Ashton-in-Makerfield Line

[Helen Lambert]

I'm new to this forum so please be kind! I work for PF Jones, the company that owns the land (and rail line) that used to be the old Kelbits line in Ashton/ Golborne.

We're actually restoring it at the moment to get back up and running this year.

I was just wondering if anyone knows the history about it or any information about it? And if anyone wants information about us restoring it, I'm sure I can help.

It's the Kelbit line that goes into Edge Green, I think it's just off the Haydock curve? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liverpool,_St_Helens_and_South_Lancashire_Railway

Hanson's is currently using the line to transfer raw materials from Shap Quarry in Cumbria to the area. But I'd like to find out more about it, especially the history of it if anyone can help?

 

[Helen Lambert]

Here are some photos of what's happening on the line at the minute

 

[30907]

To get you going before the local experts arrive. Google images of Kelbit Lancashire comes up with plenty of train photos, which may have useful captions.
This document has an article on about p8.
https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&s...Vaw2M1dhhH2zSVJv9njYB3MVl&cshid=1535546420648

PS welcome - we may bark (at one another) but we don't bite.

 

[Bevan Price]

You will find more about the site if you visit a local library and read parts of a book, "The Industrial Railways of The Wigan Coalfield, Part 1, West & South of Wigan", by Townley, Smith & Peden.
( ISBN 1-870754-23-9 )

Edge Green Colliery was opened by predecessors of Richard Evans & Co. Ltd in the early 19th century. It closed in about 1928. Maps in the book show changes over the years of the once extensive industrial railways operated by Evans. Unfortunately the book contains no photos from its colliery days.

Part of the Edge Green Colliery site was bought by T. Crompton & Sons, and the site reconnected to the main line railway in 1935, to serve a foundry. By 1961, the site contained Edge Green Rolling Mills and was absorbed into the Guest, Keen & Nettlefolds group. By 1965, it had been transferred to a subsidiary, Crompton, Nettlefold, Stedman Ltd., but the factory had closed by 1967. Nothing then happened until Kelbit Ltd built its tarmacadam roadstone factory in the 1980s, with rail connection restored in 1987.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

I looked at my copy of "The Wigan Branch Railway" by Dennis Sweeney (Triangle Publishing) ...ISBN 978 0 9550030 35

On page 56, there is text matter that makes reference to the referred-to line.

On page 57, Plate 70 shows at the extreme left, a very small section of the referred-to line to Edge Green. The image was taken during the 1968 new chord construction leading to the Haydock Branch Junction.

 

[Helen Lambert]

The first train to run on the line will be 17th September!

 

[Jack Jolley]

I'm new to this forum so please be kind! I work for PF Jones, the company that owns the land (and rail line) that used to be the old Kelbits line in Ashton/ Golborne.

We're actually restoring it at the moment to get back up and running this year.

I was just wondering if anyone knows the history about it or any information about it? And if anyone wants information about us restoring it, I'm sure I can help.

It's the Kelbit line that goes into Edge Green, I think it's just off the Haydock curve? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liverpool,_St_Helens_and_South_Lancashire_Railway

Hanson's is currently using the line to transfer raw materials from Shap Quarry in Cumbria to the area. But I'd like to find out more about it, especially the history of it if anyone can help?

Is it true that a Tuebrook to Ashton type freight service will begin when the work here is completed

 

[Helen Lambert]

Is it true that a Tuebrook to Ashton type freight service will begin when the work here is completed

Initially, I believe the only service will be from Shap to Ashton, theres a possibility that others may begin but couldn't say for definite at the moment.

 

[Jack Jolley]

Wait and see then cheers for the info

 

[splashoutradio]

Took a walk around the area today. There were some vegetation works taking place and the railhead over the foot crossing looked as though it hadn't seen any traffic in a while, but would I be right in thinking there may have been a little bit of shine on the rails under the road bridge?

 

[Taunton]

I was just wondering if anyone knows the history about it or any information about it? And if anyone wants information about us restoring it, I'm sure I can help.

Just to follow up, the east-west line through Ashton-in-Makerfield station was part of the old Great Central Railway (GCR), who absorbed its small scale builder which was linked to above in 1906. it left the current Manchester-Warrington-Liverpool line at Glazebrook and branched north to Wigan, with this further branch that left at Lowton and ran west to St Helens. It was originally aimed at Liverpool, but never got any further. The GCR was the principal operator of services on that direct Manchester to Liverpool line so had no real interest in duplicating that by building further. The GCR was absorbed into the major LNER in 1923, while all the rest of the lines in the area belonged to the LNWR, who went into the LMS group at that time, so they stayed separate to each other until the railways were nationalised in 1948. The line always carried very little passenger traffic, but carried much freight from the very considerable number of collieries that were once in the area (including at your site), and also from the St Helens glass industry; the GCR freight facilities in the town dwarfed their minimalist passenger station.

As you are doubtless aware, the town of Ashton-in-Makerfield had no real station in the centre, the one on the GCR line is on the southern edge, while Bryn, on the LNWR line from Liverpool to Wigan, is at the northern edge. You can still trace the line on Google Earth quite readily from remaining hedge lines etc (the line from Lowton through Ashton to St Helens is pretty straight), and if you go to a site like Old-Maps and look at the area in detail in the 1930s the number of active collieries connected to all the railways around is quite extraordinary.

The few passenger trains from Lowton to St Helens were given up in the 1950s, and the Glazebrook to Wigan line followed in the 1960s, but the lines as far as Ashton were retained for infrequent goods trains. This was wasteful, so a short link over new ground, the "Haydock Curve", was built in the 1960s, facing northwards to the West Coast Main Line where it passes just to the east of your site. This allowed the rest of the line to Glazebrook to be abandoned. Various industries have come and gone along the remaining branch since then, it's good there is a new one starting.

This tells you a bit about Ashton station itself and the line.

http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/a/ashton_in_makerfield/index.shtml

 

[Gathursty]

Please let me know what time on the 17 September the train will arrive? I'm local and regularly pass over the B5207 bridge. Be nice to get some photos up for the forum.

 

[furnessvale]

Please let me know what time on the 17 September the train will arrive? I'm local and regularly pass over the B5207 bridge. Be nice to get some photos up for the forum.

Looking at RTT, it seems the train will run from Shap Harrisons sdg to Tuebrook with 2400 tonnes trailing. It will then be split and run as two portions to Ashton in Makerfield.

 

[Helen Lambert]

Please let me know what time on the 17 September the train will arrive? I'm local and regularly pass over the B5207 bridge. Be nice to get some photos up for the forum.

Not sure on the time yet, but will keep you posted.

 

[splashoutradio]

Don't suppose there have been any updates on the Haydock branch? Have heard rumors something may have traversed the line recently?

 

[furnessvale]

Don't suppose there have been any updates on the Haydock branch? Have heard rumors something may have traversed the line recently?

Regular stone trains from Shap via Tuebrook where the train is split and run in two halves. Presumably train is too long for sidings at Ashton. Up to 3 times a week.

 

[splashoutradio]

Regular stone trains from Shap via Tuebrook where the train is split and run in two halves. Presumably train is too long for sidings at Ashton. Up to 3 times a week.

Lovely stuff. Thanks for this info.

 

[John Brannelly]

I was very pleased to see that this line is back in use. I now live in Shropshire, but from 1967 to 1978 lived in Garswood. I cycled to the line at the old Haydock Racecourse station, and stood on the footbridge there, just hoping that a train would appear - sadly, none did. The line saw some traffic until we left the area, with trains to/ from the oil terminal, but I wasn’t lucky enough to see any (no RTT then, and no computers). We could be in the St Helens area in the next couple of weeks, so perhaps at last I will see something.

 

[Bevan Price]

I was very pleased to see that this line is back in use. I now live in Shropshire, but from 1967 to 1978 lived in Garswood. I cycled to the line at the old Haydock Racecourse station, and stood on the footbridge there, just hoping that a train would appear - sadly, none did. The line saw some traffic until we left the area, with trains to/ from the oil terminal, but I wasn’t lucky enough to see any (no RTT then, and no computers). We could be in the St Helens area in the next couple of weeks, so perhaps at last I will see something.

The stone train does not seem to run every week at present - perhaps there is a lower demand at this time of year? To see if it is likely to run on the following day, I suggest checking RTT at late evening (currently on Su, Tu & Th) to see if the Tuebrook / Shap (empties) is running; if not, there is very unlikely to be a train to Ashton on the following day.

 

[John Brannelly]

Thanks Bevan. I will note your tip. I recall that we exchanged messages some years ago, on Merseyside Railgen I think, when it became evident that we had both been spotters at Thatto Heath station in earlier days. Best wishes.

 

[SP Man]

I could write a book on the tiny little line!

I was a Freight Guard at Wigan Springs Branch (then Warrington after we closed). We worked the Bitumin tanks from the Branch with a brake van, stopped under the road bridge on the Ashon line and then after changing the points would propel up the Kelbits line. It's a bloody steep, curve line with a couple of gated crossings. At the top it split into two roads with the empties on the other road - at the points you couldn't see which was the empty road and had to hope it was set correct.

The first few years I worked it was without radios and with a pair if 31s. If the driver wasn't doing quite a speed and didn't keep the power on until half way down the opposite train you would never reach the blocks- quite scary when all you had to communicate was the brake van plunger.

Over the times I had the gates across the track a few times, cows and bulls on the line, the track set onto the empty sets, the driver shutting off to early and after a lot if No use had to go back to the bridge to start again.

After a few incidents (other people) where the gates where hit the Kelbits staff used to meet you at the bridge to tell you everything was good - even after that I still had some close calls!

I remember once being told a bomb had been planted on the train, strange day and hard to look back that it was just expected that you and the driver had to just check the train for it!

Great times up that branch - even scarier though was propelling all the way from there to Springs Branch.

 

[Pete Cunliffe]

Some of the recent trains on the line since the workingsstarted. I'm hoping to go later and see what's on it today.

 

[Pete Cunliffe]

60 002 "Tempest" also appeared mid-January.

 

[Gathursty]

Excellent photos!

 

[Pete Cunliffe]

60 047 Faithful was on the train today

 

[PDG1949]

The Sunday Yicker (Branch Line Society) Sunday 9th June 2019

https://www.branchline.uk/fixture.php

Anybody got any info on timings, (particularly Kelbit Siding) apart from the few mentioned in the Branch Line Society 'Fixture' ?

Still nothing on RTT

 

[PDG1949]

The Sunday Yicker now on RTT

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/sea...19/06/09/0000-2359?stp=WVS&show=all&order=wtt

Looks like it’s arriving at Kelbit Sidings 1525 and leaving 1545

 

[SN1 19-5]

Nice one! I used to live in Ashton, I'd bunk off Tech at break to see the 37's on the Teesport Haydocks

Very Dirty Thornaby 37's usually turned up!

 

[John Brannelly]

I have recently discovered that my visit to Ashton- in-Makerfield station was on 22nd October, 1967. On walking the track between their and Haydock Racecourse platform, I noted that many of the chairs holding the rails had initials “LNER” cast on them, and dates from 1933 to 1939. There was also a “fixed” distant semaphore signal at that Ashton end of the racecourse platform. All gone now, no doubt. Best wishes to all.

 

[PDG1949]

YouTube clips of the 'Sunday Yicker' Branch Line Society Special at Kelbit on Sunday 9th June 2019

https://vtrende.life/video/IySJ83TFCss


At first glance it looks as if it doesn’t actually go down the Kelbit/PF Jones/Harrison siding itself, as the gated part of the single track to the works appears to remain closed.