3. Trip to Helsby & Chester-10.06.22

THE ARCHIVE FILES > Archive-2022 > 39. A trip to Chester-08-11.06.22 > 3. Trip to Helsby & Chester-10.06.22

Whilst my wife was readying herself for the day ahead I took an early morning run out to one of my favourite stations, Helsby. The reason that I never tyre of visiting this seemingly unassuming station is its superb array of mechanical signalling controlled by the platform located Helsby Junction signal box. I was only there for an hour or so but sitting on a bench on the platform in the sun with a coffee and listening to the sounds of the box in action was a real tonic!

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Images 1-19 of 19 displayed.

175007 & 175115, AW 06.41 Llandudno-Manchester Airport (1H82, 4E), Chester station
Catching some early morning sunlight at Chester station 175007 and 175115 pauses working the TfW 1H82 06.41 Llandudno to Manchester Airport service. I was very surprised at how quiet Chester station was in the twenty minutes or so that I was there between 07.40 and 08.00. I still am firmly of the opinion that the 'COVID effect' is still having a massive impact on how the railways are operating with the leisure times (off-peak) being a lot busier than they used to be replacing the old peak-time period.
Keywords: 175007 175115 06.41 Llandudno-Manchester Airport 1H82 Chester station TfW Transport for Wales

197102 & 197101, stabled, Chester Carriage Sidings
I really do think that from this angle that the front end of the new Class 197 units are extremely odd-looking rather like the face of a pug! Awaiting their run out for the day along the North Wales coast on driver training and mileage accumulation runs 197102 and 197101 are seen stabled in Chester's carriage sidings. I'm sure that when they enter service later this year replacing all manner of other units, some much older than others, that they will be a success and welcomed by the travelling public throughout the principality!
Keywords: 197102 197101 stabled Chester Carriage Sidings TfW Transport for Wales

150121, NT 08.02 Chester-Manchester Piccadilly (2H34, RT) & 508124, ME 08.07 Chester-Chester (2C09, 1E), Chester station
With the early morning sun creating some interesting shadows created by the roof and ironwork of Chester station's platforms five and six canopy 150121 waits to leave with the 2C09 08.07 Northern service to Manchester Piccadilly. This particular structure at the eastern end of the station was rebuilt in the early 1970s after the catastrophic fire resulting from a crash involving a runaway kerosene train (hauled by Class 24 5028) from Ellesmere Port hitting an empty Class 108 DMU stabled in the adjacent platform to 150121 seen here.
Keywords: 150121 08.02 Chester-Manchester Piccadilly 2H34 508124 08.07 Chester-Chester 2C09 Chester station Northern Merseyrail

508124, ME 08.07 Chester-Chester (2C09, 1E), Chester station
508124 is about to leave Chester station with the morning 08.07 Merseyrail return service via Liverpool Central. Once again, another view of Chester station in what should be described as peak time but where is everybody?
Keywords: 508124 08.07 Chester-Chester 2C09 Chester station Merseyrail Class 508

153329 & 153914, NT 08.10 Chester-Liverpool Lime Street (1B04, 1L), Chester station
My morning train from Chester to Helsby stands at Chester amidst the busiest scene so far seen this morning! I travelled on 1B04 08.10 service to Liverpool Lime Street worked by 153329 and 153914. This is one of the regular TfW services that traverse the Halton Curve from Frodsham Junction to Halton Junction enabling it to access the WCML just south of Runcorn. Until these services commenced in 2014 there was only a summer weekday parliamentary train with closure looking likely.
Keywords: 153329 153914 08.10 Chester-Liverpool Lime Street 1B04 Chester station

153914 & 153329, NT 08.10 Chester-Liverpool Lime Street (1B04, 1L), Helsby station
Having travelled the relatively short distance from Chester to Helsby on 153914 and 153329 I managed to take this wide-angled photograph of the train as it departed taken from the station footbridge. The semaphore signals bring a welcome sense of nostalgic warmth with them becoming increasingly rare on the network in 2022. Also of note in this image is the co-acting signal (HY38) which controls exit on to the mainline from the 'Cinderella' Ellesmere Port to Helsby line. Whilst the scene appears quiet and rural in nature looks can be deceiving. The M56 motorway is just a few hundred yards behind the trees to the left running parallel with the railway with its associated noise providing a constant soundtrack accompaniment!
Keywords: 153914 153329, NT 08.10 Chester-Liverpool Lime Street 1B04 Helsby station TfW Transport for Wales

195127, NT 08.23 Chester-Leeds (1E54, 4L), Helsby station
Civity 195127 arrives at Helsby (Junction) station with the 1E54 08.23 Chester to Leeds service. It is passing the superb 1900 L&NWR signal box unusually sited on the central island platform. On the skyline, some of the many chimneys associated with chemical production at Ellesmere Port and Stanlow can be seen.
Keywords: 195127 08.23 Chester-Leeds 1E54 Helsby station Northern CAF Civity

175003, AW 07.34 Manchester Airport-Llandudno (1D34, 4L), Lower Rake Lane Helsby
Taken from an occupation bridge that carries Lower Rake Lane to a farm at Helsby 175003 is seen approaching working the 07.34 Manchester Airport to Llandudno Transport for Wales service. Beyond the Frodsham Wind Farm Runcorn can just be seen slightly elevated from the nearby land on the Mersey Estuary. Notice the pair of semaphores to the left of the train. The lower submissive arm controls access to the now freight-only route to Ellsmere Port.
Keywords: 175003 07.34 Manchester Airport-Llandudno 1D34 Lower Rake Lane Helsby

175003, AW 07.34 Manchester Airport-Llandudno (1D34, 4L), Lower Rake Lane Helsby
175003 pauses at Helsby station with the 07.34 Manchester Airport to Llandudno TfW service. This photograph, taken from lower Rake Lane, shows the junction to the immediate east of the station with the Ellesmere Port line off to the right. Until relatively recently, this line was a passenger route and, technically, still is but with a bus now replacing rail services serving Ince & Elton, Stanlow and Ellsmere Port stations. As part of the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority Long Term Rail Strategy document of October 2017, it is stated that by 2020 Merseyrail battery (hybrid) trains should be terminating at Helsby as an expansion of the Wirral Line. It's now 2022 and with their new trains not even in service yet I fear that this remains an ambition aim and is still a fair way off!
Keywords: 175003 07.34 Manchester Airport-Llandudno 1D34 Lower Rake Lane Helsby TfW Transport for Wales

195014, NT 06.42 Leeds-Chester (1D71, 1L), Helsby station
195014 passes through Helsby (Junction) station working the 1D71 06.42 Leeds to Chester service. It is passing Helsby's HY37 up starter that is controlled by the L&NWR signal box located on the platform over and behind my left shoulder. The fifty-eight Civity units have transformed rail travel in the north of England allowing the much-heralded withdrawal of the Class 142 and Class 144 units.
Keywords: 195014 06.42 Leeds-Chester 1D71 Helsby station Northern

175107, AW 07.44 Llandudno-Manchester Airport (1H83, 1L), Helsby station
175107 approaches Helsby station in some early summer sunshine but the gathering wall of cloud to the southwest suggests that the weather is set to deteriorate! The 07.44 Llandudno to Manchester Airport Transport for Wales service is passing signal HY3 which is the down (Chester) starter. Notice also the disc signal permitting access to a couple of sidings now covered by trees off to the right of the train.
Keywords: 175107 07.44 Llandudno-Manchester Airport 1H83 Helsby station TfW Transport for Wales

195015 & 195014, NT 09.22 Chester-Leeds (1E56, RT), Helsby station
The 1E56 09.22 Chester to Leeds Northern service rattles over the pointwork to the immediate southwest of Helsby station. Consecutively numbered Civitys 195015 and 195014 are working the service, the same two that were seen a little earlier heading in the opposite direction. Notice the sidings to the right of the train. I am not at all sure as to why they have been retained, perhaps some local knowledge can enlighten me? However, whatever their purpose they have not seen any use for a long time and I suspect that they are ripe for disconnection and removal.
Keywords: 195015 195014 09.22 Chester-Leeds 1E56 Helsby station Northern Civity

Helsby Junction signal box (LNW, 1900)
I have a number of photographs of Helsby Junction signal box, to give it its proper name, but they have been conventional ones so I opted for something a little different. With an extreme wide-angled view such as this, I would normally subject it to some Photoshop treatment to straighten out the converging verticals but not this time. The box is a superb London and North Western Type 4 structure dating from 1900 that has undergone a tasteful and sympathetic refurbishment by Railtrack back in 2007. My only criticism of this modernisation work is that the replacement window frames are clumsily thick necessitated by them being of UPVC construction. As the box is Grade II listed so when the inevitable replacement of the mechanical signalling takes place it will be retained on the platform perhaps going over to some sort of community use perhaps?
Keywords: Helsby Junction signal box L&NWR

158823 & 158837, AW 08.30 Manchester Airport-Holyhead (1D33, 1E), Helsby station
My train back to Chester arrives at Helsby station. I travelled aboard 158823 and 158837 working the 08.30 Manchester Airport to Holyhead for about ten minutes enjoying the roomy ambience of these units. Despite being over twenty years old I find the travelling experience in the Class 158s far better than in many more modern trains. Notice Helsby Junction signal box on the opposite platform complete with some reproduction totems celebrating the station's best-kept status over a number of years.
Keywords: 158823 158837 08.30 Manchester Airport-Holyhead 1D33 Helsby station TfW Transport for Wales

158825 & 158828, AW 13.27 Holyhead-Birmingham International (1I22, RT), Chester racecourse
Taken from Chester's Nun's Road that follows the route of the city wall 158825 and 158828 are seen crossing Roodee Viaduct working the 13.27 Holyhead to Birmingham International TfW service. In the foreground, Chester racecourse was busying itself for the next day as there was a seven-race card meet taking place, the Edinburgh Gin Summer Saturday.
Keywords: 158825 158828 13.27 Holyhead-Birmingham International 1I22 Chester racecourse TfW Transport for Wales

175004, AW 14.40 Llandudno-Manchester Airport (1H90, 42L), Bonewaldesthorne's Tower Chester city wall
Enjoying a complete circular walk of the city walls I revisited a spot that I went to two days previously, 175004 approaches Chester from the west with the 14.40 Llandudno to Manchester Airport TfW service. The location is adjacent to Bonewaldesthorne's Tower, a medieval structure dating from 1249.
Keywords: 175004 14.40 Llandudno-Manchester Airport 1H90 Bonewaldesthorne's Tower Chester city wall TfW Transport for Wales

158831, AW 14.34 Holyhead-Cardiff Central (1V97, 3L), Northgate Arena car park
158831 slows for its stop at Chester station with the 1V97 14.34 Holyhead to Cardiff Central service. The station, once designated as 'General' is a short distance around the curve in the distance. I am standing above the portal of the first of two short tunnels that takes the railway under Chester emerging again to the west of the city. I am standing in the car park of the Northgate Arena that is located on the site of Chester's other station that was shut in the autumn of 1969.
Keywords: 158831 14.34 Holyhead-Cardiff Central 1V97 Northgate Arena car park TfW Transport for Wales

158831, AW 14.34 Holyhead-Cardiff Central (1V97, 3L), Northgate Arena car park
This view from Chester's Northgate Arena car park would once have been somewhat different with two bridges crossing the railway below. These two bridges carried railway tracks from Chester Northgate's small depot back to the 'mainline' that curved away towards Mickle Trafford. I am actually standing on the trackbed of the lines that came from the good's shed with the lines into Northgate station behind me. 158831 is seen leaving Chester General (a short distance around the curve in the background) with the 14.34 Holyhead to Cardiff Central service.
Keywords: 158831 14.34 Holyhead-Cardiff Central 1V97 Northgate Arena car park TfW Transport for Wales

Tickets, Chester-Helsby-Chester
My return tickets from Chester to Helsby cost a rather pricy £6.90. Whilst this is not very much in itself when one considers that the distance travelled was only just over seven miles one can work out that it is just fifty pence per mile! However, one must also remember that it was a walk-on peak fare; just about the most expensive way to travel on our railway!
Keywords: Tickets Chester-Helsby-Chester

Images 1-19 of 19 displayed.