Revamp for Shotton station

New freight service for Shotton Paper

66002 passing Hope on the empty wagons for Shotton, 08.08.2008

A new freight service has started between Shotton Paper and Barking in Essex.  Currently the train runs once a week with the empty wagons going to Shotton on a friday evening and the loaded train running on the following saturday morning.  The inward train from Warrington Arpley yard is generally in Wrexham just after 19.00 and the loaded train is booked to leave Shotwick sidings at 07.00.  The normal load is 12 IZA cargowaggon twins.

Taith Rover tickets now valid to Bidston

WREXHAM is set to join Virgin Trains network later this year.  Company bosses confirmed plans to run a weekday service from the town to London Euston from December if the West Coast mainline upgrade is completed.

The Virgin service – via Chester – will be in direct competition with Wrexham & Shropshire Railway’s (WSMR) services from Wrexham to London Marylebone.  Both services are targeted at Wrexham’s growing business community.

Chief executive Chris Gibb said the Virgin Trains service will leave Wrexham about 7am. The return journey will leave London at 6.10pm. Journey time will be around two-and-a half-hours.  He said: “The service would be operated by modified Super Voyager trains, with a first-class service which is comparable to that provided on our Pendolino trains.  “The Wrexham trains will run at 125mph with tilt operational over the West Coast Main Line between Crewe and London.”  Mr Gibb added the service is being introduced on a trial basis, and more services on weekdays and weekends have not been ruled out.

ECT Rail, through its subsidiary RMS Locotec, has started work carrying out a terminal services contract for the Corus Group in Shotton, North Wales, moving up to 20,000 tonnes of steel for the company each week.

The new contract uses two Class 08 locomotives each with 13 wagons.  Seven multi-skilled operators control moving the steel along a 1 mile track from Dee Marsh Sidings through to Corus Colors at their Shotton Works in Deeside, Flintshire.  Finished steel coils, which could be galvanized or colour coated, are then loaded back onto the train for distribution to various rail connected warehouses throughout the country from where the steel can be dispatched to end user.

Corus Colors is an international business with over 40 years experience in the development and manufacture of pre-finished steels.  These can be used for many applications such as roofs and walls, domestic appliances, consumer products and even bakeware.  This is the second contract, RMS Locotec has made with Corus.  RMS Locotec also carry out terminal services contracts with oil refineries.

Wrexham & Shropshire have welcomed the Welsh Assembly Government’s announcement on 11 January that it has reached agreement with Network Rail regarding the delivery of rail depot facilities at Wrexham General station.

The depot project will provide many essential facilities for Wrexham & Shropshire’s new direct rail service, scheduled to start in Spring 2008, including overnight accommodation for trains, storage for on-train catering supplies and secure office space.

The company has also had confirmation from Wrexham Council that Listed Building Consent for the proposed works has been granted and that the terms to lease the facilities are agreed with Arriva Trains Wales.  This news means that Wrexham & Shropshire’s plans to run rail services next year are on schedule.

Andy Hamilton, Managing Director of Wrexham & Shropshire, said: “We are delighted that plans for the depot have been given the green light.  They not only form a key part of our proposals to run direct rail services to London, but also support the 45 new local jobs that we will be creating in Wrexham over the coming months.Launching a new rail service is a challenging and exciting venture.  It’s not possible without co-operation, so we are particularly pleased that plans for the depot have come about as a result of a strong partnership between the public sector and the railway industry.”

Wrexham & Shropshire is expecting to run passenger services between North Wales, Shropshire and London Marylebone from Spring 2008.  The company is undertaking the necessary work required to mobilise the service, including the refurbishment of its trains. Further details of the new service will be announced over the coming months.
Deputy First Minister and Minister for the Economy and Transport, Ieuan Wyn Jones, said: “The new depot is good news for North Wales, and provides the enhanced infrastructure we need to support greater use of our rail facilities.”

67006 and 67029 at Wrexham General on 11th October 2006.  This service ran from London Marylebone and was an evaluation exercise by Wrexham and Shropshire Railway for their planned service to London.  Sadly this was as far as this impressive train went on the Borderlands Line!

Two units are required to work the daytime passenger services.  On Sundays only one train is required.  From the December 2006 timetable change, all services should be formed of 2 car Class 150 units.  This is a great improvement in both comfort and reliability.

150253 at Penyffordd on a Bidston service, February 5th 2007

The timings below are given as a guide in good faith, there is no guarantee that any particular train will either run on time or even run at all!  During the current recession many trains are cancelled, particularly those from Llanwern.

There are currently two booked trains of hot rolled coil per day from South Wales - these run 7 days a week although at different times at the weekend.  The Mondays to Fridays "Enterprise" freight from/to Warrington (6F59/6F62) is currently suspended following the ending of the traffic to/from Shotton Paper.  Coal trains to/from Castle Cement (6F41/6E41) run up to twice a week generally on tuesday and wednesday or thursday, the empties from Castle Cement have to travel to Dee Marsh to run round.  Light engine workings for 6F41 and 6E41 are not shown.

Q:  denotes train runs as required.

As the line provides the only access to the Merseyrail Wirral line, engineering and ballast trains are quite a common sight.   The current freight timetable, to the best of my knowledge, is as follows:

Return to the main page