Freight Flows Through Manchester Terminals
 

Anyone know what these flows are these days and how many actually run?

I know Victoria used to be pretty intensive and I know the 'Binliners' run every day, and am pretty sure there must still be traffic from Buxton to Hope St Stone Terminal (as NR have put in a new track at Salford Central) I believe the Castleton Rail depot has been winded down, but does Victoria see any other cross-city freights?

The only traffic I'm aware runs through Piccadilly is freightliners from Trafford Park through platforms 13/14. I imagine anything else will be fighting for paths!

*can a friendly mod please shift this to the Freight discussion, apologies*

There we go, that's that done for you. But I'm afraid I don't know the answer to your question.

I don't know about these things in detail, but since my office overlooks the viaduct approaching Piccadilly (in Ardwick) I can tell you that EWS and Freightliner run freight through every day - mostly 66's but EWS also run Class 92's on an almost daily basis. On an average day I'll see about 4 Class 66's, two in either direction (usually the same trains) and perhaps a Class 92.

I dunno if that is of any help to you. :p

Not sure of the frequency but I think the EWS steel traffic from Healey Mills to Mostyn Docks and the coal traffic from Healey Mills to Penyffordd is routed via Victoria.

There used to be oil tankers between Stanlow & Immingham - do these still run? I've a pic at home of them running via the now closed Red Bank Loop. I think there was some other traffic recently from a Logistics Factory at Ordsall Lane which had its own rail connection.

No unfortunately this service ceased about 4 years ago. Shell Stanlow no longer use rail.

Don't think they use the facilities anymore, it is very overgrown, although there is an 07 on site which seems to shift about.

I think there is a Hope (?)-Weaste cement train during the week, usually turns at Eccles around 4pm.

And today and any day where the WCML is shut between Crewe/Wigan/Preston there are the diverted freights, including the LessCo train.

I might be wrong, but I'm not sure if freight is now banned from the Bolton line because of the sheer volume of passenger movements (specially in the area of Salford Crescent). A far cry from the days when the succession of parcel vans for Red Bank Carriage Sidings used to ply the route to places like Bolton, Preston, Barrow & Glasgow.

As I have said in your post about Red Bank yes many flows through Bolton, and whilst you quote the postal vans from Barrow, these were in actual fact from Workington, but worked by Barrow men including myself.

I've got a pic at home of converted ex-BedPan DMU on a parcels train at Barrow in around 1986.

Did anyone see the hot oil train that ran every evening in the 80s with double headed 56s sometimes with new builds 56s I seen 56133 new build with an early build 56 at MILLS HILL

I remember one of the Stanlow-Jarrow fuel oil trains was hauled by double-headed 56's. I used to see it leaving the refinery in the early evening. Was this the one?

I recall this movement, and I seem to remember that it was pulled by two class 47's.
This train was derailed on the hump top at HM, and the engines were off all wheels.
It would appear that the driver took the wrong dolly and went through the traps protecting the mail line, thereby depositing himself on the muck.

This traffic goes by Stalybridge, Guide Bridge, Stockport , Northwhich and Chester. recessing at Hollywell Jct.

Since this thread was first started the EWS steel traffic to Mostyn Docks has ceased. The Penyffordd coal trains still run but are routed via Warrington and I assume, Manchester Victoria although it's possible that they reach Warrington via Northwich and the WCML.

Dennis , the Onion Knife and a failed 56.
 

Quite some years ago I had to go from Manchester Vic Mess room , with my favourite driver called Dennis who was an ex 56B/56A man .
For Dennis 14hour+ shifts were the norm, so everyone had to do the same or Dennis got a little ill tempered.
Dennis and I were asked to go to the Bay platforms to pick up a Class 56 to take to Warrington and bring back a train to HM.
They stored locos in the Bays in those days, as it was years before the trams took over these platforms.
Dennis would make overtime at any excuse.
We then set sail from Vic towards Eccles, this was before the run round road was put in on the up road.
As we were approaching Eccles down distant, the Class 56 expired and stopped dead.
As we were near Eccles box,went back and protected the light engine.
Dennis got on the SPT to the box, and it was arranged for a Class 47 to come from VIC to rescue the failed 56.
After an age with the down line was a que of traffic waiting for the road.
When the 47 came, I picked up the dets, and conducted the driver onto the failed engine.
I hooked the 47 onto the 56, complete with the air brake pipes.
The driver off the 47 agreed a method of work and what we were going to do.
Plan:- propell the 56 to Ashton Moss SB, and cross over on the main to main, then back to Newton Heath and dump the engine, then back home to The Mill on the 0215hrs York Papers and off at the Mill
All this took time and eventually we managed to get back to Vic and get on the papers.
Some years after when I saw Dennis now retired, and he told me why the 56 failed, something to do with a coolant pipe in the engine room had been damaged, but Dennis assured he did not do this evil damage with his onion knife. He told me this with a smile and a wink of the eye.
This time would have been in the mid 1980's before the Worksop Maffia brought in the horrid smell of privatisation to HM the best Depot on BR.
Dennis would be now 85 years old and still lookes after his little onion knife.

Hi HM181,
Nice story. Know the area well- made it all the more enjoyable.

Many more little railway memories, in the days where a train was a train, and if it hit you it hurt, not a plastic in sight.

I thought there was still a binlinner from just through Salford cresent there's a rail haed at the tip and there used to be a stone terminal further up from it, you used to see 66s regular uop there

Ive got frend who works at Stanlow,he said the "new owners" of Shell in Ellesmere port are going back to oil tanker trains soon,plans have been put forward....

are all the sidings still in operation at stanlow ?

I worked the Ellesmere Port Gas tanks for 7 Years from Imminham.
Last time I saw the Gas Tanks was at Rother ham getting cut up, and on
Google Earth the Gas Standing had been scrapped at the refinary.
Happy New year.