Hello again, Helsby

Freightliner 66601 passes co-acting signal HY38 with 6F91 from Ince & Elton to Basford Hall

Almost four years have passed since my last visit to Helsby Junction in April 2021, so it seemed high time to pay a return visit (Monday, 17 February 2025) to this charming, and last remaining, outpost of mechanical signalling along the route from Warrington Bank Quay to Chester.

Helsby boasts a Grade II-Listed London & North Western Railway (LNWR) Type 4 signal box that opened in 1900 as replacement for an earlier 1870s box. It stands on platforms 2/3 and shares its listing with the station building and waiting shelter dating from 1849. Following its renovation, the box won a National Railway Heritage Award in 2004.

197109 approaches Helsby with delayed 1D02 from Liverpool Lime Street (08.46) to Chester

At the time of its November 2013 Listing, the box was described it as a good example of the typical form of the London and North Western Railway Type 4 signal box, while its interior retained its original lever frame and it had group value with the Grade II-listed station buildings and waiting shelter.

Its 45-lever frame controls a total of 12 semaphore arms, comprising three on the up (southbound) main line (HY2/3/4), four on the down main (HY43/42/37/36) along with a junction arm controlling access to the Ellesmere Port line (HY6), which stands alongside up home HY2 on the right hand side of the line.

197034 approaches signal HY36 with 1F94 from Chester (09.43) to Liverpool Lime Street

Four other semaphores on the little-used Ellesmere Port line are a down home HY39 (out of sight from the station), the famous co-acting starter HY38, which controls access from platform 4 to the down main line, and starting signals for Ellesmere Port-bound services HY7 (platform 3) and HY20 (platform 4).

195109 approaches Helsby and signal HY42 with 1E58 from Chester (10.27) to Leeds

Weekday services through Helsby currently comprise hourly Class 197-worked TfW services between Manchester Airport and Llandudno or Holyhead, hourly TfW services between Liverpool and Chester via the Halton curve, and hourly Class 195-worked Northern services between Leeds and Chester, the only services not stopping at Helsby.

197034 pauses at Helsby with 1D04 from Liverpool Lime Street (10.47) to Chester

The totally useless “Parliamentary” service operated by Northern on the Cinderella route to Ellesmere Port, comprises a Class 150-worked departure from Helsby at 06.00 that returns from Ellesmere Port at 06.43, then another departure at 18.50 from Helsby that returns at 19.16 and continues on to Liverpool Lime Street via Warrington.

195024/014 pass signal HY42 with 1E60 from Chester (11.27) to Leeds

As I discovered on my 2021 visit, there are good photo-spots on a nearby over-bridge and from former railway embankment close to a fenced-off bridge to the south of the station (as seen in the photo above). This formerly carried a route from Helsby West Cheshire Junction on the line to Ellesmere Port to Mouldsworth on a route from Chester to Manchester via Northwich.

195012/005 pass Helsby with 1E62 from Chester (12.27) to Leeds as 66601 waits in platform 4 with 6F91 from Ince & Elton to Basford Hall

This west curve was built by the Cheshire Lines Committee and saw heavy freight traffic to and from oil refinery at Stanlow, but that traffic was lost when pipelines were built, with the route finally closing 30 years ago (September 1991) when the signal box at Helsby West Cheshire Junction was severely damaged by fire.

66601 emerges from platform 4 and passes signal HY38 with 6F91 from Ince & Elton to Basford Hall

Getting to this spot requires a walk away from the station and then heading south from the station for about half a mile along the main A56 Chester Road, before turning right into Freshmeadow Lane and climbing up a well worn path onto the old line from an over-bridge at the end of the lane.

66601 approaches signal HY36 with 6F91 to Basford Hall (Crewe)

A rough path in the ballast takes you to the bridge over the line, which is fenced off and has lost its decking, but from where there is a good view looking north towards the station, with up section signal HY4 and down inner home HY42 in view. Down outer home HY43 stands just south of the old bridge, but too close to be photographed.

197047 pauses in platform 2 with 1F97 from Chester (12.43) to Liverpool Lime Street

Having failed to see co-acting signal HY38 pulled off on my 2021 visit, my luck was in on 17 February 2025 when not only was there a decent rear view of the signal arms from the Rake Lane over-bridge, but Freightliner 66601 appeared just before 12.30 with 6F91, a long trainload of empty hopper wagons, returning from nearby Ince & Elton Sidings to Basford Hall (Crewe).

197047 heads away from Helsby with 1F97 from Chester (12.43) to Liverpool Lime Street

HY38 is one of only two remaining co-acting signals on the national rail network – the other being GL27 at Greenloaning, near Dunblane – but in contrast to its Scottish counterpart, which is passed three times each hour, there are a maximum of three times a day when HY38 is pulled off, twice for the Ellesmere Port service and once (when it runs) for the lunchtime freight working from Ince & Elton.