from the roster clerk to attend on Monday 12 and Tuesday 13th February which saw me flying the box solo after passing out on Tuesday 6th February.
Tags: London North Western Signal Box Signalling Signal Box Diagram Helsby Helsby Junction Junction Signal Box Helsby Junction Signal Box
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Tracé van het in de jaren '30 aangelegde maar nooit voltooide deel van Rijksweg 50 (Apeldoorn-Zwolle) bij de Wiesel (ten noorden van Apeldoorn).
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