Stations with freight traffic north west.
 

I'm planning a trip to Doncaster sometime and can occasionally get to Crewe station in my dinner hour if I'm lucky. I live in Macclesfield and wondered what stations not too far from me get a reasonable amount of freight. Doesn't seem to be as much of it as there used to be but is it the exception now?

Well Tommy, I think that the frieght side of the railway has declined to what it used to be.The main objective these days is to get "bums on seats" and the passenger train rules...compared to what it was in BR days.
That is my reply to you, but no doubt someone can give you better information.

48111

You could try Stafford. Always plenty going on when I arrive (9am) and depart (5.30pm) every day.

Mainly Freightliner, both classic and heavy haul. Also EWS on infrastructure trains if you go on Fridays.

Good shout that MC, only 35 minutes from Macclesfield too. I keep forgetting I'm as near to the Midlands as some parts of the North-West.

There's been a fair bit of mention of Crewe on here,mainly from Saxo. I work in Crewe and get out and about but apart from the station haven't really found any good vantage points for spotting. Its frustrating to drive down Gresty Road and not see anywhere obvious to park up and have a little potter. Can anyone enlighten me on good spots anywhere round Crewe for taking piccies and getting numbers?

Tommy,
A good spot for freight not that far from you is Peak Forest, and the area surrounding Buxton.

Cheers John

I used to take some photos from Edleston Road bridge (Chester line), but that may not be possible now. Nothing springs to mind currently, but I'll have a think and let you know

From the gallery photos I thought a trip to Warrington would be productive. On Saturday I spent three hours there, it was like watching paint dry! 19 trains and only one freight ( a Freight 66 southbound to the yard coal empties.
Back to Manchester Piccadilli and Victoria today, maybe Crewe if I don't have to buy the train first; I only want a ride!

There's always less freight at the weekends, though I'm surprised you didn't see any infrastructure trains