Powerhaul 70 Pey Posted May 29, 2015 Share Posted May 29, 2015 I have looked on the internet but can't find any info to confirm this but two lads from work returned from a visit to the Manisty Wharf coal terminal at Ellesmere Port today with the sad news that the site is to close on 30th June 2015. The site is served by coaster coal ships from Hunterston in which the coal is unloaded and onto Freightliner coal trains using two Caterpillar 980 wheel loaders. The train has been pretty much class 70 hauled for the last few years. There is generally one train doing two trips per day from Ellesmere Port to Fiddlers Ferry Power Station in Warrington. I have been to see the train running this week in the Warrington area with SSE reported to be taking the remaining stockpile of coal. If true it will be interesting to see if there are any additional trains running from Hunterston, Portbury or Liverpool Bulk Terminal as there was a few months ago. Although many of the lads from work have visited this site I have never had the opportunity, although I have been to the dock road a few times to see the train leave/arrive. Can anyone confirm this or have any further info? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Saunders Posted May 29, 2015 Share Posted May 29, 2015 Does this mean Close or is it the current contract has finished, the Power Stations have vast stocks currently as they built up stocks prior to the end of the last financial year before the last increase in Carbon Tax put £9 a ton on coal. This is shown by the number of coal sets currently stood idle! Mark Saunders Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Powerhaul 70 Pey Posted May 29, 2015 Author Share Posted May 29, 2015 Does this mean Close or is it the current contract has finished, the Power Stations have vast stocks currently as they built up stocks prior to the end of the last financial year before the last increase in Carbon Tax put £9 a ton on coal. This is shown by the number of coal sets currently stood idle! Mark Saunders Hello Mark. I believe it is to close as the site personnel told the lads who I work with today whilst in a meeting. They were visiting the site to discuss the recent work done to the machinery and the possibility that the wheel loaders were being moved to Scotland or Liverpool. The trains have only started running again this week after a period of around 2 months. I thought this was down to Manisty Wharf being on shut down due to maintenance and that Fiddlers Ferry are also on some sort of reduced operation or shutdown. Also like you say there was around 6 to 8 trains per day before the tax was placed on coal and that powerstations were stock piling hence the lack of coal at the minute. Apparantley SSE have bought the remainder of the coal but are not taking any more. Like I say I have done some searches on the internet but couldn't find any information as I have heard the news second hand. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TangerineWizards Posted May 29, 2015 Share Posted May 29, 2015 I always found it difficult to find much information about Manisty Wharf online although I seem to recall an article in Railway Magazine a few years ago, which was quite interesting. Peel Holdings, the owner of the track and land, have long held ambitions to develop the Manisty Wharf area in to a housing development called Ellesmere Quays or something similar. Of course the Quinn Glass sand trains still run down the branch although this might be a thing of the past soon if the new rail connection is finally installed to the factory near Helsby. I remember a trial run of car trains from Vauxhall a few years ago but that obviously came to nothing as well. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold beast66606 Posted June 1, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted June 1, 2015 Local discussion confirms closure at the end of June. The connections for Quinn (at Helsby West Cheshire) should be commissioned in the next few weeks - they will be controlled from a ground frame. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyingsignalman Posted June 1, 2015 Share Posted June 1, 2015 Local discussion confirms closure at the end of June. The connections for Quinn (at Helsby West Cheshire) should be commissioned in the next few weeks - they will be controlled from a ground frame. Control by a ground frame seems strange seeing as Helsby Jcn had the connections put on the box when West Cheshire Jcn was finally abolished. I was talking to a S&T man on Friday night and he mentioned that he thought it would be July before the connection was commissioned. He said it due to be earlier but that they were waiting for the Per Way to change some timbers. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
class"66" Posted June 2, 2015 Share Posted June 2, 2015 This is sad news to here!! no more coal trains out of Ellesmere port Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TangerineWizards Posted June 2, 2015 Share Posted June 2, 2015 Local discussion confirms closure at the end of June. The connections for Quinn (at Helsby West Cheshire) should be commissioned in the next few weeks - they will be controlled from a ground frame. Beast, I used to always find your pictorial updates of the Wirral/Cheshire area the best way to keep up to speeds with the local goings on! Am I right in thinking a GBRF gypsum made it to Ellesmere Port/Hooton a few times recently to change ends? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold beast66606 Posted June 2, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted June 2, 2015 Beast, I used to always find your pictorial updates of the Wirral/Cheshire area the best way to keep up to speeds with the local goings on! Am I right in thinking a GBRF gypsum made it to Ellesmere Port/Hooton a few times recently to change ends? I don't think GBRF have been down there for a while. Ellesmere Port is where the train reverses although a couple of times it's made Hooton but for only for special operational reasons - a points failure once and an overnight stay are the two I know of. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
40044 Posted June 2, 2015 Share Posted June 2, 2015 I can't think of anything GBRf-wise in the area since the biomass stopped being loaded at the docks towards the end of 2013. The Fiddlers gypsum would run round at either Northwich or Ellesmere Port but this hasn't been operated by GBRf for about 2 years. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TangerineWizards Posted June 4, 2015 Share Posted June 4, 2015 That could possibly explain my confusion! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Powerhaul 70 Pey Posted June 9, 2015 Author Share Posted June 9, 2015 The Ellesmere Port Manisty Wharf to Fiddlers Ferry was running again today after being cancelled on Saturday and Monday. I am not sure how much coal is left in the stockpile at Manisty Wharf and when the last train is going to be, I will have to see if any of the lads from work get called out between now and the 30th June and see if they can find anything out whilst on site. Apparantly they used to stock enough coal to keep Fiddlers Ferry going for two days which, according to google searches burns around 16,000 tonnes of coal per day. One train will haul around 2000 tonnes of coal. However, this was the only coal train running to Fiddlers today. From 6-8 trains per day a few months ago to 1 train today! 70005 brought the train into Latchford sidings in Warrington around 20:30, pulling up along side the rake of coal hoppers Then 70002 came into the sidings light engine a short time after and coupled onto the train and took it forward to Fiddlers Ferry Power Station. 70005 then ran light back to Crewe Basford Hall but was stopped at the signal on Slutchers Lane as it waited for a path on the West Coast Main Line. Around 21:30 the red signal changed and god can they accelerate off with no load! Didnt manage to get a photo of it accelerating away with loads of clag! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold beast66606 Posted June 14, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted June 14, 2015 STP move tomorrow http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/R00307/2015/06/15/advanced This *may* be the wagons going away ? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold 4630 Posted June 14, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted June 14, 2015 STP move tomorrow http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/R00307/2015/06/15/advanced This *may* be the wagons going away ? Thanks Beast. I wondered what that working was for when I was looking at the schedule through Hebden Bridge tomorrow on RTT. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold beast66606 Posted June 14, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted June 14, 2015 Thanks Beast. I wondered what that working was for when I was looking at the schedule through Hebden Bridge tomorrow on RTT. No problem - I don't know for definite its the wagons but it looks possible. 40044 may be along soon and confirm / clarify. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold 4630 Posted June 15, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted June 15, 2015 It turned out in the end to be something of an anti-climax. 66560 drifts down through Copy Pit with one HHA. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Powerhaul 70 Pey Posted June 15, 2015 Author Share Posted June 15, 2015 It turned out in the end to be something of an anti-climax. 66560 drifts down through Copy Pit with one HHA. 66560 6Z32 Copy Pit 15062015 RMWeb.jpg Interesting! Thanks for the post! So maybe the Ellesmere Port to Fiddlers Ferry will be running again tomorrow. The last two weeks it has ran Tuesday to Fridays doing the two out and back journeys generally. I will keep an eye on real time trains and if it is running tomorrow I may venture out and try to master this new camera! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
class"66" Posted June 16, 2015 Share Posted June 16, 2015 Interesting photo,freightliner 66 with one coal hopper Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold beast66606 Posted June 16, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted June 16, 2015 It turned out in the end to be something of an anti-climax. 66560 drifts down through Copy Pit with one HHA. I like mini-hauls. The Manisty coal is running today. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Powerhaul 70 Pey Posted June 19, 2015 Author Share Posted June 19, 2015 Here is a few photos with my new camera which I am still trying to master as I have always used the camera on my mobile phone. I managed to ask the driver at Arpley signal box during a crew change when the last train would be from Manisty Wharf but he wasn't sure weather it would be Friday 19th or Friday 26th June. 70002 heads away from Fiddlers Ferry power station just after 15:00 to run around it's train at Latchford sidings before returning to Ellesmere Port Manisty Wharf for it's second trip of the day. The location is Fiddlers Ferry yacht haven where there is a nice little pub called The Ferry Tavern. Here's 70002 heading towards the power station just after 21:00 with a full load of imported coal. The driver did say that he was booked on the train today but hopefully next week there will be an opportunity to get some better photos with this new camera of mine before this working sadly comes to an end and Clydeport Operations at Manisty Wharf is no longer. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold beast66606 Posted June 21, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted June 21, 2015 Rumours (strong ones) that the last Ellesmere Port coal will run tonight - the loco has just arrived at Garston 166 late. Empty train was due off Garston at 19:20 so it's going to be very late but it looks like 6F05, 00:23, Manisty - Fiddlers Ferry will be the end. (although it's going to be late) Edit Empties now rolling, 164 late. (4F01, 19:20, Garston - Manisty) Last train should be 6F05, 00:23, Manisty - Fiddlers. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold beast66606 Posted June 22, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted June 22, 2015 The wagons returned to Garston as 4F05, 04:05, Fiddlers Ferry - Garston, 70002 providing the power, this has returned to Crewe as 0K05, 05:53, Garston - Crewe arriving 55 early at 05:55 thus bringing an end to the service. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TangerineWizards Posted June 22, 2015 Share Posted June 22, 2015 Thanks for the final update. Hopefully it won't be the end of for rail freight in Ellesmere Port. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big-E Posted August 20, 2015 Share Posted August 20, 2015 Hi. I was an operator at Manisty coal depot. It has definitely closed as you thought. We had an extended shutdown earlier in the year due to a fire on a conveyor at Hunterston Coal Terminal. The contract was cancelled by SSE without any warning to us. I can't say I'll miss the place as conditions were terrible ! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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